The Jewish advance., September 13, 1878, Page 4, Image 4

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The Jewish Advance.
84 & 86 FIFTH AVENUE.
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HENRY GERSONI,
Editor.
MAX STERN, Publisher.
Chicago, September 13th, 1878.
8 8 S £
For tlie Suffering Israelites of
the South.
“Em Hammier" gave in the Deborah
of last week a little of his experience
and a piece of his mind. If not in all
cases, in this instance at least Chicago
may profit by the sentiments which have
been expressed in St. Louis. We will
therefore reproduce here as near as prac
ticable the ideas of Kin Hammier.
“We are collecting donation for our
suffering co-religionists of the South.
Would you, please, contribute your mite
toward our object?”
— No, sir. 1 have sent my contribu
tion to the Howard Association. The
congressman of our district has called on
me and 1 have subscribed. . .
‘‘You have acted rightly. We do not
expect any honest Israelite to act in a
different manner. But we are making
collections for our poor co-religionists,”
— Jew or Christian, it is all the same
to me, I do for the one what I would do
for the other. We ought not to keep
ourselves as a distinct class of people
because we are Israelites.
Neither person nor time nor place
need be specified for this dialogue. It
is a sign of the time, an opinion which'is
passed off as a highly important principle
demanding the acknowledgment of all
the Jews of America from Maine to
Oregon. There may be no evil motives
at the bottom of this opinion; and econ
omy is certainly one of its features. In
cases of distress we Israelites used to
contribute twice toward the aleviation
of suffering; first as men and citizens,
and then as coreligionists. Christians do
the same toward their coreligionists; and
so also do the societies of telegraphers,
firemen, printers, members of lodges,
farmers etc. If a Jew has no special gift
for his coreligionists in trouble, the only
advantage he has before others who have
a heart for their suffering fellow men is
that he comes off cheaper than they do.
m order to and out the course of two
short lines whether they run parallel or
diverging, we have to prolong them. We
have in our ease one such line, the
8outh. Let us extend the principles
underlying this case in order to see
whether our judgment about the manner
in which we are to respond to the general
demand for assistance is straight or
diverging, in rapport to the special call
for charity which is made on us as Is
raelites, and in behalf of our co-religion
ists. If it were out of an unkind senti
ment toward our Christian fellow men,
that we as Jews take care of our own
poor, all our charitable institutions and
societies on which thousands of dollars
are expended every year, our hospitals
and orphan-assylums are based on false
principles then, and must yield all
pretentions and claims to a spirit of
charity and brotherly love. Again if we |
would say that we do not make any dif- i
ference between Jew or Gentile in the j
dispensing of charity, the Jewish as well
as the Christian sufferers would lose by
it, and the giver would be the only win
ner in this case. The masses of the
Jewish poor would then fall back on the j
common funds, and the portion which
they would receive, would be a part of
that which would otherwise belong to the
Christians.
“But the contributions which go now
toward specific Jewish charities, would
then be handed over to the common
funds, and this would more than replen
ish them?” I hear one interposing,
This is a mistake, my dear sir. Charity
depends on religion to a great extent,
The thousands of orphans brought up
and educated by the various churches,
the thousands of sick and indigend tend
ed to and provided for by the various re
ligions denominations prove conclusive
ly the truth of this assertion. Even the
Howard Association is a religious insti
tution. There are many social institutions
which are better cared for in the hands
of secular management; charity needs the
sympathy of hearts thawed and warm
ed up by the flame of religion. There
is yet too much misery, misapprehension
and prejudice in the world to make the
cause of charity and humanity depending
entirely on the laws of citizenship and
equality, and to deprive it entirely of the
support of religion. And, not only reli
gion in general, but even the religions as
they are, varying in their confessions
cannot yet be dispensed with for the
sake of charity, The philosophy of
humanity has not yet so permeated the
minds and the hearts of the masses, that
they should bear the heavy burdens of
social life, the continuous demands of
gregarious necessities whithout a feeling
of lassitude. It is only religion which
makes every such burden easy, every
such obligation a pleasure. And there
fore it is altogether irrational and in
consistent with the state of our social
affairs to divest your work of charity of
the religious character, which is part of
its power.
There are reasons, moreover, why the
well-to-do Israelites should not throw off
their shoulders the care of their less for
tunate co-religionists. The members of
the Jewish communities know one an
other very nearly. The state of a needy
Jew as well his rights in how far he is
justified to make his demands on the
charity of others are pretty well known
among his brethren. In this case, the
dispensation of charity is as near just
and equitable as possible. Besides this,
the circle of charitable activity, if so dis
tributed, is so narrow that the invest
igation of every individual ease becomes
easy. But outside of the Jewish co
religionists, how can a general committee
in a large city, (such as New-Orleans,
for instance) know the business and the
family relations of every applicant for
assistance? And does not the ghost of
prejudice, against the Jews exercise his
mischevous influence in the minds of
many, otherwise enlightened and well
meaning Christians? In view of these
facts, if the distribution of charity be
left entirely in the hands of the govern
ing classes, many an honorable sufferer
will be overlooked|or ignored, while dis
honest and shrewd individuals will obtain
a double-portion of the public funds.
Such is the result of the investigation
if you draw the lines of general assistance
and specific religious charity a little
longer; those lines are found to diverge
from the straight course which is neces
sary for our demands. What is true of
the aid of the Southern sufferers, must
stand true also for every dispensation of
relief, for orphan-asylums, hospitals,
homes for aged and infirm throughout
the land. Should such institutions yield
their special religious principles to the
principle of the general brotherhood of
all men, a certain sum of money may be
saved by every religious denomination
in particular, but the general class of
the needy of each respective denomina
tion would miss more than that sum for
their support.
And therefore we say that the objec
tions to denominational dispensation of
charity are not bad, but they are of a very
economical, of a very cheap nature in
deed. Those objections may be made
with the purest motives, and our remarks
are not intended to reflect on the noble
ness of heart of such as make them.
What we mean to prove is that in the
cause of virtue and benevolence it is
detrimental and dangerous to look for
easy principles. If a few enlightened
persons advocate such principles for their
lofty and truly humane bearing, the
masses may and will find in them a plea
to make their obligations toward their
fellow-men easier for themselves.
New Orleans, Sept. 5,1878.
Henry L. Frank, Esq., Chicago, III.
Dear Sir—I am very sorry to state
that the epidemic is still raging badly in
our midst, and the demand upon our in
stitutions is daily increasing. Although
having liberally contributed already to
wards our institutions, yet it becomes
my imperative duty to say, not to for
get us in this hour of sorrow and
trouble, and raise means amongst our
friends, to assist our down-stricken suf
ferers. We have now from 500 to 1,000
dollars expenses daily, and have to de
pend upon our friends for it. Very
respectfully your, etc.,
Ciias. Simon,
Act. Pres, of T. S. and H. B. Ass’n.
The following- Two Communica
tions Speak for Themselves.
Chicago. July 14,1878.
To the Officers and Members of the Congregation
Bnai Shalom:
Brethren:- In view of the fact that the
principles which I feel myself called upon to
advocate cannot he followed up by your con
gregation, and I not being able to yield my re
form principles 1 have resolved to" tender you
my resignation. This resignation to date from
September 1st, ult , and be irrevocable on my
part. Respectfully, Henry Gersoni.
Upon which the following resolutions
have been adopted and published by the
Congregation Bnai Sholom in the Am.
Israelite of Cincinnati, and the Jewish,
Messenger.
The Rev. Dr. Henry Gersoni, having tender
ed his resignation as the minister of the con
gregation, on motion it was resolved; that
W hereas, The majority of the members of
the congregation do not concede to the ad
vanced reform principles of Dr. Gersoni; and
Whereas. Dr. Gersoni is resolved not to
yield his reform platform; therefore, the offi
cers of the Congregation feel compelled to ac
cept his resignation to date from September
1st next, at the same time we take pleasure to
attest that during the official period of Dr
Gersoni with this Congregation his moral and
official conduct has been to the entire satisfac
tion of the Congregation.
Signed: Isaac Gi.ogosky, acting President:
Lewis Hefter,
Tobias Goldschmidt,
Jonas Moore,
Isaac Livingston,
David Witkowsky,
Solomon Harris.
Chicago, 111., July 21, :ts7s.
Retrospect on the Year 56J5S.
II.
There has been no dearth of religious
activity among the Israelites of the 1 .S.
during the year 5688, New congrega
tions have been formed in different parts
of the country, new synagogues have
been erected and consecrated in various
towns. The formation of new congre
gations and the building of new shrines,
which are signs of religious life and ac
tivity in small towns, seems to indicate
a spirit of variance and discord in large
cities. For what benefit may such an
increase in the number of congregations
be in large cities where there are Tem
ples and synagogues enough to supply
the religious demands of the whole Jew
ish community ? The old and well reg
ulated organizations are only weakened
by the formation of new organizations ;
the forces become divided and scattered,
and the respective classes estranged
from each other and a general laxity and
disability are the ultimate results.
Ouv ministers have done some good
work during the year. By their literary
efforts they have succeeded in making
Judaism more known, the Jews more
popular with the general classes. In this
instance again, the large cities where
able ministers are at work, have the
advantage over the smaller communities.
While our learned rabbins of New York,
San Francisco, Chicago, Cincinnati and
other prominent cities endeavor to make
known the wisdom and the ethics of
Judaism to the literary public, the small
fry of the little towns force into public
ity extravagant nonsense. They do it
with an dan worthy of a better cause,
to the detriment of the cause of Juda
ism. The uninformed Christian hears
or reads their worthless trash, which
they pass off in the name of Judaism,
and draws false conclusions in reference
to the spirit thereof. Bitter satires have
been published in our respectable jour
•nals (we have some which cannot lay
claim to respectability) against such
bragadoeia ; they have availed to some
extent—and the satirist is living yet,
thank Cod, and seems to be determined
to pursue his work.
One of the most cheerful signs of the
times is the interest which has been
manifested in Jewish learning during the
year 5638. The Sabbath schools are con
fessedly the most important branch of
congregational activity, Free schools
for Hebrew and religious instruction
have been louder called for than ever.
Our young men’s associations desire to
hear lectures on Jewish wisdom and his
tory. The demand for good Jewish
teachers is greater than the supply.
And, last but not least, the formation of
Jewish theological colleges are fairly in
progress, while they have only been
spoken of and debated upon in previous
years. The number of scholars signify
ing their intention to study in those col
leges, has put at rest many a doubting
mind as regards the willingness of young
America to work for the cause of Juda
ism. It is true that hitherto only poor
children have asked for admission into
the Jewish theological colleges ; but we
may prognosticate with a degree of cer
tainty, that as soon as the position and