Rabbi Bloch

THE JEWISH MILESTONE.

Let us then reason: If the unfolded book of nature has its inspiring lesson for a poet's invocation, how much more should the mighty volumes written by the hand of Providence invite us to profound contemplation? Our Passover stands forth as the grandest milestone, as the epoch that marks the starting point in the evolution of liberty. With the Passover, Egypt began the early spring of humanity, still wrapped in the deadly frost of slavery. Israel's departure from Egypt was the starting point on the journey to Sinai, over whose ideal peak that sun should rise, whose fire and light was strong enough to melt every iron shackle and stamp every man with the image of his Creator.

Whether celebrated on the shores of the Nile, or on the hallowed banks of the Jordan, by a Joshua or Josiah, in the days of exile on the Euphrates, or in the golden era of the Maccabeans under conquering Rome, or its dissolution, whether crouched in dark ghettos or hunted by intolerant mobs-the Passover remained our consecrated milestone, that inspires us to heroic endurance and perseverance in the cause of truth, and the hopes of a brighter dawn on the horizon of mankind. Passing over the streams and mighty rivers of time, and from milestone to milestone, set by grief or joy. it was the evercheering voice of Israel's songs that drowned all sorrow and aroused anew our vigor, marching to tempo of time's tread, ever nearer and nearer to Israel's goal. The old and withering walls of the middle ages began to crumble into dust under the heavy stroke of the advancing age of reason. With every breach a new passageway was made to the advanced hosts of humanitarians. The Jew amongst them entered the cause dearest to him, and

on every battlefield he proved that the heroism of the Maccabees was still abiding in his race.

The final glory, however, has not yet come. The battle is still going on. Here and there and everywhere social questions await its final solution. In the heat of the combat strange revelations of human nature are brought about. Amongst these, the old prejudice has concentrated itself in the opposition to Jewish freedom, honestly won in the last 2000 years. But this, too, will succumb, and the last blot against mankind will be wiped out. Meanwhile we must not desert Israel's old camping grounds. Our holy days must never degenerate into mere feasting days. These must more than ever become the high watch-towers from which to hail the sign of ages, and from which shall float forever the old banner of Judaism, cheering the old and the young, and summoning the true and brave to the old song of the Passover: "O give thanks to the Eternal, for He is good, for unto eternity endureth His kindness.”

Harrison R. Kincaid

WAR.

(Extract from an editorial upon the threatened war with Chile.)

Man, in all ages, has been the most destructive and turbulent animal on the globe. He has always delighted more in excitement and war than in peace and the pursuits of learning, morality and harmonious development. The world is one great field of carnage where the armies of countless ages have marched to battle and where millions and hundreds of millions have been slain and their bones strewn, layer upon layer, over every continent and at the bottom of every sea. One war has followed another, in regular succession, in all civilized and savage nations, as one wave follows another over the ocean.

The United States has been the most peaceable, intelligent and progressive nation of which history gives any account. But the spirit of war, the rattle of drums, the sound of bugles, the neighing of prancing steeds, the clashing of steel, the roar of artillery and all the symbols of war of ancient times thrill the hearts of the American people far beyond any other passion or sentiment. The spirit of war, which has desolated the earth in all ages, is not dead but only slumbering in our people. We have already had several wars during our brief national existence and may have many more. The people worship warriors-great fighters-far more than they do the greatest intellectual and moral giants the world has ever produced. No man, however great he may have been intellectually and morally, has ever been elected President of the United States over any kind of a military hero. And no party or man has ever opposed a war in this country, just or unjust, without having been swept out of power by popular indignation.

J. Fred Yates

DAMON AND PYTHIAS.

(From an address delivered at Portland, Oregon, October 13, 1898.)

As we dwell for a time upon the beautiful story of Damon and Pythias we cannot but be benefited by its recital, and derive new lessons from it which will actuate our better motives toward each other, and toward our fellow men, and give us new inspirations which we can carry back with us into the practical affairs of life.

As we never tire of looking at the beautiful blendings of color and tints of the rainbow, so we never grow weary watching the weaving threads that wove the lives of Damon and Pythias together; and as the rainbow is not more beautiful than each separate color so not more beautiful is the knitted web of these two characters than is each separate thread of the web entwined around their

names.

Damon and Pythias-at the mention of the names thought bounds backward and upward, and faith grows warmer with the thrill of joyful memory. Theirs were the examples of the highest types of simple fidelity, of the virtues of princely natures, though found in private spheres.

How great a man may be who never sits on a throne, nor emblazons a page of history, with his human glory by simply doing his individual duty to God and to man. To see others exalted without envy or jealousy, to devote himself to generous deeds of true friendship, to be loyal to others under all circumstances, to be faithful to God, and Christ like to man, may perchance not gain for him a niche in the galleries of the world's great heroes and heroines, but it means true greatness and noble heroism. Because of this the name of Damon will go down to posterity as one of the greatest of profane or divine his

tory, and will remain immortal in the records of time. His was a princely nature without being a prince, and he had the qualities of kingliness without being a king.

As we stand at the estuary of some river where its mighty flood passes into the ocean, it often seems to us that its current is actually reversed; the tidal wave beats strongly from the sea, and the superficial waves beat upward from the stream. But down beneath the surface, with unceasing flow, the true current of the river moves steadily on. So it is with the principles displayed in the lives of those who imitate the examples of Damon and Pythias; the true current is ever flowing toward the right. In such lives we find the qualities of candor, courage, confidence, loyalty, tenderness and unselfishness, which grow into true nobleness and true manhood, until character rises to the full zenith of greatness and power.