_Before the Cincinnati Menorah Society, November 19, 1914_
STANDING as it does for the study of the history and culture of the
Jewish people, and for the advancement of their ideals, the Menorah
Society is welcomed to the University of Cincinnati. This University,
of all institutions, should welcome every such organization. The
University of Cincinnati claims to represent the idea of the democracy
of the higher education, the equality of opportunity for the highest
culture in its latest form. The American idea is that the university
should be as free to all cultures as our country is free to all races.
Standing for this idea more distinctly than any other type of
institution among us, the American state university has been called
the characteristic institution of the republic. But the municipal
university is destined to democratize the higher education even more
completely than the state university. The state university makes the
higher education free to all who can come to it, but the municipal
university takes it to the poorest citizen at his home.
For these reasons, if for no other, we should welcome the Menorah
Society into our midst. As I was just informed that the national
convention of the Intercollegiate Association is about to take place,
let me, on behalf of this University, say to you, Mr. Chancellor, as
the representative of the national organization, that we are glad to
extend an invitation to your convention to meet in our halls.
There are special reasons, too, why we should welcome the Menorah
Association here. We believe that the University and its members need
this Society for several reasons. In the first place, a great
democratic institution like this can grow only when all the races
bring into it their peculiar customs and ideals. I believe the
non-Jews need it as well as the Jews. It takes varied elements to make
up the democracy, and America, and Cincinnati, and its University all
need the spiritual resources of the Jew. I am impressed with the
statement of the purposes of the Menorah Society as explained by the
Chancellor in the address to which we have just listened.
He tells us first of all that its object is to promote the study of
the history of the Jewish race. Your ancient books are the sources of
all history; in fact, I cannot conceive of the study of history unless
it begins with, or takes up very early, these great historic books of
the Bible. They furnish the Ariadne's thread for the wanderer through
all history; they are the fountain head also of the philosophy of
history. The old Jewish historians always took the teleological view
of the world and looked from the effect back to the cause,
interpreting human events in the terms of God, the designer, the
creator, and the governor of the world. In fact, their great
contribution to history was this doctrine of God's hand in human
events.
The Jew had also, it seems to me, throughout his whole history, a
special talent for theistic truth, for those verities that are
eternal. With an insight and a power almost surpassing all other men,
he discovered truths which have ever been, and always will be,
essential factors in all religion. The first of these ideas is his
conception of Jahveh, not only as a sovereign, powerful, and terrible
Being, but as a personal, holy, righteous, and good Father, "who
pitieth his children." Your Bible, however, nowhere tries to prove the
existence of a God; it everywhere assumes it. "It is the fool who says
in his heart there is no God," declares the Psalmist.
For the same reason, your great books are the world's text book of
comparative religion. I cannot conceive of any one studying religions
without going to them, for above all others the Jewish religion is
original. For these and many more reasons, we hold that the history,
religion and philosophy of the Hebrews is fundamental and
indispensable for the student of these subjects--in fact, for all
students of the humanities.
It was the Jew who discovered conscience, also, and produced in due
time an order of men who made themselves the conscience of their
nation. Moses first formed a law declaring the word of God and
teaching men their relations to God and to each other. Other nations
have had priests and augurs who received the oblations of the people
and gave them advice about their affairs, but the Jewish nation was
the first to produce real prophets who dared to denounce the sins of
the people and remind them of their duty as men and nations. What the
world needs today is another line of such prophets.
To the young men assembled here tonight, I would say, therefore, it is
your duty to study the history, philosophy and theology presented in
these ancient Scriptures, and thus inform yourselves how to instruct
this great democratic people. Be prophets like the prophets of old to
guide the people into the truth!
The Jews were the first people to uphold the sacred character of
patriotism, the patriotism of principle, not of mere power, the
patriotism that teaches that it is not might that makes right, but
right which makes might. How sadly the European powers need to learn
this lesson today! Only "righteousness exalteth the nation" and gives
it the power and the right to lead in the world. If nations would seek
righteousness as a means of winning leadership, they would never need
to go to war, and the exercise of might would never be necessary.
Because this Society proposes to study the great history and
literature which teaches these things, we give it a welcome tonight,
and pray that the light held up by the Menorah may shine not only for
the people of Cincinnati, but for the people of America, and the
world, that all the nations may be guided into that righteousness
which leads to Peace.