Show RABBI FREUND DRAWS DRANS lESSONS fROM EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY I I I I Rabbi Freund delivered a very Interesting Inter esting address last night at Templo Temple B Israel drawing lessons from tho earthquake in It Italy y tho financial panic I and other important events of 1908 Ho said Tel Telegraphic graphIc communication brings us is tho n news ew wl of ot the tho dread calamity that ha hag befallen tho Italian nation For tho many unfortunates who cho were th the victims of or tho the dIre dIN catastrophe we can te feel ferl l a n. deep sym S-m- p path pathy th Tho The closI closing days of ot tho tim year rear a ono no brought deop deep darkness s Into tho homes and h hearts hoart m of ot man many Wo trust that later and C calmer ac accounts will how show that tho earlier C reports were ere exaggerated an annot and not so 80 n first t surmIsed d and nd reported If IC a as al moralists moralist W WH w. look upon such Euch a n cat ca- ca t what Judgments are arc passed b by various types of of- Individuals and what 13 ii th the more nearly correct Interpretation Our Ort first Is tho bigot who Is ia ever ready reedy to Interpret after the tho the fa fashion of ot mankind In tho th making lIe He win wilt say MY that euch such ca- ca s ar are the visitations of ot for pO possible moral nn end and other Wo Vo may find a degree of ot right If It such fl contention were ere certain qualification mado made A Juster conception of Deity makes makeI him out as a 1 loving father chastening when necessary but not a n cruel unfeeling demon god The Th other extreme extremo of Interpretation Is 19 made mada b by th the scoffer arid skeptic who tells us that It serves rYes mankind perfectly ri right ht for tor pinning Its Us faith In a ft God Goel who can do doso 80 so much damage damalo tho the calamity upon the Innocent as well as upon the tho un un- un- un righteous ULan Long enough In th these e days of Increasing In ing infidelity moro morn loudl loudly than ever havo such luch Judgments been pass passed cd That they are aro wrong wron- wo wt A ma may feel certain whon when wo we 0 bear In mind that both of th the lo o arguments ments ment arc shortsighted and eliminate factors fee fac tore tors that will help to establish fair Judg judS' ment C Certain human shortcomings aro are overlooked and magnified ar arn am the tho supposed supposed sup sup- posed doings of Deity When la large e numbers num hrs bers of people live In the tho vicinity of ot re regions ro- ro gions glons whore volcanoes arc aro known to exist I whether In action or what t shall we sn say if calamity sooner or later overtakes overtakes over over- takes them m They Will Flirt With Death Tho facts of possible death d dealing damage are known And yet p people pl are areno areso no so foolish a air as to b bs b willing constantly to flirt with Ith death It If wo o grant rant that man has freedom of choice that determinism Is not a s. factor for or continued residence In regions where tho the chances of ot death ar are ar greater than elsewhere where on whom shall rest the blame for catastrophe Among Amon the factors that enter Into the tho production of oft undesirable r results are possible hum human n greed and an un uncontrolled desire for tor possIble easy life lire T These eso are aro moral consi considerations And when we mako make our final l summation wo ma may be able to that more moro often otton not God but man Is cruel crocI Our limitations confine us to an extent But wo we are not so 80 situated or constituted that wo we are aro bound hound to one course of action netlon in preference to another It qt Is our human I ignorance that t is misleading mis mis- leading And for tor this If It we try to be bo fair wo we havo have only ourselves to blamo blame It Is Isman's Isman's isman's mans man's wanton Vanton 1 failure luro to uso use his God given reason Son arl ht that makes some somo of or terrible calamities before which we stand appalled and admit more than ever our In inability to solve the UIA riddle of or tho the universe In that t awful It Italian 11 1 an calamity had the people profited by bv the experiences of or the past st cities clUe would not have hay be been n established in regions of possible dan danger cr while s r habitation ml might ht have been had elsewhere It would bl bo almost too good to believe bello belloIt it to be bo true tru that with such a R. warning a as tho the catastrophe whose WhOM echoes in that It will 8 yet ct ring our ears root and yield good bood results May Bo Be a Blessing I If th the catastrophe bo ho looked upon as asa asa asa a curse curge it ma may yet ot turn Into a valuable blessing In tan Man an ha has not always and continuous continuously continuously con con- been favored only with pleasing experiences Tho The school of ot experience h has ul ulI taught the needed and valuable lesson of ot I trying to learn to utilize the things harmful to convert thorn thom Into agencies of ot otI helpfulness In tho the passing of ot the centuries ecu con I turiN tunes widening of or mans man's knowledge gc has haa acquainted man with tho the help Lessons of 1908 Tho year oar whose hose curtain lies been drawn whoso Whose book of ot record has hns ben been closed lies has tau taught ht somo some valuable moral lessons Economic conditions condition through tho tue world have havo been boen unsettled They arc aro now beginning to rl right ht themselves And nd to our own country tho the trying year has hall been one pro productive of ot good results Stress Is often orten a l valuable ally In tho the development of character For thos who felt elt th the tho w weight of ot financial hardships the most mOAt th the lesson was as pressed home of ot tho the necessity cel- cel sity of ot making provision for emergency In the exciting life lire led b by many In these times time of rapid living people give FIYO little thought to morn moro than the passing To the tho extent of ot their means mean do the most moat of them live 8 and when such a blow of or pressing hardship comes the they aro helpless and much to be pitied Tho The moral lesson to be he deduced li is that as till Indicating mans man's assured superiority we wo provide not only for tho the present but also for possible contingencies that wat might arise This Tills to have havo taught the lesson to toha ha have vo he been taken talton to heart henrt will make tho the year passed worthy orthy of ot remembrance and gratitude And AntI then again If It we te e are aro to toke take tako ke further lesson esson from that financial depression which tried many sorely It would bo be that we should learn not to b beso bo be boso so flO to do too much wo VO 0 must learn to know and recognize our limitations Tho The undertaking of or trying to produce beyond the tho range rano of ot financial ability will necessitate a a. ro lson of ot the tho system of or credit as now in vogue In the world orld Overproduction aside from economic ocean ocean- mic considerations has also Its moral side that must not be overlooked Labor and Capital To meet credit obligations entered Into to assure financing of or such schemes ruy lead to crime crimo and undesirable ic- ic suits To fo guard against such contingency contin contin- gency the year ear 1108 has issued its menacing warning Among other moral factors t which 1905 OS has brought to tho the fore foro aro are the Imperious Imperious Im in r requirements of labor and capital capi tal to understand their mutual obliga obliga- The economic war tsar which some somo hotheaded hotheaded hotheaded hot hot- headed individuals would like Uko to eco ensue has at all aU times s been averted by hy bythe bytho tho the counsel of or wise leaders A As long as 33 asboth asboth both sides in this mighty f struggle trul lo reco recognize nize that each cach his rights that tho other must t respect trouble will bo avoided a Arrogant claims pushed b by one ono or theother tho the other ma may precipitate a 0 clash whose outcome outcome out out- come como wo we e ma may not desire to ensue The Tho year 1908 1905 has helped to C carry rry on tho the work ork of ot moral regeneration In tho the lifo life of ot our nation Tho The public conscience awakened from Its dormant by tho the efforts of or public spirited individuals who became at lost last aroused to their duty by tho the force of circumstances has continued l lIn in Its ItJI wakeful state stalo T Thankful indeed may we be that at last people aro arc be beginning bem he- he ginning m to realize U that I the tho h moral law Is Isas isas as Insistent b of obedience c co to o Its Je demands as ever evor It was in th the past And In the dawn of ot a a. now year may the tho lessons thus brought homo home be not unheeded With Regard to Jews And when we dwell mentally on the year 1903 1908 an and what It had for us especially espe espe- as nJ Jews there Is ono one lesson which wo we O should emphasize Our Jewish world orld was startled by the audacity and mendacity men men- of the exaggerated charges of ot Police Police lolice Po Po- lo lice Commissioner BIngham about Jewish criminality Disproved and retracted though they wore were they stand forth as a terrible warning When hen made ml In the uproar uproar up up- roar they were regarded os as a l curse But I Ithe the tho working of or tho the human law may ho bo regarded as al tho the Instrumentality of ot the I divine The bl blessing that wo we may read in the tile article Is IR tho the calling of or our at attention At- At I to tho the fact that Jewry is possessed pos pos- sessel of ot a L largo large criminal class that should not exist We Yo were formerly smugly Indifferent to tho lie existence of ot such criminals of or Jewish extraction Our Duty Plain Our duty Is plainly evident lt it If we are arc areto areto to retain our good name namo of ot law Ill abiding exemplary citizenship then the charge charse of ot noblesse oblige should toda today be bo as forceful for us as Jews as ever it was vas In tho Tho plague spot must be eradIcated eradicated from our midst and tho blot from our honored name And this can only bo ho done dono b by an inculcation of or Judaism's teachings blended with a a. proper propel respect for tor American Institutions anti and nd envIronments environ envIron- ments A year ear has again lIan gone ono Into tho tomb of ot ages past Somo Some of tho the le lessons sons It had to bring wo we have tried to convey As wo we stand at tho tue opening of ot another year let us bo be mindful of our limitations limitations both both economic and moral Thus Impressed Impress with tho the assurance learned IC from the tho past Vo t e I e shall han know knoy mo where to place blame or credit for fOl actions done May tho the assurance assur assur- ance mice be ours ouis that wo we aro are free freo willing i agents to effect our weal weRI or woe And when another year shall have havo rounded Its Us cycle may Us Its end nd find tho tim fruitage I of or present promise achievement our re reward rc- rc ward aspiration toward nobler and und higher high high- er CE goals our aim atm Amen |