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MR. EDITOR,—
Allow me to express, through
your periodical, my fraternal feelings towards all
those worthy congregations who have displayed their
warm sympathy for the common cause of Israel by the
active measures which they have recently taken to
effect a union of Israel in North America. Allow me,
also, to offer a brother’s hand to all those pious
labourers in the Lord’s vineyard who have exercised
their influence upon others, to realize the proposed
unity. “May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who
hath made heaven and earth;” and may every one that
has laid hand on this great work enjoy this blessing
of our sacred psalmist. You have honoured our God
and our sacred faith, as well as yourselves, in
thus showing your good will and your pious
intentions towards our common cause. I entertain
not the least doubt as to your firmness and
constancy; but the matter is of too holy a nature,
of too much importance to me, that I can omit to
call again on you, חכי
כמעט רגע, “delay yet a moment!” The storm
will roll over, the dark clouds will be dispersed,
and our horizon will be once more clear and pure;
for, “let the grass dry up, let the flower wither,”
but the word of our God will stand for ever; and
since we struggle for the cause of the Lord—since we
have unfurled the mighty banner with the significant
<<269>>convention form a nucleus, and be thus a good
commencement for an entire union of all the
congregations, which would fall in by degrees? I
honestly think so; and though this first convention
could not bring about anything to supply our wants,
the corner stone, the basis, would be laid, the way
to accomplish the good would be prepared—a
constitution for such a union might be furnished—a
plan of operation might be drawn up—the confidence,
and consequently the co-operation of the rest of the
people might be procured, and the resources to
accomplish this laudable end might be pointed out.
I do now ask you, brethren, are
you right in not co-operating, with us? Is it not
either absolutely wrong, or betraying levity and
want of due consideration to oppose us? All that our
opponents have to state against the convention is,
that they entertain an unmanly fear that it might be
composed of men less pious than they are—or,
according to Mr. A’s letter, of those less learned
than he is; and then the Synagogue—no, not the
Synagogue, but the prayers—no, not the prayers, but
the form of them—no, not the, form, but the
order—no, not the order, but the time of praying,
might be changed, though none of the advocates of
this plan thought of so trifling a matter; and for
this you will let the good remain undone?—for this
sake you will not aid to bring union in the house of
Israel, to secure and maintain our sacred faith?—for
this you will rather have nothing of all that we so
greatly need? Let me tell you, brethren, all your
forms, ceremonies, customs, minhagim, together with
your long prayers and harsh words, are, in
comparison with the above-named institutions, which
the convention ought to promote, as nothing, and
less than nothing—not worth the while to speak of
them.
Now, therefore, consider and
reflect! Let the native not think himself any better
than the foreigner, and the foreigner not be less
interested in the matter than the native! Let the
orthodox not think himself too much exalted above
the modern reformer, and the reformer not be too
wise and enlightened for the orthodox brother! Pay
no regard to the difference of minhagim—of nativity
or language; for one law combines all of us
into one great body, all over the earth. Let us have
our God and our faith before our eyes, and act as
men and Israelites, with resolution and decision.
Looking over the reverend
Editor’s statements about the elected delegates, I
find that not only some of the most respectable
congregations have cast their votes, but that they
also elected highly respected men, and therefore I
have great confidence in the speedy realization of
our union; many congregations will soon follow, I
trust, and we may yet <<270>>meet in some way ere
this summer has passed away. I think it would be
very proper if our friends would now commence to
publish their plans and views about what can, and
how it shall, be done; it would save a large portion
of the time of the meeting; and other members could
read them beforehand, and reflect on them, so that,
when the meeting takes place, every member will
already be prepared to vote understandingly upon
the measures proposed; so the proceedings will be
quickened, and the debates be to the point and
short. I shall try, myself; to publish, in the next
Occident, some of my views.
ISAAC M. WISE, D.
D.,
Albany, Sivan, 5609, A. M.
Rabbi of Albany. |
