The Minister's Work - 10/07/1916

(striken: The Relation of the Pulpit and the Peo) October 7th 1916 The Ministers (striken: The Business of Religious) Work this relation to community "Cast up, cast up, prepare the way, take up the (underlined: stumbling block our of the midst of my people (Is 57.14). These are the vigorous words of Isaiah read a few moments ago. This great man was one of the most fearless of leaders. Alert & clear-headed, those always sympathetic & he ministered to his people for over 39 years. He knew their strenghts as he knew their weaknesses & he was not slow to assert himself whenever he deemed it necessary. The embodiment of sincerity always earnest, always true to the best that was in him he gave that best to the people. Like Moses before him like the prophets that came after him, indeed like all (striken: of the worlds) men with a big task (striken: before) to accomplish, like the experience of countless others who have attempted to serve the people & benefit mankind, (striken: he) again & again he felt the pangs of bitter _________(disengagement?). Again & again his best efforts seemed to be absolutely futile. Again and again his hopes that (striken: once) for the moment lifted him to the starts, seemed to fall like ashes before his feet. Undeterred by failure, unwavering in his belief regarding the growth of the Jewish people and above

all, undaunted by discouraging signs & dis_______(?) words on the past of many un_____ings(?) and unresponsive souls, he plodded on with sublime courage partially succeeded in animating the Jewish people with a sense of the common duty they owed to (striken: God), God and the men who has sacrifices their lives (striken: in their) fighting for their Cause. Isaiah had many a vision and perhaps in the language of thousands of men wise in their own eyes he would be _______(?) ____(?) as a dreamer. And who has any use for dreamers in this age of frenzied commericalism. Measured by the standard of the money market Isaiah supreme as he was in many respects, ruggedly honest & brutally candid, would receive a benevolent smile & a pat on the back & forthwith disregarded. But Galileo was a dreamer and the world is indebted to him for one of the greatest discoveries in astronomy. Shakespeare was a dreamer & we are indebted to him for some of the most marvellous truths of human philosophy. Harvey was a dreamer & (striken: we are) the medical fraternity is eternally grateful to him for their knowledge of the circulation of the blood. ____(Geo?)

the words Stephenson was a dreamer but that his genius which (striken: was unrecognized) was slow to recognize we are enabled to carry merchandise from one end of the country to the other & from continent to continent. Turner was a dreamer and ridiculed (striken: by) even by his own family. His (striken: ______?) dreams were ultimately reliazed to the delight and encirchment of every one that can appreciate artistic achivement (Carrot notation?). The recital of this great army of dreamers might be indefinitely prolonged. But enough has been said to convince the average listener that the dreamers have been the salt of the Earth, the real thinkers & doers of the world, the greatest promisers of progress. "Thus Saith the Lord" though shrouded in mystery, & frequently misunderstood & misinterpreted, is the result of (striken: ____ weeks & months) many years of hard (inserted: quiet) thinking, & (inserted: mature) wisdom gained through sweat & blood & bitter experience. (striken: in the ) with such experience & wisdom (striken: Isa) the prophet (inserted: & ministers of the people) deemed it imperative to declaim the (striken: wor) words I have quoted as the (____(theme?) of this day's discourse. "Cast up, cast up, prepare the way take up the stumbling block out of the midst of my people. There are as you know many stumbling blocks Today

that are _______ and stunting the life of American (Jew____?) and while I do not deny for one moment that there are many Isaiahs in this land the possibly of smaller calibre yet the work of religionizing & reclaiming the thousands & thousands of our Jewish men & women is so stupendous that scores of the _________ (brainiest?) & ___________ & most eloquent men may plead & plod & sacrifice the best years of their manhood with painfully meagre results unless the people themselves are inspired with a due sense of responsibility in the matter. In this one word is exemplified all the stumblingblocks that now retain the onward march (striken: of) not only of the Jews of America but of the Jews of the world towards that ________ recogniation which should have been theirs long ago. (Striken: Probably I have). If you will excuse some personal allusions permit to call your attention to the fact that I have completed by fifteenth year of service as the Rabbi of this Congregation & am now entering upon my 16th year. In the words (striken: of the) our ancient teachers used on (striken: the advent of a ___) such occasions ____ I would say "Praised be our Heavenly Father who hath sustained me and caused

5 me to reach this day". I am particularly (inserted: grateful) & reverently thankful to an omipotent God that my fifteen year has marked the beginning of what I hope & trust wil be a new era in the history of Temple Emmanu El. The new House of God which is now being rapidly built marks the culmination of my efforts for the spiritual growth & uplift of this Jewish community. More than six years ago (striken: after my return almost) when I became obsessed with the idea of the institutional synagogue & its most wonderful possibilities I addressed a congregational meeting on the supreme importance & (striken: of the ____) and advisability of making an effort to sell the present place of worship & build in its stead a synagogue commensurate with the growth & progress of the Jewish citizens of Dallas & add a Temple Annex that shall be utilized every day of the weeks as the great centre of Jewish activities (inserted: physical) social religious & educational. (Striken: And which) I made an appeal for the building of an institution that shall serve the people in the most comprehensive sense of the word (striken: & secure). I mentioned this latest & modern thought & theory of Church building as the most effective means of securing the interest &