And for the pulpit in Israel today I can conceive no other justifying message than this. It is a message which, if we make it ours, will keep our hands full and our spirits hot, will give us enough business and trouble for at least this and the next generation. And after that? The precedent will find us other troubles.

Speak then to this rock, umimmidbar mattanah, and from out the present desert of indifference, as you interpret it to be, there will spring forth bounty. The Jew is a natural Maccabean. Give him a righteous fight and you have him interested, expectant, transported. He recognizes that by courageous fighting he never worsens his cause. He recognizes that all the olivebranches, hand-shakings and brotherings of the past several decades have not disarmed nor even mitigated the prejudice against him. He realizes at last that the only hope of overcoming that prejudice is to compel respect and to gain his selfrespect by the legitimate espousal of his convictions and the legitimate assertion of his rights with all the passionate braveries of his soul.

Civilization is still bigoted. The Jew is then privileged to be, nay, he is obligated to be bigoted against bigotry.

E

MEMORIAL ADDRESSES AND RESOLUTIONS

RABBI SOLOMON H. BAUER

PRESENTED BY RABBI JOSEPH STOLZ

On August 9, 1913, our colleague and coworker, Solomon H. Bauer, died in Chicago, Ill.

He was born at Kutno, Poland, January 1, 1864, and studied at the Yeshibah in Warsaw, as well as with Dr. Hildesheimer in Berlin. From the Königliche Hochschule für Kirche und Schule at Stettin, he received a certificate to serve as Prediger und Lehrer in Elementar-Schulen. He came to the United States in 1885, occupying pulpits successively in Paterson, N. J., Schenectady, N. Y., Hamilton, O., and Chicago, Ill. In Chicago he served the First Hungarian Congregation three years, the Moses Montefiore Congregation five years and Congregation Anshe Emeth until the day of his death. He joined the Conference in 1902.

Be it Resolved, That we extend to the bereaved widow and children our heartfelt condolence, and that we send a message of sympathy to the officers and members of Congregation Anshe Emeth, whom he served to their satisfaction for nearly a score of years.

ת' נ' צ' ב' ה'

RABBI ISAAC L. LEUCHT,

PRESENTED BY RABBI EDWARD N. CALISCH.

Rabbi Isaac L. Leucht was one of the last of that fast disappearing generation of pioneer German Rabbis whose earnest labors established Reform Judaism upon a firm basis. He came of a family that had always been deeply interested in and loyal to Jewish life, lore and law. After studying in the Yeshibah and at the University of Würzburg he came to America. He served for a short time in Baltimore, but soon found his way to New Orleans, where, as Rabbi of Touro Synagog for more than thirty-five years, he became a prominent and representative figure, not only in the Jewish, but also in the larger civic life of the community. His charming personality, generous sympathy and all-embracing humanity made him the friend of all. The poor, the stranger, the sick knew him as their benefactor who brought healing and comfort and strength into their lives. To his ceaseless and capable efforts many charitable organizations, notably the Touro Infirmary and the Orphan Asylum, are largely indebted for their existence and maintenance. He was a charter member of the Conference who, during the early years of struggle and trial, loyally upheld the hands of Dr. Wise. In 1891 and 1892 he was its efficient Treasurer, and in 1896 and 1897 its Vice-President. He served faithfully upon many important committees, and in 1902 welcomed the Conference to New Orleans, and to that generous southern hospitality which he typified so well. He occupied a unique position in his own community and in the Conference and the affections of its members.

Therefore be it Resolved, That the Central Conference of American Rabbis, in convention assembled, give full expression to the sense of its great loss and grief in the death of its beloved colleague, Rabbi Isaac L. Leucht.

And be it further Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the Conference and copies be sent to the family and congregation of the departed colleague.

RABBI HENRY J. MESSING,

PRESENTED BY RABBI SAMUEL WOLFENSTEIN.

It was my privilege some thirty-seven years ago, as Rabbi in St. Louis, to extend greetings on behalf of my colleagues there to Rabbi Henry J. Messing, who then entered upon his duties as Rabbi of one of the oldest congregations of St. Louis. To this congregation he ministered faithfully until his death, during the last two years as Rabbi Emeritus. He labored in accordance with the principle of the Rabbis of old, that the activity of a congregation must rest upon Thorah, avodah and gemilluth chasodim. Within the congregation he spread the Thorah, and led its members to a dignified worship of God. In attending to gemilluth chasodim he belonged to the entire Jewish community of St. Louis. When I was called from that city, it was Rabbi Messing who took my place as head of the local Jewish charities. Faithfully he bore the onerous responsibilities of that position and in love and tenderness he discharged its many duties. To him the poor and needy looked up as their friend and protector. Hundreds of families are ready to exclaim with us, Zecher zaddik liverocho, "The memory of the righteous is a blessing".

I therefore deem it a privilege to offer the following resolution for adoption by this Conference:

Resolved, That the Central Conference of American Rabbis record its sense of irreparable loss and heartfelt grief at the death of its beloved member and friend, Rabbi Henry J. Messing, of St. Louis, and its appreciation of his earnest and conscientious labors for the great cause of Judaism, by inscribing his name upon the honor roll of deceased members in the annual Yearbook, and that its sympathy be communicated to his family and to the United Hebrew Congregation of St. Louis, which he so faithfully served.

F

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AGADA.

991

RABBI H. G. ENELOW.

2

"The Halachoth", a recent Hebrew writer has said, "are the body of the Thorah; but the Agada is the soul and spirit of our Thorah.' A consideration of the significance of the Agada is not untimely. Of late there has been a remarkable revival of interest in the Agada. Perhaps it is a phase of the general renascence of the romantic and lyrical elements in modern poetry and thought. Anyway, much attention has been given to the Agada in recent years. For one thing, we have witnessed the production of a number of works aiming to arrange and popularize its vast material. To say nothing of Bacher's great works and Wünsche's translations of the Agadic portions of the Talmud and the Midrashim, we need but refer to the Hebrew works of Levner, Ravnitzky and Byalik," and Berdyczewski, the German work of the latter, and Professor Ginzberg's work in English. All these may differ in the selection and arrangement of the material. But they have served to call attention to the beauty and riches of the Agada; and if

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1 Zadikoff, Mahuth Ha-Yehaduth, I, p. 57.

2 Cf. Visan, L'attitude du lyrisme contemporain; Vallery-Radot, The Renascence of Catholic Lyricism, in Constructive Quarterly, II, p. 384. Die Agada der Tannaiten; Die Agada der babylonischen Amoräer; and Die Agada der palästinensischen Amoräer.

'Kol Agadoth Yisrael.

'Sefer Ha-Agada.

Me-Otzar Ha-Agada.

Die Sagen der Juden.

The Legends of the Jews; cf., also, Yawitz, Sihoth minni qedem (Warsaw, 1887).