Milestones in a Career
A this time, when the sod is yet fresh on our great leader's grave, it is too early to write a detailed account of his activity. A complete history of the life and work of Dr. Gustav Gottheil must, of necessity, be a history of the Jews in New York for the last twenty-five years; and this can hardly be written so soon after his demise, since the perspective is lacking.
Gustav Gottheil was not so much the minister of Temple Emanuel as he was a Jewish teacher in the best and noblest sense of the term. "I wonder if you folk know how much Dr. Gottheil has done to elevate the great Jewish church?" asked the venerable Dr. Robert Collyer, the eminent Unitarian divine, at the bier of his departed friend. If he claimed no leadership of men he was well aware that he was a representative man. But more than that, he was conscious of his Jewishness and the place the Jews generally hold in the world's esteem.
In 1883 when it was not yet customary to invite Jews to public functions, an officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children invited the deceased to address the annual meeting of that society. Dr. Gottheil answered the request by pointing out that in view of the fact that at such gatherings it was customary to speak of Christian charity and Christian goodness, he felt constrained to decline it. Mr. Eldridge T. Gerry, however, sent him word that if he would come to the meeting he would see to it that nothing would be said which could in any way wound his feelings as a Jew. Dr. Gottheil thereupon attended the meeting; but one of the speakers, probably ignorant of the compact, delivered an address in which he appealed to his audience strictly as a Christian. When Dr. Gottheil rose to speak his whole body (he was then in the prime of life) shook with emotion ; and he devoted his entire address to an exposition of the terms “ charity ” and “ benevolence,” showing how characteristic they were of the Jew and Judaism, unmercifully flaying those who would divide the disbursers of charity into Christians and non-Christians. His remarks made a powerful impression upon the audience and were commented upon and approved of editorially by all the leading papers.
Another incident illustrative of the same trait occurred only three years ago. When General Otis returned from the Philippines a banquet was tendered him by one of the New York clubs, and Dr. Gottheil was invited to deliver an after-dinner address. When he received the assignment of toasts he saw that he was expected to reply to the toast, “The Stranger Within Our Gates.” A question immediately suggested itself to him: Was that toast assigned to him because he was a Jew? Was he a stranger? Or were the Jews, whom he represented, strangers? He could not rest until he had sent for the gentleman responsible for the toast list and communicated his doubts to him. Being assured that the implication he feared was not intended, he accepted the invitation and in his address demonstrated that all the white people in the United States were strangers within its gates.