by these innovations. "Only my back shalt thou see." Truth is vouchsafed to attend to whatsoever our ingenuity shall conscientiously devise today. We' must leave to another generation the judgment as to what the influence has been. This committee then recommends to the Conference: First-That it lend its support to all such activities as our colleagues have here instituted in their own congregations, and that it continue in favor all activities reverently conceived that have for their purpose the establishing of the congregation as the central organization of the Jewish communal life. Second-That the Committee on Social and Religious Union be charged with the duty of making further inquiry and gathering further statistics along the lines of this report. Third-That special investigation be made during the coming year of the young people's organizations, and that some plan of co-operation be devised that shall give uniformity to the efforts of such societies. Fourth-That letters be sent to congregational officers urging upon them the encouragement of such activities as will mark the congregation as the central force in the Jewish life of their various communities. Fifth We recommend that this committee be instructed to do what it can to substitute for cheap and unworthy entertainments under Jewish auspices lectures and other entertainments that shall be found worthy of a place in Jewish institutions. Sixth-That this Conference address a letter to the faculties of Jewish theological schools suggesting the advisability of introducing a course in social science as a part of the regular curriculum. B. The most important work intrusted to the committee during the past year was the institution of a Lyceum Bureau of Lectures, whose object it was to supply to congregations and other Jewish institutions lectures on Jewish topics at a minimum of expense. To this end your committee issued, early in the year, a prospectus stating therein the names of lecturers and their subjects, and urging upon congregations, lodges and Jewish societies the advisability of engaging these lecturers through our bureau. Of course, the main purpose we had in view was to bring the message of Judaism to a wider circle, and secondly, to substitute for the insipid and utterly unworthy entertainments that are frequently given under the ausupices of Jewish institutions dignified and healthy programs, the character and influence of which could not be questioned. Of this prospectus some 800 copies were distributed to various organizations, and the responses received indicated a very healthy interest in the matter and gave promise that for the coming year there will be a wide demand for the men who will register with our bureau. Two facts militated against our greater success this year. One was that our prospectus appeared so late in the year that in most cases programs had already been arranged for the season,, the delay being due, it should be said incidentally, to the tardiness that is characteristic of our men in answering letters. The second reason was that the chairman of your committee was compelled by reason of severe illness to lay down his work early in December; and so, from that time on, it was practically at a standstill. Courses of lectures, however, were actually given in Mt. Vernon, Ind.; Bay City, Mich., and Cripple Creek, Col., while as a result of this committee's activities regular Sunday services were established in Jackson, Mich. I am sure that had we been able to carry out our campaign of education a little more aggressively, and had we given our efforts wider publicity instead of three or four lecture courses, we should have conducted many times that number. The benefits of the work cannot be questioned. To cite the case of Mt. Vernon, where four lectures were given, I am in receipt of letters stating that nothing that could possibly have come to that community could so have stirred the Jewishness of the people as this course of lectures. The work of this bureau, experimental in its first year, will become a real force for good as it grows older. The expenses connected with the conducting of the bureau this year was about one-third of the amount allowed your committee at last year's Conference. In connection with the Lyceum Bureau we beg to make several recommendations. First-That the work of conducting the Lyceum Bureau be entrusted to a special and separate committee, and that it be taken out of the hands of the Committee on Social and Religious Union, whose special work is sufficient to engage the energies of one committee. Second-That a charge of $1 per lecturer furnished be made by the Conference to cover cost of printing and postage.* Third-That a sum not exceeding $200 be put at the disposal of the Lyceum Bureau Committee for the coming year for circular and newspaper advertising, and for such other expenses as may of necessity be incurred in giving publicity to its work. Fourth-That this committee be authorized to arrange with prominent Jews not members of this organization to deliver addresses under its auspices. Fifth-That no names be published in the forthcoming prospectus unless they be accompanied by definite lecture subjects. All of which is respectfully submitted. LEO M. FRANKLIN, Chairman. *This article was amended to the effect that the lecturer charge a fee of $1 per lecture, which fee is to be applied to the running expenses of the Lyceum Bureau. Recommendations I, II and III of the first portion of the report, dealing with work of social and religious union, were adopted. Recommendations IV, V and VI were rejected. The Chair-We will now proceed to the portion of the report relating to the Lyceum Bureau. Recommendation I was adopted. Recommendation II was amended to the effect that the lecturer charge a fee of one dollar ($1) per lecture, which fee is to be applied to the running expenses of the bureau. Recommendation III was referred to the Finance Committee. Recommendation IV was referred back to the committee with the instruction to bring before the Conference next year a more definite plan. Recommendation V was adopted. The Chair I will ask for the report of the special committee that was appointed this morning. Other reports may be contingent upon this. It referred to one paragraph of the President's message. The report of the special committee, amending Paragraph XI of the report of the Committee on President's Message, was then read and adopted. AMENDMENT TO REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, ARTICLE XI. The creation of a standing Committee on Finance is approved, to whom shall be referred all recommendations of appropriation of money, reporting to the Conference if in session, otherwise to the Executive Committee. It shall submit to the Conference at its annual meeting a complete report of the finances of the Conference. It shall submit to the Executive Committee at its fall meeting a financial report and a budget for the year. This committee shall consist of the Corresponding Secretary, as Chairman, and two members of the Executive Committee. The necessary amendment to the by-laws of our constitution is hereby moved. Respectfully submitted, MOSES J. GRIES. I. E. MARCUSON. JULIAN MORGENSTERN. Rabbi Morgenstern-Your committee also offers the following amendment to Art. III, Sec. 6, of the By-Laws: Amendment to Art. III, Sec. 6, of the By-Laws to read: The Committee on Investments, of which the Treasurer shall be a member, shall invest all funds of the Conference, subject to the instructions of the Executive Committee. It shall present to the Conference at its annual meeting a complete report of investments, duly audited. The Chair-This is an amendment to the by-laws and can be adopted by a two-thirds vote. The amendment was adopted by the necessary two-thirds vote. The following recommendation was also offered by Rabbis Gries, Marcuson and Morgenstern, and was on motion adopted by the necessary two-thirds vote. We recommend that Article II, of the By-Laws of the Constitution, be so arranged as to contain the names of the temporary committees of the Conference and the duties thereof, and Article III the names of the standing committees and the duties thereof. In place of a report of the Committee on the Revision of the Union Hymnal, the Chair called upon Rabbi David Marx, who set forth most forcibly the need of revising the Hymnal. Rabbi Stern moved that the Committees on the Revision of the Union Hymnal and on Synagogal Music be consolidated, and that all matters relating to music be referred to this new committee, and that to this committee be entrusted the revision of the Union Hymnal, upon which it shall report at the next Conference. Sec onded and carried. The Committee on Tracts presented a supplementary report, which, on motion, was taken up seriatim. SUPPLEMENT TO THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRACTS. Your Committee on Tracts would further recommend: 1. A second edition of 10,000 copies of Tract I. 2. The sending of ten copies free for distribution to each member of the Conference, together with the statement that more can be procured upon special request. 3. The sending of one copy gratuitously to every Rabbi in America whose address is obtainable. 4. The selling of our tracts in quantities to congregations at a nominal price to be determined by the Executive Committee. 5. The securing of information from other religious bodies as to their methods of distributing tracts. 6. The authorization of an expenditure of $500.00 during the coming year for reprints and for the publication and distribution of new tracts. 7. The adoption of an amendment to the by-laws of the constitution to the effect that we have a standing Committee on Tracts, which shall have charge of the publication and distribution of tracts subject to the Executive Committee. Respectfully submitted, DAVID PHILIPSON. MAX HELLER. JOSEPH STOLZ. Recommendations I, II, III, IV and V were adopted. Recommendation VI was referred to the Committee on Finance. Recommendation VII, being an amendment of the by-laws, was adopted by the necessary two-thirds vote. The report of the Committee on President's Message, in so far as it referred to the work of the Committee on Tracts, was then considered seriatim and adopted. On motion the report of the Committee on President's Message as amended was adopted as a whole. In place of a regular report from the Committee on Scriptural Readings, Dr. M. A. Meyer, speaking for the committee, suggested that it be continued for another year; that the members of the Conference be given until January 1 to send all suggestions as to the work of the committee to the Chairman, Dr. M. H. Harris, and that the committee report thereon at the next Conference. The suggestion was concurred in. The report of the Committee on Union Haggadah was presented. ww |