after seeing the results. Their plans of helping the poor and controlling the
boys and girls by the "neighborhood house" have accomplished great good
wherever established. Thoroughly loyal to American institutions, they are the
most enthusiastic and liberal supporters, not only of the public school system,
but also of sectarian schools organized by the churches that have always more
or less proscribed if not openly persecuted the Jews. Such generosity as this
is hard to find in human nature, yet the school records in the city shows it to
be the fact.
It used to be taken for granted that the Jews could have nothing to do with and would have no religious associations with the so-called Christians ; yet we find in this city hundreds of Jewish ladies freely giving their time, co-operation and money to maintain and enlarge charitable work started by Protestant and Catholic influences. Fifty years ago a Protestant church would no more have thought of inviting a Jew to lay the cornerstone of a church building than they would have ventured to offer a prayer to his Satanic majesty. Yet within the last year Joseph Simon, mayor of the city, and a Jew from one of the highest seats of the Sanhedreim, has laid the cornerstone of a great charity established by a Presbyterian of Presbyterians, and laid the cornerstone of a Methodist church, a Protestant of all the Protestants.
This is not mentioned to be excepted to, but to show that Portland, Oregon, is not only one of the most liberal, religious and enlightened cities in the world in this year of 1910, but it is also to be ranked as the place where religious work and worth must be rated for what it really does for humanity, rather than what it professed to do.
And as of old, the Hebrews are producing great orators and teachers. Rabbi Stephen Wise, who preached for years to a Portland congregation, and is now preaching to one of the largest congregations of New York city, was not only a great preacher of righteousness, but a popular, instructive and talented lecturer on public and educational topics, whose services were sought by all classes of religious thought and expression. Young men like Rabbi Wise, devoting their lives to the reformation of society and the welfare of their fellow man without regard to creed or color, are hard to find. Instead of devoting his life to a profession, where wealth and political preferment would be the easy reward of such talents as his, he conscientiously devotes his life to the moral and spiritual welfare, as well as the bodily welfare of the great human brotherhood.
OTHER CHURCH ACTIVITIES.
The notice given to the oldest and most prominent churches and preachers by no means include all worthy of notice, and which would be fully reviewed if space would permit. All the denominations here sent their ablest and most efii- cient men to this field. And Oregon and Portland has been so distinguished by its men and its laws and institutions, that it is difficult to select or to find a stopping place short of a whole book.
And the same activity that has already secured such great results^ and at- tracted the attention of the whole country, is now more active and efficient than ever, and especially is this the case in the matter of churches and schools. The following review has recently been made by the Oregonian :
"That Portland is a church city has never been emphasized more strongly than during the past year. Although supplied with many beautiful and imposing houses of worship, the rapid increase in population and the extension of the residence districts have necessitated new structures and the various congrega- tions have given liberally for this purpose.
Construction of new churches in Portland during the past year, including those which have recently been completed, and others now under way, repre- sents an outlay of more than $700,000. The greater part of this amount isgoing for the construction of attractive and modern edifices in the newer residence
