A philosopher once posed Rabbi Eliezer with the question, "Does not the prophet say (Mai. i. 4), ( They shall build, but I will throw down)? and do not buildings still exist?" To which the Rabbi answered, "The prophet does not speak of buildings, but of the schemes of designers. Ye all think to contrive and build up devices, to destroy and make an end of us, but He bringeth your counsels to nought. He throweth them down, so that your devices against us have no effect. "By thy life," said the philosopher, " it is even so; we meet annually for the purpose of