True Democrat. (Paulding, Miss.) 1845-18??, 1846-01-21
From the Boston Courier.
A JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

u6SSSU tie CeIettlOIll6S VI tIlC JCWS III H'NiA
religious worship, | to-day took advantage
of the opportunity 10 crafty my curiosity.
In company with one who was also stran-
ger, walked to the synagogue OH Elm
street. The first thing which we encoun-
tered was a rule, that the men only should
enter on the lower floor, and the women 60
into the galleries. The person at the door
very politely asked me to walk in, pointed
out seat, and told me to PIT on my hat
All the men had their hats on, not except
ing the minister and his assistants; and the
former was distinguished by n hat, the rim
ofwhich was turned up with loop at each
side; he wore a black, like our Christian
clergymen, and a white cravat; he was
light complexioned, large featured, with
large sharp nose, and had, altogether, the
most intellectual face ofany in the assem-
bly. On raised platform in the centre,
surrounded by heavy mahogany railing,
on each corner of which was an immense
candle in brass candle.stick, stood at the
desk the minister and three assistants, and
one other was sitting on bench behind
them; one was reading what appeared to
be short sentences, and occasionally anoth-
er would join in, and then the whole four
would sing ont, and then the whole congre-
galion would respond; singing in a loud
voice, and quite unsteady, five or SIX or
more sylables; then the minister would
read or chant, for the service was all con-
Quoted in Hebrew, suppoSe-at any rate,
it was to me an unknown tongue. Each
man in the assembly wore white, or
dirty white, or white slate-colored mantle
or shawl, and they appeared TO be OF differ
erent degrees; some of these mantIeS were
decorated at the ends with black or blue
black stripes, sometimes three small, one
broad and then three other stripes; some
werestrped with only one stripe, and some
were striped with pale pink, some with
pale blue, and noticed one with pale
yellow and white satin stripe During
the greater part of the service; the men
were passing in and out taking OIL the
mantle as they went out and resumlng 1t
on their return; and when it was put on, 1t
was gathered up first in the two hands,
held out at length and brought up TO the
hips, and then thrown over the head OH the
shoulders; some were worn gathered up
like a tippet and some were spread open
down the back like large shawl. The
lower floor had seats for about two hundred
and fifty, under each of which was box,
to which the owner had key, in which
was kept his mantle and his books, and
every seat was MUNICIPALITIES seats were
plain benches with backs, like an old fash
Toned settee, not stuffed, painted to initiate
oak, and they were ranged in straight rows,
four deep, on three sides. The fourth side
was mostly occupied by handsome cir
cular temple, the roof of which was sup
ported by six handsome columns of color
ed marble, or made like those in the Bos-
ton Merchants Exchange, of hard com
position and of the same colors; on the top
Of the temple-for can call it by no other
name-was, in the centre, a white square
tablet, with an inscription in golden He
brew characters, in two columns or pages,
supposed to be the Ten Commandments;
the tablet was supported on each side by
golden cornucopia reversed, golden grapes
and other fruits falling through work pan
nelled, and the part directly in front was
hid by white curtain, which extended
from the top TO the floor. The gallery
extended on three sides also; the front was
white, and on the top of the front was a
heavy mahogany Misunderstanding, which
almost entirely excluded all view of the
women therelrom. Around the cornice Of
the temple, which was also white, was an
inscription in golden characters. Back Of
the six columns, all was enclosed by ma
hogany work. At intervals, OH the front
of the gallery, were large candle-sticks, in
which was candle; and in the Gentle Of
the west end was a clock. The whole
appearance Of the interior Of the house was
impressive, but plain and void Of ornament,
other than have mentioned. The floor
was covered with a painted carpet, on
which, round the front of the seats, and in
the passage to the door, was laid thick
straw carpet, to prevent the noise ofpeople
walking.
As for the services, they were as have
said, in a foreign tongue and having n o
explanation, can only describe them as
/ saw and heard. There was one man
who, more particularly than the rest,
seemed TO assist the minister aud occa-
sionallv, someone fromthe audience would
ascend to the desk, touch the end Of his
mantle 10 the scroll which lay before the
minister, and then touch il 10 his lips he
would then humble over a few words,