The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-25

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD 0P NEW YORK
TO THE
IsraeIites within their District.


dress to you, we introduce ourselves as an
ecclesiastical body, embracing nine Presbytenes,
Six of which are in New York city and the vicinity,
and two in China. The ordained ministers of
these Presbyteries, who, for the most part are
pastors settled In churches, and the lay delegates
from our church sessions, are, according to our
constitution, the members of cur body. We
come together annually as Synod, and our chief
object is to devise and carry cut the best plans for
the edi6cation of our churches. We are aware of
the fact that you have immense and increasing
influence among our churches and in our country:
hence we have resolved body to acknowledge
your presence and influence, and to send you an
address on oar common relations and interests.
In respect to both our faith and our spiritual Of
ices we feel ourselves united to you by strong and
pleasant ties. The history of our offices of pastor
and ruling elder runs back into the history of your
synagegues. 1t is our own history which we are
endeavorng to trace to its fountain head, when we
examine how it was the ancient custom In Israel
to convene, on sacred days, in the houses of the
prophets, for religious exercises and how, after
the BabyloDish captivity, synagogues were erected
nearly all the villages of the Jews, for the read
ing of the law, for the exposition ofthe Scriptures,
and for prayer. According to our view the local
affairs, Its priesthood, and its mysterious ceremo-
mes, was never designed for all the nations of the
earth, was very announcement for even the Jews
themselves, and was PROFESSIONALLY destined to
accomplish Its restricted and preparatory work In
few centuries, and then entirely cease; but the
synagogue was the institution which God raised
up, during the gradual decline Of the glory of the
temple, that 1t might carry, simply and yet efecu-
ally, all the essential truths, aud all the essential
benefits, OF the temple to every city, to every vii
Lon and IN lha nj Iu
with all Its awful grandeur and dark ceremonies,
was to be dissolved, and everything in it worth
preservation was to be committed TO the simple
reading, exposition, and prayer of the synagogue.
God was carrying out gloriously his own plans for
the spread Of his truth, aud the promotion of his
glory, in all the earth, when he moved the Jews TO
multiply synagogues in Jerusalem, and throughout
Palestine, in Alexandria, and IN Rome. We look
back on Jerusalem, before her hral de struction by
the Romans, with her four hundred and eighty
synagogues, and acknowledge that there Is the
mother OF us all We see, in your present syna-
gogues, the clearest proofs that we both have the
aame origin; and We find special proof of our
oneness with the ancient synagogue, Ia the attes-
tation OF history that IN the synagogues OF the Hell
ienist Jews the law was read IN the Alexandrlan,
or Greek, version. The Christian church was the
baptised synagogue. Our pastor is your Shtiiahh
ZibbsT, angel of the church, or Hasan and It Is a
Presby terrain popularity 10 acknowledge no Office
higher than this. Our elders have their origin
from the rulers IN your synagogues. The different
services In our churches likewise run back, in
their descent, TO the synagogue and IT the great
end Of God, In the establishment ut the synagogue.
was spread the truth and worship Of the God of
Israel among all nations, we humbly clam that we
are, 10 some extent, advancing this object, and
that the true spirit of the synagogue Is among u.s.
AL The orscles of God that were ever read IN the
ancient synagogue, are reed and expounded IN our
churches Men 90 out from us TO establish Chris
tian synagogues IN the worst regions OF ignorant
and depfayed population in our country, and there
to Distribute, from house 10 house, your own scrip
lures. You observe that two of our presbytenes
are in China aud some of our most promlsi and
beloved members have gone far hence, TO the most
unpromising and dangerous fields, not for the pur-
pose of obtaining either the riches or pleasures Of
this world bat, If we know our own hearts, from
love to the God OF Israel, and the pershlng souls Of
men.
Now, brethren, we most earnestly appeal TO you,
are we accomplishing the work OF God, or are we
not Mention to us any imaginable way IN which
We may accomplish more for the iulhiment OF me
premise that all the earth shall BE- filled with the
glory OF God, than by the distribution OF bibles IN
every family, and the establishment OF our syna-
gogues in every nelghborhood. IL grleves US deep
ly that you take no part with us; that you even
look on us with suspicion. We are convinced that
you ought TO be by our side that you ought TO be
among the leaders IN this work. Many among us
severely accuse our indifference to the melancholy
fact, that The great body Of the house Of Israel
stand aloof from US. We believe that the day Of
prophetic promise will never be revealed IA its
glory while you stand at this awful distance from
u Ard why this separation Where lies the
faultl The standard of Judah ought TO be in the
front of the armies of the living God, as they go
forward TO invade the kingdom a darkness. Why,
then, do you not unite with ~; and carry on TIL
umphantly the standard of Judah in our front
There appears 10 be a complete exhibition OF the
original design Of the synagogue, IN the history re-
corded in the seventh caapter OF Nehemiah.
The people, men and women, collected together
IN the street Of Jerusalem before the water
gate in great multitude Ezra. with seve-
raj others, stood up ON pulpit above the peo-
pie, and read in the law from morning "a noon;
sh.xt sfaH fns4la Ue
most ineligible TO the people, and explained the
meaning fully. This was accompanied VITA bless
ings, lifting OF the hands and bOwng 10 the ground;
and all the people attended TO the reading AID ex-
plantations, with silent captvated attention and
deep emotion Another historical fact serves
equally to throw light on the original deslga of che
synagogue. Two stranger. once appeared Ia The
synagogue in Antioch IT Pisidis, aud alter the
reading # the law and prophets, the rulers invited
them TO spegk, VI they had anything which they
desired 10 communicate One OF them then de-
liyereda discourse on the history Of the Jews, and
the consummation to which This history was de-
signed To lead, which awakened an intense interest
and drew multitude OF inqurers to the strangers
IL is imporsni uestlon, whether our synagogues
have al present the same liberal, enllghtening,
sancuiyinr, and awakening influence IN society.
1t Is necessary that we understand well those prn-
cples or influences which, so lar as they prevail IN
any synagogue, whether Of the CT icumclsed or OF
the beptised, necessarily render il apostate, and
turn il from being blessing 10 society, into a
curse. On this subject we asa your attention tpa
few Suggestions, which may be equally pruiita-
Die to ourselves, and which must commend them
selves TO Every enlightened reader.
IL is fearful sign OF prevailing degeneracy IN
the synagogue, when the scriptures and prayers
are read IN en- ancient language, and the words
arc not understood, and hose VINO read without
unde rsiandlng. think that they have been really
worshipng. We hold 10 the principle, as Of vital
importance, that there is true worship of God
in any instance where the understanding rs not en-.
liqhtened and where the heart " not affected with
the truth IL makes no difference how sacred the
portion OF scripture, or OF prayer may be which
read, IL ~ useless and pruiane 10 MS, unless we
understand IT, II is an equally fearful proof that
the synagogue is far gone 10 apcsiacy when II has
ceremonies Of the existence &C which amoag the
ancient people Of God the scriptures do not lrdsh
the least animation. and of the piopriety of which
they furnish no evidence. For instance, your
prayers in behalf Of the dead, have not even
the slightest foundation in the word of God.
Let the religious duties and religious distinc-
- r. H. nf a con