The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-07-24

SYNAGOGUE.
A duty has been performed. The cornerstone
OF a house Of worship, dedicated 10 the service Of
the Living God, the Father of mankind, ha. this
day been laid. But two months have elapsed since
we witnessed the solemn opening Of Jewish
Synagogue in this city; and this day we have con,
secrated the foundation OF new ediice devoted
TO the same holy cause destined for the realization
oi tue same grand Purpose-to perpetuate the
sublime doctrines and Interchangeable truths OF our
tme-hallowed Religion, as revealed to our fathers
by the Most High
We have assembled to celebrate the initiatory
step OF an undertaking which, involving no worldly
objects, exclusively aims at the spiritual welfare Of
ourselves and posterity. II is an event, viewed ia
Its true light, that commands the attention Of every
reflective mind Here, on the bank OF the g Father
OF Rivers, where he mingles his waters with the
rolling Hood OF the earth-enciTcling ocean here on
an extreme corner of the New World. which but
lew generations ago was covered by primeval
forests and aqueous wastes, where the wild son OF
nature was allowed freely to roam and TO indulge
the barbarous promptings of his untutored mind
here, l say, civilization has now established its
empire liberty planted its standard religion founded
its sanctuary. But more than this In the days
oil gray antiquity so remote that the pen Of no
autnentic historian has lifted the veil that shrouds
IN darkness and doubt the contemporaneous history
OF the world, there stood in the Arabian Desert al
the loot OF Mount Horeb, an entire people. and
received a revelation from On High-a revelation
which was destined to be the standard of true reli-
glon, the fountain-head Of liberty and civilization
And here, after lapse OF near six thousand wears
small band Of their descendants have assembled
TO found an institution, in which the doctrine then
and there promulgated shall gain an abiding fos-
terlng home; those doctrines which are already in
part least, acknowledged by the civilized portion
Of the world, and which are destined to become in
their pristine purity, the property and rebound to
the blessing of all mankind. After all the changes
that have taken place in the bosom of the human
family; alter complete metamorphosis of the
religious, political and social aspect of the world
after all the vcissitudes, trials and ordeals we had
to undergo in the course of our eventful history
we, the descendants of those who listened to the
heavenly DEGREES of their Divine Law gver, stand
forth this day the living witnesses OF that reve-
lation, newly accredlting the authenticity of our
mission. The act in which we are engaged is cor
roborative OF the words of the prophet Isaiah
\ e are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my
servant whom | have chosen that We NAV know
and believe me, and understand that | am he
before me there was no God formed nor shall there
be after me; l. even |, am the Lord, and beside
me there is no Saviour. r.n-XLIII, 10, IL For on
this foundation an ed6ee will be raised, in which
the cardinal doctrine of our faith, ''the Unity of
which that revelation was imparted-" Hear o
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One y
This doctrine is the essence Of our faith, its ami
mating principle in every age and cline. We re-
eognize it in its immutabe type in the Mosaic
Tabernacle in the wilderness, in the magnificent
temple at Jerusalem, in our modern synagogue. 1t
is the golden thread, that runs through the warp of
our religious texture, from Abraham to the present
day. Neither the burning South, nor the frigid
North neither the rod of despotism, the shafts Of
nor the genial influence of liberty
could weaken its force, shake our conviction.
We stand here as the connecting link of the Past
and Future, anxious TO discharge duty Of trans
hitting to posterity the heavenly truths received
from our Father, the basis Of which the temple of
union and peace, Of happiness and salvation for all
mankind shall one day be reared in its lofty gran
deur. For what is Judaism? 1t is a castle, loom
ing forth above the ocean of time, standing as firm
and unchanged granite promontory in the deep,
amidst the waves and storms that beat upon it,
Its entrance supported by two immovable, imper-
ishable plllars-allegance to God, the name of one
good will to man the name Of the other. 1t is the
spirit Of light enkindled by the Most High when il
pleased him to make his will known to man. 1t is
the code OF peace which teaches man to love his
neighbor, to relieve the distressed to console the
afflicted, to the needy, to assist even the
enemy when he is in need OF our assistance. ltis
the true conception Of the Great Creator, recop-
MIXING in Him above, our Father, our God, our Ru-
Ter, our Saviour.
1t is happy lot to express our sentiments thus
boldly and fearlessly. Under the broad banner of
our glorious Republic, we enjoy freedom of con-
science and unrestricted exercise OF our religious du
ties, in common with our fellow Of other de-
nominations, not by liberation merely but we claim
1t as constitutional RIGHT. And indeed there is no
reasonable orjustiiable ground, why the venerable
and faithful mother should not be allowed to live in
amlty and peace with her numerous offspring Of va
riousy apParelled up daughters Granted that there
IS vast, lrreconcllable difference in matters of
faith but there is the broad platform Of the biblical
moral law, on which we stand united, and which
imposes upon us the common duty, to work for the
lrraunw a Il