Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-11

for the care ~ the sick. The |
oldest synagogue of all looks within and
as though it might br ~ they say it
is, 1000 years old odd Dtiusal, W o 'how
ed it to us, said 1900 Years old ] should
not think it had been swept or dusie1 in as
many years as that. The dust and filth ar" IN
s'tn' evidently nitcdatng the soap period, and
you would no more expect to find the remains
of brush OF broom in it. aluvion than
you would set of sculptor's tools imtclded
in primitive granite 1t is 81 small gothic
building with narrow windows. giyn- hard
ly light enough to see to read It's parchment
books of Moses, GOO years old It, heavy
gold embroidered drapcrics "a golden ball
and a pomegranntc," are 100 years old =
They have flag presented by Charles ".
500 years ago. The women's apartment
is entirely shut out from the mems, and is
much menner and shabbier. Thcre are ONLY
small crevces f,r windows, through which
they hear the prayers and music, and Join in
the singing, hut can neither see nor be seen.
The Jews have their traditions and relics and
fabulous tales, and if we unbelicvers doubt
some of these high numbers of years, we
cannot doubt the very great antiquity of this
venerable little sanctuary. and its internal
appointments and ornaments and it is an
object Of great attraction to a most reasoni-
bic curiosity. 1t is certainly the Oldest
building | have ever seen, kept up and still
used for the purpose for which it was built.
This is now used only on occasions Of extra
ordinary solemnity.
In old times the Jews were confined to
their quarters now the wealthy Hebrews
often reside in fine understandable houses in
the fine streets of the othsr parts Of the
town. Here, as well as everywhere
else the prejudiccs and seventies which have
oppressed this most wonderful people are
much relaxed and we may reasonably expect
| before long to see them raised to the level Of
| equality with other races and religions
How extraordinary are those prcjudices and
seventies. There are, say, six millions Of
Jews in the world, descended from the rem
nants of the most cclebra led nation ever known
scattered in large bodies throughout all the
nations-every where maintaining their ex-
elusive Abrahamic pedigree and their peculiar
| religion and under no matter what Gisabili-
ties and what expressions yet never for nearly
1000 years making rny effort to come together
and reconstruct national existence.
With religion, which is the divine foun-
dalton Of all true religion, its ecclesiastical
ceremonies and appointments prescribed II
detail by God himself in the midst of the
sublimities Of Sinai; with a literature of poem,
and songs and tales and histories, older by
| hundreds Of years than Homer and lIcsiod
and Ilcrodotus and Thucydides, and SUI
peror to them all, and always preserved and
cherished in all its purity and power
in all their dispersions-in every sense {
great race, yet always despised and trod-
den under foot by the nations to which at the
same time they were furnishing councillors
and ministers Of State and money lenders and
| s'N 'i'ihNis iiiSliiSu poOhc VI tbtlT ItllplDD
We wonder at the prejudices which pursu
them every where and we wonder still NOR,
at their own prejudices which cause them t
disbelieve the prophecies while they profess t,
believe the prophets, and which shut thei
eyes to the prophecies in which they have thu
deepest interest and of which their own con
dition is, in christian judgment, the mos
striking fulflment. Here, as elsewhere, they
have proved their sincerity and their faith.
In the Tein Church, which is near the Jew
quarters, among other Monuments is one o
Simon Abel, Jewish martyr of twelve year:
of age, sacrificed by his father for having be
come christian.
Yours, &c. E. c.