The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-20

l. AHNASAZAS SOS Aooos
RErIsIors.--It having been our fate on
Tuesday evening last, for the first time in
our life, to attend at Jewish synagogue
during the progress of the ceremonies usual
among the Isrselites on the Day of Atone
ment, their Sabbath of Sabbaths, we were
naturally more than ordinarily impressed
with all that transpired, and as the public
at large are not often afforded an opportu-
nifty to view these exercises, q brief ac-
count Of our impressions may not be unin-
teresting. In the first place, We would OBJ
serve that though we'll known not to he
" of the household Of their) faith" yet We
were we'll received and given "a seat, as
we inferred, among the elders Of the con-
gregatiOn," and hence are assured that any
person disposed to respect the peculiarities
of their worship need not hesitate to enter
their schools or synagogues.
The first thing that arrested our atten-
tion were the habiliments Of the priests,
being white surplices, and, as afterwards
learned, intended to be emblematic Of the
habiliments Of death-that is, such gar
ments as would shroud them when dead,
having neither shoes nor sandals upon their
feet; next, the separation of the male from
the female part of the congregation, the
former occupying the first floor and the
latter the galleries; but whether this Gus
tom is universal or not, we are unaware.
In most other respects the house itself, as
well as the people worshipping herein, ap-
pcared not essentially different from Pro-
testant churches and people, except in the
cast of features peculiar to the Jewish
race. One other thing, however, would at
once strike the attention of the Christian
spectator except Quaker) as peculiar.
We refer to the uniform custom of wear
ing hats during the entire service by the
male portion Of the congregation.
When the hour of o'clock P. NJ, as
we'll as the people, had arrived, the Off
ciating priest (Rev. DR.. Michelbacher)
chanted prayer in the Hebrew tongue in
q most earnest manner afterwards, scve-
raj other prayers were repeated, in which
the congregation audibly joined. One pc
culiarly beautiful prayer, full of supplica-
tion and expressions of contrition for sin,
(as was shown us in an English transla-
tion ut the time,) was repeated by each Of
the members present, both male and te-
male, in the most attentive and devout
manner, not one of them looking either to
the right hand or the left during its recital.
When these prayers had ended, Il sermon
was preached by Mr.. Michclbacher, than
whom we know of no more consistent or
worthy clergyman in our community-a
man of learning and Of good report among
Jews and Gentiles, eXerting his best ener-
gies for the moral elevation Of his flock,
enjoning them to do justice and
practice righteousness. The sermon was
delivered in German, intersperscd with
biblical and hebraic quotations, and which
were Immediately interpreted and incor-
porated in the discourse. He reminded
bis hearers that in the sight of God they
had sinned by omission and commission; ;
they had committed personal and social
sins, and sins against God that God was,
nevertheless, ready and willing to be re-
conciled to such of his people as truly re-
pented and sought newness Of life; but
that none who harbored malice or were un-
willing to do justice to their brethren,
none who failed to come into the house OF
God with purity Of heart and repentant
and contrite spirit, need suppose that God
would wipe out their sins from the book OF
His remembrance, and be reconciled unto
them. He referred to the garments OF
death as then upon their persons, their
suspension of all work, their abstinence
from meat and drink, as emblematic OF the
death to which they were all Fastening !;
that they should have in constant view the
shortness and uncertainty of human exist
ence, and that they should so live each
day as they would live on the day pre-
cediDg death, could that day be known to
them. But it is impossible for us to pre-
sent all the points Of this truly excellent
and impressive discourse. Suffice it to
state that if those who heard it obey its
teachings, great good will have been
effected; and it contained such moral
truths as should find an echo in Christian
heart and expression from Christian lips.
At the conclusion of the sermon, brief
prayer was delivered in German, and SINH
lar exercises were resumed in Hebrew.
Having accomplished our mission, We were
kindly accompanied to the door, and left
them still engaged in the worship of God
as they had been taught by their fathers
from generation to generation.
Before concluding this article, however,
We wish to observe, that although we are
in no wise prepossessed in favor Of their
faith or nation, and freely admitting their
national faults, or even vices, if you please,
they also possess many virtues. A we'll
informed Christian people can neither
despisc their ancestry nor their faith; it
was the faith OF the author of the Chris
tian's hope Of salvation, and although they
crucifed him, He did not revile them, but
said, d" Father, forgive them, they know not
what they do" Theirerror, then, is an error
of the head and not of the heart. In all
the relations OF life they have often set
examples worthy of praise and imitation.
How. rare is litigation among them = How
few divorcess How few actions of seduc-
tions or Grim. con.? How few OF them neg
lect the moral or mental culture of their
otfspringl How few of them arc in our
poor-houses or prisons!
History and literature point to many
bright ornaments among them Of learning,
yalor, generosity, and every other virtue.
May the time never come in this country
when the fendish hand of persecution shall
prevent man in wOrshipping God accord
ing to the dictates Of his own conscience.
"THERE ~ DEATH IN THE POT, AND NO
ELISHA TO STAY IT!"-Under this caption,
o writer few years since showed very
At - k,,ro Cfp 70 II A