The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-27
B'NAI BIRTH.

from Cincinnati, opening the session with the pre-
scribed ritual prayer. An invitation was received
from the trustees OF the temple Adath Jesnurun
in Thirty-ninth street. inviting the Convention
to attend divine service tomorrow, the day
being Tishah B'abh or the day OF solemn COM
memOration OF the destruction OF Solomoa's tempe
at Jerusalem and the dispersion Of the Jews. The
invitation was accepted. The Convention then pro-
ceeded to debate and vote upon the several sections
and paragraphs OF the new constitution as reported
by the Committee OF the Whole, and number OF
amendments, the same as were discussed and voted
on in committee, were again moved and all de-
feated Section five met again with considerable
opposition. 1t is as passed, IN the following
w0rds:-"Every lodge Is sovereign In her own
internal anairs, subject only to such restrictions
as are imposed by the organic laws OF the
Order, and TO the District Grand Lodge within her
jurisdiction" The District Grand Lodges are formed
Of past presidents Of local lodges and such delegates
as the lodges may appoint from among their past
presidents and the permanent seat OF the District
Grand Lodges Is to be determined by a majority Of
the lodges in each district The former Constitution
Grand Lodge. which met yearly and was composed
Of delegates from District Grand Lodges is entirely
abolished, anu in its stead, though with the same
name. is provided for general convention, con.
sisting "of one delegate chosen by each lodge from
among Its past presidents" art. w. sec. IL 1t is
to meet every five years. on the last Sunday in Janu-
airy, at place designated at Its previous session.
(Art. w. sec. 2and shall elect It's own officers and
be supreme In the Order and possess full legislative
An executive committee OF one from each district
and one al large seven In ALL Is to be appointed to
hold office in the interval between one session OF this
Convention and the next ana u committee or court
OF appeals is also to be organized.
After the usual recess at noon the members came
back, but slowly and 1t was halfpast three before
quorum was In attendance TO transact any business.
The Committee on Ritual reported that they had not
time to prepare a new ritual but asked to be in
upon and leave the revision OF the whole ritual to
subcommittee to report hereafter to the Executive
Committee. The chair declared the proposed instruc-
ton out OF order the Convention il bound by its
rules to finish all its business.
The Committee on Territorial Jurisdiction came in
with majority and minority report. The two agree
to the formation OF the Sixth district OF the States
OF Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota but dis
agree to the addition OF Virginia the district OF
Maryland very Lively debate sprang up, during
which 1t was contended That the convention had no
power to enlarge the territory OF an existing district
at the expense OF another without the consent of
the lodges themselves. When the debate began to be
heated and to assume some What personal charac-
ter the previous question" made end OF IL, aud
under its operation the minority report was lost.
The majority report being then in order another long
discussion was entered Into as to the creation OF Dis
trict No. at ST. Louis and the joining OF iowa to
that district, but the report OF the committee was
AS proof OF the extenslveness and numerical
and financial importance OF this Order the statistical
report OF the committee on the general state Of the
aScertaned Is about IL, 699nO reports from the dis
tricts OF New York and California having been re-
ceived for the year 186Sthat the property and funds
OF the Order represent the sum OF S42l.2 H. ana
that in the course OF the year 1867 the sum OF
$25eS4 4s was paid out in charities.
During the afternoons debate on additional Sec
tions O the constitution reported by the committee
a move was made which showed clearly the diverg.
ing opinions between the liberal, or reformed, and
the orthodox Hebrews, between an en- shtened and
tolerant spirit on the one side and bigotry on the
other Rev. Dr. isaacs proposed that only male
lsraetes OF good moral standing should be made
eligible rs members, and at once 1t was moved that
his amendment lie on the table, but only twenty-six
strictive clause being before the house Brother s.
Wooif, OF Washington, In order to show up the i'm
moved to amend by adding that only Jews who keep
the 'habba q" and eat "kOsher should be admitted.
with an emphatic declaration by DR.. Gullmann that
| il such childish motions be continued he and his
friends would not spend any more Of their time In
! the Convention. Brother Bien, OF New York. fol.
| lowed in q spirited speech IN opposition to the
| amendment and after him came brother Greene
| baum, OF Chicago who also expressed himself
| with great vigor and emphasis opposed to 1t.
Brother Drueher, OF Cincinnati, then spoke with
proposition, and Rev. Brother Armnold succeeded
him in German and favored The application Of the
widest scope OF humanity and progress to the Order
by the rejecting OF the amendment. Brother Aub
thought II proposition OF paramount Importance
titled to the careful consideration OF the Convention
Brother Peixocto declared himself, in enthusiasts
tic speech. favorable TO the largest beraity in the
admission OF members and against the restriction pro-
posed. Brother Dlnkelspiel spoke to the same pur
pose, WITH "a all others did, much enthusiasm. The
Rev. Brother Isaacs then defended his proposition ut
length in al argumentatiye essay.
At this ponL the debate had become exceedingly
interesting. Itbecame evident that the feelings OF
the Convention were unusually anlmated-even the
word excited would not be out of place-and the
speakers used more and more vigorous language to
express their sentiments. The motion was called
''frebrand," hundcrbolt," the ''seed OF destruc-
ton within the Order" Brother Josiah Cohn, of
Pittsburg, spoke warmly In favor Of adopting the
lsaacs amendment, as necessary and proper
declaration Of their principles. He could not
a. other brethren had declared, vote TO admit Chris
tians and others TO Jewish society. Brother Simon
Woolf said that he was contributing member OF
Young mems Christian Association, was proud Of Ii,
and had delivered lecture before them on the true
mission of judaism, every principle OF which is OPP
posed to the narrow tendency OF the amendment.
Brother Elnger referred to the law OF the Bible,
Love thy neghbor" and that II was not restricted
by the provso onIy he be an Israeite and il mis-
restriction be now adopted every true-hearted Jew
should leave the ORGANIZATION.
Rev. Brother Isaacs saw that there was no posi-
bility Of adopting his amendment and he proposed
10 withdrawit. dozen sprang TO their feet once
and renewed Ii, while the President ruled that q
motion IN possession Oh Inc mousse can oe wtndrawn
the opposition Insisting upon direct decision OF
the question on principle.
all who may apply II Of good moral character,
whether white or black without regard to their
religious faith. After q few others had spoken
President Moses took the floor and warmly advo-
Gated the widest range &C.. OF nberaiy as the best
Judaism respectable In Germany not by adhering
to the narrow beliefs which many inherit, but By
taking the broadcast humanitarian standpoint. He
hoped the Order would not be divided into three
parties like the synagogues-the orthodox the re-
formers and the radicals Brother Emmanuel then
said that II the amendment be passed. not only him.
SELF but his whole lodge, would bodily leave the
Order At this stage the disorder was quite sum.
cient 10 confound the best parlianentaran, and this
was taken advantage Of by member moving the old
preamble hitherto published In the HERALD a. Q
substitute to the preamble reported by the commit
tee The President entertained the motion and over
ruled the point OF order made by Brother Greenebaum
that substitute to the preamble could not In the
body of the constitution and appeal from this de-
cislon the chair refused to entertain under the
ru,s of the body. After several ineecual EFFORTS to
correct the order Of business before the house. which
by some mscnance had got into q middle brother
Harsch, OF 81. Louis even characterized 10 as par
liamentary trick, the substitute was adopted and
the whole constitution then passed en- blocgue by
unanimous vote, thus defeating the iberal restric-
tons that none but Israetes should be members OF