Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-06-13
A OF
Imposing and Beautiful Services Yes
terday at the Jewish synagogue,
Corner of Exchange and Main.
Eight Children COnhrmed-Yery Large
Congregation PreseDt-The
Excellent Choir.

Congregation P~resent-The
Excellent ChOir.
Address of Rev. DR.. samaeId TO the Con-
rmants Explanatory OF the Ser
vices and Occasion.
The festivals of the Jewish church are
all beautiful in their simplicity. They
are entirely oriental in their character,
. full of symbols, and at once appeal both
to the eye and to the heart. Perhaps
the most beautiful and striking of all
these festivals is that of P~entecost,
which commenced on Tuesday at sun
set and was continued yesterday. This
festival is called PentecOst, because it is
celebrated On the fifteenth day after the
passover. 1t was instituted in commem-
Grafton of the gift of the law TO Moses
on Mount Sinai, fifty days after the
Jews left Egypt, and as the day
on which they were TO offer the
first fruits of the harvest. It is
also called the feast of weeks, because 1t
was celebrated seven weeks after the
sixteenth day of Nissan, or third day of
the Passover. The day Of Pentecost is
also celebrated in the Greek, Roman
Catholic and Episcopal Churches in COM
memOration of the descent of the Holy
Spirit on the Apostles, and is known us
Whitsuntide.
THE HEBREW TEMPLE.
On the afternoon OF Tuesday the ladies
of the congregation of the Hebrew Tenn
pie, corner of Main and Exchange
streets, completed the decorations of
their place of worship for the coming
festival, and we'll they discharged their
pleasing duty, for the decorations were
! of the most tasteful and beautiful de-
scription. The altar and reading desk
were literally covered with beautiful
flowers in bouquets and baskets, while
wreaths of evergreens and magnolia
leaves encircled the altar rails. Rustic
baskets, illed with rare e~Xotics, were
pendant from the chandeliers, and the
columns which support the gallery were
enwreathed in evergreens and laurel.
The effect produced was very fine, and
the tout ensemble highly creditable to
the fair ladies who did the work of
decoration. In the evening, after sunset,
the usual services prescribed for the cele--
bratiOn of the festival were conducted
by the Rabbi of the Temple, Rev. DR..
Samfield, and were attended by a large
congregation.
THE SERVICES YESTERDAY.
The P~antecostal services were contiR-
ued in the Temple yesterday common
cling at nine o'clock in the morning.
The Temple was filled to its utmost
capacity, not a single seat being unoccu-
pied, as it had been announced that
/ the solemn rite of confirmation would
be administered to eight candidates in
addition to the usual services of the
day. On each side of the altar, in addi-
ton the floral decorations already men
toned, were two massive candelebra
with lighted candles. Mr.. n. d. Men
ken and w. H. GrOnauer, President and
Vice-President of the congregation, Oc-
! cupied positions on the right and left of
the altar.
Rev. Rabbi Samfeld commenced the
services Of the day byreading, inthe book
of Exodus, the manner in which Moses
received the commandments from the
hands Of Almighty God on Mount
Sinia, and then read portions of the lis,
ll6, III, l18 and 119 Psalms.
THE CHOIR.
The choir, which was greatly aug
mented for the occasion, embraced
some of the finest vocalists in the city
Of Memphis, principal among whom
were Mrs. Henry Farmer, soprano; Miss
Katie Ackerman, alto; Mr.. Gideon, |
tenor, and MI. Julius Nathan, basso.
Prof. Winkler, organist, and full orches-
ira, then sung in magnificent
style, the splendid anthem "Give
thanks unto the Lord, for His mercy en-
dureth forever" which was followed by
the Rabbi offering up a most impressive
prayer, in which he craved The Divine
blessing on the congregation, and more
especially those who were about TO re-
ceive
THE HOLY RITE OF CONFIRMATION.
The President and Vice-President then
proceeded to the entrance of the Temple
for the purpose of conducting the con-
firmants to the altar. The professions
were then formed, headed respectively
by the officers of the congregation, while
the orchestra played with much spirit
Meyerbeer's grand coronation march
from the opera of La Prophete.
THE YOUNG LADIES,
Miss Sallie Seessel, Miss Mile Frank,
Miss Jennie Marks, Miss Ida Froellick,
Miss Fanny GrOnauer, and Miss Victo-
ria Cohen, were all dressed in pure vir-
gin muslin and lace wells, and wreaths
of orange blossoms. As they marched
up to the altar with slow and solemn
steps, with little girls in front strewing
their path with flowers, they seemed
like so many brides about to take upon
them marriage vows. The two boys,
Morris J FARMLAND and Joseph Kalisky,
who were also candidates for confirma-
ton, brought up the rear of the process
sions. When all were arranged in front
of the altar, Rabbi Sanfield read from
Ecelesiastes xii: Remember now thy
Creator in the days of thy youth, while
the evil days come not, mol the years
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, / have
no pleasure in them" etc.
ADDRESS BY THE RABBI.
Rabbi Samfield then addressed the
c%OnfirSlants as follows:
SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ISRAEL.
On this holy festival of Pentecost, the
anniversary of Gods revelation unto
Israel, you come before me in this
sanctuary to be confirmed in the faith of
your fathers, and to receive upon your
selves the eternal and immutable law Of
God, the law of truth-the law of virtue
and morality which forms the compend-
ium Of Judaism and of pure religion. 1t
affords me unfeigned satisfaction and
pleasure that you have a few days ago
convinced me and this congregation,
that you are acquainted with all the
characteristic principles Of our faith, and
with the history of the Jewish people.
In the answers you have made
to my questions, there you have
explained Judaism according to its
eternal phase, by which it be-
comes religion in the purest concep-
ton of the word. l have yet to explain
to you why 1 did not instruct in those
o~bservances which have covered Israers
treasure many, many years. Informing
you, however, that the Judaism of our
day exists also under a temporal phase,
you can easily define that peculiar sys-
TEN Of laws, which were only intended
to prepare the Israelites better for their
holy mission, to serve a means to the