The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-25
THIRTY.FOURTH STREET SYNAGOGUE.
Light in Jewish Dwellings-The Value
OF Family Prayer and an Earnest Ex-
hortatton to Its Practice by DIR. Vida
uar-Naf s,lA Alasence 0f Music.

Light in Jewish Dwelltngs-The Value
OF Family Prayer and an Earnest Ex-
hortatton to Its Practice by DR.. Vida
ver-Notable Absence OF Music.
The stranger who should visit the synagogue Of
the Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, IN West Thirty
fourth street. during Sabbath service would be
struck with the notable absence OF singing music
OF any sort save the lntOnaton Of the officiating
reader. The choir gallery is empty and there is a
sad sense OF something lacking in the service. The
congregation was divided on the question OF music
and at one time the choir OF male voices which
used to assist in the service OF song increased
by the addition OF one or more lady singers which
for a while proved great attraction. But the in
PRODUCTION OF a female vocalist into the choir gave
offence to the older and more stald orthodox men,
bers Of the congregation, and the result was the
election OF new BOARD of officers, who have dis
pensed with music altogether, thereby enecting
saving in expense but, as 1t seems TO some per-
sons, at the sacrifice OF one or the most important
adjuncts OF public worship.
Yesterday the tenth chapter OF Exodus was
read, from the twenty-third verse OF which
DR.. vidaver dlscOursed-'But the children
OF Israel had light In their dwellings,"
Light, the DOCTOR said, Is blessing; dark
ness Is curse. The commandment Is
lamp and the law Is hight, and he who walketh in
light walketh in bliss. Ii we would nave our
houses and our hresdes to become blessings, then
LET THERE De LIGHT
in them, that each may become place OF light ana
OF Israel become true sanctuarles? What Is it, he
asked, that distinguishes our houses from the
acknowledgment OF God as a spirit and that We
worship Him as such. And now, should our
houses become true sanctuaries, let US put
away all idolatrous practices and utterly abolish
the idols. Have we no image worship? he asked.
Alas he responded, that many Jewish temples
are but the hOtbeds OF idOlatry and their cOngre-
cations worshippers OF images. DO we not see
fathers and mothers bowling their heads before
those idols and false gods innumerabe and educat-
In nf fhaIr chi hut. ,f,.,rr
their hearts Is not that Idolatrys Don't you see
many fathers, rich and poor, erecting affairs IN
nothing so highly as this false god. Is not this
state OF darkness as great as that which existed
in Egypt If you speak to such parents they will
tell you they doing their duty TO their children.
But the psalmist exclaims that such persons heap
up riches ana know not VINO shall gather them.
And do we not often sons scatter what their
foolish fathers have gathered for thems they SOW
the wind, and Is it any wonder ii they reap the
whirlwindy Young men who have nothing more
than their own exertlons to depend upon, when
thrown into the stormy sea OF life strike out boldly
Tor the shore and generally reach IT in safety. We
must
REMOVE THIS EGYPTIAN DARKNESS
from our houses and put away those idols, and un-
less we do this our houses VIII not be true homes
Of Israelites. But 1t Is necessary not only to re-
move those Idols Of fashion and folly and abso-
fhtely to discard them; we must also enthrone God
in them. II the Lord build not the house they labor
In vain that built 1t. Every one VINO enters such a
house should be able to say with the patriarch
Jacob, ''This Is the house OF God.u In such homes
there dwell GOd-learing parents and GOd-l0vlng
children. Here they gather new strength to carry
lifes burdens. God Is their life and the rock of
their salvation-the beginning and the emu OF their
hopes such homes are true sanctuaries Of God
where the demons OF sin cannot enter Falsehood,
nattery, calumny, &c, are unknown there, because
the God OF truth and love and purity presides at
the nresides Of such homes. When death appears
in such houses he comes not as the king OF
terrors but as an angel OF light and lie
and mercy, and you may hear the hymn Of
praise TO God going up from such dwellings,.
70 the door posts OF every Jewish house IL attached
the name OF the Holy One, and some ancient
rabies say that no evil spirit can gain entrance
into such homes Nothing unhoiy enter where
God dwells. He has promised to keep us, in our
coming in and going out, In lying down aud
uprising and TO guide all our steps. We can turn
the idols out and bring God In by the Introduction
oil family worship.
PRAYER IS THE MIGHTY CHAIN
that links our homes to the battlements OF heaven
1t makes the domestic hearth redoent with divine
glory. Introduce family worship into your homes
and they shall become houses OF Cod. and you
shall have light in all your dwellings, There Is no
sight on earth so beautiful az to see a family as
sembled together In the morning around the family
altar. No minister Is hall so eloquent as the
father OF such family engaged in prayer. The
Doctor defined what he meant by prayer-not the
repetition OF forms OF words but the lifting up OF
the heart to God In true DEVOTION and he appealed
tlejr hnmaA.