The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-10
AN ORTHODOX DIsBELIEvER

TmE JEWISH FEAST OF AB.-As we an
nOunced yesterday, this is the 9th day Of
the month Ab in Hebrew chronology, and
is the anniversary Of the destruction Of
Jerusalem and Of the Jewish temple.
Appropriate services will be held in the
Synagogue here and in all the cities OF
The country. The New York Herald Of
Sunday speaks Of this memorable day as
follows; "The 10th Of August Ia the
anniversary Of the destruction OF the
Temple Of Jerusalem, and will be cell
ebrAted by conservative Jews through
out the world as a day OF mourn.
Ing, for on that day the first Temple was
destroyed; and, by a remarkable coinci-
dcnce, on the 9th Of Ab the second TEN.
pie was razel and burned by the sacri-
legious hand Of NebuChAdnezzar. In sub.
sequent centuries, on the 9th Of Alb, Jer.
usalenl, too, was totally destroyed by the
savage hands Of Titus. And little later,
on the same 9th OF Ab, Bethar, the strong
hold aud place Of refuge Of the people Of
Isracl, was stOrmed, and the blood Of
thousands failed to satisfy the inhuman
vengeance Of Hadrian. This festival has
indeed been gloomy period, and must
ever form II dark and bloody page in
Jewish history. II il therefore with q
feeling Of sorrow and sadness that many
thousands Of orthodox Jews will today
approach the sacred precincts Of their
synagogues 10 worship and pray for tho
peace and restoration Of Jerusalem In an
iicipation Of the coming day. There are
millions of Jews to whom the memorial
day Of the destruction Of Jerusalem is
genuine day Of mourning. Their vail
ings ascend from the depth Of the heart,
and their life's hope Ia bound up with the
expectation that on some day the proph.
ecies will he realized, which as
they firmly believe, will re.cstablish the
kingdom Of Judah, Of all mighty empires
the mightiest. Whatever opinion en-.
lightened Jews and Christians may hold
on the subject, smile as they may at the
ChimerCial and visionary expectations,
entertained with native simplicity, II
remains u stubborn fact that Jerusalem
IL still the spot upon which are centred
The religious hopes Of the Jewish people
and Of millians Of Christians who look
with equal confidence toward the fulfil.
ment OF these sacred prophecies.
Progressive Jews, Of course, no longer
don tho garb Of mourning. Reformed
Judaism has professed long since that
Israel has a higher, a grander mission
than could possibly be attained by the
erection Of Jewish political State, nor Is
II any longer compatible with the en-
HANGED conceptions OF Israelites with the
progressive tendencies Of civilization to
associate religious worship with Sacer-
dotal service. But, withal, Jerusalem
will retain place In the affections Of the
Jewish people. With that name and that
locality are associated memories that have
left their undying imprint upon the ciyi.
lizntion OF the world. Itishoped, by the
orthodox Jews, that the approaching fast
will be more generally observed than II
has been, so that the period Of Joy spoken
Of by Lacllarian may soon be at hand.
"Wlen the fast Of the fourth, the fast Of
the 9Th, the fast Of the seventh, and the
last Of the tenth month, shall become to
the house Of Judah gladness and joy, and
merry festivals; only love ye the truth
aud peace"