The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-09-16
II JoMNK1rooR
Or, the .Jewish "Day of Atonement,"
Which VIII be Celebrated
Tomorrow.

-
Tomorrow, Sept, 18th, will be cele-
brated by the Israelites as the "Day of
Atonement." This is the great day in
the year for Israelites, and is the COM
mencement of the month of Tishri.
This month is the first in the Hebrew
civil year, or the seventh in the
ecclesiastical calendar. On the DAY
of Atonement," or JOIN Kipoor in
Hebrew, the Jewish churches are
crowded with worshippers.
The sixteenth chapter of Leviticus
gives a full account of the original
ritual for this day, wherein it is COM
manded that once a year the children
of Israel shall make an atonement for
all sins committed by them, and pray
for forgiveness. 1t was in the days of
the ancient glory of the Jews, the n
day when the blood of two animals
was carried by the high priest back Of
the vail into the "Holy of Holes, :" and
s%prinkled before the mercy seat under
the cloud of incense. 1t was the day
when all the iniquities, transgressions
and sins of the house of Israel were
laid on the head of a living goat. and
that goat was transformed to the will
derness to be lost there. From the day
when this peculiar ritual was first
inaugurated in the presence of Moses
till the present day, no year has ever
passed away without a display of the
peculiar sacredness of the day before
the witnessing eyes of millions. The
few years of Greek persecution made
40 exception, because then the day
doubtless had its concealed assemblies
through all the land.
Every year in the life of Jesus clothed
this day with great solemnity in Jerusa-
lem. 1t was observed like a Sabbath.
The fasting from sunset to sunset was
very strict. No bathing or %anointing
was allowed. The comfort of the body
was dismissed from the thoughts. An
exception was made if a life was in dam
ger, or in favor of children who could
not bear the fast. There is evidence,
however, that near the close of the
~solemnities, the Day of Atonement
became more cheerful and social.
The crowds of young ladies were seen
~promenading in the gardens of Jerusa-
lem before sunset. The young men
appeared in the same gardens to select
their companions for life. Songs were
r%apturously sung in that hour of APP
preaching twilight, the scope of which
was that the choice of young men
should not be determined by beauty,
but they should look rather to a lady's
connection with a noble family, and to
virtue and piety, along with her indus
try in the house. Since the destruction
of Jerusalem, the blood on the altar
and the drops of blood in The most holy
place have ceased to be connected with
the Day of Atonement; yet it has been
made as muchas ever a day of severepen-
ance among Orthodox Jews. 1t is like j
straight railroad track, spanning many
centuries, or joining n hoary antiquity
to the present hour.
Now the day is considered a reunion,
and reconciliation between God and
man, man and man as his better self.
The ~Israelite communes with his God,
acknowledges all his sins, and prays
for forgiveness and pours out his whole
soul to his Maker. The Day Of Atone
ment is never mentioned in the life of
Christ, while the Passover occurs in
three connections-in connection with
the crucifxion, in connection with the
feeding of the five thousand near the
sea of Galilee, and in connection with
the visit to Jerusalem, which occurred
a few days after the marriage in Cana
Of Galilee. This day is the fast
mentioned in connection with Paul's
shipwreck; and the epistle to the
Hebrews sets it as a day requiring the
effusion and sprinkling of blood in
theological connection with the
Christian era.
The day will be celebrated with due
ceremony, in this city as elsewhere.