Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-06-20

e"ith' Auy lcaVen IOuuQ ln MS research
is carefully destroyed.
Eyorythiug being in readiness, the fcsti-
val begins on tho evening of tho passover
day. A sacred service is held 10 the syna-
goguo, on which the families of tho faithful
attend, arrayed in their best, after which,
amid mutual Congratulations aud hearty
good wishes, all return to their respective
homes. There in each homo is found tho
passover table set out with it's snowy whito
covering, an emblem of purity, in accord
ancc with tho rules Of the feast. This table
is equal to the requirements of tho whole
household; for every [sraelito, irrespective
OF rank or position, must sit down to tho
feast. In the coutrc of tho table is set a
dish containing thrco extra large passover
cakes carefully ooverr with cloth.
Around this are set four smaller dishes:
the first containing somo horse-radish and
parsley, memorial Of the bitter horbs that
were wont to be eaten with the pasohal
lamb; in the second is mixture Of apples,
almonds, raisns and cinnamon, as remind.
er of the brick making Of Egypt; the third
CONTAINS somo salt water, memorial of the
miraculous passage Qf the Red Sea; and in
the fourth is found a shank bono of lamb,
with pieoo of roasted flesh thereon, to
commemorate tho pasohal lamb, and also an
egg roasted hard to signify that tho lamb
was roasted whole. A silver vino cup is
set for caoh ono ut the tablo, whilo an.
empty chair aud vino CUP is left for the
prophet Elijah, who is expected to appear as
tho foreruunor If the Messiah. Seated as.
they thus are at tho passover tablo, the
whole household arrangements are design.
edly suoh as to present in its social freedom
and substantial comfort tho greatest possible
contrast to the bondage aud brick making
OF Egypt, and from time immomorial the
customary table talk hos been of tho cruel
oppression and miraculous de!iveranoe of
their forofathors. Tho formalities of tho
feast begin by tho master of the house
solomnly asking blessing on themselves
and what is sot before them, and then eaoh
one at tho table partakes littlo of the vine.
lie then washes his hands ia basin placed
there for the purpose, and thereafter taking
somo parsley and dipping it in viugar he
presents small portion to each ono, and all
in unison reverently say the following grace
ere they partako of it: "Blessed art thou,
0 Lord our God, King of tho universe,
Creator of the fruits of the earth" After
this he unoovers the largo dish, takes out
and breaks tho middle oako Of the three in
two, and placing one Of the pieces botwcon
tho two whole cakes, he oonceals the other
under the cushion on which hc rcolines, in
allusion to the hurried march out of Egypt,
whom "the people took their dough before
it was loaveued, their kneading. troughs
bong bound up in ticir olothos." Ho
thon takes tho shank bone Of tho lamb and
tho cgg off tho dish, and all at tho table,
taking hold together of the dish containing
tho cakes, again in unison aay, "Lo, this is
tho bread of affliotion which our forefathers
ato in tho land Of Egypt" Tho shank
bone and tho egg ore again placed on tho
table and the vino again partakon Of They
all drink Of tho cup four times during the
evening, in token Of tho four expressions
employed by God in connection with the
a ~ e% ssna sg Asis g expressions ss
IL will redeem YOU" III will take you
After numerous prayers, psalms and
rabbinioal sayings, which complete the first
part Of tho ceremony, tho master of the
house then takes the two whole cakes ard
tho brokon ono in his hands tosothor, and
breaking off piooo from ono Of tho whole
cakes, as we'll as from tho broken ono, first
for himself and thon for caoh member of
tho household, each partakos OF tho two
pieces together, but not before all in unison
have said the following blessing: "Blcssed
art thou, 0 Lord our God, King of tho
univorsc, who has sanotifcd US with thy
commandments, and commandost US to cat
unlcayonod cakes" Then bo takes some
lettuce, or tops Of tho horse -raddish, and
holding thom up before the company as
memorial of the bitter bondage Of Egypt,
each ono partakes thereof after saying,
"Blcssed art thou, 0 Lord, King Of the
universe who hast sanoti6ed US with thy
commandments, and commanded us to oat
bittor herbs." Tho remaining whole cake
is thereafter broken, and piece of it with
somc other bittor herbs dipped in rcd
mixture, in memory of tho bricks Of Egypt,
is handed to each ono at tho table; and by
thom eaten as memorial of the unleavened
broad and bitter herbs which wero COM
mandcd to be eaten with tho posohal lamb.
AS tho remaining portion of tho hidden
oako has to bo divided among all present,
md little picco of it to bo kept by oaoh
till the following yoar os sort Of protective
charm against oil calamitics, no little appa..
rent CONSERVATION is manifested whom tho
master suddenly discovers that 1t hos mystic.
riously disappeared from under tho cushion
whcro lo had concealed it. 1t was design.
edly spirited away as part Of tho proceed
ings; soon, however, it is again found and,
being disposed to its designed uso, assumed
grief speedily gives place TO assorted glad-
ness Afteg partaking again Of tho passover
CUP, .prayof is oiforod, and Psalms and
hymns arc sung chiefly relating to the
wished for aneedY rebuilding of .larnaalam.