The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-05-24
THE FEAST OF THE PENTECOsT.
Scene at the Temple Beth-El--SOlemn Fes
INSTRUMENTATION, ETC., Etc

Scene at the Temple Beth El--solemn Fes-
tival-COnfirmatioD, ETC., Etc.
This morning the festival of Pentecost was
solemnized in the Temple Bethel. There
was large audience, and the ordinary sombre
appearance of the temple had been enlivened
by decoration. The altar was very prettily
decorated, with evergreens and flowers, and
at its side the flames of the gaseliers looked for
all the world like FLAMING tongues" The
balconies and windows were dressed with
evergreens, and the spaces between the win
dows were ornamented with wreaths which en-
circled the gas brackets. The reading desk
was also draped in white. The Rev. DR..
Lewenthal. rabbi, officiated, and on the altar
were seated the President, Mr.. S. Half and the
Vice-President, Mr.. S. Frank.
After the usual prayers and singing,
the rabbi opened the Holy of Holes and
brought forth the law encased in satin,
amid the declaration of two of the intending
con6rmants. The rabbi then read the twenti-
eth chapter of Exodus, after which boy and
girl delivered addresses. The boys address
was we'll given, but that of the girl, Miss Han
nah Koenigheim, was delivered with such
force, pathos and distinctness that would have
done credit to many actresses, and as Miss
Koenigheim has pleasant voice and graceful
delivery the address was all the more accepta-
ble Miss Hannah Koenigheim then deliver
ed a very effective invocation, and whilst Mrs.
Katzenberger was singing "Hail all Hail -
the candidates for confirmation passed before
the holy of holes and saluted it. One of the
candidates then advanced to the reading desk
and offered gift offering of flowers. The
Rev. DIR. Lewenthal then in an eloquent SER
mon, which we cannot now print, explained
that in the Pentecost they celebrated the CIV
ing of the decalogue at Mount Sinai,
and said that if he was asked why he was
looking to Mount Sinai for light, the answer
would be because it would never grow old, as
it revealed the living God. He said we don't
believe that God stood upon the burning
mountain in person, but we believe that this,
like other incidents may be taken dguratively,
and that the whole worked in accordance with
the harmony of natural laws. The beneath
had their code of morals long before this and
said there shall be no murder; thou shalt com.
nit no lewdness, but it did not impress man
with the spirit of the living God. He then
eloquently told what Judaism was and what it
was not, and closed his sermon by a very
pathetic appeal to the confrmants, in which
he exhorted them to walk in the ways of
Israel.
The address was followed by concerted
music excellently rendered, after which the
rabbi catechised the candidates for confirma-
ton, Hannah Morris, Alice Moritz, Rebecca
Robinson, Sophie Block, Hannah Koening-
ham, Joseph Fork and Louis Koeningsberger,
and being satisfied with their answers, which
were ready and distinct, he invited the con-
irmants to come before the holy of holies,
which was opened, and there make their con-
tirmation of faith, then, whilst Mrs. Katzen-
berger sang "Hear US, oh father" the rabbi
laid hands upon the confirm, blessing them.
All left but two who delivered thanks to God
in fervent manner.
The rabbi then invoked the Deity and dis
missed the congregation with blessing.
The ceremony, apart from anything else.
was one of most interesting character. DR..
Lewenthal read effectively and sang the parts
allotted to the rabbi with that care, finish and
power rarely heard in the pulpit. The cere-
mony was pleasantly interspersed with musi-
cal solos by Mrs. Katzenberger, who was in
excellent voice and acquitted herself with
more than her usual power, and concerted
pieces, which were we'll rendered by Mrs.
Katzenberger, Miss Cora Ogden, Mr.. H.
Karber and Professor Katzenberger, who also
oficiated as accompanies and musical di-
rector.
C. K. Brenemann's defense of Lobos in
the federal court yesterday is highly spoken OF.
j. Saunders was brought before Justice
Adam this morning, charged with using threat
ening language toward his wife, Matilda. As
the case was not proved, the accused was dis
,horr xal h,,t lx, ttal 30