The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-09
NEW YEARS CELEBRATION.
Rabbi Hess Conducts Another Ina
pressfve Service mt Zion Temple.

Rabbi Hess Conducts Another Ina
pressfve Service mt zion Temple.
Zion Temple was again crowded. yes
terday morning, when the services in
cident to the celebration Of the Jewish
New Year were resumed. Services of
an impressive character were conduct
ed by Rabbi Hess chanting them, while
the congregation Joined in the closing
words of each successive intonation
In the interval between the prayers,
the choir, under the leadership Of Prof.
Colville, sang g. number Of sacred Sc
Iections, some in Hebrew, some In
English.
The removal of the sacred scrolls
from the tabernacle is attended with
much ceremony, COMFORTING with the
solemnity Of the occasion. Then fol-
lows the reading of the sacred scrolls,
the rabbi bending low to catch the
sacred words, while his attendants hold
the rolls on each side.
In his sermon Rabbi Hess extended
his congratulations to those present on
the advent of the New Year
we are celebrating the Day of Me-
mcrials," he said. According to the
dictionary, a memorial is the presenta-
ton Of certain facts accompanied by a
petition. Let US examine the facts of
our lives in their social, domestic and
religious relations.
Like migratory birds, so do the sons
of Israel find their way to their tenn
pies this morning. The New Years
station Is the main station in our So
c1al life. A retrospect of our lives will
develop many facts we have reason to
be thankful for and many facts we
have cause to regret. How many VIC
1ous desires lie buried in the graves Of
last year! How many who were re-
q rrfIf ali =
community have gone down to failure
and ruin! How much we would give
to undo the wrongs of the past twenty
years. We realize the consequences
of our follies when it is too late to
avert them.
I'm our social conditions we are not
much better off. Somehow the old
prejudices against the Jewish race, like
Banquo's ghost, will not down We
are but small increment of the entire
population of the world-scarce per
cent-but still we hold a position, by
virtue of our habits, customs and in
dustry, which often beget envy and
Jealousy on the part Of our neighbours
And yet l much prefer envy to pity.
1t Is lamentable to say that the very
traits of character that should recon-
mend us to our fellows rather estrange
us. Fanaticism, bigotry and prejudice
still hold sway, but very frequently
this very prejudice is a blessing in dis
gu1Se, as 1T serves to remind us that we
are Jews.
A word as to our domestic relations
Everything that is noble and good is
embodied in the word home, but how
often do we allow discomfort and ran
cor to enter that sacred place. It was
not always thus. The homes of our
fathers-O how different! 1t was
sanctffled by the parents of the house,
who laid their hands in blessing upon
the heads Of the children 1 can recall
the Friday evenings, the table finally
prepared and young and old enjoying
themselves. And when father and
mother went down to their graves, they
did so contentedly, knowing that the
children who were to fill their places
had grown up in reverence and love of
parental authority.
But the old reverence is no more.
Our modern culture has lost sight Of
the good old ways Now our young
ladies' will sit back in their wisdom
and criticise the INSTRUMENTATION of a
word on the part of even their pastor
In the religious life we have much
to be thankful for. In the last half
century remarkable revolution has
taken place in the realm Of theology.
Popular education, the telegraph, tele-
phone, steam, electricity, have given a
new impetus to examination, and while
all churches, based ON creed and
dogma, have been shaken from pit to
dome, Judaism, free from stereotyped
creeds, has gained by these searching
instrumentalities. At no time more
than eight millions in number, we, the
despised, hated and prosecuted, are
admitted to have exercised a mighty
influence on the religious and social
status of the world