The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-31
THE CORNER STONE LAID
4 LARGE CONGREGATION ATTEND THE IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES.

Rabbi Levy Had Prepared n Historical
 Sketch Which Was Placed in the stone-
 Nesper Service This Evening.
 The ceremony attending the laying of the corner stone for the new temple of Congregation Mishkan Israel were very simple and were carried out in an unosItentatious manner yesterday af- ternoon. The weather was most favor able for such an affair and at the time of the ceremony a large number of the people had gathered about the corner of Orange and Audubon streets, where the church is being erected. The pre- senta't!on of the stone to the congrega- ton was made by T. B. Robertson, by whom the stone was given. Cut in the stone were the significant figures GAO '96."
 Moritz Spier, president of the congre- gatlon, was president, and the Rev. David Levy was Ithe conductor of the ceremonies. His historical address was as follows:
 At meeting of the board of trus- tees of Congregation Mishkan Israel, it was unanimously resolved that Maier Zunder be requested to prepare sketch of the history of the congregation, a copy of which is to be deposited in the corner stone of the new temple.
 It is said that as early as 1770, six Portuguese families immigrated to the city, who later on settled in Newport,' R. l., to joint a Portuguese congrega- ton that had been established there. The immigration of German Israelites began about fifty years later. About 1S40 fifteen or twenty families had set tied here. Nothing more definite is known of the history of the congrega- ton until 1S49, except that a congrega- tion knowr as Mishkan Israel had been established about 1S40, with Milander as reader and burial ground was pur- chased near Wsstville, 75x20O feet, for $60
 The original records having been de- stroyed the following sketch is com- piled from a record begun in 1S49:
 Early in 1849, Congregation Mishkan Israel, with forty-one members, amal- gamated with Congregation Mishkan Sholen, with ten members, under the name of the former congregation. ,Laz- arus Rothchild was chosen president, Michael Milander as reader and Isaac Strauss as teacher and secretary and a committee appointed to secure lot for new synagogue. The congrega- ton worshipped alt this time in Arm strong's building, corner Fleet street and Custom House Square, and later i,,+ i,,T ing, corner of Chapel and State streets. Propositions were made alt this time looking to various changes in the rit- ual, which, however, did not assume shape until several years later.
 In 1850, MT Waterman was elected president, with Samuel Zunder as minister and teacher, services being held in Todd's hall, Stalte street, near Chapel.
 Tn 1851, Jacob Heller was elected president. In 1852, the committee on building site reported that they had bought a lot on State street In 1852, Mir Sternheimer was elected reader and secretary. Tn 1853, MT. Mandle- baum was elected president but re- fused the office, MT. Forster being sub- Stituted, followed by Israel Bretzfeld- CT, who was succeeded in 1854 by L. Waterman, MT. Meininger as reader and Mr. Sternheimer as teacher.
 By the will of Judah Touro, who died Tn 1854. the congregation came into possession of s5,000, which enabled it to purchase the church property in Court street from the Third Congregational society and in May, 1855, the congre- gation worshipped temporarily for one year in the lecture room, MT. Mandle- baum being president In the same year tthe congregation decided to sell the lot on State street for s8OO
 The first congregational meeting was held in Court street May, 1855 In Oc- tober of the same year Isaac Fernbach was elected reader. In March, 1856, B. E. Jacobs was elected minister and MT. Milander as teacher, Isaac Williams be- ing president.
 On July Il, 1856, Court street temple was dedicated with appropriate cere- monies by Rev. Drs. Henry and Raphall of New York. In 1857 Jacob Thalman was elected president. In 1S5S MT. Meingen was minister and MT. Stern heimer teacher. Tn 1858, Israel Bretz- fielder was elected president, followed by Isaac Ullman in 1859 and by Mayer Kahn in 1S60 During the incumbency of the latter various changes were made in the mode oe worship, Rev A. Lazar being minister and Benjamin Sugen- heimer teacher and secretary. Mayer Kahn served again in 1861, followed by Edward Engel in 1S62-63. With MT. Meininger as reader.
 For some years previous services were conducted with choir accompaniment In 1863 M Steinert was engaged as or ganist, followed by IS. Spier in 1869. The first melodeon used in the synagogue was presented by the young men of the Miamonides Literary society.
 Simon Bretzfelder served as president in 1864, with Rev. Jonas Gabriel as minister. In this year family pews were introduced. In 1865 Isaac Rosen- berg was elected president, followed by Isaac Williams in 1S66-7, and by Abra- ham Ullman in 1868 to 1870. Abraham Ullman served as president with Rev. Judah Wechsler as minister. During the incumbency of the latter Minhag America was introduced, a Sabbath school organized and the temple reno- vated at considerable cost. It is a grat- flying fact to mention here that the grateful thanks of the congregation are er1inentlv due to the Ladies' Sewing