New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-23

Exclusively, too, did the Hebraic choir behlno
the Ark render this ancient melody, with the
soft tones Of the violins making an unueIou.
rent Of harmony. The entire Inusica. Pr
gramme, in fact curious. The me!odies
sung and played were almost altogether Ola ar ;
of the Jews in Spain. Many of them are salu
to have been sung in the Temple Of solomon
and there are few which Jewish recoros posi-
lively assert We're played by King David on his
harp. 1t is only the Spanish Jews that nave
carried down these wonderful rhythms ana
melodies q music that is unknown to the |orid
at large. Even to the few who cid not know
the story of these quaint airs played on Wednes-
day night, the melodies had charm ana
sweetness il would be hard TO describe.
LIGHTING THE PERPETUAL LAMP
Once at the steps Of the Ark the scrol-bearers
assembled until they formed impressive pict-
ure against the gilded doors. The rabies stood
at the foot. The hour had come for the light
ing of the Perpetual Lamp" which must never
be extinguished while stone remains upon stone
of the Temple" This honor given to L.
Napoleon Levy who presented the lamp to the
congregation Ut hangs directly In front OF the
ark and is Of gorgeous silver. and Solomon l..
Cohen. whose father lighted the lamp at the
conservation of the Nineteenth Street Syna-
gogue in 1860. This ceremony must be per-
formed by a Lew and a Cohen-literally in
Jewish ritual. priest and his assistant. An in
teresting detail is that the taper with which
the lamp was lighted on Wednesday night was
the same taper that lighted the Nineteenth
Street Synagogue lamp. 1t was presented at
that time by Isaac Phillips. one Of the pillars
of Spanish-Portuguese Judaism thirty years
ago, and the father Of n. Taylor Phillips clerk
Of the congregation o-day, TO Andrew H. Green.
Mr.. Green. who was present on Wednesday
night lent 1t for this occasion.
After the lighting Of the Perpetual Lamp"
the procession filed back to the altar again. and
then the rabies going upon the altar. COM
mence6 Its seven circuits. seven being a mystic
number In the Spanish-Portuguese Jewish ritual.
There were seven patrarchs, 1t will be recalled
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the three fathers
Moses Aaron, David and Solomon. There are
seven days In the week. and the seventh year
is the year Of rest, when the land is not to be
titled, when all deb.s released Our stat
ute Of Limitations comes from this The
seventh yea: In pastoral Judea was the year OF
Jubal Oubilee).
Nearly an hour was taken up with the cir
cults" tn: "Hayan," the Rev. A. H. Nieto
chanting the Psalms and the Law, together with
the choir. In stately professional the scrolls
went around and around gorgeous in their SHIN
Dering white gowns" and glancing metal
above Following this the entire fifteen, incud-
ing new one by the Rev. Mr.. Nieto the task
in the Ark Most Of the scrolls are very old,
and the Oldest were written in Spain
The ceremonies concluded with pray er by the
Rev. MENDOZA de Soda Of Montreal an address
by the Rev. Dr. Sabato Morals, of Philadelphia
and sermon by DR. Mendes. OF the cOngrega-
ton The famous hymn. "Adon 'Olam.' was
then sung by the choir, and a benediction was
new abiding place The Hebrew words on the
cornce OF the Ark OF the Covenant had come
true-"Know in whose presence thou art stand
ing"