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

Canada, and they cleave 10 the faith OF tnelr
fathers without the turning Of hair, as IL they
were even now In Spain, and as II the ulspeT-
sion into Holland had never come.
Romantic and Oriental in the highest degree
were these rites that have been handed down
unchanged through the centuries, and they
lost none Of their impresslveness from the lact
that the men who offciated in then-oVer a nun
dred Jews of the leading families Of NewYork-
were in modern evening garb and wore SILK
hats throughout the evening The Tribune
year ago described this building. at Seventeen
st. and Central Park West. in detail, just be
fore the cornerstone was laid. 1t Is, therefore,
merely necessary TO mention few or us
salient features. The scene that formed the set-
ting for these rites was strange and picturesque
A Spanish Portuguese synagogue is curiously
planned. At its eastern end stands the Ark or
the Covenant-the Eachal Gin Hebrew)-here
superb front Of Sierra marble, veined In iri-
descent brown, with cornice and an entab-
lature decorated in gold and led up to by steps
Of blood-red Numdian marble. The floor to the
line Of the galleries is empty. save for the large
square altar, on which Is placed the reading
desk where thu scrolls Of the law are unrolled
This is we'll down by the western wall. The
great empty space OF floor is carpeted in the
new Shearith Israel in deep red. harmonizng
with the yellows and browns Of the walls and
glass. Under the galleries the seats run from
front to back facing the altar
MEN BELOW. WOMEN IN THE GALLERY.
When. at a few moments past s o'clock on
Wednesday evening. the stringed instruments in
the wide gallery over tho Ark commenced to
play the overture. every seat under the gallery
was filled with black-coated men, In accord.
ance with the unvarying traditions Of the Span
fah- Portuguese bo
seen this floor Overhead the broad galleries
on three sides Of the synagogue were filled
with the flower Of New-York Judaism. with
never a man among them. Daintiy. arrayed,
. mass Of brilliant coors. Of silks and satns. this
throng Of femininity presented vivid contrast
TO the sonlbre black below.
The open space in the centre. the Ark and the
altar were deserted as the stringed instruments
softly played their medley. potpouri OF Span
fish Jewry airs. hundreds Of years old A
great hush fell over the assemblage. Not man
Or woman moved in the seats. The music
ceased. and then. after seconds wait, two
loud raps were heard at one OF the doors at
the rear Of the synagogue. A voice could be
heard chanting in Hebrew, clear and distinct
i, was the voice Of the Rev. II. Perera Mendes
the rabbi, and in English this was what he in.
tored:
"Open for the gates Of righteousness; I
would enter through them. would praise the
Lord"
Slowly and with dignity IL gray-haired man.
wrapping his talith about his shoulders
1.-THE talith is O frnged shawl OF white silk
tordered with blue, which ministers and mem
bsrs Of any Orthodox Jewish congregation
must wear when performing religious rites
came forward and opened the doors. He
Or. Horatio Gomez. a lneal descendant OF Louis
Gomez who Of the first Jews to arrive
In New York some time before 1850. For those
that could see, the scene brought up a picture Of
what once must have been in Palestine. In the
hallway was a forest Of white satin rolls the
s'ecrolls OF the Law" held In the arms of dis
tinguished men. Behind them were the five
Spanish Portuguese ministers Of America Rev
erently. as they advanced upon the synag0gue's
6cor, the choir Of Hebrew men and boys in the
high gallery over the Ark chanted 0n Hebrew:
"This Is the gate Of the Lord: the righteous
may enter therein will praise Thee. for Thou
East answered me. and Thou hast become my
balvation."
A WONDERFUL PROCESSION.
Then Il was that the incident OF the greatest
historic interest occurred. The genius Of the
Past came forward and clasped the hand OF the
Present Moving with slow and measured step,
IN single file, scroll succeeding SCROLL the rab-
oies behind each man wearing his faith OF daz-
Ming white over his black clothing ana all with