Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-06
DAY OF ATONEMENT
The Occasion Observed by Washing
ton Hebrew Congregation.
SERVICES CONDUCTED BY RABBI STERN
Address by Mr.. Wolf and Music b,
Special Choir.
DAY CLOSES AT SHUTDOWN

The solemn service which is prescribed by
the Jewish ritual for the Day of Atone
n,ent was begun last evening at sunset by
the Washington Hebrew Congregation in
the First Congregational Church, the use
of which had been rendered for the occa-
sion. The attendance was very large, the
auditorium being crowded.
Rev. DIR. Stern, pastor of the Hebrew
Congregation, who presided, was assisted
by President I. L. Blout and Mr.. Philip
Peyser, the latter being, it is said, the old
est member of the congregation.
The music, which was very fine and had
been rehearsed specially for the occasion,
was rendered by a choir composed of twen-
ty voices, with DR.. George w. Walter as
organiSt and director. A quartet, composed
OF Mrs. Nellie Wilson Shir-Cliff, Mrs. S.
Martin, Mr. William d. MacFariand and
Mr.. John J. Nolan, sang selections at APP
propriate intervals.
course. He called attention to the impress
siveness and solemnity of the occasion and
reminded those present that they ought to
welcome and be very grateful for the
blessings of a day wholly set aside for self
examination, with view to moral and
llgiouS publication and improvement and,
as such observed since the days of Abra-
ham.
DR.. Stern mention ed number of instances
to illustrate the steadfast and unchang-
ing. faith of the Jews, and said they had
gloriously vindicated the truth that the
Jew of today, like his ancestors can and
will suffer IL need be for a principle
In conclusion the speaker reminded his
hearers that their whole duty as Israelites
was by no means accomplished by a mere
avowal of belief in the existence and unity
OF God, and that 1t was a matter of the
greatest Importance that the religious home
life shall not be permitted to languish and
decay.
The benediction was pronounced by DR..
Stern.
Mr.. VOLTS Address. 8
Services in continuation of those begun
last evening were resumed at the same
church this morning, and again an i'm
mense congregation was present. An Grafton
was delivered by Mr.. Simon Wolf, who, in
part said:
1--WE ought to feel at home in these sur
roundings, although visible to the eye is
the emblem of Christian faith-the cross
Strange as it may seem, this emblem be-
longs also to the Jew. While the disciples
| of Christianity have borne into every part
of the habitable globe this emblem of their
religion, the Jew has borne the cross of
persecution, and has been made the vic
| tim of oppression in every land where the
cross domira te6
Strange and weird thoughts come and
go with the sounding of the 'Shofar' in a
and bring to our recollection the thousand
and one oruclties through which the Jew
as man and citizen of every country has
passed The skeletons of the dungeon and
inQuisition stalk forth, and seem to be re-
animated with flesh and blood at this man.
hesitation of liberality on the part of a
Christian church at the close Of the nine
teenth century. 1t proves, most conclusive
iy, that there is in every denomination, no
matter what it's belief, a Klondike of hid
den humanity which needs but to be thor
oughly known to yield to mankind the
golden ingots which for centuries have
been buried; which are encircled by passes
and canyons. fncrusted with the snow of
ages. yet, When the sun of modern warmth
descends; these glacial conditions disap-
pear, and the 'Edelweiss' of diviner civ
iliZation spring into eternal bloom.
Not Alone i'm Temple
But it is not in the temple or in the
church alone that the Jew or Christian is
representative of God and religion. 1t is
in the outside world and in the great bat
tie Of life, in the combat for existence
that We appear in the true spirit. Men and
women come and go to the temple of
worship and pray inwardly or outwardly,
thinking they have discharged their duty,
and go out into the outer world forgetful of
what they did the moment before-un-
charitable to their neighbors. un-Christian
10 other people, un-Jewish in all the ele-
human beings together in kinship and 10y
atty to each other.
Religion is not creed, but deed; religion
is not that which estranges man from man,
but that which brings man and man closer
together in affinity and soul-recognition
and let me right here say to my Christian
friends that they owe a grea. responsible
ty to the duties of the hour, in the recog-
milton of the social conditions of those who
differ from them in faith
mo one recognizes the spirit which ami
mated this Christian congregation In its
nberality more than do. ! know what 1t
means. The shadow-dance of the creeds
disappears, and the sunlight of a brighter
dawn illumines our SURROUNDINGS: and
while brought nearer and nearer
to each other, let each, in his own way
contribute to the amelioration and soften
ing OF those aSperities which have so far
Kept us apart. There is absolutely no diff
ference In religion; there is in creeds. All
men and women strive or should strive
Tor that which is best for the state and in
THIS direction no one has a priority of
claim.
Emblems of Grace and Power.
THE same Divine Power that made the
lose and the lily has made the Jew and the
Christian. Both are enblems of His grace
and power. and, while they are not like
each other, yet both reflect credit upon Gre
alton, and bestow pleasure and happiness.
AS in former years, again today, do
l invoke your earnest aid and support dur
ing the coming year for the United Hebrew
Charities 1t needs words of mine to
impress upon one and all how much good
has been accomplished; hew want and suf-
ferlng have been relieved: how self-help
and self-respect have been stimulated: how
much devotion to duty and self-sacrifice
has been made by the management of the
board. and especially by it's president who
is also the president of this congregation
al md fr,rot fI,at