The times., 1897-04-08
POLICE ARRESTED A RABBI
He Was Praying TO the Sun in a
New York Park.
Great Crowd Had Gathered to Wit
Ness the Cereniony-Perfor
Every Twenty-eight Years.

New York, April THE thousands of
thaowu into fmoTe of excitement this
morning by the arrest OF rabbi for per
forming ceremony in one oi the city
pa arks.
InIs is the day set apart Ia the Hebrew
l:tiJh for the worship of the sun. Every
orthodox jew all Ner the world turned
his face TO the sun as lie rose this morning,
and with uplifted hands repeated prayer
OF adoratiun, thanksgiving and peace.
such Il festival COMES but once in Uwent v
eight years, for today the orb OF day Is sup
posed TO be in The same position it was
when Tor the first time 1t rose in the tirma-
ment upon world which was without
form and void.
Every twenJy-eight years the sun re-
turns TO this position.
kabbi Morris MecRsteT, of the CongIe-
CATION Birth ShoIen, arose this morning
before dawn and prayed for day flee
from the clouds and misUs that hide The
Sua from the people for whom GOD made 1T,
At the first ray of rose-colored light
that went up from beyond East River ne
arrayed himself in the long unused sacred
runcs in which alone the rabbi worships
the sun.
1t is written that on the seventh day of
| the month, called by the Christians, April.
the orthodox jews shall pray to the suu
at 90 in the morning. Then the sun is
high, where all who worship, may see it.
The rabbi must gather together ten
mea, ali over thirteen years OF age, and 20
up on the housetopS, or into the open
air Ia pray. This company of worshippeIs
is called in the Hebrew tongue minion-
Togetherthey offer up prayers OF thanks
giving and blessing and pray that they
may live another twenty-eight years.
Rabbi Morris waited until the hands Of
the clock pointed 10 Z. IL WIS the hour
appointed, and clad in the sacred vest
ments he went out into the street, for it
| is written that the ten shall be chosen
from the market place and from the high
ways and byways.
| Through the streets the rabbi went,
stopping a man here and touching youth
there, whispering j word into his ear,
until ten were ga Uhered together Then
he turned his face toward Tompkins Square
Park and the ten followed.
Arriving at the park they entered and
sun was shining full on the park, and the
little group was bathed in its light.
The the rabbi lifted up his hands and be-
gan the psalm of alteration, the Prayer
TO the Holy sun
The others, all unmindful of a crowd OF
| nearly a thousand curious people that
| had gathered in and around the park 10
watch the strange ceremony, lifted up
| their heads and joined their voices to-
| gether in the chant
Blessed art Thou, Lord, our God,
| King Of the universe, Who hath made the
! creation
AT tais juncture Park Policemen Foley
and Hampshire came upon the group and
| before the astonished worShippers knew
what had happened they were un der arrest
| Excitement ran high. The rabbi indig-
nantly protested. The policemen asked If
| he had permit. He produced his license
| to preach, hut that was not enough and
| they took him away.
The rabbi was arrai gaedfn Essex Market
| court, where Lawyer Mark Alter appeared
| for him.
The lawyer protested that under the
| Constitution of the United States every
man could worship according to the die
| tates of his own conscience.
| Magistrate Cornell held that the police
men were right, but discharged the rabbi
| on his promise noS to violate the laws by
drawing a crowd again.