The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-25
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY
CONFIRMATION or JHwIsH
The Last Service of It's Kind in Tenn pie Kahl-Eloquent Words Spoken by Rabbi A. J.
 Messing.

The most beautiful and the most touch- l ing of all the quaint ceremonials of the | Synagogue is the confirmation of tchil- dren. an event which the ordinance of the Jewish Church prescribes for the festi- val of "Shebuoth." also called Pentecost | or Feast of Weeks.
 | Throughout the length and breadth of the land. wherever there is settlement of Jewish people, hundreds of the young | appeared yesterday before the.r respec- tive congregations, to give public expres- sion to the fact of their adherence to the | faith of their fathers. Locally the day was one of unusual import. since it marked the last ceremony of its kind which Kahl Montgomery will celebrate in | its old temple. corner of Church and Ca toma Streets. The congregation expects | to occupy shortly It's magnificent new home on Clayton Street and the servlccs of yesterday seemed to call up Tn the minds of the older generation tender recollections which have made the ven- | erabie church so dear. The building was completely trans | formed by deft hands into o howery dell. Tall cedars gracefully arched the aisies. | powered in delicate ferns and grasea, beneath which there peeped curfously | forth. from beneath the coverlet of green, I and lilies. Long streamers of white rib. bon fell from the pendent chandelier and were caught in dainty bows on either sios | of the shrine.
 vilce was begun by Rabbi A. J. Messing | The choir. under the leadership of Pro- lessor Merriam. was double quartette. composed of the best available talent m leading into the ve.try were opened and. | led by MT David We'll and MT. Jacques Loeb, the confirmation class appeared. They were preceded to the altar py Mx- who formed an inspiring picture against the background of green as they LOOK | their stand around the chancel.
 The confirmation rite which i. i,,a soiiow,eo enunciation and In chaste language most feelingiy uttered the boys and g,ris | spoke of the duties and obligations that rested upon them and and piedged hs,r sneM Mos Sne'f
 Juliet Gaseenheimer delivered tne m vocation and Juilette Greil the onertory; An eloquent trilogy on the meaning oi sion' fen to Theresa Lobman; Its Ills | tory" Ray Gladden.; Its Future" Herpert Hertz. In a manly, straightforward way Walter Lobman spoke Of Ine Tower Vl tered Inc words of 'Confession', which preceded the solemn blessing of the min, ister. Sadye Lobman brought tears 70 si. i. eyes in her sweet Address 70 FarentS and Bessye Dreyfus was equally ansot- ing in the tender "valedictory." The closing prayer was delivered by Daisy Wolff. ,. IA. .s. s,cnifcance of the day in the history of Israel and its conclusion was, in par. " Tt t hss been said that this festival on Mount Sinai. But the voice which thundered on Sinaps height has not | ceased. It is an ever-present fact anu the revelation which this feast commem- | orates ts continuous--a revelation m na- ture. in history and in the human heart.
 "More and more are we coming 70 zee that nature is but the garment oI osaty. These flowers which bloom witn rar,rcn sScn herbs of the pastures, are as much . manifestation of Gods grace as are tne Ten Commandments.
 "'Flower in the crannied wall
 I pluck you out of the crannies.
 hold you here, root and all. in my hand Little fiower-but If could understand' What you are root and all. and all h all. I should know what God and man is.
 And so Wordsworth: -i gro me the meanest flower that blows Thoughts that do often lie too deep for
 tears.'
 That Is fine saying in our literature which commands that if a man find nim. self with bread in both hands ne snoulu exchange one loaf for some flowers oi the narcissus, since the pread les1s qshe rhe children who come here for connrmatlon are not these flowers. sympols oi YtnsH ySaTiS hi.7Tess ;:fse!as:S- hsantS ..s. nn.. ing Tn the heart seeds thar snall riPei and bring forth rich fruit hereafterf
 :Srhere ia also the second revelation In b,storv. Centuries of history He behind the children who come here to ask Hns blessjng. The prophecy and martyroom of Israers three thousand years nave come to these boys and girls. All that inc ages have wrought t theirs py the mystery of descent ,..,.r in nature and more thrilling than tne divine voice in history Is the SUI smail voice in the human heart. The oyns Niebuhr said to his wife: tn .h tmy tysrnaS naGSes' Where Is the mother who in pressing ner babe to her breast and feeling for the first time all the wealth ana weakness of a mothers love has not also Ieit tnat in her child God was making unto her a revelation infinitely precious1
 in our fierce and heated life. this voice in the heart ia ofttimes hushed. Com merce is exacting: competition IS nitter. Life is full of monotony. Selfishness em- broils and embitters men and makes them cynical. Blessed be this festival therefor | which recalls 70 you the liine "hOh Soo' too, went out into the world on your con firmation day, with hearts as sweet as the May morning with ideals as single bJtions as pure as the mothers kiss im- printed upon your brow.
 "saddened by life sordidness,. de- pressed by the avarice, cruelty ana cun- ming of the etreet, the soul needs tnis day of rest and revery and communion i of children once again the soul will purn, the fret and fever will pass away God will once more seem nearer than Again the dew will be on the gras0 and the hearts of men grown old and gray in temptation and sin will become as the . l of ehild sh