The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-20
THE DAY OF
This Holy Day Devoutly OBJ
served by Jewish Citizens
Of Richmond.
THE KEYNOTE IS IS: SINCERITY J; {: { ] !
Rabbi z. N. Caliscl, Delivers
Eloquent Discourse, Ex-
altil1g the Motive.
THE KEYNOTE IS SINCERITY

n The faithful OF all tho jewish citlzens
Of Richmond and vicinity observed yestcr-
day, the great Day Of Atonenent' !, WI !,
services OF prayer and song. Rabbi p. N.
Calisch, pastor Of the Beth Ahaba con-
gregation conducted appropriate exer-
cises at tho synagogue delivering an aple
and thought-provoking discourse. All ING
places Of business conducted by JoWlsn
citizens were closed throughout the day. ia,
while the employer and the employo aliKe
worshpped Israel's God. \.
Services at Beth Ahnbah begun At 70
A, NJ, Dr. Calisch taking Isaiah I. I'LL,
as his text, said In part: ..,.,,
for this morning, Leyit. xvil brings .inss
since was enacted tho scene which tbs
change that has been wrought n the
passa go Of the years. BY the magic wan anu
iof.the Imagination the scene and the soy SCI,
vice are laid gain before our vision: ), we
sec the resplendent temple at Jerusalem
P Proudly u m ar its dome from
summit q Mora a mount rje, ITS g So'd aSe
and the valleys OF that land. whose
every inch ALMOST is covered WITH n the n,
episodes OF a history that s wrieten m NJ
world. Within the walls Of the temple
wo see the courtyards crowded With an
eager vet reverent multitude. These
nesh, within which. in tho open space.
stand the implements. and paraphernaild
OF the atonement service, the affairs. the
LAYERS and the various vessels used IN tns ~
the animals awaiting the sacrifcial steel.
and the priests Of various degrees at thcI
'o But : the absorbed se attention Of tho
house asscmblage is riveted upon the
high priest. Clad In his spotlcss. sacred
otal robes, he proceeds to perform thc
service that is peculiar to the day. the
confession OF sin upon tho scapegoat and
its dismissal to tho wilderness.
Fascinating Service.
It Is a fascinating service. one preg.
souliin that vast assembly. and appealing
upon the high priest He makes confess
s9n % his he sas tho ho ana 81
the house OF Israel. BY, this confession
laying these. sins upon the scapegoat he
sends 1t forth by a trusted hand to perish
from the high priest to the sin-laden anil
NAL as 1t is led away to It's fate. The
people silent make way for It through
the throng. They follow i with keen m.
1t finally disappears from view sigh
Of relief goes up from the wded tenn
pie. For were they not now SIN free In
goat taken their guilt? Was he not the
vcarious sufferer. BY whom the burden
OF inlquity was lifted from their shoul-
atoned I for ? q Could they not, with clca,
conscience and easy heart, go back now
to their daily routine OF life, pursue again
the same paths? And In another year
would not another goat again take away
the renewed load of their wlckedness and
render them again stainless OF sin !?
Assured, SO they believed and pracuced
With a start we come back to the con.
seriousness of our service and our ideals
to-lay, and there is present a keen ppre-
c.ation OF the wide gulf which time has
made between that age and this. Between
that service and oursrhere today. All the
paraphernalia Of that elaborate produc-
ton have 5crumbled away. The temple Is
gone tho holy city is gone: the altar Is
gone, tho sacrifice Of animals is gone. Is
there aught Of that ancient service that
remains for us? Surely we have nothing
of barbaric splendor, nothing OF the sacri-
fetal cult or of the odor of burning flesh.
Would any member Of this congrt<at ior.
would any member OF a most orthodox
congregation, wish to recall that service
as the proper way to serve God. or TO-
make atonement for ones sin? Yet would
any member Of this congregation UNDER
takeato say that that service was mot as
acceptable in the eyes Of God as. tho
most refined and decorous service OF To-.
day, providing there was equal keynote
sincerityat both services?
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