Year: 1873

The Day Of AtOnensent


Amongst the members Of the Jewish
faith commences on the tenth day of
the seventh month or Tishiri. With
this day ends the season of penance.
The authority for the fast is the scrip
tural command in the Law "on the
tenth day of the seventh month, is the
day of atOnement; it shall be to you
day of holy cOnvOcatiOn; and We shall
affiict your souls (by fasting). ie shall
do no work on that same day; for it is a
day of atonement, on which you shall
be pardOned before the Eternal, your
God.


During the existence of the Temple
in Jerusalem, the High Priest entered
the Holy of Holes on this one day
only. The whole nation tasted and
prayed, and the priests were c0ntinu-
Ously engaged in their ministratiOns.
The ceremonies conclude Ell the even
ing of the tenth day with the assur-
ance of the Rabbi to his flock "ye are
pure" and they return home happy.
The celebration of the day of atone
ment this year commenced on Tues
day last ut sund0wn, and lasted till
Wednesday at the same hour. For
the first time our Jewish citizens cele-
brated this day in their new syna-
gOgue, and the sacred ceremonies We're
participated i'm by large and earnest
congregation.


The following is the substance of
the Rev. Mr.. Edelman's discourse:
He compared the sinfulness of the
present day with the falling away of
their fOrefathers in Israel and showed
how of old they made atOnement for
their sins. After showing that the end
of sin was death, and that atOnement
and repentance was more than ever
necessary in these days he said: "For
there are those among us i'm Israel who
sin greatly, there are those who vio-
late their obligations openly, and
| even some who are ashamed of the very
name of Israelite." The preacher
went on by wondering at the mercy
and long suffering of God, and COM
menting Oh the unfitness of mems
condition to deserve His love. The
! wicked love of money and of pleasure
destroyed the temple twice. The same
lusts and passions were ripe among us
now, and how should they hope for
more mercy when they were no better
but even worse than their forefathers.
Speaking OF the presumption of sin
ners he said: at is van to flatter
ourselves or to nurse an idle vision of
security. A day of wrath will come,
when having fOrsaken Him, we shall
find that He has fOrsaken us. With
out remuneration of self and firm
spirit of abnegatiOn it is vain to hope
for blessings or salvation. TO some
the day of atOnement is Il great and
holy day. After the New Year rejoic-
ings are over they bow their heads
in sorrow for sin, humbly pray for
forgiveness and rely firmly on Gods
mercy. To others II is II mere empty
form, u lip worship and useless cere-
mOny, for their iilsincerity prevents
their acceptance


The Rabbi next related an example
of father and his son who were max
ing Il sea voyage. For several days
all was calm and favorable, but ut
length mighty wind arose and the
ship began to be in great danger.
Return to land was impossible, and
| the father betOOk himself to prayer.
| C0nditiOnally with his safety he VOW
ed to God large sum OIL money.
The storm instead of abating increas-
ed, and several times the father re-
newed his prayers each time v0wing Il
larger sum OF money until the total
vow amounted to all he possessed. His
son interpOsing cried out "If you give
all we have, what shall we have to
live upon ?" Hush |! said the father
whispering to his son, 81 only make
vows to get home safe, when We are
| all right we can make some other ar
rangement." '"rhis, said the Rabbi,
was an example ofhypocrisy prevalent
even in these days. Thus was it with
insincere IsraelItes. They promised
to abjure their sins and recommitted
them. Could they thus obtain pardon?
God was long suffering and slow, but
would this patience endure for ever.
If their lives were stained with UNI
cleanness and impurity, how would
they appear before God without atone
ment and repentance"


He concluded by urging them to eX-
anime their cOnsclences and see If they
were pure. If during the last year
they had been Obedient it was their
duty to return thanks; if, however,
they had been disObedient they should
confess to Almighty God and humbly
pray for forgiveness. Through truth
and brotherly love they should
earnestly strive to attain to the bright
life without ending; for the Lord had
said 81 will be as the dew unto Israel
and his beauty shall grow as the lily"
In that day the Lord will be king over
the whole earth; in that day We shall
all be one. Amea.


The prevailing color of the ladies'
tOilettes was white, whilst many of
the gentlemen of the congregation
wore white silk scarfs around their
shoulders. AT the conclusion of the
sermon Psalm was sung antiphon-
ally by choir of children and the
Rabbi.