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The
second anniversary of the above truly laudable institution was celebrated
by a public dinner, on Wednesday, the 19th November, at the Minerva Rooms,
Broadway. H. Kayzer, Esq., President in the chair, supported on the right
by the Rev. S. M. Isaacs, Rev. J. Hecht, and a number of influential
Christian gentlemen; on the left by the Rev. Dr. Lilienthal, late preacher
at Riga, (Russia,) Rev. J. Mertzbacher, and the officers and leading
members of the Franklin Street Synagogue; the lower table under the
management of Isaac D. Walter, Esq., V. P., was filled right and left by
S. Dittenhoffer, Esq., Treasurer, and the members of the society, I.
Bernheimer, Esq., and a number of wealthy merchants. Upwards of two
hundred gentlemen assembled to partake of the dinner and the other
festivities of the evening. The Rev. Mr. Isaacs, of the Franklin Street
Synagogue, was selected to pronounce the benediction after meals. The
indefatigable President then rose to propose the first toast, which, being
duly received, he reported the society’s proceedings since its
organization, detailing some interesting particulars, and declaring the
determined intention of its members to devote their means to the
amelioration of their unfortunate brethren. Loud manifestations of
applause followed his statement. He then introduced the Rev. Mr. Isaacs to
address the meeting; several minutes elapsed before the enthusiastic
cheers of the meeting permitted the reverend orator to proceed; but when
they had subsided, he rose and delivered one of the most eloquent
addresses on charity that had ever been listened to; so successful was he
in his appeal, aided by the liberality of the company, that the
unprecedented sum of twenty-seven hundred dollars was the amount announced
as the donations of the evening.
Alderman
Underwood, an invited guest, followed the reverend gentleman, and declared
that, until this evening, he was quite ignorant of the genius of Judaism.
J. Warren, Esq., bore testimony to the worth of the Jews; he had been
connected with them in business transactions for many years, and knows no
class of citizens who were more honourable in their dealings, more prompt
in their payments. The only regret he felt was, that they should still
cling to the term “Jew,” which was, by the ignorant, considered a name
of reproach; he would have them adopt the more euphonious name of
“Hebrews,” their original and proper title. The eloquent gentleman
detailed at length his secret meditations when contemplating the Hebrew
observing his Sabbath and holidays with scrupulosity, yet still enabled to
be liberal to the cause of humanity; it convinced him that Israel’s God
had not and would not desert them.
The
Rev. Mr. Mertzbacher followed in the German tongue, and spoke eloquently
and with much feeling on the duties of man. The reverend orator was loudly
cheered.
The
Rev. Dr. Lilienthal followed, and spoke with much force, in German, of the
gratification he felt in being on freedom’s soil, in contemplating
Christian and Jew united in the divine cause of benevolence; he gave an
interesting, although a deplorable account, of the sufferings of Israel in
Russia, and in other lands, where the name of charity was again eclipsed
by the cloud of despotism. The reverend gentleman resumed his seat amidst
general applause.
W.
Kobbe, Esq., Prussian consul, an invited guest, spoke with much fervour of
the love he bore his fatherland, and the attachment he bore towards the
land of his adoption. The eloquent gentleman was loudly cheered.
Richard
Carroll, Esq., an invited guest, next gave a vivid feature of true
Americanism, and the love and sympathy he felt for Judaism.
Alexander
Kursheedt, Esq., a member of the New York Bar, and an invited guest, being
next called upon, delivered a truly heartstirring address in the true
spirit of Judaism. He dwelt with much force on the increase of his
brethren since his venerable father first left Germany, to seek an asylum
in the land of liberty, and on the readiness his brethren ever evinced to
discharge their duties as citizens of earth, and as candidates for
immortality. The eloquent counsellor sat down amidst enthusiastic
applause.
Several
other speeches followed, and the company separated at one in the morning,
gratified themselves at the mental treat they had enjoyed, and at the
munificent amount of money they had received for the poor.
The
donations were on the most liberal scale. The Directors of the Croton
Insurance Company, $100; the Hendricks family, rising $100; H. Kayzer,
Esq., President, $50; I. D. Walter, Esq., Vice President, $50; I.
Bernheimer, Esq., and S. Dittenhoffer, Esq., Treasurers, $50 each; W.
Kobbe, Esq., $50; Alderman Underwood, $50; Messrs. Porter and Livingston,
$50; from the members of the Franklin Street Synagogue near $400. Other
sums equally liberal from the company present, and from those whose prior
engagements compelled their absence.
Our
correspondent regrets his inability to furnish us with a full report of
the speeches, as all the addresses of the evening were extemporaneous.
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