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On
Sunday morning, March 2d, at about 10 o’clock, many Jewish and other
families were seen entering the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, which
in a few moments was replete with ladies and gentlemen of all
denominations. The greatest order was observed in the arrangement of
seats, which contributed much to the comfort of the fair visitors. The
gentlemen were stationed on each side, forming a dense assembly; and the
seats in front were occupied by the President and Directors of the
institution. On the other side, opposite the ark, at a certain distance,
were located the ladies, forming altogether a vacant square in the
centre of the building, where benches were expressly arranged for the
pupils. The wardens and officers of both Synagogues occupied the
platform facing the ark, to which place were conducted the Revs. Jacobs,
Nathan, and Carrillon. The situation these gentlemen occupied was
calculated to afford them a full view of the pupils.
Previous
to the examination, Dr. Amos Henriques, the President, addressed the
assembly in an eloquent and forcible manner, in which he made allusions
to the rise and progress of the Beth Limmud, and to the laudable desire
of promoting its welfare, to effect which he called upon his hearers to
unite their efforts in its accomplishment.
At
eleven o’clock, the students of both sexes, accompanied by their
tutor, Mr. Wm. Carter, and their Hebrew instructor, Mr. Abraham
Delevante, proceeded from the school-room to the Synagogue, and
immediately after commenced their operations in the Hebrew language,
under the direction of Mr. Delevante. We must assert, that much
commendation is due to this gentleman for their progress in this branch
of their studies. Having gone through this, much to the satisfaction of
all present, Mr. Carter commenced examining them in the several branches
of the English department; and we do not hesitate asserting, that the
admirable manner in which they acquitted themselves redounds much to the credit of this gentleman, whose
system of imparting knowledge seemed to have been deeply appreciated by
all who were present on the occasion. The pupils evinced their
improvement under him, by the beautiful manner in which they answered
the questions put to them, both in theory and practice.
A
series of recitations were executed by Misses Rebecca Motta, Esther
Mendes, Judith Monsanto, and Sarah Melhado, and by Masters Deleon,
Garcia, and De Souza, in a creditable manner. Before the conclusion,
Miss Rebecca Motta recited the following verses, composed expressly for
the occasion by Mr. Carter, an admirable translation of which, in Hebrew
verse, by Mr. Delevante, having been previously delivered by Master
Jacob Pereira :
“Beth Limmud.”
O,
bless’d be the land where in peace we abide—
The land of fair streamlets, the Antilles’ pride;
The beauteous gem of the Atlantic’ss wide sea,
The home of the stranger—the exile—the free.
And bless’d be that Dome which our kinsmen have rear’d,
To eternize the fame our ancestors shar’d;
May Heaven, through ages, from perils seclude
The path of our glory, our fam’d Beth Limmud.
A
voice now accosts us—‘tis urgent and shrill,
’Tis Wisdom’s sweet accents exhorting us still;
Unlock’d are her fountains, her bounties she spreads,
Wi’ her juvenile train the wide pathway she treads.
But hark! from afar peals the trumpet of fame,
List ye to its voice!—‘tis the Israelite's name;
Then bless’d be those halls, let their strength be renew’d,
The path of our glory, our fam’d Beth Limmud.
We
hail the bright day when that fabric shall stand
Conspicuous in splendour, the pride of our land,
Her offspring unrivall’d—the conquest their own—
The champions of honour and spotless renown.
Yes, that fabric shall stand, unsullied—secure,
The bulwark of ages her indurate mure;
Nor tempests’ wild havoc shall cease to exclude
The path of our glory, our fam’d Beth Limmud.
O,
spirits of our fathers, preceptors of old—
Bright stem of our patriarchs’ eminent fold!
Impart, we intreat ye, a luminous ray,
To guide us united in virtue’s fair way.
And ye, belov’d kinsmen, our patrons rever’d—
The fostering fathers of Israel endear’d—
The honour escort us her portals reclude,
And cherish the name of our fam’d Beth Limmud.
The
whole was concluded by a fervent prayer, delivered by Miss Esther
Mendes, and composed for the occasion by the Rev. Nathan.
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