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In
our last number, under the head of “News Items,” we briefly stated
that by the end of the month, the new Synagogue in Baltimore would have
been consecrated, and that we would communicate any particulars attending
this interesting occasion. We redeem now our promise. An invitation had
been extended to us, in connexion with our friend and colleague of New
York, the Rev. Samuel M. Isaacs, to take part in the consecration, and the
invitation was cheerfully responded to by us both. We accordingly repaired
to Baltimore, on the afternoon of the 25th ultimo; and upon our
arrival were received at the landing by a gentleman deputised by the
congregation. We state this fact only to take the opportunity to return
our thanks publicly to the gentlemen who had charge of the arrangements,
for the handsome manner in which they acted throughout towards us, and we
assure them that the impression, produced thereby will never be effaced
from our memory; and though the hospitality of a private friend prevented
us from becoming the guest of the congregation, still we consider ourself
equally indebted to the general body as though we had been entertained by
them according to their original design; and sure we are that Mr. Isaacs
entertains the same appreciation of the kind reception he met with, which
we have expressed.
 Four
o’clock in the afternoon of the 26th, being the eve of
Sabbath Nitzabim, was fixed for the commencement of the religious
exercises; and about half an hour before that time we repaired to the
Synagogue in company with the Rev. A. Rice, the Rev. Mr. Ansell, the local
ministers, and Rev. Mr. Isaacs; and we found the whole building almost
filled, both in the main body and the gallery; and what rejoiced us most
was to see that the far greatest proportion were the stated worshippers
who had so nobly exerted themselves to erect this beautiful house of
prayer unto the name of the God of Israel. We have been promised a
description of the building, as we do not feel ourself competent to give
one sufficiently definite from our absolute ignorance of architecture; but
as it has not yet been received, we will merely state for the information
of our readers, who doubtlessly feel an interest in the completion of the
first house ever erected especially for our worship in Maryland, that its
eastern front is ornamented with a doric portico, through which is the
entrance into the main building. A flight of steps on each side leads into
the gallery which runs along the west, north, and south sides. The main
body is divided into two aisles, furnished with pews, in place of open
seats, which struck us as something unusual in our Synagogues. There is no
platform, or Tebah, (Almemar,) but merely a reading desk placed close in
front of the ark. This, a decided defect, is owing doubtlessly to the
narrowness of the building, a fault which we fear will not be easily
remedied. The ark is a semicircle, reached by a flight of steps of the
same form, on the plan of the Synagogues in New York. Over the ark is a
circular window, laid out in the shape of the so-called “shield of
David,” furnished with coloured glass of various tints. The windows
also, of which we think there are four on each side, have orange-coloured
glass, which reflects a pleasant and subdued light, and precludes the
necessity of blinds, always more or less inappropriate in a place of
worship. The usual seats for the officers of the Synagogue consist of two
handsome sofas, in perfect keeping with the other arrangements. The centre
aisle is carpeted, as are also the steps leading to, and the space in
front of the ark. The ceiling is quite plain, and well calculated to
convey the sound without fatiguing the speaker or reader a too much, a
fault often discoverable in public buildings.
There
are we believe two hundred and eighty numbered seats down stairs, of which
all but eleven were rented the Sunday following the consecration. In the
basement are two good schoolrooms, and a large hall filled up as a
temporary Synagogue, to be used as occasion may require.
So
much for the place wherein we found ourself surrounded by many believing
Israelites, to whom were joined many Christians, among whom were ministers
of many denominations, come to testify by their presence their friendship
and good-will to the remnant of Jacob’s sons who had accomplished so
noble a task. And indeed to these it was a matter of rejoicing. It is
scarcely fourteen years ago, since the first attempt was made to organize
a regular congregation in Baltimore. How feeble were the first steps that
were taken; how humble the circumstances of the first who united in this
enterprise; how unsightly the house they purchased as a temporary place
wherein to congregate. And now look upon what has been done. An elegant
structure stands erected, commenced for no other purpose than that of
consecrating it to Israel’s King; and thither came many who are now in
affluence or at least in comfortable circumstances, who first reached
these shores as poor immigrants, escaping from the tyrannical laws of
their native land. And should they not rejoice that thus far the Lord had
aided them? That they had been enabled to accomplish the good work with a
fair prospect, that before long the debt necessarily contracted would be
all liquidated from the means of the worshippers themselves, if not
previously aided by the liberality of hind strangers? And we, who have had
an opportunity of watching the growth of this congregation from our
frequent visits among them, participated fully in their joy, and glad were
we to be there among them on that day, to lend our aid to add whatever was
in our power to the solemnity of the blessed occasion. And among others
there was a daughter of Israel, who as a child had been one of the first
family of professing Hebrews in that city, when it was scarcely more than
a village; and now she saw around her hundreds of her own faith, ready to
consummate an act of the highest importance; can it be wondered that she
was moved to tears, at what she saw and heard on that day? Nay, not
Israelites alone felt the thrill of joy; Christians also were moved: and
one honourable lady among the rest inquired of the president, why she had
not been called upon for contributions. There may therefore be more
brilliant temples, and more things to strike the outward eye than the
simple ceremony witnessed on that occasion; but surely none which can
stronger impress themselves on the thinking soul, that loves to revert
back to previous circumstances, and to trace effects from their causes,
and to connect them all with the great Sovereign from whom all blessings
spring.
At
the hour appointed, the building presented a dense mass of persons, and we
record it to their credit that, mixed as was the assembly of Jews and
Christians, natives and foreigners, a general spirit of decorum marked
them all, thanks probably to the excellent arrangement of Mr. Dyer, the
efficient president of the congregation. The service commenced by marching
in procession with the law books to the front door, where they were met by
a gentleman bearing a new copy of the law, which he was about to deposit
in the Synagogue. The Rev. Mr. Ansell then demanded in the usual forms for
the doors to be opened, פתחו
לי שערי צדק
אבא בם אודה
יה “Open for me the gates of righteousness, I will
come therein, to thank the Lord;” upon which the procession re-entered
and went up to the desk, the Rev. Mr. Isaacs making the responses inside.
Mr. Ansell, after pronouncing the blessing שהחיינו
ascended the steps of the ark, bearing a copy of the law, which he held up
in his hands, proclaiming the announcement of the unity of God: שמע
ישראל ה׳
אלהינו ה׳
אחד “Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God, the Lord
is ONE;” and he was answered by the united voices of the congregation,
in which were heard mingling the voices of early youth and mature manhood,
falling with overpowering harmony on the ear, testifying that all there,
who came to worship, felt that they were indeed members of the ancient
people of God, adherents to the holy covenant. There is a singular power
in these few words; they are pronounced early and late, by the pious and
wicked, in the east and the west, on dry land and on the ocean; and still
they have never lost their power over our souls; and when they reach the
heart of the Israelite, they reverberate in every nerve, they subdue it,
they render it holier. And so we felt on the occasion; the words obtained
for us a new meaning, and sunk as a new confession of faith into our
spirit, we trust to bring forth the proper fruit to the last day of our
life, then to feel as we then felt, that indeed there is but one God, one
Saviour, and He the God and Father of Israel, who, though forsaken by men,
are the beloved of Heaven.
Mr.
Ansell then descended from the ark, and thereupon commenced the usual
seven circuits around the Tebah, whilst the seven psalms which were used
on the consecration of the German Synagogue in Philadelphia (see
Occident No. II), were chaunted. There was no choir organized,
hence the service was merely recited by the minister. After the prayer for
the Government had been read, and the law books deposited in their
resting-place, we, as the senior minister of the Israelites in America,
having entered upon our office more than sixteen years ago, delivered the
consecration sermon, which we communicate in this number, by request.
After we had concluded, Mr. Isaacs took the word, and taking his text from
Genesis 28:17, he exhibited what a house of God should be; it is nothing
without righteousness among the worshippers; it is they who must make it a
worthy tabernacle. To the wicked the Synagogue is indeed a fearful place,
though it is the gate of heaven; and to the righteous it is also one of
terror; he feels there the power of God over him, and that he stands at
the portals through which he enters on eternal life. It is out of our
power to give even an abstract of the pious reflections which this
minister of our faith laid before the people. But we yet hope to give a
synopsis at least, furnished by himself, at some future day, as also the
sermon in the morning, of which we shall speak hereafter. After Mr. Isaacs
had finished, the Sabbath service was commenced, at the termination of
which the congregation and the invited strangers (no one having been
admitted without a ticket, of which more than a thousand had been issued)
were dismissed, inwardly satisfied with the scene they had just witnessed.
In
the morning, the Rev. Mr. Rice, whom our readers know probably as a
licentiate Rabbi, and a scholar of the celebrated Rabbi Abraham Bing of Würtzburg,
addressed the congregation, before the taking out of the law, in a
well-written sermon in the German language, in which he exhibited the duty
and object of prayer, and showed that prayer should be a self-humiliation,
a self-judging of the mortal before the Creator, and how the public place
of worship was the proper spot where brother should meet with brother, to
urge him forward in the path of righteousness. After the law had been
deposited again in the ark, Mr. Isaacs spoke on the institution of the
festivals, and the important reflections called up in the mind by the
expiration of one year, and the commencement of another, in allusion to
the day being but the fifth from the beginning of the new year of the
creation, 5606. He exhorted the people not to allow the lesson to be lost
upon them, that they might say, “Blessed art thou in thy coming in;”
and also to be able to say when this year too shall expire, “Blessed art
thou in thy going out.” We will not do Mr. Isaacs the injustice to give
a synopsis of this truly affecting appeal; as we are in hopes of being
furnished with the whole for another occasion, and we here renew the
request we made of him to that effect immediately upon the delivery of his
address. After Mr. Isaacs had concluded, the service proceeded as usual.
On this occasion the Synagogue was filled with Israelites chiefly, and we
noticed but few who appeared to belong to other denominations; thus
evincing that the building was scarcely large enough to accommodate all
the worshippers, which was farther proved by the demand for seats on the
following day. It gives us also much satisfaction to state, that no
collection was taken up at the consecration, thus separating the opening
of the house of God from all monetary affairs, an example to be followed,
we trust, upon all similar occasions.
The
afternoon service was commenced about four o’clock when a numerous
assembly, though not as large as in the morning, was present, and, upon
request, it fell to our lot a second time to speak a few words of parting
and of peace to the brethren. Our remarks were extemporaneous, as we had
not anticipated being asked to speak more than once; but as our colleague
had gratified the congregation with two addresses, we yielded also to the
demand, and spoke without the preparation which we usually employ before
appearing to address the people. Thus ended “a day in the courts of our
God,” more precious than any in the tents is of wickedness; and may many
such be witnessed speedily the midst of the numerous American
congregations springing up around us on all sides.
The
day following the invited ministers returned to their stations; but so
favourable was the impression the Rev. Mr. Isaacs had left upon the public
mind, that the Israelites of Baltimore have made up a subscription for a
large salary, which they have offered to him, with the invitation that he
should come to be their minister; but he has been prevented by his
attachment for his present flock to accept this flattering call, though,
if we mistake not, the salary he now receives is considerably less than
that offered to him. Although our friends have been thus disappointed, we
trust that they will before long obtain a man who can fill the place of
minister to the satisfaction of all, and is able to speak concerning the
ways of God and his law in the language of the country to the rising
generation; for we deem it an undeniable truth, that the German language,
no matter how eloquent the preacher, must soon become useless as a pulpit
language, since the children of the present immigrants will soon know no
other than the English; hence persons merely acquainted with the German
will not be as useful preachers as those who are familiar with the
vernacular. In saying this we by no means undervalue the learning and
eloquence of our European continental contemporaries, for instance the
Rev. Mr. Rice himself, who preaches, we believe, every Sabbath in
Baltimore; but only as maintaining that we need another speech for the future
Israelites in America; and for their sake we fervently hope that there may
be soon many who will be able to lead them rightly by the pleasant waters
of the law upon the road they should go.
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