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Philadelphia. The Education Society’s annual
meeting was held on Sunday, the 1st of Sivan (June)
at the schoolroom of the association. The number of
members present, though enough for the transaction
of business, was much too small in view of the great
importance of the business in which the Society is
embarked, as we can conceive of nothing so
important as the diffusion of religious knowledge
among the people. So evident has this necessity
become, that, as we learn, several Christian sects
have lately established educational institutions of
their own, as they find that public schools, where
no religion con be taught, do not supply the demand
which each individual feels for something more than
mere book-knowledge. If this is the case with
Christians, whose religion does not enter into all
the details of life, as ours does, how much more
should this necessity for religious instruction be
felt among us ? But though not many members were
present, those that came did so from a full
understanding of the importance of their
association; and all the business was transacted
with perfect unanimity. The President’s report will
be found among our leading articles; and we hope
that it will attract the attention it deserves. We
trust that many may soon join as members, in order
to increase both the material and personal strength
of the society. The Treasurer reported the following
receipts: Balance, May 12th, 1850, $256.12;
Received, May 16th, 1851, from members, $117;
Interest on City Stock of $2,000, less 5 per cent.
State tax, $114; Total, $487.12. Expenditures for
sundry orders, $143.07; leaving a cash balance of
$344.05. The following gentlemen were elected
officers of the Society <<226>> for the current
year,—S. Solis, President; A. S. Wolf,
Vice-President; A. Hart, Treasurer; A. T. Jones,
Secretary; A. Finzi, taut Secretary; Mayer Arnold,
I. Binswanger, M. Cauffman, M. D. Cohen, Z. A.
Davis, M. A. Dropsie, Isaac Hyneman, Isaac Leeser,
Moses Nathans, Joseph Newhouse, D. Pesos, and H.
Polock, Managers.
The Rodef Sholem Congregation have in their
Hebrew school, we understand, one hundred and
seventy scholars, who receive instruction in Hebrew,
every day, at such time as the scholars do not
attend the English schools to which they belong. We
regret that the German language is used as the
vernacular in the system of instruction pursued
there, as the continuation of this course, here and
elsewhere, prevents, to a very great extent, the
fusion of the new immigrants with the natives and
older residents, for the carrying out of a general
and comprehensive improvement in all that relates to
education and worship. When will this evil be
abated?—Above, the reader will find a brief account
of the first confirmation that has taken place among
the pupils of the school. Being engaged to preach in
another Synagogue, we were not present; but we were
assured, by several who were there, that the
ceremony was beautiful, as one well capable
of judging expressed himself. We cannot say that we
are altogether in favour of confirmation; but if it
does no good, it can do no harm; and if it produces
a wholesome effect on one child even, and fixes its
principles for life, there is something gained.
Charleston.—The Shearith Israel Congregation
of this city elected, on Sunday, the 1st of June,
the Rev. Ellis Lyons as Hazan, for the space of two
years.—We also acknowledge the receipt of
twenty-four dollars, being the amount of the annual
contribution of this Congregation to the poor fund
of Palestine. We promptly remitted an order to the
Treasurer of the Hebra Terumath Hakkodesh, of New
York, Mr. S. I. Isaacs, who will, we think, speedily
make a remittance to the Holy Land. We shall be
pleased to receive further donations, from public
bodies and individuals, for the same laudable
purpose.
Columbia, S. C. The annual Examination of the
Sunday-school of this city lately took place, and
resulted, as usual, satisfactorily. We have in type
the full proceedings, but are unable to give them
this month. They shall appear hereafter.
Cincinnati. Here also education is
progressing. The Bené Israel Congregation lately
established a school for Hebrew and general
education, and placed it under the charge of Dr. I.
M. Mayer, assisted by one female and two male
teachers. The scholars number already eighty, and we
learn that at a late examination they all acquitted
<<227>> themselves well. Want of space prevents us
to give at length the report which has reached us,
but we hope to be able to insert it hereafter. We
often wish that our magazine could hold all the
articles which we receive; but this is not in our
power, as even the increased number of pages this
month leaves us far short of our wants.
Kingston, Jamaica.—We have received the
following preliminary proceedings, held at Kingston,
for forming a Hebrew Benevolent Society, which we
lay before our readers, in the hope that it will not
be uninteresting to them to perceive that the spirit
of benevolence is still active among us in all
directions.
At
a meeting held on the 10th April, 1851, the
following gentlemen being present, B. A. Franklin in
the chair, H. D. Jacobs, S. Mordecai, Isaac R. Da
Costa, D. C. D’Azevedo, Daniel Isaacs, Isaac Pinto,
Henry Carcase, D. P. Mendes, Hyman Magnus, D. P. Da
Costa, J. R. Da Costa, Isaac D’Souza, it was
unanimously resolved, That the gentlemen now
present, do form themselves into a managing
committee, for the purpose of establishing a Hebrew
Benevolent Society, the object of which shall be to
render pecuniary aid to the sick and needy of both
congregations.
That this committee shall be in existence three
months, and shall have full powers to make laws and
regulations for the government of the society.
That the committee shall, and at once proceed
(severally) to induce subscribers, by weekly
donations, (of not less than 3d. per week) and shall
be furnished with a book to record the names and the
amounts collected, which said amounts shall be
handed over to the Treasurer (duly appointed) every
Monday.
That Mr. B. A. Franklin be appointed acting chairman
and treasurer, for the time being, and Mr. H. D.
Jacobs be requested to act as honorary secretary.
B.
A. Franklin, Acting Chairman.
England. It is a gratifying sign of the times
that England is at length awakened to the necessity
of pulpit instruction, and that several
congregations have selected, or are about to do so,
men eminent in Jewish Literature as preachers of
the word of God. Among them we are glad to see that
Dr. S. M. Schiller Szinessi, an Hungarian Rabbi, has
been for some time officiating as preacher at
Manchester; and that at the same time the two
congregations existing there have united under his
ministry. Dr. Simon Schayer, a celebrated literary
character, also delivered a sermon on the second day
of Passover, at the St. Alban’s Place Synagogue,
London, with satisfaction to his audience. Rev. Mr.
Green, of Bristol, is also well spoken of as a
preacher, in the Jewish Chronicle and occasionally
we see other names of less note mentioned, both in
London and the provinces, as disseminating religious
truths <<228>>
from the pulpit. It was not long
since the Rev. David M. Isaacs and Dr. Raphall,
besides the chief Rabbis of London, were the only
public teachers; whence we see that the array of so
many new labourers shows that the cause is
advancing, notwithstanding many and disheartening
drawbacks, which have their origin chiefly in the
indifference of many leading men to literary
pursuits of every kind, whether in the pulpit or
through the press. This state of things must be
altered, as it is of more, much more importance than
the passage of the Jewish emancipation bill, which,
at best, will benefit but few.
Sweden. The bill emancipating the Jews has
been rejected by 78 to 19 votes, in the chamber of
the nobles. Particulars are of no use to record.
Prejudice dies hard. A Swedish paper, however, says
the vote of the nobles was a defeat of the
Israelites; but a noble defeat, as it presages their
approaching emancipation.
Asia. The blood-calumny, which caused so much
trouble at Damascus about eleven years ago, has
again been revived in one of the provinces of
Turkey, in consequence of which several Israelites
and Rabbins have been imprisoned and ill-treated,
and two are reported to have died. Are folly and
wickedness always to triumph?
Obituary.
Departed this life, on Tuesday morning, the 17th of
June (Sivan), at Philadelphia, Mrs. Josephine
Sarah Bomeisler, wife of Mr. Lazarus Mayer,
merchant, of this city, in the 6th year of her age.
We knew Mrs. M. from her early infancy, and we speak
not in the language of mere eulogy when we state
that she was one of those virtuous women, in whom
“the heart of the husband could trust safely, so
that he shall have no need of spoil;” and, as a
daughter, friend, relative, and member of society,
she was all that could be desired, and walked humbly
with her God. She had been for some time indisposed,
and no one apprehended any danger. Only a few days
before her decease, her malady assumed a very
painful form; yet the physicians partly thought they
had hopes of her recovery. But the word had gone
forth, and she sank calmly into the sleep of death.
Her confidence in her Maker did not leave her a
moment; and, though she felt her end approaching,
she commanded her household to walk in the way of
the Lord. She died, as she had lived, faithful to
the God of Israel, and her portion is with the
blest. |
