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By N[athaniel].
L[evin].
From the destruction of our second Temple to the
close of the sixteenth century, the wanderings of our people may be
traced by the bloodshed and cruelties practised upon and following them.
The most horrible persecutions were inflicted, and the most refined
species of torture contrived, to render them apostates to their
religion, and blasphemers of their God. Among no nations was this fiery
persecution carried to a greater extreme than those of Spain and
Portugal. Thousands of our hapless brethren were inhumanely dragged to
the rack, and suffered the severest tortures their bodies could endure:
the blazing fagots of the "auto-da-fe" consumed both parent
and child, husband and wife; and while their quivering flesh betrayed
the weakness of humanity, the proud immortal spirit spurned the gift of
life for the price at which it was offered was more revolting than death
in its most hideous form. The most lenient measures adopted by these
nations for the destruction of our people were the confiscation of the
property and the banishment of the Jews from their dominions. The
dungeon, the torture, and the flame, proved ineffectual in apostatizing
them; for the conscientious Jew amid the flames, in his darkest hour of
tribulation, called for aid upon the God of his forefathers, the
"God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob."
The present condition of these countries, shrouded
as they are in ignorance and superstition uncivilized and unrefined,
without national resources, their colonies torn from them by other
nations, and intestine wars preying upon their vitality, proves
incontrovertibly that the retributive hand of the Deity is upon them for
their cruelties and intolerance to our people.
When the Jews were banished from Spain thousands
fled to Holland, and many of them sought the western hemisphere, deeming
it a securer asylum than any other land afforded. It was to America, to
this great land (in which liberty has erected her sacred temple) they
strained their eager eyes, and from the persecutions of the old, fled to
the new world, to enjoy the great prerogative of worshipping God
according to the dictates of their consciences, untrammeled by
priestcraft, or the strong arm of arbitrary rule. Many of the founders
of this congregation were the direct descendants of those Jews who were
driven from Spain by the barbarous decrees of that government. A large
number of them settled in this state, and when the revolutionary
struggle commenced, all those who could bear arms joined the American
army, and were zealously engaged in defending the liberties of their
adopted country. They knew full well that victory would bring them the
rich reward of religious and political freedom; and their ancestors
having told them the story of the wrongs they had endured, the fiery
ordeal of intolerance and persecution through which they had passed: the
fathers of our congregation poured forth their energies and blood as
water to possess those great blessings which were denied to their
ancestors. Toil, privations and hardships they endured; deeds of noble
and heroic daring they undertook; and their gallantry was rewarded with
the priceless treasure of religious and political freedom.
As early as the year 5510, (1750th of
the Christian era,) the following Israelites dwelt in this city: Moses
Cohen, (under whose auspices the congregation was formed,) Isaac De
Costa, Joseph Tobias, Meshed Tobias, Moses Pimenta, (a man learned in
the laws, who taught the Jewish youth, and manifested an untiring zeal
for the advancement of the religion of his forefathers in this country,)
David de Olivera, Abraham De Costa, Mordecai Sheftall, Levy Sheftall,
Michael Lazarus, and Abraham Nunez Cardoza. The descendants of most of
these persons are now living, and members of the congregation.
At the first meeting of which any record exists, the
second* day of the year 5510, Moses Cohen was electedחכם ואב בית
דין, Isaac De
Costa חזן, Joseph Tobias
פרנס,
and Philip Hart מוהל.
In this year they associated themselves as a religious society, and the
Synagogue in which they worshipped was a small wooden house, situated in
Union near Queen Street. The congregation, now in its infancy, and its
numerical strength quite small, was strictly orthodox, and in these
days might be termed hyper-orthodox, for its members were such rigid
conformists to the written and oral laws, that whose who violated the
Sabbath, or the laws of the "Medianos," or middle days of the
holidays, subjected themselves to severe penalties, and forfeiture of
the honours of the Synagogue, inflicted by a body, similar to the
existing בית דין or consistorial
courts of Europe. The name of the congregation was (as it is at the
present time) קהל קדש
בית אלהים.
The "Minhag Sephardim" (as observed by the congregations of
London and Amsterdam) was the guide and rule of their service. The
government of the congregation was vested in an "Adjunta" of
eighteen persons, elected by ballot to serve for one year. This
"Adjunta" selected from among themselves a Parnass and other
officers, who were empowered to make any rules and regulations which
they might deem necessary for the peace, harmony, and good government of
the people. The basis of the religious structure which our ancestors had
established, was charity; that godlike virtue, which blesses the
bestower as well as the recipient; and the sums yearly expended for
charitable purposes, in relieving the sick and indigent, frequently
exceeded £400. To extend the sphere of their charity and usefulness,
the members of the congregation formed the חברה
גמלות חסדים,
(which still exists,) a society for relieving the sick and
destitute strangers who might visit our shores. The members of this
excellent institution visited and nursed the sick, clothed the naked,
and buried the dead. The congregation occupied their first place of
worship for seven years, and each year brought an accession of members
and increased prosperity. In 1757 they removed to No. 318 King Street,
near Hasell Street, then the property of Alexander Gillon, Esq., it
being a much more spacious house, standing back in the yard. The presentבית חיים
was then purchased, and was enclosed with a brick wall in 1790.
In 1764 their place of worship was removed to a building in Beresford
near King Street, and a misunderstanding having occurred between the
congregation and the Rev. Mr. De Costa, the reverend gentleman resigned
his office, and Mr. Abraham Alexander officiated in this temporary
Synagogue. In the year 1780, Mr. Jacob Tobias purchased a lot and brick
building in Hasell Street for 310 guineas, which was then occupied by a
Mr. Little, as a cotton-gin manufactory. The congregation now possessing
a surplus fund, and desirous of procuring a permanent place of worship,
purchased this place from Mr. Tobias, in 1781, for the same amount paid
by him, altered and arranged it in a suitable manner for their worship,
and it was ever afterwards termed the "Old Synagogue."
In 1784, Mr. Alexander resigned the office of
Hazan, and the death of Mr. De Costa having occurred in 1781, the
congregation were for some time deprived of the services of a regular
Hazan. They finally procured the valuable services of the Rev. Abraham
Azubee, a Portuguese by birth, and a man well versed in our laws, who
afforded much satisfaction and pleasure to his flock.
In 1790, a convention was held at Columbia for the
purpose of revising the constitution of the state; and as none of our
brethren were delegates at that convention, they determined to support
such persons as were of known sterling integrity, and liberal
sentiments, who were favourably disposed to the interests and privileges
which our nation should enjoy, and who would faithfully discharge their
duty to their country.
Their clear judgment and discrimination was
manifested by the fact that their undivided support was given to Gen.
Gadsden, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward,
Jr., John F. Grimke, David Ramsay, William Drayton, John J. Pringle,
Daniel Desassure, Elihu H. Bay, and others, men who will always be
associated with the honour and character of our state, and who adorned
and dignified the several exalted stations they occupied. The following
correspondence, which took place between one of the elected delegates
and the vestry of the congregation, will show the high moral position
occupied by the wardens of the Synagogue:
To the
Vestry of the Jewish Congregation.
Gentlemen,—I feel myself greatly obliged by the
assistance I received from you and the members of your congregation at
the late election. If the enclosed can serve the poor, or be of any use
in any respect to the congregation, I request their acceptance of it, to
be applied in any such manner as they shall think proper. I shall be
glad of any future opportunity of rendering any service to the
congregation. Your obliged and humble servant,
Christopher Knight.
The following reply, re-enclosing the order for 50
guineas, was sent to Mr. Knight:
Mr. C. Knight,
Sir,—Your favour of the 26th ultimo,
with the enclosed acceptance for fifty guineas has been laid before our
body, for which token of esteem we are extremely obliged to you; but
when we consider the motive that has induced you to offer it, consistent
with the tenor of your letter, we cannot on any consideration think of
accepting it, as it may be suggested at some future period that the
members of our community were to be bought. We have therefore thought
necessary to return it, assuring you, we shall entertain a deep
sensibility of your good intentions. We remain your obedient servants,
Jacob Cohen
President of the Congregation K. K. B. E.
At this period the Federal Government had been just
established, and the united voice of the people had called the
"Father of his country" to the presidential chair.
Congratulatory addresses had been tendered to him from every religious
denomination from every quarter of the Union. Our patriotic brethren
resolved to address General Washington, under whom many of them had
served in several of his most successful campaigns. The following was
the address forwarded to the President, which was penned by Mr. Jacob
Cohen, then president of the congregation:
To the
President of the United States.
July 15th,
1790.
Sir.—We presume to divert your attention for a
few moments from the more important matters which require it, in order
to express the sincere desire, in your election to and acceptance of the
exalted office of President of the United States. As soon as the Federal
Government was instituted, the eyes of your fellow-citizens throughout
the states were drawn towards you; their unanimous voices at once
proclaimed you the most worthy to preside over it, and their anxious
wishes awaited your consent to assume your proper station. The
spontaneous effusions of heartfelt satisfaction which burst forth, the
unstudied plaudits which universally and publicly resounded on the
occasion, seemed to us to obviate the necessity of any particular
address. But as these have been presented to you from different classes
and sects of our fellow-citizens, as additional attestations of your
eminent deserts, and their well-assured prospect of increasing
happiness, from your wise and virtuous administration: we are desirous
even thus late not to appear deficient in this respect, especially as
every day which has intervened has tended to realize what we fondly
anticipated. Various, extensive, and invaluable are the benefits which
your fellow-citizens have derived from the glorious revolution which,
under Providence, you have been the principal instrument of effecting.
To them it has secured the natural and inalienable rights of human
nature,—all the requisite privileges and immunities of freemen, and
has placed within their reach peace, plenty, and the other blessings of
good government. To the equal participation and enjoyment of all these,
it has raised us from the state of political degradation and grievous
oppression to which partial, narrow, and illiberal policy and intolerant
bigotry has reduced us in almost every other part of the world. Peculiar
and extraordinary reason have we, therefore, to be attached to the free
and generous constitution of our respective states, and to be indebted
to you, whose heroic deeds have contributed so much to their
preservation and establishment. In a degree commensurate to its wise and
enlarged plan, does the general government attract our regard, framed in
the principles consentaneous to those of the constitution of the
different states, and calculated by its energy to embrace and harmonize
their various interests, combine their scattered powers, cement their
union, and prolong their duration. They have already felt their salutary
effects.
The great exploits you performed while you
commanded in chief the armies of the United States, during the arduous
and perilous conflicts which purchased their freedom; the toils,
fatigues, and dangers you surmounted during that glorious warfare,
entitled you to honourable exemption from public services, and to spend
the remainder of your valuable life under the shade of your well-earned
laurels in sage retirement and dignified repose, to which your truly
magnanimous disposition invited, and for the pure and rational enjoyment
of which your conscious virtue fitted you. But the infancy of the
Federal Government particularly required your fostering care, and
invoked the aid of your virtues to animate its friends and reconcile its
adversaries. The genuine authority which you alone possessed, which has
its source in virtue, and which once recognised, has more irresistible
sway than arbitrary power itself, was requisite to launch the Federal
Government on its new and untried voyage into the ocean, clear of rocks
and quicksands, and with favourable gales.
Your consummate prudence and firmness were
necessary to trace out to your successors the courses they should steer,
your example to enlighten, excite, and strengthen them. When laudable
ambition had nothing more to tempt you with, when fame had wearied
itself in trumpeting your renown: yielding to the disinterested impulses
of uniform protestations, and the urgent invocations of your
fellow-citizens, you quitted your peaceful retreat and pleasurable
mansion, to involve yourself in the cares and fatigues which now throng
on you; and you have shown yourself as eminently qualified to preside at
the helm of government, as at the head of armies. While historians of
this and every age shall vie with each other in doing justice to your
character, and in adorning their pages with the splendour of your
endowments, and of your patriotic and noble achievements; and while they
cull and combine the various good and shining qualities of the pagan and
more modern heroes, to display your character: we, and our posterity,
will not cease to chronicle and commemorate you, with Moses, Joshua,
Othniel, Gideon, Samuel, David, Maccabeus, and other holy men of old,
who were raised up by God for the deliverance of our nation, his people,
from their oppression. May the great Being, our universal Lord, continue
propitious to you and to the United States; perfect and give increase
and duration of prosperity to the great empire which He has made you so
instrumental in producing. May He grant you health to preside over the
same, until He shall, after length of days, call you to eternal
felicity, which will be the reward of your virtues in the next, as
lasting glory must be in this world.
We regret extremely that the reply of the President
cannot be procured. It is but too probable that, as many of the books
containing the minutes of the congregation were consumed in the great
fire of 1838, which destroyed the Synagogue and many valuable
congregational papers, this invaluable document has also been lost.
(To
be Continued) |
