THE CONSECRATION OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

West Coast Times, Issue 304, 13 September 1866, Page 2

THE CONSECRATION OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

The members of the Jewish faith have established themselves in Hokitika, as in all other parts of the colonial Empire, as^a leading branch of the industrial and mercantile community. That they constitute not only a numerous but a very, active and zealous element hi our society, is evidenced, amongst other facts, by the recent erection of their new synagogue — a building which has cost upwards of three hundred pounds — which has beon less than a month in the course of building, and the whole cost of which lias already "been defrayed. To a considerable extent, it is true, tho congregation have been assisted by members of the various Christian denominations, who have subscribed liberally to the building fund, but not in excess of the proportion in which. It j$ customary for one religious body to help another in- undertakings of this kind. Whatever, opinions "may be entertained as to tho truth or error of the theological tenets of any religious body, there is generally diffused throughout the commnuity so deep a sense of the importance of cultivating the religious sentiment—of its value as one of the guarantees of public order and domestic morality — that all enlightened persons are glad to avail themselves of the opportunity of assisting in the, erection of places of religious worship, aud of supporting religious ordinances, without reforence to the particular faith upon which they are based, provided always that its doctrines, as affecting the conduct of life, are pious and godly. No doubt it is a logical inconsistency, looked at from a controversial point of view, for the Jew to support the worship of the Christian, or the Christian the worship of the Jew. Between no two creeds is there a wider gulf of separation, or amore radical antagonism of doctrine. The Christian faith is based upon the grand fact of the incarnation and advent of the Messiah ; the Jewish faith upon the assumption that the Messiah, who is the object of all Christian worship, as ' the God-man, was a false prophet and an impostor. There is, however, another sense" in which the faith of tho Christian and of the Jew may be said to be identical. Both "regard with equal rqverence the Divine law oT the Old Testament scriptures. Both hold fast to the pure and elevating doctrine of the supreme sovereignty of one God. Both believe in the doctrine < f atonement, redemption, and deliverance by " a Messiah." 'By both the same code of inspired irorality is enforced. And, although, the Jew can scarcely worship in the temple of the Christian, not believing that the Promise has been fulfilled, and the Redeemer come — nor the Christian unite in the prayer for the Redemption of Israel, in the spiritual sense in which the words are used by the Jew, there is" sufficient homogeneity in the grand outline of the»two faitli9, to tone into harmony the devotional feelings of the "adherents of both.

The spectacle presented in the synagogue on Sunday last was one that 'could scarcely have been realised a \few years ago in Great Britain, where tlie doctrine of religious toleration has been the tradition of a generation, or even in the colonies, where toleration has passed into the nobler phase of equality. In England tho political enfranchisement of the Jew is a work of only recent accomplishment. But, then, in England the question of religious freedom has always been embarrassed by the existence of an ancient and powerful established churcli, buttressed up on all sides by traditional associations, and casting the shadow of its lofty stature upon the whole system of social organisation. The deliverence of tho Jew from political disqualification was preceded, by a few years only, by the emancipation of the Christian Nonconformist, and at a period dating a few years further back,- both were equally denied the " liberty of worship." It has been reserved for the colonies, as one of tho proudest of their privileges, to carry out to its full and logical limits tho great doctrine of religious equality. The congregation ■ which ass^jnbled at the sjnagoguc on Sunday .to witness the ceremony of its consecration, was a tribute to tliis principle, and at the same time a recognition, as we have said, of the/great basis of agreement upon which oven two creeds, marked by so many features of antagonism as those of the Christian and the Jew, rest. As tho occasion was one of unusual interest, and as the ceremony of consecration is probably new to most of our readers, we propose to describe it at some length.

The synagogue itself is externally a very unpretentious building, but the inner arrangements nro appropriate and convenient, and tho decorations when completed will afford evidenco of great taste. Tho structure is erected upon a block of land in Tancred street, ' measuring 200 feet by 100, granted to the congre-

gation by the Government, in accordance with tho policy by which all the religious denominations havo had free sites accorded to them, l'ho dimensions of the building aro thirty-five feet by twenty, the walls being twelve feet in height, the roof ascending to a height of about twenty feet from tho floor. On cither side are four windows, consisting each of a large single plate of frosted glass, with an upper pane in a semicircular frame opening inwards for purposes of ventilation. Above tho door of the synagogue is also a ventilator of colored glass, fixed in a circular frame. The lobby occupies a considerable space, as is , required by somo of tho specialties of the Jewish ceremony. On one side, of it, in the interior, is the ladies' compartment — females not being allowed to join with tho m«vle3 engaged ,in the service On either side . of the building aro ranged two rows of benches' for the accommodation of the congregation. The pulpit or reading-desk is, as usual, in tho centre of the synagogue. Its dimensions are nine feet by seven, and it contains the desk on > which tho " scrolls" are placed when removed from tho Ark, and a seat for tho use of the officers of, Ihe congregation. Immediately in front of the pulpit is tho enclosed pew reserved for the President and Treasurer of the congregation. At the upper ond of the building, facing this pew, is the Ark, holding the place of what is called the altar in places of Christian worship. It consists of a compartment closed by handsomely paneled cedar doors, containing the two scrolls of " the Law," wrapped in rich dressings of embroidered silk. The Ark proper is flanked qn either side by fluted pilasters, and other architectural accompaniments, surmounted by the two tables of the Law— the Ten Commandments, which are in beautifully executed Hebrew characters in gold, upon a white surface. The whole framework of the Ark is, we believe, to bo finished in white and gold, and the effect will bo exceedingly chaste. In front of it is hung a massive, purple velvet screen or curtain, lined with white satin, and embroidered in gold, wich the "Shield of David" worked in gold lace, in its centre", and suspended by rings from a polo of polished Uuon piue, with brass mountings. The Ark is approached by two carpeted steps. The synagogue ia well lighted, tw6 handsome bronze gaseliers depending from the roof, and other lamps being ranged round the walls, which, with six pulpit candles, make the total number of lights within the building twenty-seven. ,Wo need only add that the floors aro well matted, and the ventilation complete; and that when the painting of the interior is finished according to design, the effect of the whole arrangements will bo at once elegant and imposing. The entire plans have been prepared by, and the works carried out under the immediate superintendence of, Mr Henry Cohen, to whom great credit is due for tho taste he has displayed.

We now come to the consecrating .ceremony itself, premising that tho sears, which are capable of ascommodating some hundred and twenty persons, were all occupied, the committee having issued invitations to as many members of the Christian denominations as there was v, prospect of accommodating. Amongst those present we. noticed many of ourleading citizens, members of the Provincial Council, and others, who appeared throughout to be deeply interested in tho proceedings. At two 0 clock the officiating minister, Mr E. Singer, and the pi'esident of tho congregation, each bearing a scroll of tho law, and accompanied by the officers of tho congregation, knocked at the door three, times, the minister singing in Hebrew the words, " Blessed be He who conieth in the name of the Eternal, &c." This haviug been /responded to by a psalm chaunted by tho congregation, the door was thrown open. On its inner side was a canopy of damask, supported by four pole bearers, beneath which, the Minister, President, &n., took their places, wnilst the choir performed a beautiful and impressive choral service. We need not give the subsequent proceedings in detail. They consisted in carrying tho scrolls seven times in succession round the synagogue, borne by members of the congregation, on whom this high honor had been conferred ; of the solemn (.■haunting of psalms; and of ad dresses of prayer. The formal art of consecration wiis considered to be completed when tho scrolls were reverently deposited in the Ark. All cere-monies of this kind necessarily lose by a detailed i*ecapitulation. We shall be content, therefore, with saying that the whole was gonw through with great, solemnity and every sign of true devotional feeling, and that tho effect; was mostimpressive. The sacred music was especially effective. Mr. Joseph Moss,' son of Mr Moss, of the New Synagogue, London — a gentleman who has obtained great eminent,^ us v composer — presided most ably* at the Dunn"niiim ; and tho choir consisted of Mr* Moss, Mrs Solomou, and Messrs A. Harris, S. Jacobs, M Isaacs, Alfred Moss, Lrfranc, and Singpr. Mr A. Singer acted as'officiating minister, and Messrs L. Lizard und J. Hirsoh as stewards. Tho eomploteness^with wliich the whole of the arrangements was made, and the vapidity with which the' synagogue has been erected, are highly creditable to the committee — consisting of Mr B. Marks, the president, Mr Moss, tho treasurer, and Messrs Cohen, Hirsch, Fuerst, Lizard, Singer, and Isaacs. The day selected for the ceremonial was the lusi. day of the Jewish your 5626, and the synagogue has consequently been made available foY the services co.nuocted with tho opening of the new year. We -will conclude by congratulating our Jewish fn'onds upon their successful accomplishment of v, very interesting undertaking, and trust thtjr example will operate as a spur to oiher religious denominations in Hokitika.