The American Israelite from Cincinnati, Ohio • P4

THE AMERICAN ISRAELITE, rhe Conference of Babbis in Pittsburg Mr. and Mrs. Wertheimer), none was permitted to stop in a hotel. The evening parties in honor of the COLUMBUS, 0. The next informal entertainment of the Y.

M. H. A. will take place at Vienna Hall, on Lexington Avenue, to morrow (Monday) evening. Dr.

OUo A. Moses will lecture on The Light of the Future." Dr. Moses is a well-known electrician of this city, and, as the lecture will he accompanied by practical experiments, it promises to be of more than general interest. It will be followed by literary and musical exercises. A large audience is expected to be present.

dence. No moie flattery, hypoc- risy, conspiracy, mutual admiration, or mutual deception you have to come to us or remain isolated for we represent the orthodoxy of the American Israelites and the overwhelming majority of all American Jewish citizens. So Bounds the language of honest men. So much for the theoretical aspect of the Pittsburg Rabbinical Conference The PRAcrtcB. Bloch Publishing and Printing Co.

Publishers and Proprietors, Nos. 45, 47, 51, S3, 55 Olllce, Cor. Plnm nnd McFarland below Fonrth St, The celebration of the twenty-fifth niversary of the wadding of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Wise took place November 17th at Gumble Halt, witli a crowd of in-vited guests and relatives present.

Tho couple was remarried by the Hay. J-' W. Jessolstm, who made eloquent re', marks in his usual happy style on the occasion. He nlso read an original German poem composed by himself. Among those present from abroad were Mrs.

H. Wife, 'of Boston, Jacob Frohman, Abraham Wise nnd Newman, of Cincinnati. After the ceremony the guests retired to enjoy tim elegant banquet which was awaiting them. Mr. M.

Schlesincer, who is head clerk in one of the departments of the State House, was master of ceremonies. Many fine toasts were responded to, and when this was finished, dancing followed until a lato hour. Every one present pronounced the affair ti great success. Telegrams were received from Boston Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland! Lebanon, Kalamazoo, New York, Baltimore, Md and Philadelphia. I am sorry to inform you of a shady side to the foregoing picture.

On the 3d inst. Mrs, Oppenhoimer, a very good and pious lady from Upper Sandusky died suddenly in our insane asylum. The Israelites ot this cily, who were at once informed, took charge of the body and buried ber in onr Jewish cemetery. The funeral took place from our Temple, Rabbi Jesselson preaching a discourse. The lady left tiiree children, the oldest of whom has a position in our Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and the youngest, a boy of eight years of age, has been taken charge of by Mr.

A. B. Cohen, who sends him to school. As far as our congregational affairs are concerned we are getting along very nicely. Several young men joined onr congregation of late, and from all appearances tbey will all join.

Our membership has increased since last year from thirly-flve to sixty-four. Rabbi Jesselson has prepared his pupils to present Hanakah play, the result of which I shall inform you hereafter. M. M. November 22, 1885.

PHILADELPHIA. In continuation of last year's course of lectures on Jewish Celebrities, the Kcv. S. Morais addressed a large number of yonngmen and women, at the meeting of the Hebrew Literary Associnlion, last Tuesday evening, his subject being Nachmanides." After some prefatory remarks on the importance of the work in which the society is engaged, Mr. Morais proceeded to explain the life and works of MoEes Ben Nachraau, better known by his Hebrew initials liambam.

He flourished shortly after Maimonides llambam, and became involved iu the disputations, then at their height, concerning some of that sage's writings. Nachmnnides, while by no means a follower of a Hambam. Btill de fended his course, when assailed regarding his ideas as frequently misconstrued, even if they were in opposition to the current belief among Jews. Nachmanides is great as a commentator; his ox-position of the Pentateuch is held in very high repute while his metaphysical writings show him to he a deep thinker, despite the fact that Cobbalism is uppermost in bis arguments. He was.

indeed. an ardent believer in tbnt mystic system biiu nppueu 10 tne miractes ot tne Bible, but more from a speculative than from a practical standnoint. Mr. Morais cited some of llambau'i opinions, and mentioned his principal works, and the elements of their greatness. He then passed on to speak of the sage as a benefactor of his peop'e, mentioning the diecussion held before the King of (Christian) Spain, between Nachmanides and an apostate Jew, Paul Christiani, how the former had vanquished his opponent, and the evil results to thn.Tnwn (Alleghany), KoTembcr 1G-18, The Pittsburg Conference of Rab bis opens a new chapter in the his tory of American Judaism.

It brought together face to face the wen supposed to represent the various phases of the reformatory and progressive ideas entertained by the American Israelites, and to be of a conflicting and irrecSncilable nature. It proved satisfactorily to all that the differences among those parties concern side issues only, which are of no vital importance, while in principle and its main se quences all concur and heartily agree to the very last point. This happy result was expressed and placed on record in the eight paragraphs of the Platform or Declaration of Principles," Unanimously adopted by all members of the Conference, without exception, which haB been placed before the public (in last week's American Israelite and a hundred other papers), and has been received with more than I common applause by all enlight ened men, Jews and Gentiles, who have read il.y THE THEORY. It places American Judaism, which is the youngest phase in the historical development of the an cient and venerable faith, upon the solid and durable basis of a positive, rational and universal religion, per petually unfolding its vital princi ple, to reach and to establish its identity with the "Postulate of Rea son." it places udaism in the van and upon the height of all religious confessions without severing its his torical chain, and duly appreciates the mission and work done in the cultivation and furtherance of the religious idea, not only by Christi anity and the Islam, but also by the various shades of Paganism in their respective times and place). It places Judaism upon that height to ward which the eyes of all intelligent religionists and reasonable infidels are directed, where faith and reason cordially meet, the humanitarian and ecclesiastical precepts are iden tified.

It puts Judaism on record before all of our intelligent country men as the religion of God, reason humanity and freedom, and may therefore properly be called American Judaism. We are not ready to maintain thut there is anything new in that "Declarations of It seems to us that those ideas were repeatedly expounded by our men, and lived as self-understood, active principles and motives in the hearts and consciousness of Israel's my riads. The Conference, it would appear to us, acted as a mere focus, in which those ideas converged, and a crystalizing agent which rendered them concrete in words, sentences and paragraphs, to be preserved and intelligible forever, as no Rabbinical and no other Ecclesiastical body ever didThere is too much rationality and universality in it for the priestly brain to have found an adequate expression in any Ecclesiastical body except among the emancipated representatives of American Judaism. They have spoken, and they have spoken well. The unanimous utterance of those wordB is a deed which opens a new chapter in the history of American Judaism and perhaps far beyond its sphere.

That Declaration of Principles presents a particular feature which must not be overlooked. by its lone and position, that we, the much-abused reformers, radicals, decried, defamed and debased bv the men of the minority who usurped for themselves the titles of conservative and orthodox, or rather the Jews par excellence we are the orthodox Jews in America, and they were the orthodoxy of former days and other countries. We can see no good reason why we should ogle you, allow you to act as a brake to the wheel of progress, and confirm you in your pretensions. You do not represent the ideas and sentiments of tho American Jews, this phase upon which Judaism entered in thiB country, you are an anach ronism, strangers in this country, and to your own brethren. You rep- rcoDui 'uurBBives, tugetner wiin a past age and a foreign land.

We must proceed without you to per form our duties to our God, and our country, and our religion, for we are tie orthodox Jews in Amer ica. Therefore, that "Declaration of Principles may properly be called the declaration of indepen Rabbis, in the residences of Mr, Guckenheim, Josiah Cohen, Esq. and the Rev. Mr. Naumburg, were elegant and highly enjoyable.

The capacious building of the Concordia Club, in Alleghany, was entirely placed at the disposal of the Con ference. There the sessions were held, and during three davs all pos sible wants, dinners included, were liberally provided for. Most en couraging, however, to the guests was the deep interest which quite a number of ladie3 and gentlemen took in the proceedings of the Con ference. Not onlyJMonday evening, when several Rabbis spoke in the temple to a crowded house (the choral music was simply grand) but every day the hall was well at tended by interested visitors. Most cheering was the encomiums and laudations bestowed upon the meet ing by its audience.

The opinion was generally entertained and ex- pressea tost rittsburg uaa never witnessed a more orderly, spirited parliamentary and harmonious de liberation than in this body, There was, indeed, a profusion of intelligence, wit and eloquence, and above all a fraternal har mony, which is exceedingly rs me liaoms won golden opinions among the Pittsburg people whether by their winning qualities or the natural Kindness ot that people, we would not undertake to decide. May we be permitted to say for ourselves, personally, that we I and my inseparable traveling companion) took along from Pittsburg the most pleasant impressions ot the hospitality, courtesy ana intelligence ot our Pittsburg friends, and especially of ihe members of the Conference, whose earnestness, dignity, honesty of purpose, attachment to Judaism and its future, and excellent ways of expressing themselves and con. ducting spirited debates we admired. "AVe expect, like ourselves, the mem bers of the Conference will never forget the happy days spent in Pitts burg, which were a continuous love feast and intellectual treat. Thanks to all and each for this beautiful chapter in tho book of life, and es pecially to Dr.

Kohler, who was its efficient cause. D3? -yiDow. SEW l'ORK NOTES. The fair given for the benefit of tne Hebrew So ciety, at Parepa Hall, closed last evening, after a most successful week, in tact, 1 think a mistake was made in closing the fair so soon, for the nightly attendance was as good as ever, and the en thusiasm of the ladies who BUperin tended the various stands had not abated in the least. However, the fair is over, and the young ladies ana gentlemen oi tne upper portion of the city havo spent several verv pleasant evenings, while the cause of charity has been benefited to a considerable extent.

The Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent Society, mainly composea oi tne relatives ot mem bers oi the fcralep oi Hope Congre gation, is a very popular organiza tion- it is only two years old. On the 7th of November, 1883, Mrs. Daniel Prey, of No. 1879 Madison Avenue, at the suggestion of one of our ministers, to ameliorate the con dition ot those really poor and needy who are too delicate to apply to tne "i-ieorew unanties, where their names become public property. conciuaea to tase up the idea, and twenty-six ladies united in the cause of such pure charity.

On the 14th ot lijoa, the first election of officers was held, and it was oniy alter tne unanimous and repeated desire of the Association that Mrs. D. Frey reluctantly yielded to the acceptance of the honor of the Presidency. Mrs. Ra phael Ettinger, Vice-President Mrs.

E. Ulmer, Treasurer Mrs. C. Friend, Secretary; Mrs. D.

Stern, Mrs. S. W. Browne, Mrs. E.

Herman, MrB. J. Bach and Mrs. J. Dan zig, trustees, were the other officers first elected.

Six mouths later the Society and the work of charity increased so rapidly that one secretary could not attend to all the work, and at the next election a Financial Secretary became a necessity. Sin that time the society has prospered, until it now numbers nearly three hundred members in good standing, wuu uu a great aeai oi charitable work in an unobtrusive way. There is very little probability of a united Thanksgiving service by the various congregations this year. Our New York brethren take very little interest in the observance of the day, and the services, generally held in the afternoon, are always slimly attended. There will be services on Thanksgiving Day in the B'nai B'rith Home at Yonkers.

fllr. Morris finndhnrr. a chim'na- light of the order, will deliver an appropriate oration. ISAAC M. WISE, -LEO WISE, Editor.

Manager. 0., November 27, 1885. SUBSCRIPTION PKICE FOUH IXUyLAIl.N A VKAll, With DEBORAH 5 00 wiui Sabbath visitor 6 oo With SABBATH VISITOR and DEBORAH 6 OO nXTASS TO KOEOPK. 03 YEAE 1 00 BATES OF ADVERnsiNG, Complimentary Resolutions and Obltu- ariei, Harrlaeea. Births.

each notice 11 00 Bates for Plsplay AdvertUmcnts ma4e known on application. Comflimkhtabt and memorial resolutions of any natare whatsoever are piiblUhcdIin the aheeicih Israelite only as paid matter, at a antform charge of 15.00 each. We are obliged to make this charge to keep unimportant matter of thll kind from occupying an undue amount of space in oar columns. In ausworlnir fin off the ndvor. cfaemonla In llilw paper, our render will confer a favor upon both tlio advertlifera and the publlHliera by tatfns; tliat tltoy kuw the advei-tlac- mini iu (lie meiihiah iSKAlil ITE.

That Mademoiselle Rachel, the great actress, was illiterate is now known from her letters just pub lished in Fans. She spells like Mrs. Ward. Mr. Gladstone is out in this month's Nineteenth Century in defense of the first chapter of Genesis.

T-i'offnL-c, does it with a vim. Tub Sinaic Sabbath and. the Abrahamitic sign of the covenant have not been discussed or otherwise touched upon in the Pittsburg Conference. Nor were revelation and inspiration denied, or the Bible or the Talmud in anywise attacked, depreciated, desocrated, or spoken of in any other than a tone of the highest reverence and admiration. All reports to the contrary are false.

If any member of that Con ference perchance made any remark of an offensive nature, he, and not the Conference, is responsible for it for the Conference accepted -3nJ. adopted- absolutely nothing which, in the opinion of that body, is not thoroughly Jewish, well founded in historical Judaism. There is no more conspicuous figure in the folk-lore of modern Jewry, says the Jewish World, than that of R. Lowe b. Bezalel, the mysterious Rabbi who presided over the Belh Hamidrash of Prague in the sixteenth century.

His life, preserved in tradition mainly on the authority of Maier Perl's Me(iilall Jochasin has been told a thousand times, and there are few Jewish family circles in the two hemispheres which have not listened in rapt attention to the wondrous legends associated with his name. A large public will, consequently, be interested to learn that the career of Rabbi Lowe has recently been made the subject of an exhaustive and critical; study by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Grun, also of Piugue (Der hone Rabbi Low u. sem Sagenhreis. Prague Brandeis).

This little work corrects a large number of existing misconceptions, such as, for ex ample, that Rabbi Lowe was born at Worms, inBtead of Posen, that the year of his birth was 1512, in eieaa 01 yozo, tnac lie studied as a youth at Prague, etc. Though a sternly matter-of fact biographer, Dr. Grun's admiration for his sub- jeot does not yield a jot to that of the firmest believer in the magical stories told of Rabbi Lowe. He pro tests strongly against the grudging estimate of the "High Rabbi put forward" by some recent writers, notably Graetz, and shows beyond a doubt that, as an authority in both Halacha and Hagada, as an earnest opponent of the Pilpulistic methods, and in the cstotaaiifca of his con temporaries and of many of the most eminent of later Rabbinical scholars, his position in Jewish literary history should be a consider able one. The legends narrated of Rabbi Lowe are retold by Dr.

Grun in a vein of kindly but intelligent criticism. Tbb wealthiest miser is the poorest of all men, What is the practical benefit to be derived from this Conference? We mention first and with special gratifi cation that all rabbinical opposition to the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and its institutions, including the Hebrew Union Col lege, is hereby removed and ended. The Conference is outspoken, loyal; its members are also members of the Jewish Literary Union. A committee of seven was appointed to meet and co-operate with the Sab bath-School Union, as prepared and adopted in St. Louis, in the Council of the Union of A.

H. to attend the organizing meeting in Decem ber, in the city of Cincinnati. Union in theology, union in all pub lic enterprises of the American Israel, is one of the practical results achieved by the Pittsburg Conference, as far as the Rabbis are concerned and as fur as their influence goes. Now a Saboath-school Union has been rendered possible and practicable. For that Union must pro vide the schools with text-books and reading matter, and can not afford to be unprincipled in its choice of publications to be placed into the hands of the rising generation.

Ve can not afford to teach the young precepts in which we do not be lieve; consequently they must be formulated in perfect consonance with American Judaism. This was hitherto undefined, and therefore uncertain in the minds of the community, as well as of the Rabbis. This uncertainty being overcome by the "Declaration of Principles," the possibility is given to the Sabbath-school Union to pub lish and to recommend uniform textbooks and such other literature deemed necessary for the instruction and edification of the scholars. A solid foundation for a Sabbath- school Union is now established. The next practical issue of the Pittsburg Conference is that all pending questions and all which may arise hereafter, being of a theological nature, will hereafter be decided in the Conference, not by newspaper controversies, also not by personal predelictions and individual notions.

'Order 1 gentlemen, harmony and uniformity, as far as possible 1 is the meaning and signi fication of the Conference thus estab lished. It has accepted in good grace the statu quo of American Ju daism together with the principle of progress which produced it. It has justified that statu, quo on the theo logical and historical basis, and will always consider itself authorized to decide all new theological questions from the same standpoint, in order to produce and to sustain harmony and unity in all theological questions which may arise in the community from time to time, and as far as possible and advisable, to establish also uniformity in the Temples or Synagogues, in religious schools and societies. A beginning in this latter point was made by appointing a committee which is to report in the next session of Conference (Cincin nati, first Monday in May) on the formulas of the marriage and burial lit urgy and family worship. Another oommittee was appointed to report as above on the admission of proselytes into the congregation of Israel.

Several other questions of the same nature were raised, discussed and put into the hands of committees to report as above, as, for instance, to establish mission societies in every congregation, to assist the poor by ameliorating their moral, mental and religious condition as well as their physical wants. However, we do not consider it proper to anticipate the official report, which we expect to see before the public before January next. THE PEOPLE. Too much praise can not be bestowed on the Rodef Sholem congregation of Pittsburg and Alleghany, and its excellent officers, including Rabbi Dr. Mayer, for the unbounded hospitality and courtesy extended to the members of the Conference.

Every one of the latter was the guest of some hospitable family (mine host was Ihe hrst Philharmonic Concert ib always regarded as the real open ing of the musical eeason. What ever entertainments of a similar nature mav have been given pre- viousty, the prestige of our oldest musical organization is still great enough to cauBe it to be looked upon as the prime lactor in its own neia. Last Saturday's concert was at tended by an audience as large as the Academy could hold, and consisting almost entirely of the people who for years past have been the steady supporters of the society. The orchestra is still the finest, most efficient, best trained and hest led in this country. Its body of strings is noted for rich and lull tone, the wood and brass instru ments are also in the hands of the ablest executants obtainable.

Mr, Thomas was very cordially greeted when he nrst stepped on the stage. The programme comprised the Euryanthe overture, a symphonic prologue to "Othello," by Arnold Krug (new) Bruch's concerts for the violin, a scherzo oapricciosa by Dvorak and the Jiroica sym phony. Herr Krug's composition proved very pleasing. It is a work of imaginative power, full of mel ody, richly instrumented and of decided originality. It adheres to classical form.

Miss Maud Powell, a voung Amer ican and a pupil of your own Mr. Jacobsohn, gave a sympathetic and skillful rendering of the concerto. The adagio was beautifully played with a pure and full tone and with great feeling. The young lady's sue cess was most emphatic. A.

magnificent performance of the symphony concluded-the very enjoyable concert. Madame Fursch-Madi will appear at the second concert. I attended Mr. Van der Stucken's concert at Steinway Hall last Monday afternoon, and both programme and performance were sufficiently good to warrant the success of the enterprise. The talented young con ductor gives a good orchestra, good soloists and the best music at popular prices, and these things should attract large audiences and make the project a permanent one.

Thus on Sunday last Mr. August Hylle-sted, a young Swedish pianist, performed Beethoven's minor concerto with marked power and a finished technique, and Miss Fran- cesca Guthrie sang an nria of Mozart's with much taste. The orchestra played the overture to Figaro's Hochzeit," a spirited composition by Amanda Mayer, entitled Swedish," and other selections. In general Mr. Van der Stucken's forces play with smoothness, precision and brilliancy.

The annual Purim ball is announced to take place at the Met ropolitan upera-house, on Thurs day, February 11-th. It be hoped that the custom of bull dozing the Christian drygoods and woolen commission merchants on Worth, Leonard and Franklin Streets into taking packages of ten or twenty tickets will not be in vogue this year. This prac tice, which does not speak well for the benevolence of our co-religion ists, who ought to be able to support tms oau, instead ot throwing the burden on those from whom thev purchase goods, has also had the effect of making the ball a decidedly mixeu auair. jeor tnese Christian merchants distribute the tickets among their clerks, who, knowing that they are hardly likely to meet many acquaintances, go to the ball to have a jolly good time, and are sometimes accompanied by dashing females, whom we would refrain from introducing to our wives or sisters. The coming fair in aid of the Kindergarten of the Hebrew Free Schodls promises to be one of the social events of the season, and numbers of young ladies are actively engaged soliciting donations.

The fair will open at the Metropolitan Opera-house, on Monday, December 14th. and lor lour nignts. JiXCELSlOR, November 22, 1885. Aver's Cherry Pectoral wnndBrfnit increases the power and flexibility of the voice, enabling public speakers to speak clearly and without fatigue. If people who are troubled with colds would take Aver's Oherrv Pectoral Wr, nnin church or places of entertainment, tiiey would avoid coughing, greatly to the ui wum uuarera ana BpeaKers.

The giraffe, it iff Raid, lina nana. known to utter a sound hut -u. Hnn't 1,0.1... A 1 I aujruuuy can see that wci mcoa it, iuw enOUEU in the nonlr without her calling attention to it. We desire to call attnnt.

confectioneries, ice-cream and oyster partore, i Central Avenue, above Fourth Street. These j.uc.aier parties will find this an eleizant nunrf. ofi. Orders are also taken Tni confections for socials, parties balls and private families. AH orders promnti "Ilea.

Special Steffi oysteVs 1Ual'ty and 8ervice 7 I tnand Nachmanides which thiB brought ahotit. about. The reverend lecturer related how the great Rabbi was compelled to leave his country; how bo lived in Palestine, his death there, and burial at Jaffa. The Cabbalists attributed even miracles to Nachmanides, among which was that on a certain launching of a ship, the vessel would not move; whereupon the sage wrote several Hebrew words, which had the intended effect at once. Another story relates that Nachmanides, before leaving Spain, told the people that the sign of his death to them would bo a sudden 'opening of his mother's tomb, inside of which would be seen the shape of a Menorah candlestick or chandelier.

The Bpeaker closed wilh an appropriate sentence from Ecclesiasticus. Two papers on The Position of Women in tho Jewish Church," well written bv Miss Annie M. Jastrow and Miss Fannie Binswanger, created a lively discussion. A review of the previous meeting wits presented hy Miss Clara Potsditmer. The Rev.

Dr. M. Jastrow, will lecture nt the next meeting. A number of our ministers preached last Sabbath on the Pittsburg Conference and its probable results. Dr.

Jastrow thought tt showed a want of harmony. The Rev. S. Morais believed that the acceptance of the doctrines enunciated there meant the virtual surrender of the teachings of Judaism. The Rev.

J. H. M. Chumaceiro and the Rev. Victor Caro attacked the platform in their sermons.

Dr. S. Hirsch did not speak at all on the subject. The Hebrew Education Society held special meeting on Sunday morning, to consider several alterations and amendments to their by-laws, none of which, however, were adopted. The society is doing most effective work with its Hebrew Free Schools and its Industrial schools for boys and girls.

The tiarrick Club gave a dramatic entertainment to its members and their lady friends last Tuesday evening, at Mercantile Hall. The Germanio Theater Company appeared in a German comedy. A hop followed the performance, which was much enjoyed. Perhaps the leading social event of the week was the marriage of Miss Etta Heller, daughter of Mr. Adolph Heller, to Mr.

Jack Phillino r.f Vnrk City, which occurred laBt Wednesday evenine. flt Dr. Hiraeh'a Tim affair was a notable one, both for its brilliancy and the size of the gathering. The couple left for a tour in the Soulh, and on returning will take up their residence in an elegant mansion in New York. An informal" won ni VAn at flin rnnms of the Young Men's Hebrew Association on Saturday evening, which proved very enjoyable to the large audience.

Adolph 1ichholz, is announced to lecture next Saturday evening. itsHO. Magoid..