News Items.

Philadelphia.—At the last annual election of the congregation  Mikveh Israel, the gentlemen composing last year’s Board were re­elected, Mr. A. Hart as Parnass, and Messrs. J. A. Phillips, M. Arnold, <<377>>A. S. Wolf, and I. J. Phillips, as Adjuntas; Mr. H. Gratz was re-elected Treasurer, and Mr. Simeon W. Arnold, elected Secretary. We regret at not being able to announce that some wholesome legislation with respect to the office of Hazan, and the commutation of the money offerings has not taken place; both the by-laws affecting the subjects not having met with the approbation of the members. They seem to be afflicted with a sort of nervousness whenever any measure somewhat new in its tendency is proposed; they go into meeting with the resolve of the English iron-clad barons, “not to change the laws” of their order, however useful, expedient, or even necessary the measure proposed may be, or however wrong and oppressive the old rule may have proved in practice. At present we do not think it requisite to say more; but a time may come, especially if a contingency should arise, which now seems possible enough, when we may deem it requisite to ap­peal to the public judgment for our own justification, when we shall have to lay some circumstances before the people which we now mean to let pass in silence, as it is probable that before many months some slight changes may be made in an obnoxious law; a consummation devoutly to be wished. Some may believe it imprudent in us to say even this little; but since, as said already, it may affect our personal standing in the community, in case that something is not done in the premises before the expiration of another year, we hold it right to forewarn our distant friends, not to throw any blame on us if we do not submit to a usage peculiar to our congregation, although we were twice over-persuaded to do so before this.—

We are at the same time gratified to announce that, as we learn, an appropriation was made of two hundred dollars towards defraying the expenses of a school for one year, should the Education Society succeed in establishing the same. But there are still many difficulties in the way, chiefly owing to the accessibility of the public schools; that we fear that the establishment of a seminary of our own will have to be postponed for another season. The society’s funds amount to about two thousand dollars, the accumulation of about three years’ saving; the income from this, and the annual contribution of the sixty members, even with the guarantied aid of our own congregation, are not enough to secure a successful beginning, unless parents should be willing to take their children from the public and private schools where they are now taught, and to pay a moderate sum for tuition, such as was fixed by the board of the society, that is, five dollars per quarter for one child of any family, and three dollars additional for every additional one. Small as these fees may appear, they would form a handsome aggregate sum, and would enable the school directors <<378>>to open one or more schools without delay. But we are deeply pained to say that, hitherto, the matter has not been taken up with the alacrity which it deserves, which it demands. We ascribe the decay of religion to the former great want of religious training among the Israelites in this country, and the wrong tendency which instruction often received in Europe; enlightened religious education, which will elevate the soul and direct the spirit, is alas, of but rare occurrence; and still it is the only method to fix religion in the heart of man, and to enable him to combat successfully with the dangers which it must meet with in the life of the best and wisest even. Now we acknowledge, that in the ordinary schools, education, such as it is, can be obtained; you can learn readily, reading, writing, and arithmetic, a little geography, and a little less grammar; but after spending seven or eight years on these momentous acquisitions, you have been left altogether uninformed of what religion demands of you, and you have no knowledge whatever of the sacred language of your people. It strikes us that all which is taught in public schools could be communicated to an intelligent child in half the time it takes there; whilst there will be ample opportunity to impart a great deal more than can be conveyed in establishments where three or four hundred scholars are gathered under one roof, and where a proper classification becomes absolutely impossible.

Besides all this, we think it best for Jewish children to become acquainted together in early youth, that they may be able to act in unison when they grow up, and acquire insensibly a proper respect for each other; whereas, under present circumstances, they imbibe not rarely that prejudice for Jews which they hear expressed, incidentally perhaps, by teachers and pupils, and which the school-books also inculcate. Should not something be done in this respect?  Will the Israelites of Philadelphia, New York, and other large cities, not strive to establish among themselves a high standard of education, by which their children might be elevated to the proud distinction of well-informed and consistent followers of the God of our fathers? The means are at hand; the only question is, “shall they be used?” and we trust that the love of money is not so strongly rooted among us, but that those having the means will do a little to place their religion in such an eminent position in America, that we shall find among us men enlightened in their faith, its history, and duties, that not all the requisite learning will have to come from Europe and Asia. The present defect of our native Israelites in religious knowledge is far from creditable; it is time that it be altered.—More Anon.

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The Asmonean.—Under this title Mr. Robert Lyons, one of our occasional correspondents, proposes to issue a weekly paper, to appear every Friday, in the city of New York. The prospectus, we find, has been extensively circulated, and hence there is no occasion for us to say much of the proposed tendency of the paper. The price will be three dollars per annum. We hope that the enterprise will meet with due encouragement; at the same time, we do not hesitate in saying that it is more likely to result in a heavy pecuniary loss to the proprietors. Our own experience in publishing for our people is something like a long series of disappointments; and had it not been that we needed not the smallest portion of the proceeds for our personal support, we should long since have relinquished the editorial chair. We are always sorry to see an inexperienced person expose himself to the disappointments which are sure to await him; we know what it is to battle with a public who do not care to hear from one, no matter what he has to say, and we therefore had hoped that for the present no more candidates for disappointment would have presented themselves. We dissuaded Mr. Bush from commencing “Israel’s Herald;” he nevertheless went on, printed twelve numbers, and then stopped, having found that we had advised him correctly. We wish Mr. Lyons a better success, though we fear the contrary. We shall probably notice the paper when it appears.

Danville, Pennsylvania.—In this place, also, they were to meet for worship during the holy days. Our congregation lent them a Sepher; but we hope that they soon will acquire one for permanent use. In Lancaster, likewise, we learn that they meet weekly; in fact, they have done so for two or three years; but we have never obtained any particulars.—At Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Wheeling, Virginia, they were also to meet for worship.—Our readers will thus sec the leaven of Judaism is spreading.

Richmond, VA—At an annual meeting of the Kaal Kadosh Beth Shalome, held on the 9th of September, 5609, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year (5610):—Jacob A. Levy, Parnass; Isaac Schriver, Gabay; Jacob Ezekiel, Secretary; Ellis Morris, Hattan Torah; Naphtali Ezekiel, Hattan Bereshith.

This congregation has been without a Hazan for the past year, one of its members having officiated, to whom much credit is due. There is, however, a gentleman (Mr. Julius Eckman) of distinguished ability (with whom arrangements have been made) expected at Richmond in a few weeks, from Portsmouth, England; and there is great reason to suppose, from the various testimonials which have been received relative to his literary and religious acquirements, that his presence will <<383>>add another bright luminary to our hemisphere. It is contemplated to establish a Hebrew and English institute in this city, which Mr. Eckman will be the principal of; in this establishment will be taught every species of ordinary education, such as is imparted in similar institutions. The trustees of the institute have obtained an act of incorporation from the legislature of this state, on the 4^th of April, 1848, and have been awaiting the opportunity of obtaining a qualified teacher in order to go into operation.