EDITOR’S PREFACE.

The Prayer Book of The Reformed Society of Israelites, of Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the rarest, as well as one of the most interesting documents, relating to the development of Judaism in America. Unknown except from secondarysources to recent writers, it is the earliest Reform Prayer Book printed in this country, and throws an interesting light on early Reformed American Judaism. Persistent research has brought to light only two imperfect copies, by combining which, this reprint has been made possible. The original bears the date 1830. Whether there was an earlier edition, the Editor is unable to say with certainty — probably there was. It is well worth preserving to posterity.

The story of the Reformed Society of Israelites has been told in detail in the Editor’s volume: The Jews of South Carolina, pp. 147-165, and in an article in the Literary Supplement to The American Hebrew, Dec. 7, 1906. He has there shown, contrary to all previous statements, that the Charleston Movement of 1824 was not an indigenous Movement, but was directly dependent upon a similar Movement that had taken place in Germany a few years before — now popularly known as the Hamburg Movement. The Prayer Book of the Reformed Society of Israelites, however, has nothing in common with the one published for the use of the Hamburg Temple in 1819. Apart from its novelties, such as the Articles of Faith, the Wedding Service, the Confirmation Service, the Service for Circumcision and for Naming a Daughter, and its English Hymns, it is based upon the Portuguese Ritual then in use in Charleston.

The diction of the Prayer Book is classical, in which respect it is in marked contrast with later American productions. Its compilers were Isaac Harby, the best known Jewish publicist of his day, Abraham Moise, a prominent lawyer, of Charleston, and David Nunes Carvalho, the lay Reader of the Society. The Hymns — here first incorporated into a Jewish Prayer Book in the English language, are practically all adapted from Christian sources — one hymn only, No. 5: “Before the glorious orbs of light” — an admirable version of the Adon Olam — is of Jewish origin, its author being the before-mentioned David Nunes Carvalho.

Some of the Rubrics, e.g., those connected with the Ceremony of Circumcision, the Ceremony of Naming a Daughter, and the Marriage Ceremony, are rather amusing to us of this later day; they furnish a curious illustration of the method of the Society in its proposal “to go back to Moses and the Prophets.” But the Society meant well, and we, the inheritors of its brave work — the first effort at Reform in America — should be ever grateful to these pioneers, who anticipated by at least a generation, the first successful attempts to create an American Judaism1.

[Barnett A. Elzas]
New York, February, 1916.

CONTENTS

Editor’s Preface

Facsimile Title Page
Preface

1. Articles of Faith
2. Eve of Sabbath Service
3. Sabbath Morning Service
• Sanctification of the Sabbath
• Prayer for Government
4. Prayer after the first or opening Hymn
5. A Prayer appropriated to any day of holy convocation
6. A prayer on going on a voyage, and during a storm at sea
7. Private thanksgiving for deliverance
8. Public thanksgiving for a signal deliverance
9. Private prayer for the sick
10. Public prayer for the sick
11. Prayer for one dying
12. Morning prayer
13. Evening Prayer
14. Grace before and after meal^[1] original has “meat” 
15. Ceremony of Circumcision
16. Ceremony of naming a Daughter
17. Burial Service
18. Burial Service for a Woman
19. Prayers to be offered up in the House of Mourning
20. Marriage Ceremony
21. A Prayer for New Year and Day of Atonement
22. A Prayer for the Sabbath
23. A Prayer for Pentecost
24. Mode for Confirmation

HYMNS

1. Although the vine its fruit deny
2. Arise, my soul! with rapture rise!
3. As the good shepherd gently leads
4. Before Jehovah’s awful throne
5. Before the glorious orbs of light
6. Father, whate’er of earthly bliss
7. Few are thy days, and full of woe
8. Fountain of mercy, God of love
9. From all that dwell below the skies
10. How long shall earth’s alluring toys
11. How short the race our friend has run
12. Inspirer and hearer of prayer
13. Let heaven arise, let earth appear
14. Like Noah’s weary dove
15. Lift up your hands, rejoice, rejoice
16. My op’ning eyes with rapture see
17. Now from the altar of our hearts
18. O, where shall rest be found!
19. Praise to thee, thou great Creator
20. Praise to God, immortal praise
21. Sovereign Lord of light and glory
22. Sweet the mutual love that’s glowing
23. Thrice happy is the man, who hears
24. The God of life, whose constant care
25. The morning flowers display their sweets
26. There is a land of pure delight
27. The spacious firmament on high
28. To thee my earliest off’rings rise

PREFACE.

As a proper introduction to those Prayers and Thanksgivings which a devout heart only should address to the Supreme Being, the following Articles of Faith are presented as the creed of “The Reformed Society of Israelites.” Embracing as they do nothing doubtful or ceremonial, they consist simply of those religious axioms to which neither the bigot nor the latitudinarian can reasonably object, and which indeed cannot be rejected, without rejecting the divine origin of the moral law. They constitute all that is essential to faith in revealed religion. To believe them with a perfect conviction; to pursue that conduct through life to which they naturally lead, and which their spirit comprehends and enforces, is, we are persuaded, the only true path of life here on earth, and the only hope and prospect of happiness hereafter.

It will be perceived in this part of the service which is respectfully submitted to the enlightened and pious Israelite, that the compilers have embraced only such portions of the prayers adopted by the Reformed Society as are deemed of immediate and pressing necessity. In the total absence of any well digested form of service for the Sabbath, as well as other occasions, adapted to the feelings, opinions and dispositions of many, who differ from their brethren of the ancient synagogue, it is hoped and believed that this collection will in a great measure supply that deficiency. At a future period it is contemplated to present to the Israelites of the United States, a new and enlarged edition of the whole form of prayer, to include the service of Festivals, as well as such selections from the original Hebrew, as have been unavoidably omitted in the present work.

In laying down these Articles and this Form of Service, the compilers of the following Prayers for the Reformed Society of Israelites, do not presume to restrict the faith or conscience of any man. Let each one believe or reject what his heart and understanding (at once humbled and enlightened by Divine goodness) may rationally dictate to be believed or rejected. The compilers act only for themselves, for their children, and for all those who think the period has arrived, when the Jew should break in pieces the sceptre of Rabbinical power, and assert his attribute as a free agent, obedient only to the laws of God, and responsible for his thoughts and actions to the merciful Creator alone.

ARTICLES OF FAITH.

Ⅰ. I believe with a perfect faith, that God Almighty (blessed be his name!) is the Creator and Governor of all creation; and that he alone has made, does make, and will make all things.

Ⅱ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator, (blessed be his name!) is only one in unity; to which there is no resemblance; and that he alone has been, is, and will be God.

Ⅲ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name!) is not corporeal, nor to be comprehended by any understanding capable of comprehending only what is corporeal; and that there is nothing like him in the universe.

Ⅳ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name!) is the only true object of adoration, and that no other being whatsoever ought to be worshipped.

Ⅴ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the soul of man is breathed into him by God, and is therefore immortal.

Ⅵ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name!) knows all things, and that he will reward those who observe his commands, and punish those who transgress them.

Ⅶ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the laws of God, as delivered by Moses in the ten commandments, are the only true foundations of piety towards the Almighty and of morality among men.

Ⅷ. I believe with a perfect faith, that morality is essentially connected with religion, and that good faith towards all mankind, is among the most acceptable offerings to the Deity.

Ⅸ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the love of God is the highest duty of his creatures, and that the pure and upright heart is the chosen temple of YHVH.^[2] Here we have replaced a vocalization of the Tetragrammaton with ‘YHVH.' 

Ⅹ. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (blessed be his name!) is the only true Redeemer of all his children, and that he will spread the worship of his name over the whole earth.