MODE OF CONFIRMATION.

(Any one born of Jewish parents, not under the age of thirteen, and desirous of expressing his belief in the Jewish faith, may, on any Sabbath, make declaration of the same and be confirmed therein as follows. He advances to the minister's desk, and says:)

Youth. Here, in the presence of this congregation, and in the presence of that gracious God whose goodness has endowed me with reason, I desire to declare my firm and religious belief in the divine origin of the moral law, and in the great articles of the Jewish faith. I desire to appear in the presence of heaven and earth, an Israelite according to the faith and customs of the Reformed Society of Israelites, in whose temple of worship I now stand.

Minister. My son, dost thou act from thine own free will, and is this the wish of thy heart and the conviction of thy understanding?

Youth. It is. I have been taught to love the paths of piety and virtue; I hope to follow them. Through God's goodness, I also hope that I comprehend the essential points of our excellent religion, and I shall strive with my best endeavours, to observe and practice through life its moral and pious doctrines.

Minister. Repeat, my son, the articles of that religious creed which thou hast adopted, and in which thy parents and guardians, assisted by thine own industry, have happily instructed thee. Repeat them, sincerity and truth; for the offering thou art about to

in

make, must be a free will offering to God. If any compulsion hath been exercised towards thee, the sin of hypocrisy will be thine, in declaring that which is not in thy heart, and the sin of tyranny and impiety on those, who have brought thee hither against thy will. Repeat to me, then, the articles of our holy faith.

Youth. I repeat them freely, with sincerity, and truth.

(He repeats the articles of faith, of the Reformed Society of Israelites, page 6.)

Minister. May God bless thee, my son; and mayst thou ever be mindful of thy duty towards God, and thy duty towards thy fellow creatures. Let us praise the Lord God who created man after the image of his angels, who created him a rational, a responsible, an immortal soul.

HYMNS.

HYMN. 1.

ALTHOUGH the vine its fruit deny,
The budding fig-tree droop and die,
No oil the olive yield;
Yet will I ever trust in God,
Yea, bend rejoicing to his rod,
Still by his mercy heal'd.

Though fields, in verdure late array'd,
By whirlwinds desolate be laid,
Or parch'd by scorching beam;
Still in the Lord shall be my trust,
My joy; for, though his frown be just,
His mercy is supreme.

Though from the fold the flock decay,
Though herds lie famish'd o'er the lea,
And round the empty stall;

My soul above the wreck shall rise,
Its better joys are in the skies,
Where God is all in all.

In God, my strength, howe'er distrest,
Still shall I hope, and calmly rest,
Nay, triumph in his love;

My ling'ring soul, my tardy feet,
Free as the hind he makes and fleet,
To speed my course above.

HYMN 2.

ARISE, my soul! with rapture rise! And, fill'd with love and fear, adore

The awful Sov'reign of the skies,
Whose mercy lends me one day more.

And may this day, indulgent Power!
Not idly pass, nor fruitless be;
But may each swiftly flying hour

Still nearer bring my soul to Thee!

But can it be? that power divine

Is thron'd in light's unbounded blaze; And countless worlds and angels join

To swell the glorious song of praise.

And will he deign to lend an ear,

When frail and humble mortals pray? Yes, for his boundless love will hear, Nor cast the humblest wretch away.

Then let me serve thee all my days,

And let my zeal with years increase: For pleasant, Lord, are all thy ways, And all thy paths are paths of peace.

HYMN 3.

AS the good shepherd gently leads
His wandering flocks to verdant meads,
Where winding rivers soft and slow,
Amid the flowery landscape flow.

So God, the guardian of my soul,
Doth all my erring steps controul;
When lost in sin's perplexing maze,
He brings me back to virtue's ways.

Though I should journey through the plains
Where death in all his terror reigns,
My steadfast heart no ill shall fear,
For thou, my God! art with me there.

Thine ever watchful providence
Is my support and my defence;
With thee I am of all possess'd,
And in thy favour fully bless'd.
O bounteous God! my future days,
Shall be devoted to thy praise,
Thy holy name, thy love supreme,
Shall ever be my grateful theme.

HYMN 4.

BEFORE Jehovah's awful throne,
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone;
He can create, he can destroy.

His Sov'reign pow'r, without our aid,
Made us of clay, and form'd us men;
And when like wand'ring sheep, we stray'd,
He brought us to his fold again,

We are his people, we his care,
Our souls, and all our mortal frame;
What lasting honours shall we rear,
Almighty Maker! to thy name?

We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs,
High as the heaven our voices raise;
And earth, with her ten thousand tongues,
Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise.

Wide as the world is thy command,
Vast as eternity thy love;

Firm as a rock thy truth will stand,
When rolling years shall cease to move.

HYMN 5.

BEFORE the glorious orbs of light,
Had shed one blissful ray,
In awful power, the Lord of might
Reign'd in eternal day.

At his creative, holy word

The voice of nature spoke,

Unnumber'd worlds with one accord,
To living joys awoke.

Then was proclaim'd the mighty King,
In majesty on high!

Then did the holy creatures sing
His praises through the sky.

All merciful in strength he reigns
Immutable! supreme!

His hand the universe sustains,
He only can redeem.

He is the mighty God alone!
His presence fills the world;
He will for ever reign the one,
Eternal, only Lord!

Almighty, powerful and just!
Thou art my God my friend,
My rock, my refuge and my trust,
On thee my hopes depend.

O! be my guardian whilst I sleep,
For thou didst lend me breath:
And when I wake, my spirit keep,
And save my soul in death.