not be of the Jewish faith. Two of these must watch every night in the watch-house which belongs to the ground, from half an hour before sunset until six o'clock in the morning, in the summer, and until seven o'clock in winter. The keeper of the ground is to see that no corpse be buried or grave made without an order to that effect from, and signed by the President of the Synagogue, and countersigned by the overseers of the Burial Society, and should he, at any time, transgress the law, in either case he is dismissed from his situation, and deemed ever after ineligible to be reinstated therein. He is also to see that the graves are dug according to the prescribed measurement; and also to keep a register of all the interments, and make a monthly return of the same to the Secretary of the Synagogue, for every omission of which he is liable to a certain penalty. If he neglects to fulfil his duties, or otherwise to conduct himself improperly, the President of the Synagogue has the power to suspend him from his situation until the same be submitted to a general meeting, which must take place within fourteen days after such suspension.

When a burial-ground happens to be filled, and no other plot can conveniently be had, the surface is raised three feet by carrying in a sufficient quantity of fresh earth. This being done, the ground is made in rows as before, and interments re-commenced.

IV. The expenses of the Burial Society are raised by the congregation, according to the following rule :-Every member, married and unmarried, whether a privileged member or not, from the age of eighteen years and upwards, is considered a member of the Burial Society, and must pay an annual rate of six shillings to the

society, and also eight shillings to the burial-ground. Every Cohen has to pay two shillings per annum in addition to the above rates, on account of their being deemed ineligible to serve any office of the Burial Society. The wives of members who pay an annual rate of two guineas and upwards for their seats, and also widows and female orphans above the age of twentyone, must pay the sum of five shillings per annum to the Ladies' Society.

From what has been said our reader will readily perceive that the Burial Society is under the control of the President of the Synagogue. In virtue of his office in the latter, he is also, for the time being, the President of the other, and nothing can transpire without his consent. The two Chazanim, the Shamas, and the Secretary of the Synagogue, as also the Shamas of the Society itself, are considered members of the Burial Society without paying the annual rates.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SABBATH.

WE need not, probably, inform our reader that the Jewish Sabbath is held on Saturday. We have already mentioned that it also commences at a different hour from that of the Christian: instead of commencing at twelve o'clock on Friday night and ending at the same hour on Saturday night, the Jews begin their Sabbath about sunset on Friday, and end it about the same time on Saturday. Thus, they reckon their day from evening to evening, according to the mode of expression in Gen. i. 5, &c.-" And the evening and the morning were the first day." In summer, however, the Sabbath is never commenced later than seven o'clock.

Some time before Sabbath comes in, it is expected that every Jew and Jewess leave off their daily occupation, and prepare themselves to receive the holy day. Bathing and cleansing themselves are incumbent upon all. The males are now to remove their beard, which few, however, wear in England. This, however, is notdone in the common way, as it is not lawful for them to use

a razor, according to the comment they put upon Lev. xix. 27. Some make use of an instrument not unlike a scissors, and others a kind of ointment offensive to the smell, which, without great care, takes off the skin as well as the beard. When duly prepared and the time arrives, it is the duty of the male portion to repair to Synagogue, and join the service, as explained in a previous chapter. The females are also busily engaged from an early hour in cleansing the house, preparing the Sabbath meals, and putting everything into proper order, prior to the return of the males from Synagogue. When the master of the house comes in he finds all in order the Sabbath table spread, and the lamp or candles lit. At this time it is the duty of the children to ask their parent's blessing. The father lays his hands upon their heads, repeating to each son, God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh;" and to each daughter, "God make thee as Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.”

The family then join in a Sabbath hymn. This is founded on the idea that they are visited by angels on the Sabbath-day, who never quit the dwelling till the Sabbath is over. The words are as follow:

"Peace be unto you, ye ministering angels-ye messengers of the Most High, from the supreme King of kings-holy and blessed is he.-(Three times.) May your coming be in peace, ye messengers of peace—ye messengers of the Most High, from the supreme King of kings!-holy and blessed is he.-(Three times.) Bless me in peace, ye messengers of peace-ye messengers of the Most High, from the supreme King of kings: -holy and blessed is he.-(Three times.) May your departure be in peace, ye messengers of peace-ye mes

sengers of the Most High, from the supreme King of kings!-holy and blessed is he.”—(Three times.)

"For he shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee in all thy ways. The Lord shall guard thy going out and thy coming in from henceforth, and for evermore."

After this, as a lesson of instruction to the female portion of the family, and especially the wife, the thirtyfirst chapter of Proverbs, from the tenth verse until the end of the chapter, is to be read.

Next comes the sanctification of the Sabbath, towards the performance of which two things-now laying on the table—are requisite, viz., bread and wine. These two are considered consecrated; therefore they are prepared differently to common bread and wine.

We have seen, in a previous chapter, that it is the duty of every Jewess to prepare this bread with her own hands, as also how she offers a portion of the dough, and repeats the blessing. It must be baked on the Friday, and in the afternoon, when laying out the Sabbath table, two loaves are set upon it, which must be completely covered with a white clean napkin. This is done to commemorate the manna in the wilderness, which did not descend on the Sabbath, but a double portion was gathered on Friday, and was found between two sheets of dew-Exod. xvi. The loaves are of an oblong shape, made of fine flour, having also sprinkled on the top a quantity of poppy seed. On account of their form they are commonly called twists; the proper name, however, is Chaloth (bn), in reference to the holy bread in the Tabernacle, Lev. xxix. 5-9; the very term made use of by the sacred writer.