ue,
also in Duke's Place, was built in the year 1691, and occupied until
1790, when the present edifice was erected. This is called the Great
Synagogue. The New Synagogue, as it is denominated, in Great St. Helens,
is a very elegant and ornamental structure. The interior is very
beautiful. In so dark and dolorous a neighbourhood you are not prepared
for anything so fine. Very liberally must these ancient people have
subscribed for the fitting worship of their God. From the ground spring
up pillars highly decorated, and in the side are windows of a rich
arabesque pattern in stained glass. The ceiling is semi-dome with
octagonal coffers containing gilded flowers upon an azure ground; and the
pavement, which is of polished marble, forms a perfect circle. The
ministers of the Great Synagogue were considered the leading ones. It is
not so now. Dr. Adler is the head rabbi. He has been long in office,
and is universally esteemed by Christians as well as Jews. He is an old
man, and as his English is that of a foreigner it is clear that in his
public addresses you get an inadequate idea of his talents or
attainments. This remark applied to most of the Jewish ministers in
London. They were foreigners, and in speaking English did not succeed
much better than we do when we attempt to speak German or French. Now
two-thirds of the Jewish ministers are English.

Very far back in English history we find the people whose descendants
have taken possession of Houndsditch and all around, and turned it into a
Jewish colony. More or less they have always been with us. In
Anglo-Saxon times we seem to have had a fair sprinkling of them. After
the Conquest they arrived here in great numbers. By William Rufus they
were especially favoured, and Henry I. conferred on them a charter of
privileges. They were enabled to claim in courts of law the repayment of
any money lent by them as easily as Christians, and while the latter were
forbidden to charge any interest on their loans, there was no restriction
in this respect put upon the Jews. At this time, doubtless, they laid
the foundation of their subsequent wealth. The sovereign rather
encouraged them, as the richer they were the more gold could be forced
from them--and with our earlier as well as with many of our later kings,
gold was a commodity always in request. During the former part of the
reign of King John (A.D. 1199-1216) they seemed to have gained the favour
of that m