LETTER XXVII.

A SABBATH AMONGST THE JEWS.

St. Mary's Axe The Jews in London-Anecdote of Rothschild-Rich as Jews-Synagogues in the City-Great St. Helen's-Interior of the Building-Hebrew Services-A Pharisaic Friend-Charity of the JewsStanding evidence of the truth of Christianity.

LONDON, AUGUST 16, 1851.

My first Sunday in London was spent amongst the Good Samaritans, that is to say, in the Female Penitentiary and the Field Lane Ragged School, both of which institutions are supported by that Samaritan benevolence which knows neither sect nor party; our second, amongst the Puritan Pilgrims of Union Street, Southwark, and in the Bunhill Fields' burying grounds, where repose the early fathers and the most distinguished divines of the Independents. In former letters, I have described the interesting occurrences of those days. Our first Sabbath, (not Sunday,) was spent amongst that still more ancient people of God, the Jews, in St. Mary's Axe. This is a part of London, near the Minories, which is the principal seat of Hebrew trade, and where are the two greatest Synagogues in the city. Why that region is called St. Mary's Axe, I know not; doubtless some event transpired

in it connected with the bloody Queen Mary's Axe, with

which the heads of so many Protestants were cut off; but I never knew before that she had been canonized by the Pope, and become a titular Saint on account of it. In the Tower I saw the identical axe, and felt the edge of it, with which the head of Queen Anne Boleyn was severed from her beautiful body, and with which other political and religious martyrs were executed; and as this is near by the district of St. Mary's Axe, perhaps this name is in honor of that instrument.

The Jews, by the awful decree of God, oppressed all over the world, are not very numerous, but some are very rich, in London. They are "as rich as Jews." There are about eighteen thousand of them in the city. They preserve their identity as a people with wonderful and sacred success. There is no admixture of Gentile blood not a drop amongst them. What they were in Abraham's day, they are now -men and women of noble forms, of raven hair, of black eyes, of brunette skins, and scythe-shaped noses. From their infancy they are all taught the Hebrew language; this they speak and read alike in every part of the world; and the languages of the nations amongst whom they are scattered, are always the acquired, never the original, languages of their families. They read from right to left, and all their service is in the Hebrew language, which is the sacred language; as that of the Roman Catholics is in Latin, which is the most universal language among the learned.

The Jews were banished from England in 1291; but about two hundred years ago, during the Commonwealth, when Oliver Cromwell, the Pur tan, was Protector, Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel, a Jew of great learning in Amsterdam, petitioned Cromwell to allow his exiled brethren to

return. By the tacit, though not formal, consent of Cromwell, the Jews did return, and from that time have maintained their privileges in England. Nearly all civil disabilities are now removed from them. Jews have been High Sheriffs of London, Aldermen of the city, &c. They are not yet, however, allowed to be law-givers of the Kingdom; but this matter has lately excited much favorable discussion, and is in a fair way of being soon settled. The People of London, maugre the test Act, have elected a Jew, Baron Lionel-de-Rothschild, to a seat in Parliament, which seat he cannot take unless he swears to support the Christian religion, (which he will not do,) or until the Test Act is repealed. By the way, I heard an anecdote related of Rothschild and his election in London, which is too good to be omitted in this place. After his election, he met and feasted the People on one of the great Parks in London, during which festivities he took the stand and made a speech in favor of the largest religious and civil liberty. "I, fellow subjects," said he, "have been elected to a seat in the British Parliament; I go because the people have preferred me," "And so they did Barrabas!" exclaimed a cruel Christian voice from the dense mass of human beings before him. It was an "unkind cut," and it is said the newly elected, but yet unseated M. P felt it very severely.

Some of the London Jews are very wealthy—the richest merchants and bankers in the Kingdom. Their Stock Exchange exercises a vast influence and almost controls the Government. Hence, on Saturdays, (the Jewish Sabbaths,) and Pentecost and other Festivals, there is a very great slackness in almost all sorts of business in London. The Rothschilds have several Banking Houses, in Europe, as

in London, Frankfort, Vienna, Naples, Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid. The amount of capital employed by this family is estimated at one hundred and thirty millions of dollars. The richest one is the Baron Anselm-de-Rothschild, who resides in Frankfort. His private fortune is said to be nearly forty million. The firm gives annually fifty thousand dollars for the support and comfort of their poor Hebrew brethren. Next to the Rothschilds, Sir Isaac Goldsmid, is supposed to be the richest man in England. I do not know what he is worth; but he has a fortune in Portugal alone that yields him an annual interest of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The two brothers Solomons own the most shipping of any house in London. Moses & Son have the largest clothing establishment in England. They fill thirteen extensive warehouses. The capital employed is gigantic. The Messrs. Hyam have a clothing establishment about as large. The yearly sum they pay to tailoress girls and other help is one million of dollars, which is distributed amongst six thousand hands employed.

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These rich Jews have magnificent palaces in the western part of London- the Court end of the Queen herself does not live in higher style. Sir Moses Montefiere, has his elegant garden near the Kensington Gardens, where Kent, the Queen's father, lived, and before the death of her uncle King William IV., whilst she was yet only Princess Victoria, she used to borrow his keys and walk about the grounds attached to this Jew's mansion, with her mother, the Duchess of Kent. Victoria loved the old Jew and is very tolerant towards the Hebrew people. This same Sir Moses has built and now supports a Syna

gogue at his country seat down at Ramsgate, on the English Channel.

There are, I believe, twelve Synagogues in London, the most splendid of which is the new one on Great St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, a most elegant and ornamental structure. Here is where the Rothschilds worship. Jesus said to his disciples "be not ye called Rabbi," but these are called Rabbi - Rabbi, and occupy the chief seats.

My third Sabbath (Jewish) in London was spent in this Synagogue. Leaving our lodgings on Swinton street in the morning, I went down the City Road to the General Post office on St. Martin's-le-Grand, and thence proceeded along Cheapside, Cornhill, and Leaden-Hall streets to St. Mary's Axe, with which great St. Helen's is connected. Here I found the New Synagogue. It is a marble edifice. I entered, and attempted to pass up the gallery stairs, but was instantly headed by a door-keeper of the house of God, who politely informed me that the females were in the gallery and it was not lawful for gentlemen to ascend the stairs. He conducted me to the body of the house, on entering which my eyes were dazzled with a richness I never saw before. I almost doubt whether Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem exceeded this for splendor. The sculptured marble columns, resting upon the ground, arose to support the gallery floor, and thence ascended to the base of the third story of the edifice, which being narrower than the main building, admitted a row of stained glass arches which surmounted the capitals of the huge columns. All the seats for worshippers on the main floor, were under the galleries on both sides, and consisted of elegant long sofas, the tiers rising one above the other, and all looking