200
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. VIIL SEPT. 7, 1901.
daughter of Alfred the Great? If Godfrey,
Defender of the Christians in the Holy War,
is intended for the celebrated Godfrey, Duke
de Bouillon, he should surely be a contem-
porary of Harlowen, and not his great-great-
grandfather.
Again Charles, Duke of Engleheim, can hardly be intended for Charlemagne s son Charles, King of Germany, who died s.p. in 811, and it is hardly reasonable to suppose that Charlemagne had two sons both named Charles. Information on, or confirmation of, these points will be gratefully received.
Since writing the above I have found a reference among my notes to the effect that Planche's 'The Conqueror and his Com- panions' may contain further information. Can any reader kindly consult it for me? CHAS. A. BERNAU.
Selwood, Churchfields, Weybridge.
BEVIS MARKS SYNAGOGUE
BICENTENARY. (Concluded from p. 180.)
WHILE the Jews have shown themselves to be so thorough in the matter of elementary education, they have not been neglectful of the higher forms. When the founding of University College, on unsectarian principles, was mooted, and success was still doubtful, Sir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid at once gave the necessary impetus by promptly acquiring the desired site in Gower Street. This he did " at his own risk and that of two colleagues, Mr. John Smith and Mr. Benjamin Stow, whom he persuaded to join in the responsi- bility " (University College Report, 1859). In addition to largely availing themselves of the College, the Jews have an important college of their own. It was founded in 1856, and the new building in Queen Square was opened last year. Here ministers and teachers are trained. The institution is under the presidency of the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Adler, the principal being M. Fried- lander, Ph.D. Eleven scholarships have been founded, the oldest being "The Lord Mayor's Commemoration Scholarship," established to commemorate " the appointment in 1856 of a gentleman of the Jewish faith to the office of Lord Mayor of London."
The institution contains an important library, to which valuable additions are constantly being made. Only recently Dr. Lowy's collection was presented. This is especially rich in philological works ; it also contains a number of pamphlets touching on the internal history of Jewish communi- ties. The following suggestive subjects were included in last year's debates of the Union
Society: 'That the Pulpit is more Potent
than the Press ' ; ' That the Present Output
of Magazine Literature is Detrimental to the
Interests of the Future ' ; * That Discontent
is an Essential Part of Progress.'
Dr. Friedlander, in his work on ' The Jewish Religion,' makes reference to the erroneous opinion " that commerce is more congenial to Judaism than handicraft." He states that " in our Law no trace of such preference is notice- able : on the contrary, agriculture was the principal occupation of the Israelites. In the choice of nis occupation the Jew is like all his fellow-men influenced by his inclinations, capabilities, and opportunities."
Dr. Friedlander also makes the following reference to usury :
"Denunciations are sometimes levelled against the Jews on account of the misdeeds of some indi- viduals as cruel usurers. Those non-Jews who would take the trouble of thoroughly studying Jews and Judaism would soon discover the error and the baselessness of such denunciations. Judaism has never sanctioned usury, but, on the contrary, always condemned it."
" The Jewish religion is void of every visible symbol," and Dr. Friedlander states that the so-called " magen-david (the double triangle) is probably not of Jewish origin, and has no connexion with our holy religion." In most synagogues there is a " continual lamp " burn- ing. It is a Biblical institution, but only designed for the Sanctuary. Its presence in the synagogue is comparatively of modern date. The ner tamid of the Sanctuary, how- ever, is explained to be a lamp burning "from evening to morning" (Exod. xxvii. 21).
The Ark, or Holy Ark, in almost all modern synagogues in places west of Jerusalem occupies the middle of the east side of the synagogue. When the Talmud was composed the entrance was from the east, and the Ark, which was to represent the Most Holy, was in the west. The worshippers consequently stood during prayer with their faces towards the west. This it seems was a protest against sun worship. When sun worship had ceased, probably after the destruction of the second Temple, the national .grief and hope found expression in the custom of praying towards the Sanctuary in Jerusalem. Hence the Jews who live west of Jerusalem stand during prayer with the face towards the east, while those east of Jerusalem turn westward.
In addition to the public synagogues there are in London, as formerly in Jerusalem, " the meeting-places of God," where if ten worshippers are present service may be held. While Judaism is full of ceremonial obser- vances, its teaching is that " the right conduct of every-day life transcends in importance
