No. 3. DECEMBER, 1905. Vol. XI.

SOUTH PLACE MAGAZINE

Contenfs PA G E

THE RETURN OF THE JEW....................... . .. 33 F. w . R.

NOTES AND COMMENTS .... . . . .. . . .. ................. 43

CORRESPONDENCE . . . . . . ..... . . . .. ........ .. . ... . .. ... 46

NOTICES . . .. .. ..... . .... . . . ...... . . . . .. ... ..... ....... 47

Monthly, 2d., OR 25.6d . PER A NNUM, POST l"REE.

jLontlon : SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY, FINSBURY, E.C. A. & H. B. BONNER, 1 & 2 TOOK'S COURT, FURNIVAL STREET, E .C .

~Duttr Ilart ®tqiral 'llritt~. -------------................ --------------

South Place Chapel & Institute, Finsbury, E.C· Object of the Society.

" The object of tbe Society is the cultivation of a rational religious sentiment , the study of ethical principles, and the promotion of human welfare, in harmony with advancing knowledge . "

DECEIVIBER, 1905.

The fol/owillg DJ SCO U RSES will be delivered 011 SWlday mOI'Hillgs, Selvice beRimtill11' at 11 .15.

Doeember 3rd.-HE ~BERT BU RR OW S.-" Sa .. th Place as an lnte!!ectual Clearing House. tt

Anthems f I. "Beneath this s tarry arch" (2010.B.) ... 12. "!'repare thyself Zion " (Christmas Oratorio)

H mn I No. 20. " Britam' s first poet " (103 0 .B.) Y s No. 31. " All around us fair with flowe rs" (1620.B.)

Flower. Bac/: .

December 10th.-PRO F. W . H. H UDS O N .-" A n Ancient Book and Its Modern Message ., t

Anthems 11. :: Gentle ,:,igbt, O"descend I " (Calvary) 2. PUgrlm s S ong .. , ... ... ... . ..

H I No . 48. " Life is onward-use it " (315 0 B.) yro ns I No. 60 . " He liveth long, who IIveth well" ' 288 0 .B.)

••. Spa"," . TschaiAowsk i.

Decem ber 17th.- J OH N M. R O B ERTSO N.-" Julian t he Apos ta'te. " Anth ems '1. " Blessed are they tbat are persecuted 11 ... .

11. "Ave Maria" (wi th Vlolinllbbllgato) .. . Hymns \ No. 11 2 . "A dream er dropped a random thougbt "

I No. 94. " H appy they who are Dot weary" (434 O.B.)

Mac/a,,..,, . GOl/nod .-

December 24th .- J O S E PH M c CABE-" T be Evolut io.n of Christ mas ." Anth ems I 1. ., Tbe Stable at Bethlehem" ... ... .. . ... . .. Berlio:

2. " A little ch lid In bulrush ark " ... ... ... ... . .. H ymns I No . 72 . " I heard the bells on Christmas-day"

No. 33. 11 There is a song now singing It

Flow,,'.

December 3ISt.-Mrs. BRAD LAUGH BO NNER.-" I was a stranger, and ye took me n ot in. "

Anthems I 1. . , Ring out wild bells" ... ... . .. 2 " The harbour bay " (Ancient Mariner)

Hymns I No. 77. "Men whose boast it Is that ye" No. 8. "Rise ! fo r the day Is passing"

S UNDA Y SCH OOL .

Trollsstlk J . F . Ba",,'I .

Tbe Children meet a t Armfi eld's HOlel opposite the CHA PEL every Sunday mornin g, a t 11.1 5. and tbtir lesson is given durin g the d ,scourse . IIl ombers and fri ends wishi ng their child ren to att end tbe school are Teques ted to comm un icat e with tbe Secretar ies.

D ecember 3. MR. A. W . W ALL!S ... 10. M R. C. N AJSH . .. II Habit!'! of Fishes." 17. MR. H ANS THER) ... ' 1\ Voyage to China. " 24. School closed .

.. 3'. MR. W . VARIAN ... '· A T alk About Birds." Vi sitors bringing cblldren to tbe Sunday 1I1 0rnl ng services are cordially In vi ted to allow

them to attend the Children 's lesso;cnc.. ______________ __

Visitol's lIIay talle mly Seats vawllt ajter the fi"st A 11 th elll , mId they me illvited tJ obtaill illjol1l1allol/ Hgllldillg the SOoiet)' ill the LibmlY 011 SllIIda), lIIorl/ illgs.

A Colleclioll is made at Ihe close of each Sn'vice to euable Visitols to call tribute to a,e expmses of the Society.

T he Chapel Is lice n s ed fo r Marriages. C),clists des 11 i llg 10 alfmd Ihe Sel vices ale jlljOllllCd tlrat tire Commitlee Irave

lIIade al'l'allgellltllts j ar hOIlS il11: theh' lIIacll11leS ilt lire baselllC1lI. Arrangements can be m ade fo r the conduct 01 Fune ral S er v ices on appllcR.

tlon to the Secretarv.

M E MBERSHIP. "Persons paying for ; I ttin~. in the Society's place of Meetin g for tbe Ume being .re tbereby

consti tuted members of the Society. lI! embers wbo are twenty-one years of age and upward s. whose naf!les ~a ve been twelve months ,upon tb e register, and whose subscriptions for the rh:~~k~. quarter have been paid , shall be qualified to vote and to bold office "-Extract Irolll

SOUTH PLACE MAGAZINE . No. 3. Vo!. XI. DECEMBER, 1905. • d. Monthly.

28. ad per annum, poet frj~

(Tile writers 0/ A"tic/cs appearillg ill this Magazill'b are alOlle respol/,sible tor tile oPilliolls thereill expressed.)

-THE RETURN OF THE JEW .

. ON the 4th of this month the Anglo-Jewish community will '-<:ommence the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Whitehall Conference, the first meeting of which was held under the presidency o[ Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector, on the 4th of December, 1655. * The object of the present article is to give a short account of the proceedings of the Conference and of the events immediately preceding and following it, which led up to the re-settlement of the Jews in this country after their long bani hment under the decree of Edward I in 1290. It is somewhat remarkable, considering the great importance

:and deep interest of the question, that the accounts which have COme down to us even of the Conference itself are meagre and unsati factory, while the steps afterwards taken by Cromwell are involved in still greater obscurity.

The period of the Civil War, by reason of the extraordinary religious excitement which accompanjed the conflict, was one

;peculiarly favourable to the discussion of the retUI"n of the Jews to England. Two or three currents, more or less distinct,

'combined to direct attention to it. The Puritans were wont to seek inspiration from the Old Testament rather than from the New, t and this tendency naturally I d them to look with a favourable eye upon" the chosen people," so much so, indeed, that numerous Judai ing sects are known to have existed. At the ame time, there was a strong movement among the Inde­Rcndents towards religious toleration generally, which, of course, mcluded the Jew within its scope. But there were also the 'curious beliefs of the time as to the near approach of the millen­·nium. Both Christian and Jew believed that this happy time was to be preceded by the dispersal of the Jews throughout ·the whole earth, and, therefore, that the readmission of the Jews to England would be a direct step towards its advent:

* The 4th December, however, is not, strictly speaking, the anni. versary, since the day called 4th December, 1655, O.S., was 14th December, N.S.

, t A good example of this fact is furni shed by "The ,Sodlier' s Pocket BIble," issued to the Parliamentary Army in 1643, which consists of a series of extracts (to" supply the want of the whole, Bible," as stated on ;the title page) taken almost entirely from the Old Testament.

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This provided a ba i on which both parties could cO-9perate_ There wa a difference -of opinion, howc\'er, on one \ljtal point,.. since the Jew had not the remote t intention of accepting Christianity, while the Chri tian believed that thi. was an­es ential preliminary to the millennium. It is not likely that Cromw 11 was to any great xtent influenced by the e _ omewhat my tical doctrine, though, as a practical statesman, he was. I'eady to take advantage. of all the fOl'ces available for the accompli hment of his purpo e. His course wa., doubtless,. mainly determined by such on. ideration. as the advantages to . comm rce of the presence in this cQ.untry of a body of men with the commercial in tinct of the Jews, and the aid which they had given, both financially and in the collection of information, during the truggle with th King.

But whatever may have been the real reason. for the Lord ' Prote tor' policy, he was either influenced by, or made use of, and was certainly in close touch with, a man who was teeped ' to the lips in Mes ianic and MiJlenarian fantasies-Menas eh ben Israel, a leamed Rabbi of Arpsterdam. * The latter' .. thoughts seem to have been fir. t tumed in this direction b}' th· curious and rather" tall" tory o[ on l\lontezinos, who aid that he had met in South America a race of savage who " 'er Israelites of the tribe of Reuben. This tale the traveller had told to Mena . eh ben I raeI, and it had been embodied" in an aHidavit executed under oath before the chiefs of the Amsterdam

ynagogue." After the record had been in his pos e ion 'for fh'e years, Menasseh' attention was redirected to it by some Engli h correspondent. who Jlad been bitten by the" 10 t ten trib s " craze; and he gTadually conceived the idea" that the day of the promised Messiah unto us doth draw near." The Jewish race, according to the prophecies, were to b . scattered from one end of the earth to the other, . and this scattering was to be th precur or of their restoration . l\1ontezinos had hown that they had reached one end of the earth, and it was only necessary for Eng-!and to admit them to enable them to reach the other! Thus was publi hed, in 1650, " The Hope of I rael," dedicated' "To the Parliament, the upreme Court of England," whi h forms the first of the three pamphlets reprinted by \\'olf in the· work referred to . t Thi publication arou ed gceat inter st,

~. The writer desires to express his great indebtedness to "Menasseh. ben Israel's Mission to Oliver CromwelI," by Lucien " rolf. (Published' by MacmiIlan and Co., for the Tewish Historical ociety, '901.) He ha followed this erudite work for the general outline of events, and has aL.O used it as a guide to the original sources, some of which he has ('o'nsulted.

t "The Hope of Israel" was first published in Spanish; soon after in Latin; and then in English. All three editions appeared in 1650 . A second English edition was issued in 1651, and reprinted in 1652. I

is this la t which Wolf ha reproduced.

3S

and provoked much oppOSItIOn. Finally, the excitement died', away and nothing was done.

On the 1st of September, 1654, Manuel Martinez Dormido. brother-in-law. of Menasseh, arrived in this country, accom­panied by the latter's only sun'iving son, Samuel ben Israel. Wolf thinks, and apparently with good reason, that the mission was a continuation of the earlier effort, and "was probably undertaken on the direct im'jtation of Ule Protector," whom he looks upon as "the instigator oL the whole mOvement." Dormido at once presented two petitions to Cromwell, which \vere ,referred with trong commendation to the Council of State. A Committee was appointed to consider them, but one' day, when Cromwell was not present, they made a yerbal report, and the Council "saw no excuse to make any order. " , The Lord Protector 'was not the kind of man to allow the matter to remain in thi po ition; and he accordingly decided to call in the aid of the eminent l\fenasseh ben Israel, who had been invited to England at the time of Dormido's mission, but wa p r uaded by his friends to remain in Amsterdam. He now" however, acceded to Cromwell's proposals, and arri"ed in October, 1655, in London, where he was lodged in the Strand as the ~rotector's honoured gut. t. He at once S t about printing " The Humble Addre ses of Menasseh ben Israel, a Dh'ine, and Doctor of Physic, in behalf of the Jewish Nation . " This pamphlet is the second of tho e printed by \Volf, who thinks that it had been prepared long before, probably in 16SI. It is' a "ery different kind of production from" The Hope of Israel" ; instead of prophetical theories, we are given economic and poli­tical argument. Strange to say, however, the public attitude wa. not thereby made more favourable, but rather the reverse ~ ' those who were willing to receiye the Jews in order to hasten the rulfilment of a supposed prophecy thought it wa, , inrul to , admit them because they would add to the wealth or the nation! But Mena seh stili pre sed forward, and on the 31st October he went to \Vhitehall to present copies of "The Humble Addresses" to the Council of State. Again Cromwell was not present, and the Council simply instructed the clerk to receive the books, and then pa ed to other business. They eyident ly shar cl the anti-Jewi h prejudices of the general public, and' Would do nothing in the matter except when the watchful eye of the mastedul Protector was upon them.

Cromwel1 now took the bu iness definitely under his own charg , and on the 13th November he laid before the Council" the following ,-equest preferred by Menasseh ben Israel on behalf of the Jews :-

1. To take us as citizens under your protection j and for OUI'

greater security to order your chiefs and generals-at-arms to defend us on all occa ions.

2. To allow u public synagogues in England and other place~ under your power, ilnd the exerci e of our religion.

3. To give us a cemetery out of town for quiet interment of our <lead. .

4. To allow us to trade freely as others in all sc·rts of merchandise. 5. To elect a person of quality to receive our passports and pledge

u to wear fidelity, in order that those who come in may live with­.out prejudice or scandal.

6. That we may not trouble the justices of peace with our contests, to licen e the chief of the synagogue, with two almoners, to recon­.cile differences according to the Mosaic law, with right of appeal to the civil law, first depositing the sum in which the party has been ·condemned.

7. To revoke all laws against the Jewish nation that we may live in greater security.

The e granted, we shall always be well affected, and pray for the succe s of all your enterprises. *

Event now moved rapidly . The requests were at once r [erred to a Committee which met the same day. On the next day they reported to the Council that, in their ·opinion, a Conference hould be summoned to assist them in .arriving at a conclusion. The report was adopted, and three members of the Committee appointed to confer with Lawrence, ·the President of the Council, as to the persons to be invited. The following morning the list was presented and approved, t and on the next day after that (16th November) the sum­monses were i sued convening the Conference for the 4th December, 16ss-the memorable day which i to be celebrated by the Jews this year.

As already remarked, we po ess no satisfactory account of the proceeding of the Conference, but some facts are clearly ascertained. \Ve know from the newspapers of the time that 'there were five meetings-on the 4th, 7th, 12th, 14th, and 18th December. t \ 'Vhat happened on the first day is tolerably clear, though the evidence is conflicting. The busine s commenced with the reading of Menasseh' propo als, after which the Pro­tector said ;-

. If more were l?roposed than it was meet should be granted, it lUlght now be considered; (I) Whether It be lawful at all to receive in

* The original document is in French, and is printed in full by Wolf -(po lxxxii). The summary given above is fmm the" Calendar of State Papers (Domestic)," 1655-6, p. 15.

t pace does not admit of the names being set out here. The Con­ference chiefly consisted of Puritan divines, who were evidently looked 'Upon as the most important element; there were also summoned the beads of the three courts of common law, and a sprinkling of City merchants.

~ P"lJli.c~ Intelligencer, 10th, 17th, and 24th December, 1655; Mer­oCurws POI.ltICUS, 5th, 'Jt~, and 20th December, 1655. Wolf mentions ~our meetings only, omlttmg that of the 14th, possibly because the latter lS not recorded by the 1I1crcurius Politicus; it is, however implied in the tatement that the Conference adjourned on Wednesday the l~th till

Friday. ' ,

37

the Jews; (2) If it be lawful, then upon what terms is it meet to re­ceive them?* The Mercurius Politicus implies that the Conference adjourned at this point, for we are told that "nothing was done for the present." It is, however, extremely unlikely that a number of highly placed and busy men. would have been called together merely to hear proposals r()1d with the substance (at least) of which they must have been well acquainted; and the statement is easily accounted fo~ by the prevailing idea that it was" the Ministers" whose opinions were of chief importance. Everything points to the judges having delivered their opinion on the legal question at this sitting. They were Chief Justice Glynne and Chief Baron teele, Lord Chief Justice St. John not having attended. Aocording to Jessey's "NarratiYe " :-

One of the lawyers rehearsed, from records, the history of the Jews in England, and many of their sufferings here in the time of Constantine the Great, and of ome kings before the Conqu!,!st; and then of William the Conqueror's calling them to England, and their sufferings; and other proceedings since that time, until Edward 1's reign, when many thousands of them were urged to leave England, and a great part of them were drowned in the Thames, or in the deep­waters. And, now that they are gone, they wished not their return hither again. Also, the lawyers said, that there is no law that for­bids the Jews' return into England.

Here, as we can now see, though but little importance was attached to it at the time, was the most interesting point of the whole Conference; and yet not one word is recorded a to the grounds of this opinion, which was destined to have such far-reaching effects . Wolf thinks that" it was probably ba ed on the fact that the bani hment in 1290 was an exercise of the royal prerogative in regard to the personal I chattels' oi the K ing, and not an Act of Parliament, and that the force of the decree expired with the death of Edward I." Another writer­speaks of "the decision that the expulsion of 1290 had never­been valid. "t Clearly this is nothing more than a conjecture as to the reasons. vVhat the real grounds were we do not know. At any rate, an opinion had been given which, though not s~rictly of " authority," ince it was not pronounced in a judi­Cial proceeding, came to have the practical force of an authori­tative decision. This is not by any means the only instance in which opinions 'without authority, in the technical sense, and of which no man knows the reasons, have passed into the fabric of our law.

Of the three following meetings there is no detailed record.

*. "A ~arrative of t~e late, Proceedings at yrhitehall" (London, 1656) ; repn~ted In the Har/elan MIscellany, vol. VIl, p. 617. This pamphlet (publIshed al?Onymous~y, but written by Henry Jessey, a member of the Confer~nc~) IS our chief authority. The facts are no doubt accurately Stated In It, but the arrangement is confused.

t "Jewi h Encyclopredia," vol. iv., p. 368.

They were given up to the sermonising of " the Ministers," of which the following from Jessey' "l\ arrative" may erve a a pecimen:-

The most did fear, that if they hould come, many would be se­<luced and cheated by them, and little good would be unto them. Hence, divers of the preachers judged, that though never such -cautions to prevent those evils were prescribed, yet they would not be <ob erved; and therefore they could not consent to their corn ing.

2. The major part judged that there might be uch pledges or sureties, etc., to keep due cautions (viz. against their bla Ilheming Christ, and the Christian religion, and again t seducing, and cheating, etc.) as they may be observed; and then they may come.

3. Some judged, that due cautions warranted by holy Scriptures being observed; it is a duty to yield to their request of coming hither: considering,

I. It is God's will that there be dealing courteously with strangers, and per ons in affliction; Exod. xxiii, 8, 9·

2. Especially respect is to be had to the Jews; 1sa. xiv, 3, 4· Evidently from the moment that the divines commenced to

speak (that is, at the second meeting), Cromwell saw that the general feeling was against him, for the day before the third meeting the Council added three new members, in the hope of redr ing the balance. The hope proved vain, however, for Hugh Peters (one of the new men) greatly impressed the Con­ference by hi denunciation of the Jews. Matters went from l)ad to worse, and presently the merchants began to express fear. of injury to their personal intere ts :-

The merchants said, such an inlet would be to enrich foreigners, and impoveri h English merchants. (Merchants, especially, had -cau ed the Jews' departure from England, whereby some thousands of Jews perished in the Thames, by the cruelty of a shipma ter, that was to transport them; partly otherwise.)

Some judged, seeing the Jews deal chiefly in way of merchandise and not in hu bandry, nor buying houses, nor in manufactures; and the Jews coming, and so trading, might tend to the bringing lower the prices of all sorts of commodities imported; and to the fur­therance of all that have commodities vendibll! to be exported' and to the benefit of most of our manufactures, where they shall live, by their buying of them. And thus though the merchant' gains were somewhat abated, it might tend to the benefit of very many in our nation, even in outward things, besides the hopes of their conver ion; which time, it i hoped, is now at hand, even at the door. (This last wa 'poken of at a more private meeting.) (J essey's " I arrative.") The e conflicting opinions led to private negotiations, and <on the 18th December Jes ey rose to announce the terms of a compromise, which was'" that the J ws hould only b admitted to decayed ports and towns, and that they should pay ' double cu. tom duties on their imports and export . " uch a mon trou proposal, if adopted, would have frustrated Crom­well's main object, which was to encourage trading by Jew in England. Apparently he came to one of hi swift deci ions; the farce . hould end without an opportunity to yote on a pro-

39

.posaJ which the bigotry of Christian ministers and the seJfisl~ fears of Christian merchants would have combined to carry. He ro e to speak.

Ingeniously ignoring the proposed compromise, he began hi s peech with a review of the differences of opinion . revealed by t.he

various speakers. They were, he scornfully -declared a babel of di ­·cordance. He had hoped that the Preachers would have given him

ome clear and practical advice but they had only multiplied his doubt. Protesting that be had no engagements to the Jew " bur what the Scriptures held forth, he insisted that "since there was a promi e of their conversion means must be used to tbat end which was the preaching of the Go pel, and that could not be done unles~

·they were permitted to dwell where the Go pel was preached." Then, turning to the merchants, he harped sarcastically on the accusations they had brought again t the Jews. "You ay they are the meanest a nd most de pised of all people. So be it. But in that case what becomes of your fears? Can you really be afraid that this con­temptible and despi ed people should be able to prevail in trade and -credit over the merchants of England, the noblest and most esteemed merchant of the whole world? " It wa clear he added sharply,

"that no help was to be expected from the Conference, and that he .and the Council would have to take their own course. He hoped he "hould do nothing fooli shly or rashly and he asked now only that the Conference would give him the benefit of their prayers, so that !le might be directed to act for the glory of God and the good of the nation. So saying, he vacated the chair in token that the pro­ceedings were at an end. * It may be interesting to add to the aboye the obviously in ' pi red paragraph whi h appeared in the PublicI? I ntellige/lccr for the 24th December, J655 :-

The Reader i ' to take notice, that hi Highnes at several Meetings, fully heard the opinion of the Minister touching the said propo~al s, ·expre sing himself thereupon with indifference and moderation, as one that de ired only to obtain satisfaction in a matter of 0 high and religious a concernment, there being many glorious promi e re­corded in the holy ScriptuJ"e concerning the calling and conversion of the Jews to the fa ith of Christ. But nothing at all hath been con­cluded touching the point of tbeir admi sion, his Highness pro" ceeding in tbi , as in all other affairs, with good advice. and mature deliberation.

But the break up of th Conference did not end th matter. That body had b en called together to assi. t the Committee of the Council to which Menasseh's request. had been referr d j

and it remained for the Committee to repo:·t. Their report is given in full by Wolf (p. Ixxxiv), and the latter portion ( on­taining the practical conclusions) i. subjoined:-

l. That they be not admitted to have any public Judicatories, Whetber civil or ecclesiastical, which were to grant them term s beyond the condition of strangers.

2. That they be not admitted either to speak or do anything to

* This account of the closing scene has been pieced together by "Volt (p. 1iii ) from various sources.

the defamation or dishonour of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ or of the Christian religion.

3. That they be not permitted to do any work or anything to the­profanation of the Lord' Day or Christian Sabbath.

4. That they be not admitted to have Christians to dwell with them a their servants.

5. That they bear no public office or trust in this commonwealth. 6. That they be not allowed to print anything which in the ·

least opposeth the Christian religion in our language. 7. That so far as may be not suffered to discourage any of their

o\\'n from using or applying themselves to any which may tend to · convince them of their error <.nd turn them to Chri tianity. And that ome evere penalty be imposed upon them who shall apostatise ­from Christianity to Judaism.

I\'othing i known a to the fate of this report. We can hardly suppo e that it was satisfactory to Cromwell, though he· wa doubtless plea ed that it contained no propo als for directly re tricting the comrn rcial activity of the Jews. "Volf adopts a conjecture communicated to him by Dr. Gardiner to the effect that the Protector, foreseeing the difficulties of legislation, and ' determined to proceed with his policy in a more or less uDoffi­cial way, induced the Council to put the matter aside till a more conyenient season . From his standpoint, indeed, there was little reason to enter upon fresh legi !ation. He had the decla­ration of the judges that the Jews could lawfully come into, England; why should he go out of his way to promote legisla­tion which would place a stigma upon them and micrht even , ha\'e resulted in their statutory exclusion? All that was now ,,,anted was to secure their common law right by granting protection from the fury of the mob.

That by some mean or othel- the Jews had become firmly established here between the Whitehall Conference and the fall ' of the Commonwealth is conclusively proved by the Petition presented in 1660 by the City of London to Charles Il, praying for their expulsion. \'Vhat the precise means were can only be surmised, and the following account i based on Wolf's yiew of the probable course of events. To make the narrative ­clear at this point it is nece ary to explain that there had been , for a long time in London a colony of Spanish Jews known · as Marranos, or, more formally, as N uevos Cri tiano. These were Jews, who, to escape the cruelties of the Inquisition in

pain, had pretended to become Christians and had migrated ' to London under that disguise, where they attended mass at the Spanish ambas ador's chapel! Now, however, diplomatic relations were su pended by the war with pain, and the Mar­rano , doubtless, thought the time opportune for asserting their rights. They therefore approached Cromwell, and he appears to have agreed at orne date between the qth and the 28th of January, 1656, to ecure Jewish .... orship in private houses again t molestatio·n. Early in the following March a procla-

mation was issued declaring Spanish merchandise and shipping­to be lawful prize; and this was instantly followed by the de­nunciation of Antonio Rodrigues Robles, a wealthy Marrano, whose house was entered and his goods and papers seized. while, at the same time, the Customs authorities took posses­sion of two ships of his lying in the Thames. TIlese proceed­ings were not ostensibly directed against Robles as a Jew; but since many of the London Jews wel·e of Spanish birth, the­community was in the greatest da.nger, - and there can be little doubt that the proceedings were the outcome of an anti-Jewish conspiracy. Taking this view of the case, Menasseh ben Israel and six others addressed a petition to CromwelI in which they prayed that the privilege of meeting for worship in private houses might be confirmed in writing, and that they might be. allowed to establish a burial ground. This petition, although, referred by CromwelI to the Council, was held back by the Pre id ent, apparently to await the result of the proceedings against Robles . The Jews were till further alarmed at this delay, and Menasseh produced the" Vindicice J udceorum .. (the third of the tracts printed by Wolf), in which he replied to the. malicious charges of ritual murder, etc., which were being cir­culated by pamphleteers. Robles had at the beginning of the proceedings against him, before it was realised that the position of the Jews was involved, addressed a petition to the Protector, in which he relied entirely on the plea that he was Portuguese and not panish. On the appearance of the " Vindicice," ho,,·­ever, he framed another, boldly coming- forward as a Jew, and asking for protection for the afflicted ones who had fled to England from the tortures of the Inquisition. After a long investigation the proceedings ended on the 16th May with an Order of the Council restoring Robles to the possession of the seized property.

No reasons are recorded for this decision, but it wa , no. doubt, intended to lead up to further favours to the Jews. At any rate, on the 26th of June the petition of the Man-anos was before the Council. No note of the result has survived, but it was probably arranged that Cromwell should guarantee to 1l.1~ Jews protection in the exerci e of th o.rdinary rights of CItizens, subject to their ag-reeing " not to assist in an indi cri­minate immigration of their co-religionists, not to obtrude theil~ Worship and ceremonies on the public, not to engage in religiou Controvel·sy, and not to make converts . " Th e were seriou!'l: re trictions, indeed; but it is difficult to blame either Cromwell Or the Jews for coming to such a settlement. Tot even Crom­well could entirely ignore publ ic sentiment, and public sentiment Would not have tolerated the Jew as a full citizen. If restri _ tions had to be imposed, no better way of doing it could be found. The rights of the Jew were based on the law as declared by the judges· the restricl.iOI1S, on the other hand, had no legal

42

basis-they were simply part of an informal understanding which it was com'enient to observe for a time, but which both parties doubtless foresaw would be ignored as public opinion grew more tolerant.

Such a ettlement, though defensible a a measure of prac­tical politics, must have been extremely distasteful to Menasseh. vVhat he had set his heart upon was a formal Proclamation by which the Protector should declare in the face of all the world the right of the Jews to liye freely in England as ordinary c itizen ; and what had been achieyed must have appeared to him as \'ery paltry, and, perhaps, even dishonourable. Wolf thinks that he quarrelled with the Marranos at this time. At any ratc, his history for the short remainder of his life is a . ad one, relieyed only by the efforts of Cromwell to befriend him, which, however, resulted in but little benefit. Towards the end of 1656 he implored the Protector for assistance, add res. in.,. him as " the alone succourer of my life in this land of strangers." Cmmwell gave him £25 and soon after settled ::t pen ion of £roo a year upon him, which, owing to the condi­tion of the national finance, was never paid! In eptembc)', 1657, Menasseh's only surviving son died, and he offered to sur­render his pen ion for a lump sum of £300 to enable him to pay hi . debts here and to takc the body to Holland for burial. 1\t last he a cepted a grant of £,200, but this also was never paid . After a time he got away somehow or other, and arrived in Holland a disappointed and hopeless man . "Two months later Menasseh died of a broken heart at the house of his brother­in-law, Ephraim Abarbanel, in the fifty-third year of his age."

\Volf concludes his essay by discussing how it was that Cromwell's settlement of the Jewish question sur­vived, when nearly all hi work perished in the

,colJapse of 1660. The an wer he gives i twofold . First, the arrangement made by Cromwell, though it contained the seeds of great changes in the future, really for the moment dis­turbed 0 little that it was difficult to make out that there wa!; any ubstantial que tion at all, notwithstanding the frantic appeals which were addressed to Charles II. Secondly, it wa. to Charles's interest to keep on good terms with the Jew., . ince the Stuart cause had been greatly aided by them, though not by the ame Jews who a sisted Cromwell. There is, how­ever, a third reason which wa. probably quite as important. It i. analogous to that which renders public meeting and a free Pre. so much more secure in England than th y are in Conti­nental countrie. In J:he latter th y are usually guaranteed by name in written con titutions, while English law knows nothing­of them, except as part of the common law right of every man 10 mcet hi fellow and communicate his \'iews to him . To ., . uspend the constitutional guarantees" in time of public excitement is a comparatively easy matter, but it i far more

43

1CJ.ifficult to interfere with that which has become woven into the very fibre of the law. So with the rc-admission of the Jews. When monarchy was re-established in 1660, all legislation since the breach between King and Parliament in r642 was treated

..as void. Had there been any statute affecting the Jews, it would, of course, have hared the general fate, ' and even a Proclamation such as Menasseh ben Israel so ardently desired would have been a dangerous instrument to rest the rights of the Jews upon. But the matter had been treated as one of

'Common law; the two judges had declared the right of the Jews to come into England; this had been accepted by Crom­well and the nation generally as the law; and it would have been difficult to disregard it. Victory was secured by the side that stood for the status quo. If legi lation had been required to give the Jew his rights, he would not have g-ot them; as he

'could not be deprived of them without legi lation, he kept them.

F. W. R.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

vVe greatly regret that, owing to pre sure on our space, we ·are compelled to hold over the report of the Soiree on the 6th November, together with the conclusion of F . W. Newman's letter, the first part of which appeared in Our last issue.

In response to numerous requests, the discourse delivered by Mr. Herbert Burrows at South Place Chapel on the 3rd ,September last, entitled" Imagination : Its lise and Abuse," will be published in our next issue.

Tolstoy is, perhaps, the mo t pathetic as well as the most heroic figure in contemporary IiteI'ature; and every serious, well-informed estimate of his character and influence derive .. from its subject a quite singular interest. The Book Molltldy recently quoted a triking study of the great Russian by Dr. Andrew D. \Nhite, who became well acquainted with him whilst American representative at St. Peter burg. "Of .all the distinguished men J have ever met," said Dr. \Vhite, ., Tolstoy seems to me most in need of that enlargement of view, and healthy modification of opinion which come from meeting men and comparing views with them in different lands and llnder different conditions. . . .. Had he lived in any other '~Ountry he would have been ·a power, mighty and permanent, in l~fluenclng its tliought and in directing its policy; as it is, }liS thought will pass mainly as the confused and incoherent "'ail and cry of a giant struggling against the heavy adverse

44

currents in that vast ocean of Russian life j 'The cry of some-· strong swimmer in his agony'."

Of this mental incoherence a curious instance is afforded by Tol toy's hab it of carrying a quantity of small coins in his · pocket, with which to reward the importunities of every beggar he meets. It is part of his simple faith, that when asked for money one ought to give it j and when Dr. White argued that indiscriminate aIm giving is wrong, Tolstoy replied with amaz­ing ingenuousness "that the results of our actions in such cases are not the main thing, but that the cultivation of proper feelings in the giver is first to be considered." Was ever a noble nature more strangely perverted by a creed?

The mistaken zeal of the Christian missionary in forcing European modes of life on natives to whom they are quite un-· suited has been the subject of more than one comment in these · pages. In the course of a paper on " The Native Problem," contributed to the Positivist Review for October, Miss A. vVerner gravely condemns the results of this indiscretion in Natal. Comparing unfavourably the missionary-inspired I Kaffir's wattle-and-daub house and second-hand European gar­ments, with the grass hut and simpler fashions of his unre­generate neighbour, she records her protest in these temperate words :-

" I do not mean that the grass hut is not susceptible of improvement, but the hut and the habits of life which belong to it have been slowly evolved through generations, and are better fitted to the climate and to the people than any European fashions adopted ready-made can be. The hygiene of clothes · and dwellings is a difficult enough matter to get put in practice in England; the difficulty is enormously increased if we take· people who, ignorant as they are, have arrived by experience at a few traditional rules which they can understand, and plunge them into totally new conditions. "

The Rationalist Press As ociation is making strenuous efforts to raise the £250 required for its Platform Fund. A large sum has already been reali ed, and a further £50 i condi­tionally promised. To obtain the balance, a shilling subscrip­tion list ha been opened. vVe trust that it will meet with a hearty response, and that the organi ers wilI be enabled to supplement the valuable courses of lectures already arranged by many others in London and the provinces. Subscriptions should' be sent to the Secretary at 5 and 6, Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, KC.

Professor Haeckel's recent lectures on the Churches and' Darwinism have been tran lated by Mr. Joseph McCabe, and· are being issued by Messrs . A. Owen and Co. , under the title,.

45

." Last Words on Evolution." A life of the author is also lIT

·;the press, and may be expected early in 1906.

To the R.P.A. sixpenny reprints have lately been added a .revised edition of Mr. Edward Clodd's historicaj and critical study, " Jesus of Nazareth," and Mr. Salter's notahle work en­titled" Ethical Religion." Messrs. Watts and Co. are al. 0

'issuing, at the same price, an edition of Mr. Chilperic Edwards's book, "The Witness of Assyria;· or, -the Bible Contrasted with the Monuments."

The Times announces that Mr. Fisher Unwin is preparing, in two illustl'ated volumes, a new work by Mr. George Jacob Holyoake-" A History of Co-operation: Its Literature and its Advocates." Mr. Holyoake (as readers of the Times are re­minded) alone remains of the Social Missionaries appointed in 1841 to explain Robert Owen's "system," which established

· Co-operation as a practical and permanent movement in 1844, with the Rochdale Pioneers.

Discussing the promised debate at Newcastle between Mr. John M. Robertson and Mr. Samuel Storey on the relative advantages of Free Trade and Protection, the TVestminster Ga::;ette pays a tribute to the powers of the former disputant.

" Mr. Robertson," runs the passage, " is regarded by many of those who have heard him as quite the most efficient debater in a contest of this kind that is now to be found. He has had something of the same kind of experience as made the late Charles Bradlaugb so formIdable on the platform, having encountered many antagonists on all manner of sUbjects. Though his style may be less rhetOrically effective than that of Mr. Storey, in the close play of argument about a subject that he has studied thoroughly well he is a man whom few would care to -encounter."

The death of Lady Florence Dixie evoked from the Press a · chorus of liberal if discriminate prai e for her fearlessness and warmth of heart, as well as for her tumultuous talents. Justice Wa done to her trenuous advocacy of freedom for women, her hatred of all oppr ssion and fiery denunciation of blood sports. But, for the most part, her heterodoxy in religion was ignored, Or hinted at as an eccentricity. Disbelief, a commonplace of the intellectual world, i not even yet sufficiently respectable to be mentioned in the daily new papers, though no such veto is placed on immorality and crime.

The spirited action of the teachers and scholars at Coombe Hill School in rescuing from its tormentors the dying quarry of the now notorious" Westerham Deer Hunt," of NovembeJ'

· 7 th, has aroused much indignant sympathy, both local and .general. Miss Clarke, the principal of the school, has received

many letters of congratulation from unknown correspondents iIb. various parts of the land; and there seems reason to hope that the public conscience has been stirred to a fuller realisation of the cruelties of blood sports. To these results, undoubtedly, Mr. John M. Robertson's vigorous but admirably impartial' report of the occurrence in the columns of the Daily News has materially contributed. Our readers will echo the spirit of the following resolution which was passed by the Sports Com- · mittee of the Humanitarian League:-

11 That we desire to express our admiration of the courageous pro. test .made by .the ladies of Coombe Hill School, Westerham, against the overbearing intrusion of followers of the Surrey Stag Hunt on their private grounds, and we hope that the example thus set of showing personal disapproval of the brutalities of stag-hunting may be widely followed."

Admirers of Mr. Gould-and there are probably few readers of the l\Iaga zine who would not include themselves in that cate­got'y- will be greatly interested in the following paragraph from the Literary Guide for October :-

" Mr. F. ]. Gould has become a convert to Positivism, and, under the title of 'The Religion that Fulfils,' he is about to issue, through the Rationalist Press Association, a brief exposi­tion of the teachings and method of Comte."

CORRESPONDENCE.

To THE EDITOR.

Dear Sir,-Last Monday, :yfr. J. M. Robertson , peaking to us of the great value and deep permanent interest attaching to Dc Conway's "Lessons for the Day," and the excellent work he put into them, ex­pres ed the hope that our Society would see the benefit which a pocket edition of the same would confer on the present generation of readers, and on those who come after us. This valuable sugges­tion , conn·ected with the occasion of our reception of Dr. Conway's bust, makes me think thi s is a fitting moment to say in your pages what I have long wished to ay. My experience teaches me that anything in a pamphlet form is sure to be ephemeral , and the volumes. in which these lectures (or many of them) are bound at present are somewhat bulky. When, some years ago, I purchased a great num­ber of the ' Lessons," to have them bound for my own use, I found that at least one, and that one of the most intere ting was not to be obtained. I have since discovered that "Idols and Ideals" is also out of print.

I feel very strongly that the more carefully these works are studied the more their inestimable value and importance for the present and future is discernible. They are a mine, which the more it IS worked the richer are the ores which it yields. They arc a wen of water springing up to baptise the diligent reader in treams of life and love, which are" for the healing of the nations." V.le could not, I

47

am, sure, better show our own appreciation of Dr. Conway, or more­wisely fulfil the duty we owe to the present and future Freethinker~, than by agreeing upon some plan which will ensure the wider di­semination of these rich treasures of thought and wisdom among those who had not the supreme privilege of hearing them delivered. Verb. sap. sat.-Yours truly,

loth November. ROBERT BRAITHWAITE . .

To THE EDITOR. Dear Sir,-I do not understand \Yh at objection Mr. Ever 'hed or

])1". Darby can reasonably take to the leafiet, "Freethought and the Peace Movement," which you so kindly permitted to be sent out with the October issue of tbe 1Iagazine.

There is not the slighte t de ire on the part of those re pon ible for the leafiet to deprive the Peace Society of a ingle member who would be likely to join it, but there is a very strong desire to ir.duce unattached Freethinkers who believe in the morality of "peace," rather than the promised" sword," to join ome organisation for the promo. tion of international arbitration and international peace. Singly. uch 1; reethinkers can do little or nothing; a:: members of a trong

Society, they cau do a great deal to influence the course of event. Rule II of the Peace Society reads as follows ;.-"Th<;; objects of tbis Society shall be to print and circulate tracts,

and to diffu e information tending to show that 'Alar is inconsistent with the pirit of Chri tianity and tbe true interest of mankind; and to point out the means be t calculated to maintain permanent and universal Peace. upon the ba -i of Chri tian principle."

Such a rule effectually clo es the door to Freethinkers like myself, who have yet to learn that tbepirit of Chri stianity L inconistent with war, or that at any time in the bistory of the wor~d Cbristian principle have ever conduced to peace.

To say tbat the rules of the Society are antiquated, and are of less importance than tbe actual policy and practice of the leader. may be quit~ true, but the suggestion such a statement convey would hardly be an encouragement to me to "enter at the door held open .... in so cordial a manner by Dr. Darby."

The International Arbitration and Peace As ociation carries on ih peace propaganda on the basis of reason. and does not concern it5elf with Christian, Buddhist, or any other religious principles, and I can assure Freethinkers, from my own per onal c.xperience, that they will find the Chairman, Mr. Felix :-Ioschele. , and the Secretary, Mr. J. F. Green, no less" cordial" than DJ". Darby.

I shou ld be glad to send copies of the leafiet in question to anyone who carcs to make use of thcm.-Yours truly,

HYJ>ATIA BRADLA1"CH BO:\":\"ER. :!3 Streathbournc Road, Upper Tooting, S.\~.

NOTICES.

. Members of .the South Place Ethical Society who may wish to help 10 any part of Its work, are cordially invited to place themselves in Communication with the Secretaries of the sub·eommittees havin g charge of the activities in which they are interested.

The Sunday Shakspere Society.-Passmore Edwards Settlement, Tavistock Place, W.C., Sunday, 17th December, 1905, at 6.30 p.m. , •• The Comedy of Errors."

Monthly Soiree· -The usual monthly soiree will tal,e place on Monday, 4th December, from 7 to 10. There will be exhibits of musical instruments, glees by the South Place Glee Party, experiments on " Sound," and a Paper by Miss Swepstone with pianoforte illustrations.

Tuesday Evening Lectures.-The concluding Lectures of the second Course on "Germany and German Literature" will be de· livered in December. Mr. W. B. Forster Bovill, M.A., will lecture on the 5th on "Novalis and the Romantic School"; and on the 12th on "The Evolution of the German Nove!." Commence at 7.30. Free Admission, with Collection.

Discnssions.- On Wednesday, December 13th, at 8, Mr. F. W. Alien will open a discussion on " Physical Degeneration." This meet­ing is to be held in coujunction with the London Sociological Society, and will take place at the Compositors' Hall, St. Bride Street, Ludgate Circus, E.C. Admission Free.

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS. Secolld L ist of Subscribers, Volume XI (to November 19th, 1905) :-

Brown, Frederic Harrison, L. C. Smith, Miss E. Cogar, R. Hood, P. H. Sworn, Mrs. Crossfield, Henry Johns, C. H. Townley, Miss M.A. Delve, Dr. Alfred (2) Jones, A. L. Troup, Miss E. Jose-Evershed, F. Parsons, Mrs. T. B. phine Fenton, W . H. Reiss,l\dolf Wiltshire, Miss Hallam, W. Reyiiolds, W. J. (2) Young, Mrs. Hardcastle, Miss Scudamore, Mrs.

New Members.-Mrs. Biddle, 8! Angel Court, Throgmorton Street, E.C.

Miss Mathieu, 16 Gwendwr Road, West Kensington, W. Removals.-Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey, to Hill Park Cottage, Pilgrims

Way, Westerham, Kent. Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Martin, to 87 Lady Margaret Road, Tufnell

Park, N. To Correspondents. -All articles, correspondence, or other matter

Ior the Magazine should be addressed to the Editor, South Place Institute, Finsbury, E.C., or 65 Harley Road, Harlesden , N. W. , and should reach him not later than the 15th of the month. The Editor will be glad to insert letters on subjects of general interest to the readers of the Magazine, but correspondents are requested to condense their remarks as much as possible. All communications should be written on one side of the paper only. It is desired that articles and letters be signed.

The SOUTH PLACE MAGAZINE is published for the Committee by A. and H. B. Bonner. 1 and 2 Took's Court, Chancery Lane. It is for 'sale in the Library of South Place Chapel, and also on the bookstalls of the following Ethical Societies; The West London, at Kensington Town Hall; The South London, at the Masonic Hall, Camberwell; .and The Streatham and Brixton Ethical Institute, at Carlton Hall, Tunstall Road, Brixton.

Printed by A BO""ER, I & 2 Took's Court, Furnlval Street, London, ~.C.

Sitting. may be obtained upon application in the Library, or to Mrs. HAROLD SEYLER, loa Featherstone Buildings, Holborn, W.C., Hon. Registrar of Members and Associates, prices varying from 19. to JQS. per quarter. Persons under 21 are char&red half the usual rates.

ASSOCIATES. Persolls residing .t a distance, and who are unable to attend the services regularly, may

become Associates of tbe Society upon payment of an annual Subscription of 59. with tbe privileRe 01 receiving all the current publications of the Society. Subscriptions may be paid In the Library or to the Hon. Registrar of Members and Associates at above address.

LEN DING LIBRARY. The Lending Library Is open free to Members of tb e Society and Season Ticket Holders

on Sunday mornings before and after the Services. Associates and Non·Members of tbe Society may under cenain condition. be granted the u"e of the Library upon payment of a SUbscription of .s. 6d . per annum. The new Catalogue including a supplement for ]904, is now on sale. price 6d., interleaved copies .lld. Subscriptions towards the purcbase "nd repaIr of books are invited.

H L'b . 1 Miss MARY RAWLINGS. 406 Mare Street, Hackney, N.E. 011. , ,nUn"l \VAt.LIS MANSFORD, Cherry Tree Court, 53 Aldersgate Street, E .C.

SOIREE.

The MOllthly &:>tree will take place on Monday, December 4tb, and will be a special Musical Evening. Exbibits of Musical Instruments. Paper by Miss Swepstone, wltb Pianoforte llIustratlocs. Bxperiment5 OD 11 Sound," Glee. by tbe Soutb Place Glee Party.

HOlt and bostess for tbe evening, Mr . Bnd Mrs. P. Tall.

7 to ]0. Tea and Coffee.

Adm isslon,6d. Ho,,-. Sec., Mrs. C. V. DavsnALE, 5' Bullingbam Mansions, W.

TUESDAY EVENING LECTURES .

The Second Course on U Germany and German Literature" will be conti nued, Dec. 5.-W. B. FORSTER BOVILL. M.A ...... Novalis and tbe Romantic Scbool."

., ... -W. B. FORSTItR BO\,ILL, M.A ...... Tbe Evolution oftbe German Novel." Commence at 7.30. Admission free. Collection.

Hoft. Sec., J. HALL"", ]8 St. Mark's Crescent, ~gent's Park, N.W.

DISCUSSION SOCIETY.

Wednesday, Dec. ]3tb, Rp. ,,,, JoInt Meeting of tbe LONnoN SOCtOLOGICAL SOCIETY and SOUT" PLACit D'SCUS"ON St>CII!T~. This meeling to be held al the Composito ,s' Hall. St. Bridt St,tet, Llldgate CircllS , E.C. Subject: .. Pbysical Deterloratlon."-Mr. F. W. ALLItN.

Admission free.

SUNDAY POPULAR CONCERTS.

Tbe TWENTIETH SEASON will be continued every Sunday evening. except Dec. 24th and 3]St.

Tbe following are tbe arrangements for December, '0 far as at present made :-Dec. 3. III,t"""",lali,I, : Miss Margaret ~ild, Messrs. Jobn Saunders, Ernest Yonge,

and George Yates. VOCalISt: Mr. Reglnald Davidson. Accompanist: Mr. Hermann Grunebaum. Tbe Programme will include Hermann Goetz' Quintet In C minor, and Scbubert's .. Trout" Qui ntet for Piano, Violin, Viola, Violoncelio, and Double Bass.

.. ]0. SPECIAL VOCAL CONCERT. V~caljsts: The Folk·Song Quartet. MIss Beatrlce Spencer. Miss Florence Cbrlsti •. Mr. Louis Godfrey. anO Mr. Foxton Ferguson. Solo Pia7lojo,·tt: Mr. Percy Gralnger. Violin: Miss 1I1arion Scott. A ccomp. ,,;st : Miss Dorotby Wood. Tbe Programme will include W alford Davies' Six Past orals for Four Volc •• , Violin. and Piano; Wahbew's Tbree Vocal Quartet. (accompanIed by t, e Composer); and Pianoforte Solos to be played by Mr. Percy Gralnger.

" '1. I"slrumenlnlisIJ-Pianojorlt: Miss Evelyn Stuart. Oboe: Mr. W . M. Malsch. Horn: Mr. A .. Borsdorf. Vocalist: . Tbe Programme will Include tbe TrIOS by Relnecke and Edltb Swe.stone for Piaro, Oboe, aDd Horn.

n ;:: t No Concerts .

. Doors open at 6.,~ I'.m, Concerts at 7. Admission free with Collection. Transferable Ttckets 2 •• 6d. admitting to tbe Reserved Seats eve .. Sunday to Dec. ]7tb inclusive. o Tbe Report of tbe ]gtb Season may be bad on application. Committee Meetings on

ecember 3rd and I71b, at 6 p,p!. Runctually. _ Hon . Treas., FftO\NK A. HAWK'"S, 13 Tburlo .. Park Rd., West Norwood, S .E . H Ull . Sec., ALPRED J. CLEMENTS, 25 Camden.Roacl, N.W.

ORCHESTRA . Ho". COlld"cto.: T. EVSTACE BARRALET.

The NINTH SEASON will continue on Friday evenings (except Dec. 22nd aDd 29th) when Practices w!!l be held from 7 to 9 p.m. For further particulars see special clrcu)ar to he bad OD application.

The Subscription for tbe Season is 105. Ladies or gentlemen wishing to join the orchestra are requested to send tbeir names to tbe

Hall. Sec., A. 1. CLEMENTS,'5 Camden Road, N.W.

Ri\.MBLERS' DANCES. The Rambiers ' Dances will be beld at Armfield's Hotei, Soutb Place, Finsbury, E.C., on

tbe toHowing dates: Dec. 2nd and 16tb, 1905. Dancing, 7 to 10.30. Eac.1l dance 2S. Tbe New Year Dance will be beld at Cnpplegate Inslitute, Golden Lane, E.C., on Satur-

day, 130 6tb, 1906. Dancing 7 to 11.30. Hon. Sec., H. M. FhlRIIA.LL, 8, Scarborough Road, Stroud Green, N.

PU BLICATlONS. The jo/lowtllg alllollgs1 olher plthliralious M 'e 0" s,r/e ilL the LiMnry:

"Dr. Conway's Autobiography, Memones, and Experiences." '2 Vols. 30s.

,. Farewell Discourses," by Dr. CONWAY; IS . .. Centenary History of South Place," by Dr. CONWAV; Is.6d (redJced price). <l Workers on their Industries "; IS. lid . &( ReligIolls Systems of the World "; 45 . .. National Life and Thought "; '25.6d. to British Empire 11 (Sunday Afternoon Free Lecll1l es). 5 vols . Crown Bvo, with Maps,

Charts. etc. 4s.6d each volllme . "The Religion of Woman: An Historical Study," by IOSEPH MCCAOE,2S. The Reprints, etc" of the Rationalist Press Association, are afso on sate, price 4id.

Tbe GENERAL COMMITTEE will meet on Tbursday, Dec. 7th. Correspondence dealing witb mallers for consideration should be forwarded 10 the Secretary at tbe earliest possible 1D0ment. All poatters relatin~ 10 finance should be addressed to the Treasurer.

HONORARY OFFICERS. l"tt1sII"': W. RAWLINGS, 406 Mare Street, Hackney, N ,E. SUYllm)': Mrs. C. FJ .. K'rCHER SMITH, loa FeatherSlone Buildings, Halborn, w.e.

ReglStrnr Dj Mtwbtts mICI AlSocifltts: Mrs. HAROLO SEVLER. ton FeatbersloQe BUildings, Holborn, w .e.

Editor aj Mngflz'"'' F. 'V. READ, 65 Har1ey Road, Harlesden, N W. Lib.nrinlls JMIss MARY RAWLINGS, 406 Mare Street, Haclmey, N.E.

(WALLIS MANsFoRn. Cherry Tree Court. 53 Alders~ate Street, E.C. '1 I W. RAWLINGS, 406 Mare Street. Hacl<ney. N.E.

Rt.I,", <lillll Fm,rl T'flsl,es 11. R. CARTER, CourtJield, Ross Road, Wailington, SlII'rey.

10"N ALnRRu. I. R. CARTER. E. CUNNtNGHAM. Dr. A. DELVE. Dr. C. V. DItYSOALE. C. E . FAIRIIALI .. W. HALLIOAV .

~u\ldlng Concert .. Decoration , Discussion ... House Institute

Publication!; MagaZine .. Music Rambies Season Ticket Soiree Sunday School Sunday Services

GENERAl- COMMITTEE L. C HARRISON. F. W. READ . G. KUTTNER . JULIAN RONEV . T. ROOD LAWSON. Mrs. H. ~EYLER . Mrs. LIDSTONE. B. SVMONS. F. M. OVERY. W. C. WADE. Miss RAWLtNGS. E. WILLIAMS. W. RAWLINGS. THEO. R. WRIGHT.

Secreflll LeS of S"h·COIll1l1illee.<. C . R . BRACE .• 6 Belbune Road. Slamlord Hill. N. ALfRED I. CLE.MI·:NTS, 25 Camden Road, N.W. Miss E. HARRINGTON. 22 Gasco,ne Rd., S. Hackney, N.E. W C. WADE 107 En~le6eJd Roarl, Canonbury. N. ~Its. LtnSTONE. 96 OlaeJ(slock Rood. Finsbury Park. N.

J W. SHEOWIUNG, 4'2 Osbaldeslon Road, Stoke Newillgton, N. IT. HAl.LAM, IS Sl. f\lark's Crescel1t, Regent's Park. N.W.

E. WII,LIAM', I' l\!eynell Crescent.~ . Hackney, N.E. 1\1155 K. J A"RETT. t8 Meyneil Crescent. Sonth Hackney, N E. AOOLF REISS '5 Wlllsbire Road. Br\,ton. S.W.

! Mrs. BLACKOURN, 22 G.sroyne Rd , S. Hacknev. N.E. ) Miss USHERwoon. 57 New Filiebrook Rd., Leytonstone. WALt.IS MANSFOltD, Cherry TreeCourl, 53 Alrlersgale Slreet, E.C. I\Irs. C. V. DnVSDAL&. 51 Buliingbam Mansions, W

! MISS F. A. LAW, 59 Montpelier Rd., Peckbam, S.E. 1 A. W. WALLIS, '2(, Linzee Road, HorDsey, N,

W. RAWLINGS, 406 Mare Street, Hackney, N.E.

Organist H . SMITH W&BSTER, 6g Brecknoek Road, N. The .Building is to be let fer Meetings, etc. Forms of application may he had

of the Caretaker, It South Place. E.C.; and when filled up should be sent to Mr. N. Lid8tone, 96 Blackstock ROAd. Fin.bury Park. N.