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(Continued
from previous issue)
We
adverted in our last briefly to the laying of the corner stone of the
above institution, and then promised to give some farther particulars in
our present number. We accordingly redeem our promise, and make the
following extracts from the Birmingham Journal of August 12th,
which has been sent to us no doubt as containing the official account of
the proceedings:
Wednesday,
the 9th of August, the imposing and interesting ceremony took
place on the occasion of laying the first stone of a Hebrew national
school for the benefit of the Israelite children of this town, whose
parents are not able to provide the accommodation and learning in those
schools already in existence in other parts of the country. The origin
of the design to erect the school was not unlike many very valuable
undertakings, apparently more the result of accident than of that
organization which exists amongst our brethren of the Hebrew community.
A few gentlemen having met by chance, a remark was made by one of them,
that it was a pity that a school was not in existence for the Hebrew
children, who seemed to be wandering about entirely at the mercy of
circumstances, without any means of having their ideas properly formed;
the gentleman who made the remark, added, as a proof of his sincerity,
that he would at once give 10l. a year towards the support of a
school: The offer was responded to by another tender of 10l. a
year, and was soon followed by others, which left little doubt that the
project only required to be made known to the body generally to insure
the necessary means for its completion. The design having been
communicated to the leading gentlemen of the body, it received their
prompt approval, and the services of Dr. Raphall as head master having
been secured, the undertaking was proceeded with. A piece of ground
suitable for the building was purchased in Lower Hurst Street, and
Wednesday last was fixed for laying the first stone. The Baron de
Rothschild and other influential members of the body were invited to
attend the ceremony, and all most cheerfully consented to give their
patronage and support to the undertaking. The day fixed for the ceremony
was most inauspicious, it having rained from an early hour in the
morning nearly throughout the entire day, with the exception of a short
interval, which enabled the procession to walk from the Synagogue to
Hurst Street, and the ceremony to be completed without interruption. At
two o'clock, the members of the Synagogue; and a great number of
gentlemen of nearly all religious denominations, assembled in the house
of worship in Severn Street, where divine service was performed by the
Rev. J. Barnett, London; the Rev. D. A. de Sola, minister of the Spanish
and Portuguese Jews' Synagogue, London; the Rev. I. L. Lindenthal,
reader of the New Synagogue, London; the Rev. Dr. Raphall, preacher, and
the Rev. L. Chapman, reader of the Synagogue, Birmingham. The music was
composed and conducted by Mr. M. Moss, from the Synagogue, St. Helens,
who was accompanied by a band of choristers from the same place.
Sir
Moses Montefiore occupied a pew in front of the ark, attended by Messrs.
Cohen. The boys were seated before him, and on each side the
congregation and visitors. Amongst whom we noticed the Mayor, H.
Luckcock, Esq., John Green, Esq., Dr. Melson, the Rev. H. Hutton, Mr. G.
V. Blunt, and a great many more of the most respectable gentlemen of the
town.
Appropriate
ceremonies and prayers constituted the services at the Synagogue, at the
conclusion of which a procession, headed by Sir Moses Montefiore, the
Mayor, several magistrates, and other authorities of the town, proceeded
to the site of the intended building. The procession entered the ground
about four o'clock, when Dr. Raphall offered up a short and impressive
prayer, invoking the divine blessing on the work which they were about
to commence; after which the Rev. Dr. addressed the assembly as follows:
The
occasion which had brought them together that day was not in itself a
religious work, but though not prescribed by any set form of prayer, it
was, nevertheless, in itself of so devout a character, and its
consequences of such great importance, that he trusted there was no one
then present that did not raise his heart to the great and merciful
Father of the universe, to the supreme and munificent Disposer of
events, to give Him thanks for having witnessed this great day. If they
looked back not many years, and remembered that there was a time when
the house of Israel, instead of coming before their brother gentiles,
soliciting their presence in their synagogues, and opening schools, the
inspection of which were free to all men—if they remembered that the
time was not far distant when, without any fault on their parts, such
was the current of prejudice that ran against them, that they were
obliged to conceal instead of to publish; and if they now looked around
them, and saw the hundreds and thousands of friendly spectators, who had
assembled to share their ceremonies, to wish success to their
undertaking, and to cheer them in every attempt that they made to
ameliorate the condition of their people, and the condition of mankind;
when they reflected on this, were they not bound, every Israelite and
every gentile, to give thanks to the great Father of mercy that had
brought them together that day? The building which they were about to
raise, and which had drawn many of their brethren from London, that
building was one of no ordinary nature. It was intended for the training
of the children of Hebrews in the fear of the God of their fathers, to
make them useful citizens, worthy men, loyal subjects, and honourable
members of society; it was intended to enable them to take that station
which providence had assigned to them amongst the nations of the earth;
it was intended to enable them, by their virtues and by their knowledge,
to occupy that position which was promised to them in their holy law.
"Verily, this great people is a wise and understanding
nation." Such was the purpose for which they had that day
assembled, and for which their distinguished brother, the great advocate
of the cause of Israel; he who stood before kings and quailed not—he
who had made emperors listen to the voice of justice; who had made even
an eastern despot hearken to the voice of reason and the dictates of
humanity and right: that distinguished friend of his race, and of
mankind, had deigned to come amongst them, to sanction by his presence
the great work of that day. Let all them who stood around, and listened
to his feeble voice, with one accord join heart and hand to support that
great work. May all (continued the reverend gentleman) feel as I do,
that we are children of the same God; that one Father had created us.
May you all, as I do, acknowledge that religion and virtue are the
universal blessings of mankind, and that they ought not to be confined
to sect or lineage, but that even as our heavenly Father lets the sun
shine to illumine the world, even so you acknowledge that virtue and
religion ought to unite all mankind in one bond of sacred brotherhood. I
will not long detain you, but call upon you at once to join in returning
our heartfelt thanks to Him who has enabled us to reach this day, who
has permitted Israelite and gentile to assemble on one ground, to give
praises to his holy name, and sanction by his presence a building in
which his laws, morality, and will, shall be promulgated to generations
yet unborn. It is not for ourselves only that we look to this building,
but for our children, and children's children, and their offspring, who,
hundreds of years hence, will have cause to bless this great work which
we have this day begun: May his grace support us! May his blessing
strengthen us! May it be his will to lead us in that path which is
pointed out in his holy law—that path which leads to happiness and
bliss hereafter. Amen.
The
address of the reverend doctor was listened to with the utmost
attention; after which Mr. Levison, the honorary secretary of the new
institution, then read the inscription on the plate previous to its
being deposited beneath the stone.
Sir
Moses Montefiore then came forward, and a silver trowel, bearing a
suitable inscription, having been placed in his hand, he proceeded to
adjust the stone with the usual formalities; the choir, during this part
of the proceedings, singing one of the psalms appointed for the
occasion. Sir Moses Montefiore then said—
Ladies
and Gentlemen—We have this day, with due ceremony and solemn prayer,
laid the foundation stone of a building now to be raised, and hereafter
to be dedicated to the instruction of our youth in the principles of our
most holy religion, and in all the sciences and arts fitted to render
them useful members of society, good citizens, and loyal subjects. If
ever there was a time when knowledge could be withheld from the people,
that time has passed away—happily, for ever. Not only do the natural
cravings of the mind lead it after knowledge, but the circumstances of
the time, and all parties and sects, join in enforcing the divine
precept, "that it is not good for the soul to be without
knowledge." It is, therefore, not only in obedience to the divine
command that we determine to raise this building, but in compliance with
the wishes and feelings of mankind. I trust that we shall all live to
see this building completed. [Here Sir Moses became so deeply affected,
that he could not proceed for some minutes.] Gentlemen (he continued) I
wish it was in my power to express what I feel on the present occasion.
The few words which I intended to say, I regret to find myself unable to
address to you. I regret that I cannot do so; my feelings overpower me,
and I shall conclude. I have stated to you the purpose for which this
building is to be erected; and I can only thank you most sincerely for
the kindness exhibited by you, Mr. Mayor, and by you gentlemen all; and
I shall ever feel myself bound in gratitude to you for the sanction you
have bestowed on our undertaking this day.
The
Rev. D. M. Isaacs, Liverpool, then offered up an appropriate prayer for
all those who had assisted in the undertaking, particularly Sir Moses
Montefiore, who had devoted himself to the cause of the people of God
under the most trying and discouraging circumstances. He earnestly
prayed that the Almighty might give his blessing to the work they had
begun; that through it the name of the great God of Israel might be made
known, honoured, and worshipped by his people; that all prejudice and
ill feeling towards his brethren being removed, they might dwell in
harmony and peace with their friends throughout the world, and enjoy
those rights and privileges to which, in common with their fellow-men,
they considered themselves entitled. He, in conclusion, most humbly
prayed God, that as in the days of yore He supported, and delivered, and
comforted, his people, so He would continue still to do; until the name
of Israel became throughout the world the watchword for civil and
religious liberty.
The
ceremony was then closed by the choir singing a psalm, accompanied by a
seraphine, supplied by Mr. Bates, Colmore Row. Sir Moses Montefiore and
his lady and party immediately left the ground in their carriages, and
it was noon cleared. As we have before observed; there was no rain
during the performance of the ceremony, although in a short, time after
it fell in torrents.
At
six o'clock in the afternoon a dinner followed, as usual upon all public
meetings in England, which was presided over by the Mayor, and attended
by many highly respectable Christian gentlemen, as well as Jews.
Donations for the benefit of the school amounting to more than four
hundred pounds were announced, and some excellent speeches were made by
several of the guests and members of the congregation; we remark
especially Mr. Levisson., Mr. D. W. Wire, Sir Moses Montefiore, the
Mayor, Mr. Goldsmid, Dr. Lowe, Mr. Lindenthal, Mr. Barnet, Dr. Raphall,
Mr. Smith, Mr. J. Phillips, &c.; but our limits will not allow us to
copy any more than those of Rev. D. M. Isaacs and Dr. Melson, the latter of whom is a
magistrate of Birmingham, and even these two addresses we are
reluctantly compelled to postpone
till
our next number. |
