thought must have been contempt, and all he wanted was quietness and protection in his own

pursuits. What concern had he with those petty squabbles, ambitions, or designs, which agitated

the turbulent populace in those Grecian cities? What cared he for their popular meetings and

noisy discussions? The recognition of the fact that, as Jews, they were strangers in a strange

land, made them so loyal to the ruling powers, and procured them the protection of kings and

Cæsars. But it also roused the hatred of the populace.

That such should have been the case, and these widely scattered members have been united in

one body, is a unique fact in history. Its only true explanation must be sought in a higher Divine

impulse. The links which bound them together were: a common creed, a common life, a

common centre, and a common hope.

Wherever the Jew sojourned, or however he might differ from his brethren, Monotheism, the

Divine mission of Moses, and the authority of the Old Testament, were equally to all

unquestioned articles of belief. It may well have been that the Hellenistic Jew, living in the midst

of a hostile, curious, and scurrilous population, did not care to exhibit over his house and

doorposts, at the right of the entrance, the Mezuzah,12 which enclosed the folded parchment

that, on twenty-two lines, bore the words from Deut. iv. 4-9 and xi. 13-21, or to call attention

by their breadth to the Tephillin,13 or phylacteries on his left arm and forehead, or even to make

observable the Tsitsith,14 or fringes on the borders of his garments.15 Perhaps, indeed, all these

observances may at that time not have been deemed incumbent on every Jew.16 At any rate, we

do not find mention of them in heathen writers. Similarly, they could easily keep out of view, or

they may not have had conveniences for, their prescribed purifications. But in every place, as

we have abundant evidence, where there were at least ten Batlanim - male householders who

had leisure to give themselves to regular attendance - they had, from ancient times,17 one, and, if

possible, more Synagogues.18 Where there was no Synagogue there was at least a

Proseuche,19 20 open sky, after the form of a theatre, generally outside the town, near a river or

the sea, for the sake of lustrations. These, as we know from classical writers, were well known

to the heathen, and even frequented by them. Their Sabbath observance, their fasting on

Thursdays, their Day of Atonement, their laws relating to food, and their pilgrimages to

Jerusalem - all found sympathisers among Judaising Gentiles.21 They even watched to see, how

the Sabbath lamp was kindled, and the solemn prayers spoken which marked the beginning of

the Sabbath.22 But to the Jew the Synagogue was the bond of union throughout the world.

There, on Sabbath and feast days they met to read, from the same Lectionary, the same

Scripture-lessons which their brethren read throughout the world, and to say, in the words of

the same liturgy, their common prayers, catching echoes of the gorgeous Temple-services in

Jerusalem. The heathen must have been struck with awe as they listened, and watched in the

gloom of the Synagogue the mysterious light at the far curtained end, where the sacred oracles

were reverently kept, wrapped in costly coverings. Here the stranger Jew also would find