The Jews and Their Institutions

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ...synagogues. It is not however clear when they were first instituted; most prohably in the time of Ezra, after their return from Babylonish captivity. During that period, being destitute of a temple, and deprived of public religious services, they were wont to meet together for prayer and praise, and reading the scriptures, see Ezek. xiv--1. xx--1. Nehem. vin--18. When they returned to their own land, it is not improbable but they continued the same means of grace. They were doubtless aware, that all their calamities had befallen them by reason of their sins, and as sin and iniquity prevail in proportion to the neglect or ignorance of God's word, these synagogues appear to have been set up for the purpose of instructing the people, by preaching and reading God's word, as well as for public prayer and praise. These synagogues were exceedingly numerous, for wherever there were ten persons of sufficient age it would appear they had a synagogue. Nor were they confined to the country and villages, since Josephus informs us, that before the destruction of Jerusalem they amounted to no less than four hundred and eighty within its walls. From the book of the Acts, and the Apostolic epistles, we find that wherever any Jews resided they had one or more synagogues. From a passage in the gospels, Luke vn--5, we gather that it was considered a mark of piety to have erected one of these houses, which were generally built on an elevated situation. Their only furniture consisted of a table, as a rest for the book of the law, and a chest to contain it when not in use. The seats were so disposed that the congregation always faced the elders, who read or explained the word of God; the seat of the elders therefore was the chief in the synagogue, which in our...