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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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th ^ y took the advice a very eminent equity barrister , who advised them to resist the application of Jews , and at once apply to the Lord Chancellor , as Keeper of the Great Seal . Such were the facts laid -before
him , ( unworthy as he was to hold the very high situation , which for seventeen years he had enjoyed by the favour of the Sovereign , ) and he would now give his final judgment . The letters patent of Edward VI . founded this school , in which , as in
all the grammar-schools founded by thai lamented and pious young monarch , great pains were to be taken to instruct the youth in the principles of the Christian religion . It was , as it seemed to him , impossible to say that this monarch could have
contemplated , Jews as the objects of this bounty . No one could say this ; and how could it be said that the Acts for regulating the Charity could be intended to vary the objects of it ? " I hope / ' said his Lordship , " that
the day will never arrive , when the teachers of our charity or our public schools , or in fact any persons professing to teach others , will forget that the beings whom , though children , they are appointed to teach , are creatures destined to eternal bliss
or everlasting wretchedness ; and sure I am , that in my most important situation , I do best discharge my duty , by pointing out to all who come under my charge , whether young or old , that they are beings destined for immortality , and bound as such to act
as the candidates for that high and eternal fame . Let parents , let teachers unite in this important cause , let them teach their children 1 o lock up to Almighty God as their God and Guardian , then , sure I am , our Criminal Code would not be polluted by the hideous list we have so often cause
to deplore . " It was proper always to bear in mind that this school was originally founded by Edward VL as a grammarschool . He believed that in all such schools , great pains were taken to educate the youth in the doctrines and
principles of the Christian religion ; indeed , he himself remembered the time when , in some part * , at least , the ] boys at grammar-schools were attended to church on Sundays by the masters , No w > as to the practice at
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this school , there \ yere various affidavits on both sides . The first , in support of the application , was that of Michael Joseph , a Jew , who stated that he had two sods and . seven daughters , all born in Bedford ; that both his sons had beeu admitted inio
the Charity-school , the eldest having attended the writing-school , and the youngest both the writing and the grammar-school ; that his two eldest daughters were married , and that they had both received the marriage portion of poor virgins . It appeared from this deponent ' s affidavit , that no
Jew had ever been admitted into the hospital or alms-houses * There were also the affidavits of Joseph Lyon , Godfrey Levi , and several other persons * to the saineeffect ^ and the result of all thejr testimony was , that as far back as thirty years ago , a few of these children had been admitted into
the school , but that none of the Jewish persuasion had ever participated in the benefit of any other parts of the Charity . The first affidavit on the other side was that of Dr . Bryan ( we believe ) the master of the grammarschool . He stated , ^ hat each boy attending the grammar-school was
taught the Latin language , and that when he had made some progress in the study of Latin he began to learn Greek ; that in studying the latter language , the Greek Testament was the book chiefly read till the boys had acquired considerable proficiency in the language , and that every boy in the school was instructed in the
Christian religion . He said , that op his appointment in 1811 , he found Nathan Joseph , the son of Michael Joseph , at the school ; that the said Nathan Joseph learned only the grammar of the Latin language , was not more than a year at the school , and
attended both the writing and grammar-schools ; that he was required to dispense with this boy ' s attendance at morning and evening prayers , it being contrary to his religion to join in Christian worship ; that he was
also required to dispense with his attendance every Saturday , that being the Jewish Sabbath ; and that he complained of the boy ' s frequent absence to his father , who said it w&s necessary © i > account of liis being of the Jewish faith . The next affidavit was that of the writing-master , who
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Intelligence * - —Bedford Charity . x 581
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VOJL . XIV- 4 H
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1819, page 581, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1776/page/57/
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