114 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 



Monday, March 16, 1891.— Rev. E. O. Dyer, of South 

 Braintree, lectured on "The Modern Jew." Mr. Dyer 

 gave first an outline sketch of the Jews since the time of 

 Christ, their dreadful slaughter under the Roman emper- 

 ors and bitter persecutions in mediaeval times by the so- 

 called Christian nations; second, of their emancipation 

 which began with the enfranchisement in England in 1753, 

 and of the effects of this emancipation making the Jew in 

 many respects the leader of the world. 



He spoke of their great increase in wealth. The Jews 

 are the bankers of the world ; some kinds of business are 

 almost wholly controlled by them. Reference was made to 

 their commercial ascendancy in New York, their promi- 

 nence in politics and in education in Europe. 



Pantheistic philosophy and German rationalism owe 

 their origin to the writings of Spinoza. 



The Jews were allies of Christianity and Mr. Dyer spoke 

 at some length on the modern persecution of them in Rus- 

 sia which had the effect of driving them from that country ; 

 also of their return to Palestine and said there were more 

 Jews in the Holy Land to-day than returned from the 

 Babylonian captivity ; that there was a patriotic longing 

 of the people to occupy once more the land of their fath- 

 ers ; in conclusion, that the Jews' part in history had not 

 been played yet, and made reference to the rise of the 

 Jews in modern times, having a bearing on the inspiration 

 of the Scriptures and the interpretation of prophecy. 

 Whatever view we take, more and more the attention of 

 the world will be drawn to Israel. 



Monday, March 23, 1891.— -Mrs. Clara Erskine Clem- 

 ent Waters, of Boston, gave a very interesting lecture on 

 "Dravidian Architecture." 



The country formerly known as Dravida is now the 



