158 THE FRENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



worthy of every consideration. The Council of Boston 

 on November 24, 1687, granted liberty "to the French Con- 

 gregation to meete in the Latine Schoolhouse at Boston as 

 desired." This Latin School was the beginning of the 

 educational system in Boston, and gave the name of 

 Schoolhouse Lane to what is now School Street. In the 

 old schoolhouse, which stood just southeast of the present 

 King's Chapel, the French Church continued to worship 

 for nearly thirty years. At least ten years earlier than 

 this there was an effort made to build a suitable ' ' tem- 

 Proposed -nle," as we learn from the Massachusetts Archives where 



Temple -•■ ' 



are preserved the Minutes of Council. Under date of 

 1704 January 12, 1704 is this record : 



Upon a Representation made by Mr. Daill6 Minister and the Elders 

 of the French Protestant Church in Boston That his late Majesty, King 

 William, had bestowed on them Eighty-three pounds to be Imploy'd 

 towards building them a House for the Publick Worship of God, set- 

 ting forth, That they have purchased a piece of laud in Schoolhouse 

 Lane in Boston for that use, Prayiug to be licensed to aske and receive 

 the Benevolence of well-disposed persons that shall be willing to en- 

 courage so pious a worke to assist them in said Building : Advised 

 that License be accordingly granted and the moneys thereby collected 

 to be put into the hands of Simeon Stoddard Esqr and to be applyed 

 for the use afores'd and no other. And the House when built to be 

 forever continued and improved for religious worship. 



II 



Permission While tlic Couucil cousentcd, the selectmen refused 



their permission to build at this time, renewing however 

 the "offer of the free liberty to meet in the new school- 

 house," which, they said, was "sufficient for a far larger 

 number of persons" than that composing the congrega- 

 tion. Mr. Julien thinks it may fairly be surmised that 

 this refusal was based upon a feeling that the Huguenot 

 custom of observing Christmas and like festival days, to- 

 gether with the fact that the congregation spoke a 

 foreign tongue, seemed to justify to their Puritan neigh- 

 bours a measure of restraint. This is not unlikely in 



Refused 



