Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS.

Dec. 25.-We were permitted, for the first time, to celebrate Christmas in the Holy City. I felt it to be a very great privilege to spend this sacred season in this spot, so near the birth-place of the Saviour of the human race, and I felt particularly thankful to a kind and gracious Providence, that all the members of my family were in the enjoyment of perfect health, and which is also the case with all the members of our Mission, except Mr. Tartakover, whose eyes are in great danger. Our church had been embellished the previous day by Mrs. Alexander and the young ladies of the house. The communion was administered; and there were five clergymen present besides the Bishop. The Rev. Mr. Blackburn preached from Isaiah lx. 1, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." In the afternoon I preached in German. It was a most happy day; and we, of course, thought of, and prayed for, our friends in distant lands. The deplorable condition of God's ancient people who have rejected Him, who came to them as to His own, struck me more than ever during this day.

VISIT FROM R. ELIEZER.

Dec. 26.-This morning Rabbi Eliezer called on me. I had not seen him since he left my room. I saw him enter my house with feelings not easy to be described ; -I saw that man, who, in the face of the chief and most learned rabbies of his community, confessed that he believed in Jesus Christ, that this was his firm conviction, to which he had come not rashly, but by a diligent search of the Scriptures for more than seven years; that man who boldly challenged them to show him from Scripture that he was in the wrong; that man moreover who at first resisted the entreaties of many

of his friends, and of his own wife, and yet a short time after returned home. I made him sit down; and he told me his history in the following words :-" My convictions are the saine as ever, they have never been shaken. You remember, when we were all three under your roof, Benjamin gave way to the persuasions of his brother, and left us. I, of course, felt very sorry for this; but my convictions remained the same; and I was also convinced that he could not, and would not, in his state of mind, remain among the Jews. You soon after fell sick, we felt lonely, and left your house to go to Mr. Simeon's. Here the Jews constantly assailed me, and worked upon my feelings. They also brought my wife, who said, that my eldest child was continually calling out for 'papa.' I was very much attached to this child and I returned home for the sole purpose of arranging my affairs, and then to come out and bring my child with me: but the Lord's thoughts are not like our thoughts. A few days after my return home the child fell sick; and after a short time God removed her from me, a heavy affliction, which cast me down very much, and made me unfit at that time to take any further steps. In the meanwhile, Benjamin and Rabbi Abraham had left their home, and gone to Mr. Nicolayson's; I promised them both, by word of mouth, and through friends, that as soon as I had adjusted my affairs I would join them; to my great surprise, however, they returned home before I could do so, you know what has happened since. know, also, that they have promised not to speak to each other, nor either to me or you. I was also asked to do the same, but have refused; nor did I take on myself the penance which they proposed to me, and to which the two others consented. I told them repeatedly, that I was as determined as ever I had been. I have not seen Rabbi Abraham since, but I frequently see and speak to Rabbi Benjamin; neither of us can remain among the Jews, we shall (D.V.) soon come and join you." I most seriously and affectionately exhorted

You

him to consider well what he was about, and repeated what I had told him on former occasions, to pray for strength from above; to which he replied, that he did so; and that they had made up their minds to come out in about four weeks. May the Lord make the way clear before these two rabbies, may he give them power against the assaults of their spiritual enemies, and enable them to count all things but loss to gain Christ!

Dec. 28.-We have had a heavy fall of rain, which commenced last night and continued the greater part of to-day. In the afternoon I went to a Jew in a market-place, who, on former occasions, has always received me in a friendly manner, and permitted me to sit down in his shop to speak to Jews who passed by ; but to-day he refused to speak to me. On my asking the reason of this change in his behaviour, an old Jew informed me, that the rabbies had prohibited the younger Jews from conversing with me.

WANT OF AN ASYLUM FOR CONVERTS.

I have thus given all the details of my proceedings here during the first year of our establishment, which give an insight into our connexion with the Jews in the Holy City. There is certainly the working of the Spirit visible amongst the dry bones of Israel, and I doubt not that the day will soon come when several will join us. The question how is, Are we prepared to receive them? All the German Jews residing in this place, without a single exception, are maintained by the contributions of their brethren. Is the Church of Christ prepared to do what the synagogue has done for them? We ought to have some Institution here, where we might receive inquiring Jews. I trust and believe that the Lord will provide for them such an asylum.

Jerusalem and its immediate vicinity is perfectly tranquil, and the disturbances in the mountains do

not affect us here; the distress which prevailed almost among all classes, on account of the scarcity of water, has now abated, as we have had some rain. The pilgrims are beginning to pour from all quarters into the Holy City, which gives a lively appearance to the otherwise deserted streets.

PROPOSED JEWISH HOSPITAL.

January, 1843.-The news, that the English Jews are about to establish a hospital for their brethren in Jerusalem, has caused a great sensation here; and the praise of the generous Sir Moses Montefiore, who is said to be the principal mover in this laudable undertaking, is in the mouth of every Jew.

This morning I went to Mr. Tartakover, when he told me that his sight was nearly gone: I can feel for him. I must say he bears his affliction with Christian-like submission, being persuaded that all things must work together for good to those who love God.

HEBRON.

Jan. 5, 1843.-The Bishop having resolved upon paying a visit to the Jews of Hebron, and inviting me to accompany him, I packed up a number of tracts, New Testaments, and other books. We determined to spend the day and night at Bethlehem. Mrs. Alexander, with part of her family, and several friends, with myself, set out about twelve o'clock, and reached Bethlehem at two.

The road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was formerly in a very bad condition, but about six months ago the Greeks undertook to repair it; and now it is so much improved, that a carriage might easily go from the former to the latter place.

CHRISTMAS-EVE AT BETHLEHEM.

On arriving at Bethlehem, we found the Superior of the Armenian Convent waiting outside to receive our Bishop and his party. He conducted us to the convent, where three comfortable rooms had been prepared for us. Refreshments were soon handed round, and afterwards a dinner was served. Thousands of pilgrims arrived, to be present at the service of the night (it happening to be the Greek Christmaseve), and the place around the convent reminded me of an European fair. Tents were pitched and stalls erected, where the weary pilgrims could purchase something to satisfy their hunger, and quench their thirst. But the fine large church built by Queen Helena, and a short time ago repaired by the Greeks, was the great place of resort for most of the pilgrims. Here we saw groups of them assembled, some smoking, some playing at cards, some eating and

« EdellinenJatka »