able village, exceedingly fruitful. Here a colony of laborious, enterprising, and pious families could easily settle. The whole village is almost entirely inhabited by Greeks, Armenians, and Roman Catholics. There are very few Mahometans. If permission were previously obtained from the local government, the Christians would sell to the new comers both fields and houses

without difficulty. No Jew is permitted to live at Bethlehem, nor even to visit the place. In the cool of the evening we left the hospitable Bishop of Bethlehem.

TRINITY SUNDAY.

May 15.-This day was one of joy to our small congregation on Mount Zion, on account of the public reception, by holy baptism, of Ducat, and his wife and child, into the fold of Christ's Church.

This is the first Jewish family which has been brought to a knowledge of Christ Jesus since our arrival. May grace be given them to glorify God by their walk and conversation, and may the Lord add many more to our congregation, even such as shall be saved!

CELEBRATION OF THE QUEEN'S BIRTH-DAY.

May 24.-This being our Queen's birth-day, his Lordship invited all the members of our congregation to spend the evening at his residence. At our evening service there were four Greek priests present, with whom I conversed in Arabic afterwards. We often have Greeks and Armenians at our church, and they express great admiration in seeing the manner in which our service is conducted. This evening there was also one of the chief rabbies of Jerusalem present at his Lordship's, to join with us in prayer for our gracious Queen. Rabbi J. S. offered up a prayer in Hebrew, which all who understood that language very much admired. It is certainly very pleasing to see the

great harmony that exists between the chief Jewish rabbies and our beloved Bishop, and how willing they are to hear from his lips the doctrine of salvation.

INVITATION FROM THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH.

May 27.-The Armenians here have, ever since our arrival, shown a friendly disposition towards us. On the first day of our arrival the Patriarch sent to our Bishop to inquire whether he could be of any service to his Lordship. This good feeling has hitherto continued, and I trust will go on increasing. A few days ago a message came from the Patriarch to his Lordship, stating that an Armenian priest was about to proceed to India for whom he was anxious to procure a letter of introduction from our Bishop, which was immediately granted.

To-day another message was sent by the same Patriarch to invite his Lordship and other members of our Mission to dine with him, which invitation was accepted. Accordingly, after evening prayers, his Lordship, Mr. Williams, Mr. Rowlands, Mr. Johns, and myself, proceeded to the Armenian Convent.

When we arrived at the gate of the Convent, his Lordship was received by three Armenian bishops, all of them venerable and aged persons. Thus conducted into the convent, we passed a spacious court-yard and entered the garden, where the Patriarch was waiting for his Lordship, and received him most cordially. Chairs were then placed, and we all seated ourselves. I stood as interpreter to the interpreter of the convent, who spoke Arabic. Neither the Patriarch nor the three Bishops are acquainted with this language. Whilst conversing, a shower came on, which compelled us to enter a fine garden-house, where we remained till dinner was announced. We were then led up to an open terrace, which was overshadowed by the branches of a most magnificent fir-tree, under which the dinner-table was laid out in European style. The

storm had passed and the evening was splendid. The Patriarch and the three Bishops sat down to dinner. The view from hence was delightful. Before us we had the ever-memorable Mount of Olives; to the right the boundless mountains of Moab, with the country round the Dead Sea; and to our left several mountains were towering up which are round about Jerusalem. The conversation, though carried on by interpreters, was animated and interesting.

The venerable-looking Patriarch may be about sixty years of age; the bishops about seventy. The dress of the bishops is the common Oriental flowing one, of black colour: that of the Patriarch was of the same style, but of a brown colour, which was the only distinction that I could perceive.

The Armenian Convent at Jerusalem is of very ancient date; the Patriarch said, that it was built on the very spot where the Apostle James had dwelt. It is very spacious. During the last Easter 2,000 lodged within its walls. The whole establishment of the convent, including the minor clergy and servants, amounts to 150 persons. Formerly the Armenians had seventy-six convents in the Holy Land, which are now reduced to four. They had one on the Mount of Olives; but the Roman Catholics and the Greeks procured a firman from the Sultan, which ordered it to be levelled to the ground, which was done by the Greeks themselves a few years ago. When asked

what their belief was respecting those who do not belong to their Church, the Patriarch replied, "All who are baptized in the name of Jesus, and receive the doctrines of the Gospel, and act accordingly, enter heaven."

Meanwhile, as night was coming on and our party was neither ready nor willing to break up, large lanterns with candles burning in them, were brought and hung on the branches of the tree under which we were seated, which greatly enhanced the beauty of the scene. The Patriarch and the bishops ex

pressed themselves in the most friendly manner, and said that his Lordship should consider their convent as his own. Many questions were asked and answered on both sides. When asked what their opinion was respecting Israel, they replied, "That Israel will be converted before Christ's coming." They showed throughout our conversation that they were well acquainted with the Scriptures, which are freely read among them. About nine o'clock we left the convent.

May the Lord bless this beginning of union! May it lead to a closer intimacy with the prelates of our Church, and may Christ be glorified through it! His Lordship and our whole party were delighted with the open, frank, and hospitable manner in which we were treated by the venerable Patriarch.

June 29.-In order to carry on the work of the Mission with more regularity, I have fixed three days in the week for going out to visit the Jews, and three days for staying in-doors to receive those who may be inclined to call on me. This arrangement has already proved beneficial.

Some time ago, I commenced giving lessons in English, from six to seven in the morning to all who wished to attend ; and I had the pleasure of seeing among my pupils Jews, Mahometans, and Christians. But I was told yesterday that the Chief Rabbi has prohibited the Jews from attending these lessons ; therefore, one of them did not make his appearance either yesterday or to-day.

MEDICAL RELIEF OBJECTED TO BY THE RABBIES.

There is at present a great stir among the Jews here. The question, whether it be lawful for a Jew to ask and receive medical advice and assistance from a Christian, has been warmly discussed by the rabbies. Several are of opinion that it is not lawful; and one has publicly expressed this opinion in a sermon.

Cer

tain it is, that if they will act consistently and in harmony with the doctrines of the Talmud, they must not do so.

Vast numbers of children have recently died within the walls of Jerusalem of the small-pox. A few days ago, there arrived a Jewish physician from Bucharest, with his family, in order to settle here; but although the rabbies are so scrupulous, as appears from what I have stated above, yet they fail to encourage him, so that he will be obliged to leave Jerusalem for want of employment.

MISSIONARY PROCEEDINGS.

Through a gracious and kind providence I have been enabled to continue my labours among God's ancient people during the present month. I have visited those families with whom I have become acquainted, have spoken to such as are willing to listen to me, and have endeavoured to form new acquaintances, in which I have succeeded.

The synagogues, both of the Sephardim and the German Jews, are often the places of conversation and discussion, as there are at all hours Jews to be met with there, who are occupied in reading the Talmud, whom I exhort to study the Word of the living God.

I have a Jewish friend in the market-place, who permits me to sit down at his shop and to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the Jews. There are often from six to eight present to converse and dispute with me; and more would come if they were not prevented by the narrowness of the street. I have distributed several copies of the Holy Scriptures to such as were in want of them, and also various tracts. We sow the good seed in hopes that the Lord will bless our labours in his own good time.