are but a few from among the many degradations to which they are subject. How have the scales on the balance become reversed? For there was a time when Ishmael, the child of Hagar, was driven out from the tents of Abraham, in order that the son of the bond woman might not inherit together with the son of the free woman. (Gal. vi.) But now the sons of the free woman are oppressed by the sons of the bond woman, and in this manner "the stranger that is within thee hath got up above thee very high, and thou hast come down very low," is still applicable to the Israelites in Africa. As for their literary condition, it is to be regretted that the noble and learned spirit which animated their ancestors in Spain is almost extinct, and there is scarcely a trace left of the opulence and freedom for which their forefathers were so renowned. They excel the Moors, however, in the spirit of commerce, which they monopolise; and, amid their sufferings and oppressions, they are able by industry, patience, and superior intelligence in business, to succumb to a tyrannical government and people.

In religious matters, like their brethren of other lands, they hate the Cross and reverence the Rabbie. What else could be the result of the diabolic reign of the inquisition, when thousands against their will were obliged to be baptised? And still (the reformation not having affected the land of the south adjacent) they have no means of beholding Christian simplicity and tolerance. These disadvantages were great when I first went among them, but happily they are beginning to form a different opinion of the English religion, as they please to call it, and to regard it as quite another Gospel from that which the Spaniards teach.

With regard to my operations among them for four years past, Gibraltar was my fixed station, while I occasionally visited the Jews of the coast and inland towns of Northern Africa, from Mogador as far as Tunis, scattering in many ways the truth. On my visiting a town, I usually entered first the synagogue, and then the Estudio, a place where many Jews assemble to

study the Talmud, and where, producing my Hebrew New Testament, I expounded the whole truth of Christ.

And now, as far as any results from my Missionary labours, I have every reason to be satisfied and thankful for having been the instrument of making known the unsearchable riches of Christ to a great number who never heard of them before; for having put into circulation many copies of the Word of God among those who never possessed a Bible before, and by private conversation, as well as public lecturing, many old prejudices, as well as wrong ideas with regard to Christianity, were removed, and this is gradually paving the way to the heart of many, I trust, for the reception of the Gospel. I might point to eight or ten Jewish converts, whom I have, by the blessing of God, brought to the knowledge of the Redeemer, as particular instances of encouragement; some are here in London, others in Gibraltar and Africa, and a few have left their native country for foreign lands, to make a public profession of their faith in Christ, since they could not, under such circumstances, find protection or maintenance in their own country. It would be needless to particularise, as I have already, on various occasions, done so in my report to the society; but will only observe that, by the good help of God, I feel assured that I have not laboured in vain, and the fruit thereof will appear more and more in due season. Like the gardener, who anxiously watches the plant, and is glad to see it in blossom, and wishes for its fruit, and though the plant may be removed to another place or clime, still does not despair of its growing there and producing fruit, the Missionary is not disheartened, who has sown the seed of eternal life in the hearts of some who may not meet him any more in this world, yet he hopes that it will spring up, and, by the favour of the Holy Spirit, produce fruit. For surely the Lord will not suffer His work to fail, nor His word to return unto Him void, but will prosper the feeble efforts that are put forth in behalf of His ancient people, the seed of Abraham His friend.

but the committee, I doubt not, as also the supporters of our cause, will be satisfied with the statements we are able to make. The circumstance of teaching daily

from fifty to sixty persons the saving truths of the blessed Gospel, cannot be without its effect, and, indeed, it is even now perceptible; but a real conversion of the heart to God is His own work, and though effected, is frequently withheld from open manifestation for wise and gracious purposes; the ordinary procedure in the Divine economy being, "that one soweth and another reapeth," but ultimately we shall rejoice together. The desire manifested amongst the Jews to possess the Hebrew Scriptures, I am thankful to say, continues unabated. A few days ago I was visited by a Jew from Damascus, the same person that I mentioned to you sometime past, as being particularly interested in an investigation that we made together of the prophetic Scriptures, especially of those parts that had reference to the restoration and conversion of Israel; and he tells me that, since that time. by diligent reading and prayer for Divine teaching, the light has been gradually breaking upon his mind, and leading him to the conviction that the truth must be with us; and he says that, a few weeks since, he was received by baptism into the Church by the Rev. Mr. Robson, one of the Scotch or Irish Missionaries. He tells me, also, that many of the Hebrew Bibles that I sold recently have been re-purchased by the Jews in Damas. cus for more than double the sum I had received for them, and that they were exceedingly anxious for more, and he begged me, if possible, to let him have at least twenty copies to take back with him.

This is an encouraging prospect, accompanied, as it is, with the assurance, "that the Word shall not return void;" and no doubt that that will be the main instrument, in the hand of the Lord, in bringing His ancient people to a knowledge of Himself; for when He commands it to go forth with power, neither popes nor devils with all their legions will be able to oppose its

progress.

I regret to say I have lost, or rather lent, for a time, my assistant in the school, who is now employed as a dragoman to Colonel Walpole, the same gentleman who lately published a work on this country, and who is now here, raising recruits for the British army. He accomplished his first task in raising 600 cavalry, and has shipped them off for the war; but he suffered so much hindrance from the falsehood and dishonesty of his former interpreters (both of which native vices I could strongly recommend my Joseph as being exempt from), that as a personal favour to Colonel Walpole, I was fain to let him go. In addition to the entire school upon my

I

hands, and visiting amongst the Jews, I have several sick sailors (of course English) in the Hospital of the Sisters of Mercy, and last week two of them died of the Syrian fever; and as I am the only person staying down here for the summer in the shape of a Missionary, you may suppose have full employ. We have, besides, as many as twenty English vessels in port, an unusually large number for this place at one time, but many of them are engaged in carrying troops, and horses and mules, to the war; of the two latter, I cannot tell you how many hundreds, for our own and the French army, have been sent off. But my object in mentioning this is to say, that in case my box should be still detained, I should be thankful to have as many English tracts of the narrative series (the "Loss of the Kent" and "Rothsay Castle," &c.) as you can procure for me, as my former supply is now nearly out. Perhaps, too, some of our reverend friends could furnish a few numbers of religious periodicals, such as the

Evangelical Magazine," "The Christian Observer," "The Weekly Visitor," &c., which are so suitable to lend out, and which the captains, and such of the men as are capable of being interested by them, read with much pleasure and profit.

I wish we had some means of getting at the poor Jews, to tempt them to read, if it were only to enlarge their views of things generally; but it is the Lord's will that it should not be so, or they would be provided: therefore we must be contented to labour with such instruments as we have, relying on the promises that abound, of ultimate success. I have just received intelligence of the death of another sailor in the hospital, which is now so full that they can receive no more, and many of the poor fellows are sent back again to their ships, or to such places as they can get to take them in, and where it is to be feared that many of them will perish for want of proper attention.

We made an effort some time ago, in conjunction with the Prussians, to have a Protestant hospital here, but failed in procuring the means sufficient, though many of the residents came forward and offered very handsomely. Surely it might not be amiss, in such dreadful times as these, to direct the attention of our own government to this object. They have to look to our merchant scrvice for their best sailors, and it is a reproach indeed to Protestant nations, with all their wealth, that they do not keep pace with the Papists in their apparent acts of benevolence.

During this month I have had unusual opportunities of preaching the Gospel of Christ to a great number of Polish Jews, with whom our city is comparatively crowded; they come hither to embark for Algeria, to which country a great number of them are emigrating at the present moment; and as some of them remain here for a week or so, it affords me ample scope to bring before their minds the truth as it is in Jesus, of which most of them are quite ignorant; and some of them confessed to me that this was the first time that they ever heard the sound of the Gospel. I have distributed ten Testaments and three Bibles, which were thankfully accepted by them.

There are two soldiers with me, both of whom have been wounded before Sebastopol, and who, I have no hesitation in saying, have found Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and will be baptised as soon as I shall consider them fit for it. Mr. W——, who was wounded in the battle of Inkermann, and who has been with me almost daily since April last, told me, the other day, that when I first told him that we were all sinners, and that it was absolutely necessary to salvation that we should be born again, he did not know what to make of me and my religion. He said, "I thought my being a Jew by birth was quite sufficient to take me to heaven; but since I have read the Bible, which you kindly lent me, I feel that I am a poor lost sinner, and that hitherto I have been satisfied with no religion at all. I never thought of my soul-all I cared for was this world; but now I have been convinced from the New Testament, as well as from my own feelings, that the care of the soul is the one thing needful, and that it would be dreadful to gain the whole world at the expense of losing one's soul. I used to

lie down and rise up like a beast; but now I say, Lord, teach me to pray. I have heard many Jews say that Jesus was an impostor; but when I read the New Testament I see His character so unlike it, that I sometimes repeat to myself those words which I have read in the Testament, never man spake like this man.'

เ

The other soldier, Mr. L. H

is still

in the military hospital, where I see him three times a week. He lost part of his foot with four toes; he hopes soon to be discharged, but does not know whether the government will do anything for him or not. W is to have 250 francs annually; happily both of them have good trades, and are willing to work. W-is a sailmaker, and H- a shoemaker, and both intend to make Marseilles their home.

It was intended that R. H-- should be baptised at the end of this month, but it has been deferred a little longer. She was taken seriously ill about three weeks ago, and is still in the Protestant Infirmary, and, although she is much better, is yet very weak. It is delightful to see the Christian resignation which she manifests in her illness. The last time I saw her, she told me that she had been ill several times before, but never did she feel so resigned as she did in this illness; she said, "The idea of death always made me wretched, but now I would rather die than live."

I cannot close this without remarking, that in visiting a military hospital, like the one in Marseilles, one can form some idea of the cursed system of war. It has caused me to shed tears when I have passed through it, and beheld groups of fine handsome young men, whose bodies have been mutilated before Sebastopol.

Whilst the aged class of my bigoted brethren obstinately insist against the truth, imagining that to bow the knee and worship One whom it has been taught

to despise is an idolatry, and uses every means, per fas et nefas, to keep itself and its offspring out of the reach of the Missionary or the Bible, the rising generation

inquire for the cause of the contempt and hatred it is desired to exercise against the unknown "Tolui." To satisfy this inquiry, recourse is happily taken to the first, best, and oldest book,-the Bible. Here the sincere reader gradually and surprisingly discovers that the "Despised" is of the "seed of the woman who should bruise the serpent's head;" that He is the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham; that in His posterity all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; he finds that the Crucified is the antetype of the sacrifices of the Mosaic law; he is found in the books of Moses, the Psalmist, and the Prophets. These disclosures naturally lead the student to examine the life of the Personage who filled the pages of the Old Testament. When he opens the New Testament, he sees the "Word," the "Servant," the "Priest," the "Prophet," the "King," (by which epithets the Messiah is often styled), declared as the "Son of God," with the power of miracles, full of grace and truth, accomplishing what Moses and the prophets promised. Moreover, he meets with a character diametrically opposed to what he had been wont to hear; One suffering and dying for his sins. His mind is now delightfully occupied with the result of his inquiry. Yet to accept and believe the truth he has just come to, he finds rather difficult. For as he marvels at the greatness and goodness of Jesus, so he cannot solve the enigmatic blindness of his parents and co-religionists. This I have particularly observed since my return from England, and made the acquaintance of several young men, to one of whom I have felt happy to impart Christian instruction since the first day after my arrival.

M. K a cousin of our dear B, was struck with the question,"Who is the Tolui?" put to him by the latter. M- answered: "The Christian's God." B -: Why do the Jews hate Him so?" M- "Because He was a false prophet." B: "Mahomet was also a false prophet, and he is not so despised and hated as Jesus." "To be sure," replied M— "It is, perhaps, because he was a Jew." "There have been a great many false prophets of our nation," rejoined Bnone is so contemned and detested as Je

sus.

"and

But let me tell you the reason," continued B-: "Jesus is our Messiah; our rabbonim have wickedly crucified Him; and the aversion and animosity the laical Jews foster towards Christ is owing to the ignorance and darkness they have been thrown into since their rejection of the 'Goël."" Then, do you think," asked

the other, our ancestors have done wrong in slaying Him?" "Wrong!" exelaimed B-; "this is the greatest sin our fathers have committed, and this exile, in consequence, is the longest and hardest they have ever endured." "Then you are on the Christian side, are you?" " Yes," he replied emphatically. Now," M- inquired, "why do Christians omit this and commit that?" To which B answered, "I know the Jews are wrong, and the Christians right, but am unable to settle all the questions you put to me; let us wait till Mr. Greturns, and he, I am sure, will remove your objections." M

was in the meantime recommended by B--- to read the Old Testament, but his father, surpassing Mr. H- in bigotry, decidedly forbade it.

On the first night after my return, Mwas introduced to me. He is eighteen years of age, and a very intellectual, sincere, and interesting youth; indeed, I thought, when I saw him, a Nathaniel of old. His questions were of great importance and interest; his objections were merely to satisfy his thirst after truth. Since our first meeting he has repeated his visits every night, and often during the day also. I fear I may lose him, he being obliged to leave for the interior of the country on business.

But

Two other young Jews have been led to the same inquiry, viz., "Who is the Tolui, whom we have been wont to curse?" Both are very well inclined towards the truth, and one of them underwent most severe bodily sufferings for reading a tract he received from me, through Br. BOh, may the words they read in the syna"Let us gogue to-day (Tishah Reab), search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord" (Lamentations iii. 40), be the daily watchword of the whole house of Israel!

Our B―― is growing in grace, and in the knowledge of his Saviour, whom he loves and serves; for his brethren, especially the young, learn the purport of the New Testament from his walk and conversation.

Br. B- and his wife live in accordance with their Christian profession. He can truly say, with Joseph: "Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to save much people." His Christian conduct during his month's imprisonment stilled the anger of his persecutors, excited sympathy among other Jews, and love among Christians. Many Jews who have been prejudicial and hateful, are now visiting him, and when he passes the streets he is saluted and addressed by them.

It is about a fortnight ago that Mr. L——, a Jewish neighbour, called on me, evidently with the design of having some further conversation on topics we had formerly more briefly touched upon. He told me much of his own history, detailing his small beginuing and his great prosperity, dwelling on his responsible cares in regard to his rising family. Then came a comparison of our views in respect to the subject of religion in general; and, lastly, the relation of the law and the Gospel in particular. I need not describe the truths which I endeavoured to urge upon his attention; nor need I say more of his sentiments than that he listened with candid interest to what I advanced; and, far from appearing to be offended by my plain-dealing, in testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, he seemed disposed to enter more deeply into the subject than I had anticipated; and, from a short interview I have had since, I think he is desirous of renewing the conversation. It is only at my bouse he will enter upon it; for though not (so far as I

know) a "ruler of the Jews," he at least resembles Nicodemus in coming to me "by night," and perhaps also in "not knowing these things" of God.

His rank and influence among his people would be likely long to deter him from taking up a cross to follow the Nazarene; but it must be that his knowledge, gradually, and perhaps painfully acquired, and his convictions, must have an influence both upon his own conduct and upon the future career of his children. If they never hear him blaspheme the holy name of Jesus, will they, in their turn, be as bitter as their forefathers? If his prejudices be broken down, will not their bias be less strong in opposition to the doctrine of Christ? And if he give occasion to our hope, as an individual, is there not good reason, as there is doubtless fact, to encourage our zeal and faith, in respect to many others who are as yet known only as Jews and rejectors of the ever-blessed Son of God? The Lord increase our faith!

I am happy to inform you that I have been furnished with many opportunities, which have been gladly embraced, of proclaiming "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God" to the seed of Abraham-this is the work to which I have consecrated my life, and to which I believe God has, in His providence, called me.

You will recollect that I mentioned in my last report the case of a Jew, Mr. H, with whom I had had interesting conversations. He continued his visits regularly during my stay at S―, sometimes spending two, and sometimes three hours at a time. I made him a present of the Old and New Testament in Hebrew, for which he was very grateful. I was pleased to find him subjecting everything that was said in favour of the Messiahship of Jesus to the closest examination; but he frankly admitted that it was very difficult to stand

out against the Messiahship of Jesus, in examining such passages as "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah," &c., Gen. xlix. 10; They shall look on me whom they have pierced," &c., Zech. xii. 10. And the time of Messiah's appearance, as described in Daniel's seventy weeks, ch. ix. Mr. H told me that a Jew, one day, asked him how he explained the first of these three passages; and he gave the Jew an answer which appeared to satisfy him, but with which he did not feel satisfied himself, and resolved not to do so again, lest he should have to answer to God for having led an inquirer astray. In a subsequent interview, Mr. H- stated, that while he was a boy he dared not think otherwise than that the Talmud was inspired; that when he had grown to manhood, he began to question the inspiration of some parts, but he found the entertain