decided cases of conversion, while seven other individuals are under Christian instruction. And the first I would mention is, Mr. and Mrs. S. This Israelite, at the time the Gospel was first presented to him, was engaged as a public singer at a theatre, where he had obtained considerable celebrity, and was in the receipt of a large salary. Hence he turned a deaf ear to the voice of mercy, and offered also the most determined resistance to it. The arrow of conviction, however, at last entered his soul; he became humble and penitent, and after many struggles was led to repose in the bosom of that Saviour, whose cross he now joyfully bears, and in whose path of suffering he resignedly walks. Mrs. S for a long time offered the most violent opposition to her husband's step, but through a series of trials and sufferings, the proud heart became humbled, the enmity slain; she became anxious and inquiring, and is now, through God's grace and mercy, not only rejoicing in Christ her Saviour, but also longing for the time to be numbered with the people of God. Mr. S- as soon as he had tasted of the truth, found it inconsistent to continue any longer in his former calling, and at once formed the manly resolve of entirely relinquishing all for Christ's sake, and thus they have had, ever since, to struggle with poverty and contempt; they yet feel happy, and magnify the grace of God. Mrs. S has the charge of a little sister of about eight years, and that little child has already learned to love the Saviour.

One young man who, in the previous year was led to a knowledge of the truth, has, in the course of the present, openly confessed his faith in, and love to, the Redeemer, and is now pursuing a course which, while it reflects honour on himself, will also tend greatly to advance the kingdom of Christ and the cause of Israel.

At the request of the Committee I have, during the year, visited a portion of the British Foreign Legion, which was stationed at Gosport, and there it was my privilege to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to about thirty-three Israelites, who were serving in that regiment. I found among them men of great intellectual powers, and of superior education, many of them have passed through universities and taken their diplomas, but all I found disposed to listen to the truth. At three different times an officer kindly collected as many as twenty-four together in one place, when I was permitted, without the slightest interruption, to preach, for more than two hours each time, the great truths of our holy religion. I supplied them all with tracts and other religious publications, which were read with great eagerness, and often I had a number of Jews run after me when passing over the barrack-ground, to ask for other tracts and Testaments. Several young men were at times so deeply affected when I spoke to them, that tears of penitence and hope were seen flowing down their cheeks, and many an one expressed a desire to be more fully instructed in these glorious things. One young man out of that number named Joseph B, has, I am thankful to say, been given to me as the fruit of my labour. In a recent communication from the Rev. Mr. Meadows, he says, "Mr. Badmitted to me yesterday his full belief in our Saviour as the promised Messiah." But I believe that we shall hear of other cases of a decided character out of that regiment, for, from the state of mind in which many were, at the time when I left, I would not but believe that God has some chosen vessels among their number.

Rev. John Wilkinson.

You are aware that I have been in the Provinces during the whole of the last twelve months, attempting to interest Christians of all denominations in the cause of Israel's spiritual welfare; while, at the same time, as far as practicable, I have preached the Gos pel to those Jews residing in the towns I have visited. Sheffield, Leeds, Halifax, York, Waltham, and Great Grimsby, Manchester, Derby, Nottingham, Mansfield, Norfolk, together with several places in the immediate neighbourhood of each, I have visited; and have attended to upwards of 220 engagements, including sermons, lectures, and addresses, of a public character, and also those addresses which have been given to private gatherings of Christian friends. In the above-mentioned towns and their adjacent villages I have been enabled to put in circulation after lectures, during the past year, upwards of 200 dozens of " Jewish Heralds."

The long-cherished prejudices of Christians are giving way, and an increased and increasing interest is manifested by the Christian Church in the Jewish people. During the past year I have been privileged to hear fervent prayers offered on behalf of Israel by those who had been accustomed to forget the Jew. The results of sympathy awakened in the hearts of children are no less encouraging. In the towns above referred to, I have had the pleasure of addressing on the Lord's-day afternoon, about 18,000 children, and, in the form of immediate results, children have sent to me the value of several dozens of

New Testaments during the year, some bringing money to purchase the New Testament for Jews, whilst others have eight of them subscribed a halfpenny each, purchased the New Testament, and brought it to me. Only the other day, in connexion with the Louth Anniversary services, a little boy, about nine years of age, said to his father: " Father, I think we ought to give something to send the Gospel to the Jews; I'll give half-a-crown if you will." The father accepted the challenge of his son, and they each placed half-a-crown in my hand. Other children brought four New Testaments, and others brought money to purchase five or six more.

I have also witnessed many interesting instances of spontaneous practical sympathy on the part of adults, during the past year, every form of current coin having been placed in my hand at one time or other.

Although much of my time, during the same period, has been occupied in attending public meetings, &c., I have, nevertheless, had many opportunities, which have been gladly embraced, of preaching the Gospel to the sons of Abraham, and of witnessing, as the result of God's blessing on the constant manifestation of Christian benevolence, the prejudices of the Jew against Christ and His Gospel happily removed.

And is it not a cheering fact, sir, that, in proportion as the Church of Christ has manifested toward the Jew the spirit which alone the Gospel sanctions, the Jews have borne testimony that that Gospel is to the Jew, as well as to the Gentile, "the power of God unto salvation ?" It has often been asked, by professing Christians: "Has anything been done among the Jews?" "Are any Jews converted ?" "The Jewish heart is so very hard, I don't think you will make much out with the Jews." It might be a sufficient answer to the Christian, that the Word of God commands our efforts to save the Jews, even though we should not meet with all the success we had wished and hoped for. We must bear in mind that not until very recently have any efforts been put forth by the Christian Church in a spirit of love, and in an organised form, for the conversion of the Jews. The conduct of Christian nations towards the Jew has for centuries been of the most cruel character, that conduct causing the Jew to hate the religion which appeared to sanction such cruelties. We are very much in danger of talking about Jewish hardness, and forgetting, at the same time, that professing Christendom is responsible to God, to a very alarming extent, for the hardness of the Jew. But after all, what has been done, and during the short period of about half a century, under circumstances so unfavourable? While the Jews about half a century ago blasphemed the name of Christ as a rule, I believe that is now the exception. They are now, as the result of God's blessing on a Christian spirit, not only speaking, but even eminent rabbies are writing, in most respectful terms of Him. Another fact, equally interesting, is, that while the Jews about half a century ago would not so much as touch a New Testament, much more read it, they are now reading it by scores, hundreds, and thousands. Only a few weeks since, I heard a rabbi, in the synagogue, in one of our large provincial towns, say to the Jews what amounted to a recommendation to read the New Testament. The rabbi, while reproving the Jews for holding conversation during the synagogue-worship, said: "I fear you even transact business in the house of God"—and such has been the case for centuries past-" If you look into the New Testament, you will find that the Founder of the Christian religion charged the Jews with a similar sin in his day. He said, 'Ye have made the house of God an house of merchandise.'"

I believe that the New Testament is read by the Jewish people at present to an extent never known before during the age of Christianity. These two facts alone are sufficient to encourage us in our labour of love, and work of faith. But it is further cheering that, as far as it is possible to ascertain, we have from ten to sixteen thousand of the house of Israel baptised into the Christian faith, confessing Jesus as their Messiah and Lord. Among these are 200 ministers or missionaries of the Cross; between 90 and 100 ministers or missionaries to their own brethren according to the flesh. The eminent Dr. Tholuck has made a statement equally interesting and encouraging." That more Jews have been converted to Christianity during the last twenty-five years than for 1700 before." These facts taken together, the speaking and writing in respectful terms of Jesus of Nazareth, whilst half-a-century ago, as a rule, they blasphemed Him; the reading the New Testament by thousands, when half-a-century ago they would not touch it; the ten to sixteen thousand confessors of Christ now living, besides the hundreds who have died in the triumph of the faith of the Gospel, during the short period above referred to,-tells us and the whole world, that we have not laboured in vain, and teaches us to hope much in connexion with earnest, prayerful, incessant toil, during the next half-century. Any Christian, taking a broad and correct view of what has already been accomplished, will, I think be surprised, not that so little has been done, but that so

much has been accomplished in so short a time, and under circumstances so unfavourable. There are, no doubt, many secret believers in Jesus of the house of Israel, who have not yet had the courage to make a public profession by baptism. A case of this kind came under my notice in one of the provincial towns. When distributing tracts among Jews in the street, one Saturday, during the interval of synagogue-worship, a stranger Jew joined a group with whom I was acquainted, and amongst whom I was giving tracts. The stranger Jew asked for a tract, thanked me for it, but refused to converse on the subject of Christianity. About half-an-hour afterwards he, when alone, met me in the streets, and conversed freely with me, and acknowledged that he sincerely believed in Jesus as the Messiah, was convinced that it was his duty to confess him, but he had not yet had the courage to do so. He came on the following day to hear me preach, and on the Monday morning I paid him a visit and preached the Gospel, in a private room, to himself and his wife for about two hours.

On another occasion, while expounding the Scriptures to the Jews in the street, one of them kindly invited me to adjourn the conversation to his house, and invited the Jews, ten or twelve in number, to follow. They did so, filled every chair in the house, others stood in the doorway, the window was then thrown up, and others looked in at the window. They listened attentively to my exposition of the liii. of Isaiah, while I endeavoured to show that every verse had been fulfilled in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. They each accepted tracts, and at least two or three appeared impressed with the truth. Two or three interesting cases have come under my notice, during the past year, in which the Jew has been brought to read the New Testament, and examine the claims of Jesus, from the spirit of love manifested toward his people at our annual meetings of associations in the provinces. Another very interesting case, in a sort of transition state, is the case of a pious Jew upwards of sixty years of age, who came to my appartments on several occasions during my stay in a provincial town in which he resides. On one occasion, during an interview, which lasted four hours, Mr. S said, "I see that life is very uncertain; recently I was in the presence of a Jew who suddenly threw his head back in his chair, and expired in a few minutes; and when I read of cases of sudden death, as the effects of lightning, I feel how necessary it is to be prepared to meet death. Oh!" said he, "if I could believe in the Messiahship of Jesus, I would not hesi tate to embrace Him at once." Mr. S is well acquainted with his Hebrew Scriptures, and with Jewish history; possesses a strong mind, and a very kind heart. Referring to the study of the Talmud, as tending to set aside the study of the written Word, Mr. Ssaid: "The study of that cursed Talmud keeps many of the Jews, the Polish especially, in such ignorance of the Word of God that many of them know not the reason why they observe the principal feasts and fasts." Oh, that the Light of the world may speedily guide his feet into the way of peace! In closing, dear sir, you will agree with me, that one important feature stamps the Jewish Mission, that in proportion as the Christian Church has laid aside her long-cherished prejudices, and taken the Word of God as the rule of her conduct, the Jews have laid aside their long-cherished prejudices, which had been strengthened, if not created, by Christians themselves, and began to examine the claims of Jesus, and to receive the truth as it is in Jesus.

Let it be ours to labour more diligently, and to pray more frequently and fervently, that the God of Israel may speedily redeem Israel out of all his troubles.

The MONTHLY MEETING of Jewish and Gentile Christians, for Prayer and Scriptural Conference, will be held at the Office, 1, Crescent Place, New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, on WEDNESDAY EVENING, May 21, at Seven o'clock.-The Meeting is open to all the friends of Israel.

London: Published by JOHN SNOW, 35, Paternoster Row.

Printed by Charles Frederick Adams, of 23, Middle Street, Cloth Fair, City, and William Gee, of 48, Seward Street, St. Luke's, at their Printing Office, 23, Middle Street, Cloth Fair, City.

The Jewish Herald,

AND

RECORD OF CHRISTIAN EFFORT FOR THE SPIRITUAL GOOD OF GOD'S ANCIENT PEOPLE.

PUBLISH YE, PRAISE YE, AND SAY, O LORD, SAVE THY PEOPLE, THE REMNANT

OF ISRAEL."

PUBLISHED UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF THE BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE
PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.

THE complete contrast between a holy God and fallen man has been abundantly and fearfully displayed in all ages. The false religions which have cursed the world, under the forms of Heathenism and Mohammedanism, and those miserable perversions of true religion, Rabbinism among the Jews, and Popery among the Christians, have served to present man as the moral antipodes of the Deity. The result has been, that man has magnified and adored those things which God has ever depreciated and forbidden; while he has undervalued and despised whatever Jehovah has testified to and highly commended.

The Gospel, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, wins man back into sympathy with God. Thus "it is the power of God unto salvation." It endlows the mind with godlike-tastes, and fills the heart with holy aspirations and desires. But this work is not wrought all at once. It admits of degrees, and is capable of continual increase. Our sympathy with God will be in proportion with the light which we obtain, and our honest use of that light. Many Christians fail in important duties, because they have not studied the whole of God's statute-book. They are but partially illuminated, and so their hearts are not found in all God's ways of service, nor in all God's thoughts of coming glory.

There was a time, when, though there was much real religion in our beloved land, much zeal for God's truth and glory, there was no concern for the millions of heathens who were living without God and without hope in the world. The people ate the fat, and drank the sweet, but sent no portion to the perishing."Go ye out into the highways and hedges," "Preach the Gospel to every creature," were become obsolete statutes to

VOL. XI.-NEW SERIES, VOL. II.

the professing Churches which were the offspring of the Reformation. But this state of things greatly changed about fifty years ago. The Church awoke from her slumbers-went forth on her mission-and, as of old, the Lord "worked with His servants," and confirmed His word by signs following. This was a step in advance as regards sympathy with the Saviour; for we should imitate Him, not only in love to truth, mercy, and holiness, but also in zeal for spreading them, and in intense longing for the salvation of souls.

But while Christian missionaries went forth on their noble embassy to the nations sitting in darkness, in the highway of those nations through which they passed, and even close by where they laboured, lay the poor, neglected Jew, torn and bleeding at every pore, trodden down and despised, a proverb and a byword. And who cared for him? These despised ones "were taken up in the lips of talkers, and were an infamy of the people." (Ezekiel xxxvi. 3.) "Man called the scattered and peeled nation" an outcast, saying, "There is in Zion whom no man seeketh after," (Jeremiah xxx. 17.) But "God had not cast away His people whom He foreknew;" He had still lingering thoughts of wondrous love towards them, and it was a sight well-pleasing in His eyes, when, in the spirit of the good Samaritan, the Church directed her steps towards the plundered and wounded traveller, and sought to "pour oil and wine into his bleeding wounds." Surely those societies which seek the spiritual and eternal welfare of the scattered and long-injured children of Abraham, richly deserve the name of "Good Samaritan Societies;" and surely all Christians who look on the efforts now making would do well to give heed to the application which the Great Teacher and Pattern of Love makes of his own beautiful parable, "Go, thou, and do likewise." Yes, Christians, if you would be in full sympathy with God, you must not only trust the Cross, love holiness, and send the Gospel to the heathen, but you must love the Jew, pity and pray for the Jew, and be willing to lay out property and energy to send the good tidings that Jesus of Nazareth "came into the world to save sinners," to the Jew, to whom He came preaching peace."

With a view of awakening a right state of feeling, and inducing a right course of action towards the lost sheep of the house of Israel, let the reader look earnestly at the scene presented before him by their history and present condition; and then look up to that redeeming Lord, who was of "the seed of Abraham according to the flesh," and ask, with reference to them, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?"

The people of Israel present a most interesting subject for contemplation, and a large sphere for labour. Do you want an important theme to think upon? Here it is. Do you want a field in which to work? Behold it here. Surely no one who thinks upon the past history of the Jews, or their present condition, or future destiny, can complain of lack of interest in the subject before them. In the Jews we see a people by whom the || Bible was written, and to whom, either as history or prophecy, a large portion of it refers. These are the fathers, the prophets, and the types; from them came the Saviour and His Apostles. The lovers of antiquity, the admirers of the marvellous, the expectants of wonders, may all come here and not find disapointment. Here there is much revealed that is truly valuable; and two things, above all others in importance, may be learned by studying the history and prophecies of this wonderful nation, these are, the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Yes, the Divine cha