interest-nay, of necessity; and the information of which, gathered from German periodicals and books, and particularly from the long experience of the venerable, good, and zealous missionary here, will be, hope, of blessed use to me when I resume my labours in Mulhouse. It may be of interest to you to hear of the number and the character of the Jews in this town or land. Kreuznach had, with its neighbourbourhood i. e., the two provinces of Rhineland and Westphalia-according to the official statement of 1816, 42,000 Jews. These two provinces, divided into eight governmental districts, viz., Aix-la-Chapelle, Coblentz, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Treves, Arnbourg, Minden, and Munster, with the (by no means less than) 50,000 Hebrew souls, have but one regular Missionary, the Rev. Mr. Stockfeld, one of the oldest labourers of the London Jewish Society,-a man of sound piety, and who seems to have spent, and is still spending, his whole life for the extension of his Master's kingdom. There is also, in consequence of his labours, much sympathy shown to the Jews among Christian pastors and communities. One society has, for instance, been formed, in 1843, at Cologne, and another, an auxiliary one, the year following, at Kreuznach. Their object is to further the Missionary's work-to bring the Word of the Cross to the Jews. And it was a matter of much gratification for me to find that the Rhine Christians, as well as their pastors, are not unaware that the great debt which the Christian Church owes to the Jews, and which interest the English Christians have, for the last half century, commenced to repay, is also theirs. The character of these Jews appears to be most favourable to the object of the missions; they are generally very accessible, and are attached and inspired with a deep

respect for their Missionary. Mr. Stockfeld is constantly visited by his Jewish friends, and, as Kreuznach is a place whither numbers of Jews from all lands congregate, he is, on market days particularly, visited by them to purchase the Word of God. But the most remarkable fact is, that many come to buy the New Testament for their children in the schools! This is the blessed result of forty years' untiring labour. Mr. Stockfeld has sown in tears, and reaps with joy; he has planted and watered, and God gave the increase. It is well to remain in one's arm-chair by the fireside, and ask-"What have the missionaries done?" Let those inquirers look around them, read the several Jewish periodicals, and, if still dissatisfied, take a trip all over the Continent, from one missionary station to another, and converse with the Jews; when they may discover, to their humiliation, -and, perhaps, to their delightful surprise too-that great things have been done,fortified Sebastopols taken, and sanguinary battles won, without shedding of blood, and without alarming money sacrifices, of which they had not the slightest idea.

I have been able to keep up my correspondence with inquiring Jews; and, but yesterday, I received from Mr. Küss, the President of the Bible Society at Colmar, the pleasing information that our beloved young friend B is visiting his house (where I had introduced him) regularly; that Mr. Küss, or when absent his wife, converses with our inquirer, and reads the Bible with him; and that he is taking two lessons every week from Pastor Buhl, who will, I trust, soon introduce him into the Church of Jesus by baptism. I have daily opportunity to speak to Jews, but the baths here so weaken one, that a great deal of rest and quiet are required.

The thirteenth Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Freemasons' Hall on Friday evening, under the presidency of Sir C. E. Eardley, Bart. The attendance, as usual, was numerous, the Hall being well filled at six o'clock, when the proceedings began by the Secretary reading the hymn:

"The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;"

which having been sung, the Rev. E. Mannering offered prayer.

The CHAIRMAN said, that to his own mind the subject of the Jews and their conversion to Christianity was at all times

full of interest and importance, and especially so at the present, when many circumstances seemed clearly to indicate that there was a real awakening among the Jewish mind. He had no sympathy, he confessed, with those who merely regarded the Jewish question in the same light that they do any question of evangelisation. No doubt that in the estimation of the Saviour one soul was as precious as another; but that person must read the New Testament very superficially who did not see that the conversion of the world is essentially mixed up with the conversion of the Jews. (Hear, hear.) This truth was, in many instances, conveyed not by figurative language, but in plain prosaic declarations which could not fail to impress and convince all thoughtful minds. He would only direct attention to one passage, the eleventh of Romans, where it was most distinctly set forth that the salvation of the Jews is to be the occasion of the salvation of mankind. It surely, then, became the duty of Christians to look at the Jew in this light, and to consider with the Apostle Paul that his conversion is one of the steps by which the conversion of the Gentiles is to be effected. All efforts, therefore, on behalf of the Jew might be considered as having a most important bearing upon Gentiles also. (Hear, hear.) It was impossible to look at events now transpiring in the East, and to observe the present phase of the Jewish mind up and down Europe, without being convinced that some great future is in store for the Jewish people. Lately, Sir Culling said, he had had the privilege to attend and preside over a Conference in Paris, at which several educated and influential Jews were present, earnestly desirous to hear what was to be said about the conversion of their brethren to Christianity. The Rev. Dr. Duff made a most impressive speech on that occasion, and dwelt upon the importance of Christians manifesting towards the Jews, if they would win them to the Saviour, the utmost kindness and affection. At the close of the meeting, several of the Jews assured Sir Culling that they should go away with very altered ideas of what Christianity really is. The Catholic spirit manifested at the conference was something very different from that which they were accustomed to witness from the priesthood of France. (Hear, hear.) Subsequently, a private Sabbath-evening meeting was held at a lady's house with these Jewish gentlemen, when three hours were spent in the most interesting and, he could not doubt, profitable conversation. (Hear, hear.) Within the last few weeks, moreover, simi

lar indications of willingness-and, indeed, solicitude-to know the truth of the Gospel, had been manifested in London; and Sir Culling was convinced that a general awakening among the Jewish mind had commenced. Reverting to the subject of the changes which are taking place in the East, he mentioned that a line of railway had been projected from the Mediterranean to Jerusalem; and it was expected that the materials of the Balaklava Railway, now no longer needed, would be transferred to this new scene of operations, and form the nucleus of the work. The British Government had given its approval to the scheme, and the representative of the Porte, also, had, in general terms, expressed his concurrence in the plan. Thus, all things appeared to be tending towards the realisation of results which all Christians must, of necessity, most earnestly desire to witness.

Mr. G. YONGE, the Secretary, read the Report of the Committee and the cash statement, (for which see the last No. of the "Jewish Herald.")

The Rev. W. STONE, M. A., moved:

"That the Report now presented be received with expressions of devout thanksgiving to God for the continued encouragement which has attended the course of this Society through another year, and for special aid afforded in circumstances of peculiar trial."

As a clergyman of the Established Church, he was very glad to have the opportunity of attending such a meeting as the present, where he could meet and mingle with Christian brethren of other denominations. It was only by the manifestation of brotherly love that Christians could hope to reach the heart of the Jew.

The Rev. T. AVELING, in seconding the resolution, expressed his gratification in being permitted to welcome the chairman in his new official position, as Treasurer of the Society. He could not but remember how many of the best years of that gentleman's life had been devoted to the attainment of an object very dear to his heartthe union of all Christians in a holy confederation, for the purpose of mutual counsel and help. He (Mr. A.) could not but think that in the whole range of Christian institutions with which this land is honoured and beautified, not one could be found more congenial to the sympathy and sentiments of the chairman than this Society, whose Catholic platform was one of those cheering proofs sometimes met with-would that they were more frequent!-of the possibility of Christians of different names co-operating together for a holy and beneficent end. Mr. A. expressed the deep regret which he

had felt that the Society had been obliged to diminish the number of its Missionaries, in consequence of financial difficulties; but he earnestly hoped, now that the Christian public had so generally responded to their appeal for help, that not only would the staff of agents be restored to its former strength, but greatly augmented. Never had there been a period in the history of that remarkable people, to promote whose evangelisation they had this evening met together, in which the signs of an awakened interest in eternal things had been more marked and cheering. Everywhere, at home and abroad, there appeared an upheaving of the Jewish mind; as if a mighty impulse were at work, to awaken them from their long-continued lethargy, and prepare them for coming events of the utmost significance.

In listening to the Report of Mr. Yonge, his heart had been gladdened by the incident mentioned in connexion with the Jews at Rhodes. When returning from Palestine, where his hand had been last grasped by the Society's agent, Mr. Manning, than whom there was not a more worthy and devoted man living-he had called at the island of Rhodes. While on shore, in company with Mr. Crawford, one of the missionaries resident at Jerusalem, belonging to the London Society, he had visited the Jewish synagogue and schools, and talked with the Jews in the bazaar. Mr. C. was everywhere met by them with the most marked respect, listened to with attention, and thanked most courteously for his kind interest on their behalf. And now to have learned from the Report that Mr. Manning, at Beyrout, had received a communication from a Jew at Rhodes, requesting him to send a large number of copies of the Sacred Scriptures to that island, seemed to him to be at once an illustration of his own remark, that everywhere the Jewish mind was yearning to know the truth, and afforded good ground for hoping that the visit to which he had referred had not been unattended with fruits. He regarded the projected railway to Jerusalem as one of the hopeful signs of the times in connexion with the Jewish people. The effect of taking English capital in the direction indicated, would be to produce fresh and increased interest in the people of the East, and in the Jews especially; and the influence of this altered state of things upon their condition could scarcely fail to be of the most important kind. The report of Jewish affairs in Jerusalem is full of interest. Love, and not lawlessness, is at work among them now, in the name of Christianity; and instead of receiving harsh treatment, to which they were accustomed whenever they

were met by a so-called professor of the faith of Jesus, the Jews find a kindly feeling manifested towards them by the Protestant Christians who are now at work there. He was not about to enter into any speculations concerning the way in which certain prophetical statements were likely to be realised; his own conviction being, that they had better keep to great general principles. It had been objected against the Society by some, that its supporters were opposed to give in their adhesion to particular views respecting the second advent; but this was quite a mistake. They had one object in view, the conversion of Israel; and from this one end they must not be turned by any speculative questions. Their strength lay in the simplicity of their aim; and in this simplicity, there was, to his mind, a great moral grandeur. The Committee of the Society were in no respect fettered with any peculiar opinions, and of course all the friends of the Society were equally free. If this matter were distinctly understood, he could not but think that the objections which had been made by some against the Society would be entirely removed. Mr. Aveling concluded by assuring the meeting of his deep and growing interest in everything connected with the evangelisation of the Jew, and his increasing concern, therefore, for the success of the Society, whose anniversary they were met to celebrate.

Another hymn having been sung, the Rev. W. TYLER offered prayer.

THOS. WHEATLEY, Esq., then moved:"That regarding with believing and hopeful solicitude the present civil and religious condition of the Jewish people, and satisfied of the adaptation of the Society's agency to its great object, this meeting resolves, in dependence on Divine assistance, by every means to secure its permanent support, its increased efficiency, and the extension of its field of labour, entreating that the blessing hitherto so graciously bestowed may be enlarged a thousandfold for the spiritual good of Israel, and for the glory of Israel's Redeemer."

Mr. Wheatley took a retrospective view of the history of the Jewish people, and rehearsed the cruelties inflicted upon them by professing Christians, even in our own land, in other days; recounted the many obligations under which the Gentiles lay to the Jews; and made the whole a ground of appeal to Christians to put forth renewed efforts to diffuse a knowledge of the pure Gospel among them in whatever nation they were accessible.

The Rev. JOSIAH VINEY seconded the resolution. He believed that a great work is going on among the Jews on the Conti

nent, and that they are silently but surely being brought under the influence of the Gospel of Christ. If the Christian people of England looked at this matter aright, they would, he felt convinced, put forth far greater efforts on behalf of the Jews than they had ever yet done, and seek to realise their individual responsibility. Mr. Viney also related a pleasing instance of the conversion of a Jewish widow, which had lately come under his own observation.

The resolution was adopted.

The Rev. R. HERSCHELL moved:"That the conduct of this Society during the current year be entrusted to those whose names are now read, with power to increase the Committee, especially by the addition of members representing the friends of the Society in the country; and that this meeting resolves to implore for them, and for all agents of the Society, those supplies of grace by which, holding fast to the Catholic and evangelical constitution of the Society, they may most efficiently promote its interests."

Christians, he thought, ought to manifest great humility when speaking of the blindness of the Jew in rejecting the Gospel, considering what immense labour had been bestowed upon the Gentile world, and comparing it with the real religious condition of Christendom at the present moment. In fact, he attributed the repugnance of the Jews to Christianity very mainly to the false views of the Gospel which almost everywhere on the Continent, as well as largely in this country, are presented to their notice as the truth which Christ taught and by which men are to be saved. A great and blessed change, he believed, would speedily be effected in the Jewish mind, if Christianity were presented to it in all its beautiful simplicity, and Christians were really to illustrate in their lives the holy

influence of the truths which they profess to hold. But after all, the number of edu cated Jews who had embraced Christ was not small, and facts that might be named abundantly proved that the conversion of Jews had, in a multitude of instances, led to revivals and conversions in the ranks of the Gentiles. The revival of the work of God in Holland, for example, was to be attributed instrumentally to Da Costa and Capadose. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Herschell mentioned that it was in contemplation to establish, on a spot near Jerusalem, an agricultural school and industrial farm for Jewish converts; and it was believed that such a scheme would tell with considerable effect upon their unconverted brethren.

The Rev. B. LEWIS seconded the resolution, and it was adopted.

The Rev. JAMES SMITH next moved, and the Rev. E. MORLEY seconded:

"That this meeting tenders its cordial and respectful thanks to Sir Culling E. Eardley, Bart., for his kindness in accepting the office of Treasurer, and for his presidency on the present occasion."

The resolution was cordially received.

Sir CULLING, in responding to the vote, mentioned, that when requested to take the office of Treasurer to this Society, he made two stipulations as the condition of doing so, that a simultaneous effort should be made to recruit the funds; and that the Catholic basis of the Society should be more distinctly recognised by placing several clergymen of the Established Church upon the Committee. Both these suggestions had been kindly acceded to; and he could assure the meeting, that having put his hand to the plough, he should do his best, with the help of Heaven, to cultivate the field in which they were at work.

Another hymn having been sung, and prayer offered, the proceedings terminated.