The Word of God tells us that we are to sow our seed in the morning, and, in the evening, not to withhold our hand; for we know not whether shall prosper either this or that, or whether they shall both be alike; and to cast our bread upon the waters, and the promise is, that we shall find it after many days. "Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters." It will soon be three years since I first made acquaintance with Mr. H— and his wife, who are respectable people here, whom I visited several times, and by whom I was received very kindly; but, being rationalists, they paid no attention to my preaching of the Gospel to them, but, on the contrary, made sport of it. Still I felt so much for their souls that I could not give them up. I remember, on one occasion, to have spoken to them very seriously about their souls -told them of the love of the Saviour, and entreated them to believe in His name; when Mrs. H- observed-"You need not trouble yourself so much about us, for you see it is all in vain; we shall always be glad to see you as a friend, but we dislike your preaching." This rather discouraged me; still, I think, I should have continued my visits had not Mr. H- told me that he was about to leave for Constantinople. Thus I lost sight of them, but I did not forget them in my prayers. About nine months ago I met him again, and he appeared glad to see me: he told me that he had thought of me more than once, and begged me to repeat my visits. I told him that I should be most happy to call on him, but he must allow me to preach Christ to him; he said, "That is what I want -I see you are right-I wish to know and to hear more about Jesus, and I hope you will call to see me. Thus our acquaintance was renewed, and I am happy to say that, ever since, he appears really in earnest about his soul. He has bought a French Bible, which he is diligently reading; and when he meets his Jewish friends, he tells them to do the same. He has sent me several Jews to preach Christ to them; two he brought himself. About three weeks ago he brought a most interesting young man from Oran, with whom I have had several most profitable conversations. He asked me to lend him a Bible, which I did. What most pleases me in this young man is, that he takes a more than ordinary interest in the work of the Messiah, in the all-sufficiency of the Saviour of sinners, and seems to have a sense of his need of him in that relationship. I am sorry to say that he told me yesterday he intended soon to return to Oran, but promised me faithfully to continue to search the Scriptures. Mrs. His not opposed to the religion of Jesus, but is not so favourably disposed as her husband. I have lent her" Leila Ada," which she is reading. There is also another young man with me, whom I have known about two years, and to whom I have repeatedly preached Christ during that time, but he always told me that he was sure that all my labours would be in vain with him, as he should never change his religion, as he called it. He was born a Jew, and as such he hoped to die. About a fortnight ago he called on me, and, in a very subdued spirit, said, "I am come to ask you to give me religious instruction; I have essayed to stifle my convictions, but I can no longer remain indifferent to all you told me about Jesus these two years, and I hope you will not refuse to make me happy in telling me of those good things about heaven." He comes three times in the week for instruction, and remains about two hours each time. Last evening we read John iii., and when we came to verse 19, he said, "I also loved darkness rather than light, because my deeds were evil, but now I hope to walk in the light." with I shall leave him and Mr. Lthe pastors. Mr. Monod has consented to take Mr. L, Mr. B—, and Mr. L-, and give them instructions during my absence. Our aged sister is about the same; she longs to be with her Saviour, and it would be a great blessing if He were to take her home soon, but He knows what is best for us. Although I am expressly sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to whom I am privileged to make known the riches of Christ's Gospel, and offer them the bread of life, without money and without price, yet I feel it my duty to give the crumbs of my time to the English and American sailors who visit this port, and who also need to be told that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; and, to do this, I go among them an hour or two every Sunday, and, when I cannot secure a ship on which to hold a service, I go from ship to ship, speak to the men about their souls and give them tracts, and I have great reason to believe that the blessing of God has accompanied my feeble efforts among them. JEWISH HERALD.-JULY 1, 1858. CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF THE SOCIETY. From April 1st, to May 31st, 1858, (not included in Report). SUBSCRIPTIONS & DONATIONS. £ s. d. £ s. d. Chorley 050 100 1J0 Devonport, Public Meeting, 200 14 1 AUXILIARIES & ASSOCIATIONS. Annual Meeting, collected at 9 13 10 Aylesbury Barnstaple, collection, at Public Meeting 1 2 8 (less exp.).... 3 8 51 Bideford Baptist Chapel Ely, Public Meeting, Baptist Huntingdon, after Lecture Launceston, Public Meeting Leighton Buzzard, Public in (less exp) 1 13 103 Weldon, Independent Cha. 150 115 672 Coventry 069 Cromford, Public Meeting, Nuneaton.. 526 Wesleyan Chapel 1 1 6 0 10 0 Okehampton, Lecture, Town 1 0 0 Wellingborough, after lecture Welford, Independent Cha. 1 10 0 213 110 0 Notice. THE MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL MEETING will be held as usual at No. 1, Crescentplace, Blackfriars, on Wednesday Evening, July 21st, at 7 o'clock. The Meeting is open to all friends of Israel. Now ready, price 3s. 6d., cloth covers, THE GOLDEN LAMP: an Exposition of the Tabernacle and its Services. BY RIDLEY H. HERSCHELL. London: James Nisbett and Co., Berners Street. This day is published, crown 8vo., cloth, 6s. 6d. ; gilt, 7s. 6d. EXHORTATION ΤΟ CHRISTIAN AN EARNEST AFFECTIONATELY ADDRESSED TO THE MEMBERS OF EVERY UNITY. RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY AND DENOMINATION, BE THEY HEBREW, CHRISTIAN, OR INFIDEL; With an Appendix, containing Bishop Beveridge's Soliloquy on the Immortality of the Soul, and the Divinity of the Christian Religion. By the CHIEF OF SINNERS. Edinburgh: MENZIES. Dublin: London: PARTRIDGE and Co., Paternoster-row. J. ROBERTSON, and all Booksellers. London Published by JOHN SNOW, 35, Paternoster Row. Printed by Charles Adams and William Gee, at 23 Middle Street, West Smithfield, E.C.-No. 151-July 1, 1858. 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. Jesus and Jerusalem. No. VI. THE UNPARALLELED FRIEND. FRIENDSHIP is a theme on which poets have dwelt with much enthusiasm. Historians have delighted to record special instances of its tenderness and power; and writers who deal in fiction are continually referring to it in order to embellish their pages. But beyond all the real cases which the page of history can furnish, and the supposed ones which the mind of man can imagine, the friendship of Christ extends. This is our theme now, and we propose to study it as exhibited at Jerusalem, where we have already seen so much of the Saviour's glory manifested in His various offices and relationships. The Hebrew Scriptures dwell much on friendship, present us with some choice specimens of it, and furnish suitable precepts for the guidance of friends, so as best to ensure the strengthening and perpetuating of the social feelings. Moses speaks of the "Friend who is as thine own soul." Solomon says, "A friend loveth at all times;" and who has not read with deep interest the inspired narrative of the tender friendship of David and Jonathan? Well might David say of his much-lamented friend, "Thy love to me was wonderful." But even this wonderful friendship is quite eclipsed by Him, "whose name shall be called Wonderful." Beautiful as friendship is in its Old Testament exhibitions, we must come to the New Testament to find "THE FRIEND;" the "One above all others," who wears, and who so preeminently "deserves the name of Friend." The perfect, faithful, tender, wise, sinless, infinite, undying "FRIEND" is Jesus. In Him as such we have God's best gift, here His richest benevolence is displayed, VOL. XIII. NEW SERIES, VOL. IV. here all our needs are met, and all the yearnings of our hearts fully satisfied. He is a Friend for the soul, and should be the Friend of the soul. He "hath laid down His life for His friends," and greater love hath no man than this." In doing this, He hath given us a pledge that He will do everything else that is for our good, if we trust Him, repose on His friendship, and call on His name. When He lived in our world, He so acted as to win for Himself the title of the "Friend of sinners;" His enemies gave it Him in scorn and contempt, but He did not refuse the title on that account. It belonged to Him, it described Him, it was His glory, even as was the inscription which Pilate put on His cross, though that unjust judge meant it not so. Jesus is "the Friend of sinners." Wonderful fact, teeming with blessings, bright with glory! Here is the restingplace of faith, the birthplace of hope, the fountain of joy, the home of humility, a pattern for meekness, the sanctuary of love, the mainspring of zeal, the ladder to Heaven, the way to and the very image of God; the overwhelming demonstration that "God is love." This short sentence, "the Friend of sinners," contains in it the darkest and the brightest word which language can furnish. Everything dreadful is connected with the word "sinner;" a thousand pleasing sensations are awakened by the word "friend." The one is full of poison, the other of health. The first is surrounded with ever-deepening horrors, the second beams brightly with increasing glory. The Gospel only mentions these two words in connexion. It does so fully and positively. There can be no mistake about it. Let no sinner who hears of it think the news too good, or too strange to be true. Let him not go shivering solitarily in cheerless unbelief onward to eternity, but cast himself at once on the loving heart of that Friend who still says to sinners, "Come unto Me;" who receiveth all who come, in no wise casting any out. To encourage such, and to animate His Friends to trust Him, love Him, and imitate Him, let us take one glimpse of the Friend of sinners at Jerusalem; we can only really know Him by studying His own words and actions. There are five special places or scenes connected with the history of Christ where we may profitably study His friendship. Four of these are BETHLEHEM, BETHANY, CALVARY, and HEAVEN. In these various places we see the condescension, tenderness, strength, and majesty of His friendship. But there is one other spot which stands midway between these four, with two on either side, and which we may consider a kind of observatory or watch-tower, from whence they may profitably be surveyed and studied. This central spot is the large upper room at Jerusalem, which Jesus selected from all others to keep the last passover in with His disciples. There, too, He instituted His own feast of love, and delivered His last farewell discourse. There it was, most probably, He appeared after His resurrection, saying, "Peace be unto you," and "showing His hands and His side;" and there, it may be, His friends received that glorious proof of faithful and infinite friendship, the Pentecostal gift of the Comforter. But we are not quite sure of the last two points, and the first is quite sufficient for our purpose. Enter, then, that "large upper room," fragrant with the love, lit up with the glory, hallowed by the sorrows, of the "Friend of sinners." The tones of His voice, as He counsels, comforts, instructs His friends, as He prays and sings with them, still linger round us. Let us listen reverently, and study in the light of His own words, His incarnation, His mission, His sufferings, His glory. Everything which Jesus has done, said, and suffered,-His triumphs, tenderness and glories,will be better understood and more fully appreciated, if we realise the wonders and sweetness of those five chapters, John xiii.-xvii. Here we have a glorious firmament, studded with bright stars; another and a better "Paradise," with trees bearing all manner of fruit; knowledge without evil (yea, with life eternal), life without death, joy without sorrow, love without decay. Look, He stoops to His disciples' feet! Behold! He rises to the throne of God! He is among His weak ones as him that serveth; He pierces heaven, soars beyond time, and enters the glory which He had with the Father before the world was. All the space between those soiled feet and that infinite glory He fills up. He brings God down to man; and, as His express image, clearly manifests Him. He engages to bring man up to God, by becoming "the true and living way." He reveals the Father's heart, He describes the Father's house, He ensures the Father's great benediction, even "the Comforter." He speaks of His peace, and says, "I give it unto you." He tells of joy, His own joy; purposes to have joy in His friends, and to make their joy full and complete. But who can enumerate all He said, or describe all that He did, in that upper room? Oh, believer! what a goodly heritage hast thou in these five chapters! What a divine exposition of the title-"Friend of Sinners" do they contain! What a glorious panorama for the eye of faith and hope to gaze upon, and what an infinite portion for the heart of love to embrace! About the centre of this Gospel Eden, we find the following words descriptive of the friendship of the Saviour: "This is My commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you" (John. xv. 12-16). Saved soul, reposing on the heart, yea, engraved on the hands of Him who spake these words, ponder them much and often. What may you not expect from such friendship? and what may not such a friend expect from you? He does expect much. But you will only respond as you receive. You must listen to Him if you would live for Him. You must repay His confidence in order to become consecrated to His cause. Make free with Him, and you will become fearless for Him. Give Him credit for meaning all He says, and you will be mindful of what He requires. He has friends, and no one can say but that He "shows Himself friendly," and "sticketh closer than a brother" to them; and He loves to be imitated. He wishes you to be diligent for Him, but you must not be distant from Him. Love delights in nearKeep consciously within the sphere of His attraction, ever ness. |