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chalice, put them on the table in the ancient Jewish fashion, which completed in the room the appearance of the approaching Sabbath. The minuteness and satisfaction with which he performed his preparations, evidenced his state of mind, and showed to me that he had a zeal, but not according to knowledge. I endeavoured to enlighten his mind on what true religion is, and I pray that my words may not be spoken in vain.

I intend, before my leaving Hanover, to pay also, please God, another visit to Mr. S-, the teacher at G-I meet and converse here frequently also with his brother, but I always find that he is more anxious to sell me lottery tickets than to hear about the Gospel. May the Lord be merciful to him, and lead him into the way of truth!

CONFESSION OF A CHRISTIAN ISRAELITE,

On the occasion of his public baptism in the Congregational Church at Kingsland, by the Rev. Thomas Aveling, on Thursday evening, December 3rd, 1857. (Communicated by Mr. Stalberg.)

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,-In standing up in the presence of the Almighty God and this congregation, to confess publicly the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel, and my faith in Him, I feel that I stand upon hallowed ground, and consider this moment to be the most important and solemn in my life.

Although the Gospel has no respect to the former history of an individual who may be brought under its influence, but that everybody, without dif ference, be he Jew or Gentile, through repentance, faith, and love towards God and Christ, may obtain eternal life, yet it may not be quite uninteresting to you, if I endeavour to give you a short statement of my former life and my present feelings, for which purpose I ask your patient indulgence for a few mo

ments.

I was born at Hamburg, in the year 1833. My father was a merchant, and died in 1852. My dear mother and five sisters are still alive and in good circumstances. I was brought up among that portion of the descendants of Abraham, who on the Continent are generally known under the name of modern Jews. I went to school when six years of age, and left at my fifteenth year, when I was confirmed (in what that confirmation consisted is more than I can say), and soon after entered into business life. I was situated in a mercantile house, in which I served for about seven years, and where I had the opportunity of travelling through a great part of the Continent, as Russia, Prussia, Austria, France, &c. When twenty years of age, I came every year three times to these islands, in order to buy goods, which we sold again at Hamburg, but never had an opportunity of visiting this

capital, as the business which I had to transact only led me to the northern part of this country.

In the year 1854, I established myself in the same line of business. Two years after, when my business was in the most flourishing state, I came to the most unreasonable resolution, to give it up, and to leave my native country; a resolution so unaccountable, as incomprehensible for any human mind to conceive. But this was the Lord's doing.

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His ways are not like our ways, nor His thoughts like our thoughts." In July last year I set out for Hull, where I abode for about ten months, until I felt the desire to see that town, of which I heard and read so much, London, the capital of this happy empire. I arrived here in the latter part of last May. On the 19th of June, that memorable day, which I trust will never be effaced from my mind, I called upon a gentleman (whose name is objected to be mentioned), in order to obtain a situation, who in the course of conversation asked me to what denomination I belonged; and when I told him that I was a Jew, this gentleman, as a disciple of Christ, kindly endeavoured to prove to me the fact, that the Messiah, whom the Jews expect yet to make His appearance, has already come, and that it is none other than Jesus of Nazareth, whom our forefathers pierced and murdered, and whom the present Jews despise; and that no Jew could serve God as he ought to do, after the law of Moses, because the offering of sacrifices has come to an end, since the last eighteen centuries, in fulfilment of Hosea iii. 4; at the same time proving, that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. I could not refute what I heard from this eminent man of God, as

the truth thereof was clear to my mind; but an evil voice within me said, "Go thy way for this time, when I have convenient season I will call for thee."

Friends! I leave it to yourselves prayerfully to consider what a blessing it would be, if every one who calls himself a Christian would, wherever he finds an opportunity of speaking of God and Christ, promote His honour and glory in doing so, especially to the Jews, to whom the Christian Church are debtors for all they revere and esteem sacred.

Far, far from Zion, far from God,
And suffering still the chastening rod,
Hopeless and homeless meets your view
The weary, weeping, exiled Jew!

In him no priest, no worship sweet,
No Saviour's love, no mercy-seat;
The gifts he spurn'd are brought to you-
Then share them with the exiled Jew!
Oh! Christian hearts, that thrill to hear
The news the Gospel heralds bear,
Is there no sympathy from you
To cheer the drooping, exiled Jew?

Say, can ye view the Eastern star,
Which brought the wise men from afar,
And whilst it shines so bright on you,
Forget the darkness of the Jew?

Or can ye hear our God's decree,
He shall be bless'd that blesseth thee,
An still refuse the tribute due,
To teach and bless the exiled Jew?

This conversation, however, left such an impression upon my mind, that I felt a certain anxiety, an anxiety of which I never knew anything before, and of which I tried to get rid. "But as for God, His way is perfect." The work within me began, though I knew it not; and as my mind was in such an unsettled state, I came to the resolution to inquire and seek after truth. The following day, the 20th of June, I met a countryman of mine, who, after I had informed him of my failure in obtaining a situation in the above-named gentleman's establishment, kindly advised me to call upon Mr. Stalberg, who might use his influence with this anonymous gentleman to get me in; but to my surprise, upon my first intercourse with Mr. Stalberg, he told me that he had nothing whatever to do with business affairs, and at once commenced to tell me the tale of redeeming love. This was the second time that I ever heard of the depravity of the human heart, the preciousness of the soul, and the inestimable price paid for its redemption; and in this faithful labourer in the Lord's vineyard I found not only a constant friend and benefactor, but,

under God's blessing, a daily spiritual adviser.

My dear Christian friends, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude, and it is impossible for me to describe to you the kindness with which this dear Jewish brother of mine treated me. I found in him a warm and sympathising friend, who has not only borne with the impetuosity of my character and my unacquaintance with the Christian religion, but with love, long-suffering, and forbearance, assisted me in my ardent inquiries after the truth. Thank God! his efforts have not been in vain, but crowned with a heavenly blessing; as this friend has been the instrumentality, in God's hands, of leading me to the right way of truth, which, by the grace of God, I have found.

In diligently and prayerfully searching the Scriptures, I found that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, that all deserve the wrath of a just God, and that there is but one way to escape everlasting damnation, the pit where the worm does not die and the fire quenches not -even Jesus, that He is the Messiah, and that only by faith in Him we can be justified.

And now I publicly and solemnly declare, that I believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the One living and true God, the Triune Jehovah. I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, of whom Moses and the prophets did speak. I believe that He was God manifested in the flesh, who came down from heaven in His infinite love to save sinners, even me, His sinful creature, from everlasting damnation. I believe that He fulfilled the law, in laying down His own life, and died the cursed death of Calvary; that He rose again the third day for my justification, and sits on the right hand of God to intercede for me as High Priest.

Herein is the love of God manifested towards me, that He did not spare His only-begotten and beloved Son, and gave us the exceedingly rich promise, that "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." I believe that my sins were laid upon Him, and that by His stripes I am healed, that His righteousness is counted for my own righteousness, and that I have free access to God the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son. I further believe, that the Holy Spirit made me understand the truth, that I believe it through His persuasion, and that I can obey it through His influence and

power. My soul has experienced the Divine presence of that Spirit, and beareth witness within me that I am Christ's.

Blessed be God the Almighty, who by His grace allowed me to experience what it is to be at peace with Him, and that He thus enables me solemnly to assert before this congregation, that my trust and hope in life and death is in God, and in Him alone, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour.

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I entreat Thee to bless all the friends of trodden-down Israel, more especially one friend and true servant of Thine, who interested himself so much on my behalf. Bless him with all spiritual and temporal blessings; make him more and more zealous for the cause of Israel, with a zeal according to knowledge and charity; spare his life for many, many years, and thus enable him to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Thee; and may all those who surround him, by his works and conversation, see that he is with Christ, and follow the example set before them. I ask this for our Redeemer's sake.

Almighty and everlasting God! who art the hearer and answerer of prayer, pour down Thy richest blessing from above, I beseech Thee, upon my spiritual adviser, the son of Abraham, Thy friend; prolong his useful life, the life of his partner in life, and all the members of his family, for many years, that he, by Thy gracious providence and grace, may continue to be the instrumentality, in Thy hand, to bring back some of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, sheep without a shepherd; that he, being a living sacrifice unto Thee,

NORTH LONDON AUXILIARY On Tuesday evening a public meeting of the above Society was held in Myddelton-hall. G. H. Davis, Esq. (of the Religious Tract Society), presided. A hymn having been sung, and the Divine blessing invoked, by the Rev. J. Hartley (of Liverpool-road chapel),

The CHAIRMAN said that the work of the conversion of the children of Israel was a matter of much speculation and rather warm controversy among the children of God. Many opinions were held concerning the past and the present in connexion with the future of the Jews, but there were principles on which all might agree; first, that whatever may be the earthly future of the

may shine as the brightness of the firmament and the stars for ever and

ever.

O Thou eternal and Triune Jehovah! save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance. Let the time speedily arrive, and Thy gracious promise be fulfilled, that all Thy people Israel may serve Thee in true holiness, and call the crucified Redeemer blessed, for Thine own honour and glory, and for Christ's sake.

Dear Christian friends, I cannot omit with heartfelt gratitude to acknowledge the rich blessings I have, through grace, derived from the Gospel truth proclaimed within these walls by our beloved pastor, the Rev. Thomas Aveling, and fervently pray to the God of my fathers, that it may please Him to spare his life, and the life of those dear to him, and that the seed which he soweth from time to time may fall on good ground, and bring forth abundantly, to the honour and glory of Immanuel's name. Amen.

Now, dear Christian friends, I need not tell you that a Christian's path, especially that of a new-born one, a babe in Christ, is not always a smooth one, but beset with thorns and thistles, and there is a cunning enemy to be overcome, and that I require strength and power from on high to walk secure. Wherefore allow me to beseech you, when you retire to your closets, to remember unworthy me in your prayers, that our heavenly Father may strengthen me in the inner man, uphold me by His Spirit, and increase my knowledge and love of Him, that I may be a partaker of that knowledge which passeth all understanding.

TO THE BRITISH SOCIETY. Jews, the present generation of that race needed the salvation provided in the Gospel, because they were sinful men, and if God entered into judgment with them, how could they stand before Him at the last day? The second principle was, that inasmuch as the Jews were a very peculiar people, they needed a very peculiar agency to present Divine truth to their minds. The third principle was, that though it is a truth that some, who for a time turned from Judaism to the profession of Christianity, had not been really converted, yet there are many of the Jews who have received the truth in the love of it, and that they ought to be encouraged even by that

degree of success. If they but kept these three principles before them, he thought they would find no difficulty whatever in supporting that and kindred societies, whatever might be their individual views as to the future of the children of Israel. The fortunes of the Gentiles were mixed up with those of the Jews. The very lapse of the Jews had been the life of the Gentiles. What, then, must their restoration be productive of? In concluding an excellent speech, Mr. Davis said that the Society had six agents in England, and nine in foreign countries, and that as its labours were conducted in the most judicious manner, it deserved their prayers and support. (Hear, hear.) He then called

upon

Mr. J. YONGE, jun., to read the report, which stated the one object of the Society to give the Jew a hearty wel come to the Saviour-recommended the cause to the sympathies, prayers, and aid of the meeting; showed that the funds for the past year had not been large; that the accounts of the Society's progress are very cheering from home and abroad, and especially from the continent; and that the Society wanted additional collectors, and an increase in the number of subscribers.

The Rev. A. M. HENDERSON (of Clare. mont Chapel), in an interesting address, spoke of the advantages of the Jews." He said that, looking at them, ejected from their own land and scattered among the nations, one might wonder what were the advantages of the Jews. But, unto them were committed the oracles of God. While the Greeks, Romans, and Persians worshipped their mythical gods, the Jews had had a distinct revelation-"Ihe Lord thy God is one God." The rev. gentleman expatiated on the advantages that the Jews derived from this.

The Rev. J. WEIR, D.D., addressed the meeting on the next topic, "That

the unsectarian constitution of this Society commends it to the support of all who feel themselves interested in the progress of Christianity." He said that the signs of the times, with regard to the Jews, were most impressive and encouraging. Many persons, when speaking of the Reformation, ask why something had not then been done for the Jews? But the reason was plain. The great reformers had enough to do in fighting with the Church of Rome and her errors. But when Chalmers was honoured by God in establishing the glorious doctrine of justification by faith, numerous revivals sprang up in Scotland, and particularly in Kilsyth and Dundee. About that time, M'Cheyne, Black, and others, who had been diffusing the truth concerning Jesus in Palestine, returned with tidings of great joy; and, as a consequence, efforts were commenced for a still greater diffusion of the Gospel among the Jews. The rev. gentleman concluded by remarking that prayer, as had been said in the report, was the great resource of the Society.

The Rev. Mr. KESSLER, one of the Society's continental agents, gave an interesting account of the efforts that had been made by the Society's agents in Brussels, Antwerp, Frankfort, Wurtemburg, Breslau, &c.

The Rev. H. MADGIN (of Tonbridge Chapel), in a short but impressive address, spoke on the following topic:"The conversion of the Jews, a theme for earnest and believing prayer."

The Rev. B. S. HOLLIS, in an energetic but brief address, commended the Society and its object to the sympathies of the meeting.

Mr. G. YONGE (secretary to the Society) proposed, and Mr. BAMFORD seconded, a vote of thanks to the chairman, which having been adopted, the doxology was sung, and the meeting departed.

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Notice.

THE MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL MEETING will be held as usual at No. 1, Crescentplace, Blackfriars, on Wednesday Evening, April 21st, at 7 o'clock. The Meeting is open to all friends of Israel.

London Published by JOHN SNOW, 35, Paternoster Row.

Printed by Charles Adams and William Gee, at 23 Middle Street, West Smithfield, E.C.-No.148–April 1, 18:8.

The Jewish Herald,

AND

RECORD OF CHRISTIAN EFFORT FOR THE SPIRITUAL GOOD

OF GOD'S ANCIENT PEOPLE.

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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.

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How various are the thoughts awakened in the mind by the mention of the words "the house of Israel!" A people start up at once before us by far the most remarkable of any on the face of the earth. The marks of antiquity are on their countenances; they present, though scattered everywhere, a unity of manners, customs, thoughts and hopes to be found in no nation beside. Seek we for illustrations of holiness and sin—of love and hatred—of spiritual sublimity or moral degradation,-where can we find them so fully and numerously exhibited as in the history and condition of Israel? This strange people stand before us with God's book in their hands, and God's curse upon their heads; ever using holy words, yet completely out of sympathy with God; enduring, in many places, the most extreme sorrow, yet sure heirs of the richest blessings.

Were it only as a matter of curiosity, the study of such a peculiar nation would be most interesting; but it is not thus that we are called to think upon them. We are bound to them by links which we cannot sever; we have responsibilities relating to them, resting upon us, which we cannot shake off. Surely, then, it behoves us to form as intimate and correct an acquaintance with them as possible; to endeavour to unlearn all misconceptions, and cast away all prejudices; in a word, to aim to get into sympathy with God toward Israel, so that we may act a right part toward them. Then we shall not be found among those "talkers" of whom God speaks in Ezek. xxxvi. 3, nor do that which is so feelingly complained of by Jeremiah, "They called them an outcast; saying, This is Zion whom no man seeketh after" (Jer. xxx. 17.)

We must not dwell on the marvellous history of Israel, including their deliverance, prosperity, apostacy, scattering, and wanderings. In all they are a wonderful people. The last eighteen centuries have been heavily laden with

VOL. XIII.-NEW SERIES, VOL. IV.

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