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leave to others to say. Their spiritual condition is our one grand point to ponder. To relieve that is our constant aim. We have spoken of the battle in which Christians are engaged. Too late has attention been directed to that point which may be called "the key of the enemy's fortress," concerning which express charge was given by our Great Captain, the conquest of which would mainly contribute to the conquest of all. What though delay has added now to the difficulties of taking it: it is but what might be expected. It should not surprise that centuries of neglect, and worse even than that, should, when at length the assault is made, require very much wisdom, patience, watchfulness, strategy, and perseverance. But what if weakness, dissatisfaction, and division are manifested among those we are striving to subdue? should we slacken effort? rather should we not, more diligently than ever, use every means at command to improve the golden opportunity? Such symptoms are plainly exhibited by those we are seeking to subdue into the obedience of the faith. Surely it is not fitting to withdraw when the besieged appear inclined to surrender. May those who are foremost in this fight be sustained by the sympathy and prayers of all interested in the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! A. D. S.

Death of a Christian Jew.

(COMMUNICATED BY A LADY.)

NATHAN NATHAN was born in the year 1798, at Godmanchester, of Jewish parents, who brought him up in the strict observance of their religious rites and ceremonies. His father's being the only Jewish family in the neighbourhood, Nathan's companions were chiefly amongst Gentiles, and with them he occasionally (notwithstanding the prohibition of his parents) attended a Christian place of worship, but apparently without any good effect. In the year 1822 he came to reside at Nottingham, where for about three years he lived amongst his brethren according to the flesh, attending the synagogue, observing holy days, &c.; but marrying a Gentile woman, he was excluded from the Jewish community, and for some time lived in the total neglect of the service and worship of God, "without God and without hope in the world." In the course of years he was blessed with three daughters. They were led by the children of neighbours to a Christian Sabbath school, and were ultimately the means of inducing their parents to attend Divine service with them. From 1837 to 1839, our friend resided as porter at the Union-house, and here the Christian example and exhortations of the master and matron, together with the regular observance of family worship, made an impression on his mind. It pleased our Heavenly Father, at this time, to lay upon him His afflicting hand, and obliged, in consequence of paralysis, to leave his situation. "This," to use his own words, "gave me more time to search the Scriptures, and in them I found the way to eternal life; they were a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.'' The ninth verse of the tenth chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans powerfully affected his mind: he felt his own

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deficiency, that he had not as yet confessed Christ before man. "About this time," he says, "I witnessed a Missionary ordinance of the Lord's supper. The preacher who addressed the spectators, referring to those who thought they were believers and yet were not seated at the table, said they were guilty of four robberies,-they were robbing the Church of a member, the minister of encouragement, the world of an example, and themselves of comfort." These remarks sank deep into the mind of our friend, and he made "joining the Church" a subject for earnest prayer and serious thought. In the summer of 1841 he received a visit from a pious clergyman (one of the seed of Abraham), who wished him to be baptised according to the rites of the Church of England. Nathan told him, after some conversation, that as the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Gilbert (Independent) had been so greatly blessed to him, he would, from his hands only, receive the ordinance of baptism. This privilege he enjoyed in October of the same year, and was received into fellowship with the Church under Mr. Gilbert's care. My acquaintance with Nathan commenced more than six years ago. Though in deep poverty, and unable, from his paralytic affliction, to walk without the assistance of two persons, I always found him cheerful and happy, rejoicing in God his Saviour, and anxious that others should have the same "joy and peace in believing." He was truly a "happy Christian." The visits of pious friends, and especially of some of the house of Israel (the Rev. R. H. Herschell and Dr. Schulhof), were thankfully received, and appreciated by him. A few months prior to his death, feeling that he was a burden upon his daughters which they had scarcely the means of sustaining, he was, by his own desire, removed to the Unionhouse. Here he was visited by a clergyman, and another Christian friend, who described him as in "a delightful state of mind," ready and waiting for his change. He died in November, at the age of fifty-six; and received, we doubt not, from our Saviour the welcome :

"Come in, thou blessed, sit by me;

With my own blood I ransomed thee."

A Self-baptised Jew

REFUSED CHRISTIAN AND JEWISH BURIAL.

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MR. STERN, at Frankfort, relates the following:-During last month, died at Würzburg one of my former acquaintances, Mr. — with whom I had spoken some time ago about the truth in Christ. Not long before his death he made his will, and ordered that it should be opened before his burial. The magistrates did so, and found that desired to be

buried, not in the Jewish burying place and in the Jewish manner, but in the Christian burying-place in the Christian order of service. He said further in his last will, that he had been for a long time convinced of the truth in Christ, and had baptised himself. He devised by will 1500 florins to the poor among the Christians.

This, his last will, was presented to the bishop, who declared that the last will of the testator could not be fulfilled, because he was not baptised.

The rabbin of Würzburg declared, on his part, that the dead body could not be buried in the Jewish burying-place, because in Judaism the last will must be respected. After a long dispute, some of 's relations took him and buried him secretly in a remote place in the Jewish burying-place at Heidingsfeld, one mile from Würzburg.

I propose the question:-Is now the dead as converted, even though he was unbaptised?

not to be considered

Missionary Intelligence.

THIS does not embrace any instance of a peculiarly marked character, but entirely sustains the opinion, often expressed, that Divine light is penetrating the abodes and the hearts of Jews very extensively, and that the way of the Lord is being prepared where it has not yet been developed. We have decided testimony to the expression of earnest desires to know the truth, and of a high appreciation of the moral excellence of Christianity; and, by all that meets our observation, we are more than ever impressed with the importance of an earnest, straight-forward dealing with the Jew as a sinner, to be saved or lost as he receives or rejects Christ and Him crucified. The reply of the Rev. Legh Richmond, to the inquiry, "What is the scriptural and right way to preach to the Jew?" presents the rule for missionary action, and we hope it will be every where adopted :-" I know of no scriptural way," he replied, "of preaching to men, otherwise than as sinners; and why the Jews, whose sins are of so aggravated a nature, should be dealt with in a different way, I do not sce. I would address the Jew as I would any other man-that is, as a sinner; and till he is convinced of his sin, he will never believe in a Saviour. Christ crucified is declared to be to the Greeks foolishness, and to the Jews a stumblingblock; but to them that believe, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.' No man will ever feel the power of God, whether he be Jew or Gentile, till he learns it at the foot of the Cross."

Mr. MANNING'S communications were interrupted by severe pain and the heat of the weather. In a letter, dated BEYROUT, Nov. 22, he writes:

I am thankful to say, our Mission continues prosperous, especially in numbers; for I have been obliged to hire another room for our accommodation. Nor are we without encouragement that our labours are attended with the Divine blessing-the evident change in several of the youths under our instruction affording this hope. The present stir amongst the Jews, occasioned by the Jewish party in London, has caused three of the sons of Israel to leave us; but as they have left their desks and books behind them, we conclude that they do not contemplate being long absent.

An interesting young Jew, a native of Smyrna, called on me to-day, and expressed a wish to receive instruction, and to read the Bible with me; for, he said, he was anxious to know with whom the truth was to be found; and he would embrace it, he said, let it cost him what it would.

Since I last wrote, I have heard of the safe arrival in Jerusalem of our venerable and valued friend, Mr. Herschell, and his sons, who are, no doubt, by this time, in Egypt, enjoying the sublime wonders in that delightful country at this season of the year; and now I regret sincerely that

it did not occur to me, when they were here, to make the arrangement to meet them at Cairo, which I could easily have reached by water, and have joined their party to go up the Nile, where I have not yet been, and which, it is possible, might have benefited me, and spared me the trouble of a longer voyage, and a longer absence from my sphere of labour.

What awful doings at the seat of war! We have been so long accustomed to peace, that we can hardly conceive of thousands of our fellow-creatures being sent into eternity in two or three hours, at the mere caprice of one man. How much I regret not being strong enough to go to Constantinople, to nurse and take care of the poor sick and wounded, and supply, in a small measure, that want of forethought-I will

not call it neglect-on the part of my country, in making the necessary provisions for the health and restoration of those who might be affected by the casualties of contending armies. We are just at this time in a great fever of excitement, looking out for the packet that is to take this, and which, it is hoped, will confirm the expectation that Sebastopol is fallen into the hands of the Allies. Great preparations are also making by the Pasha and consuls to demonstrate their joy on the occasion, after the usual way-burning oil and exploding gunpowder. I could wish it were more rational, and more after the old fashion, instituted by Esther and Mordecai, of sending gifts to the poor. We are anxiously looking out for a box of school-apparatus, promised us by Rev. Mr. Aveling.*

WURTEMBURG.

Mr. GOTTHEIL's references to the late Dr. Kitto and his family may, perhaps, strengthen the appeal already before the Christian public. It is therefore inserted in connexion with intelligence of his Missionary work :

Again death has cast a gloom into our circle; and, awful to say, in the same family in which it has made entrance before. I wrote to you of Miss Kitto's death, and now I have to inform you of the death of her father, who was taken ill about ten days ago, and whom, on Monday, we followed to his last resting-place. It is believed that the departure of his beloved children, especially of the eldest, a most hopeful and promising young lady, has much hastened the father's death. How woful this is! Only about three months the family have resided here, and three graves already there are to tell a tale of sorrow, which the Lord, the wise Father and Master, has seen good to send to that house. What are His purposes in doing so, we cannot tell; but we may be sure that they are meant for wise and good reasons, and for the eventual good and spiritual welfare of the surviving widow and the dear little orphans. And to us all, what a lesson of submission under the Divine will is this! We must learn to adore where we cannot understand. This sudden removal, and several occasions for preaching and missionary meetings, have almost altogether filled up my spare time during the last week. As the Protestant clergy of this country are so exceedingly kind to me, I am glad and thankful to have an opportunity of shewing my grati tude by now and then taking a sermon or holding a service for them- -a circumstance

which, I am sure, you will approve of, the more so as it always gives me an opportunity to plead and pray for Israel. Now and then a Jew or two, if they happen to know the time when I preach, come and attend.

In my Mission-work, the most striking feature of my labours, in the course of this month, is a visit I paid to my Jewish friend, the teacher at I. At his own request, I spent the whole of Saturday with him, to give us full time for conversation. I wish I had the memory sufficient to be able to record the whole contents of our long and affectionate intercourse; but to attempt this is vain. The flow of his thoughts is very rapid, and requires one to be constantly on the watch, and to be ready to give an answer or to explain a difficulty. Yet there is no levity, nor idle questioning for mere questioning's sake. That brother's case, often as it is to me a cause of gratitude to Almighty God, for having advanced him thus far in the right appreciation of the Bible and an earnest longing for better things, very often also perplexes me. believe the one great essential requisite to true and lasting conversion is yet wanting in him-that which our Saviour lays down in the words: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me;" and when He declares that they who will not bear their cross after Him, as He has done, is not worthy of Him. It is a difficult lesson,

* We regret that our friend Mr. Aveling's appeal has not yet been responded to. have received but one donation of ten shillings.

I

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this bearing the cross; it is difficult to master. Man's proud heart is apt to revolt against the thought-his love of ease ready to shrink from the work. And yet, unless the hand be laid to the plough, and there be no more lookings back and no more regrets, no more desirings and longing after the things that are of this earth, and that vanish like the cloud and the early dew, there can be no following Christ. Let us pray much for him, my dear friend, that, in order to be exalted and raised to the heavenly calling in Christ Jesus, he may be humbled and laid low. His wife is a very affectionate person, and of gentle disposition; and Mr. E. tells me, that while she is always impatient at other Missionaries, she feels kindly disposed towards me; but I fear she is a great hindrance to his stepping out and boldly searching and confessing. One striking observation I remember he made, and which may be worth mentioning: "We preachers and teachers in Israel have this disadvantage, that all our teaching and instruction in religious matters moves in a circle of abstract ideas, which to the mind of our hearers are like as many phantoms, without form-mere shadows, with nothing for the understanding to lay hold of and retain. Hence all our teaching seems to be in vain, and forgotten almost as soon as heard. But with the Christian teacher and preacher, things are quite different: with them, moral and religious lessons have a reality, a concrete existence, an exemplification and embodiment, accessible to the plainest compre

hension, every child being able to realise it. If you," he added, "desire to impress a child with the idea that it ought to speak the truth and avoid telling untruth, you point him to Jesus, who spoke the truth, though at the danger of His life. If you want to promote love and forbearance, you point to Jesus, who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; yea, even prayed for His enemies, &c. With such living examples before them, how much easier is it for Christians to follow after righteousness and peace!" What a testimony to the practical value of Christianity this is, as a benefit to the human race! Coming from the mouth of a Jew, it shames many a Christian philosopher, who despises the Gospel as foolishness, and made only for children and weak understandings. Mr. E also went with me to the rabbi of the community, who gave me a kindly reception. It appears that my Jewish friend, Mr. E-, of S had been with him some time ago, and spoken kindly of me, so as to incline the rabbi friendly towards my person, at all events. As another mark of confidence, I may mention that Mrs. E- requested our advice and counsel, when about to send her eldest daughter abroad for perfecting her education; and when she had left, the mother requested us to write to her daughter, to admonish her to persevere in the ways of godliness and virtue. Oh, that she would but learn, not to trust to her own heart, but to the life of Christ, which He is so ready and willing to kindle within her!

BRESLAU.

Mr. SCHWARTZ presents a very interesting recital relative to a family who have gone to America, bearing, it is believed, in their hearts seeds of life to be fostered in a clime more genial than that forsaken :

Considering the peculiar state of the Jewish mind in the present day, the work of the Mission in general is assuming a more encouraging aspect. In the absence of prejudices formerly common to the Jew, now to be found only among the votaries of the old school, our quiet and unostentatious labour gains a silent influence, which will, with the blessing of God, be of great importance. It is, indeed, most gratifying to see that, amidst the all-absorbing ques tions of the day, amidst rumours of war, and the distress and misery that surround us, the messenger of the glad tidings is still enabled to draw the attention of many to things which belong to their everlasting peace. There is a something in the Jewish mind, irrespective of the party to which individuals may be attached, and even influencing those who have little serious

thought, so that the Jew cannot be altogether insensible to the claims which religion has upon him. An instance of this kind may be mentioned: Mr. C. Though very gradually, I rejoice that the work of grace is being carried on in his heart. When I first made his acquaintance, twelve months ago, he was ignorant and careless of religion, yet not entirely destitute of knowledge. He afterwards informed me, that Mr. Berling, also a converted Jew, who many years ago acted as a Missionary to the Berlin Society, in his native town of this Province, and who has since entered his rest, instructed him in the best things. The seed which the Lord's servant had sown to his Master's glory in so many hearts, took root also in his. He was, as before remarked, on our first acquaintance, careless, but never totally given up to the mind of the

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