Were this confirmed by the four leading powers, who have interfered to rescue Syria from Egypt, engaging also for their protection, the door for their return would at length be fully opened.

privileges as are granted to the numerous other nations who submit to our authority.

"The Jewish nation shall be protected and defended.

"To accomplish this object we have given the most positive orders that the Jewish nation dwelling in all parts of our empire shall be perfectly protected as well as all other subjects of the Sublime Porte, and that no person shall molest them in any manner whatever (except for a just cause), neither in the free exercise of their religion, nor in that which concerns their safety and tranquillity. In consequence, the present firman, which is ornamented at the head with our "Hoomaioon" (sign manual), and emanates from our Imperial Chancellerie, has been delivered to the Israelitish nation.

"Thus you the above mentioned judge, when you know the contents of this firman, will endeavour to act with great care in the manner therein prescribed. And in order that nothing may be done in opposition to this firman at any time hereafter, you will register it in the archives of the tribunal; you will afterwards deliver it to the Israelitish nation; and you will take great care to execute our orders and this our sovereign will.

"Given at Constantinople, the 12th Ramazan, 1256 (6th of November, 1840.")

In the Address delivered by Sir Moses Montefiore, F.R.S., to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid, at the palace of Beshick Tash, Constantinople, on Wednesday evening, the 28th of October, 1840, the following expressions occur

"May it please your Imperial Majesty,-In the name of my breththren who have deputed me, I come to lay at the foot of your Imperial Throne the grateful homage of their respect."

"In ancient times the Lord God brought our people out of Egypt, and for ages they dwelt in Palestine; to them were committed the lively oracles of God, and though now dispersed among the nations of the earth, they are numbered with the most peaceful and loyal subjects, and by their industry they have augmented the riches and prosperity of the countries in which they live."

"They look with love and veneration upon that land where their forefathers dwelt; they pray that all who live therein may enjoy the shadow of your sublime protection, and in peace be permitted to worship the God of their fathers."

It is striking to observe in Sir Moses's address, (as in the Hebrew Liturgy) the deliverance from Egypt is yet the great deliverance referred to by the Jews. The promises are yet unfulfilled. Isa. xliii. 18, 19. Jer. xvi. 14, 15; xxiii. 7. 8.

The peace of the world at the present moment seem closely connected with the undisturbed settlement of Syria and the Holy Land. The vast empires of Russia and France, whatever may be their respective schemes and desires of extending their dominion in the East, are naturally jealous of each other's plans. With similar jealousy, England, with its extended Indian possessions, watches over the movements of both, and Austria and Prussia are equally concerned in the continued tranquillity of the earth. Hence we have seen four of the great powers of Europe, Russia, Austria, Prussia and England enter into a specific treaty, July 15, 1840, "to preserve the Ottoman empire in its integrity and independence, as essential to the maintenance and consolidation of the general peace of Europe." The state of Syria, devastated, depopulated, open to every invader, and the utter inability of Turkey to maintain its power there of itself, form real difficulties in the way. This is felt by the statesmen of the day, and the Government papers in our own country have said much of the Jews being employed to form a neutral state between the Sultan and the Pasha. There is much in the present state of the world and of Syria to make this politically desirable; and much in the claims and state of the Jews, to make it wise and benevolent towards them, and commercially beneficial to all nations, to fulfil what has ever been their leading wish. Hence even human hopes may be now entertained that the great governments of the earth will see their way clear to guarantee their safe return to their own land, and their secure residence in it, accomplishing thereby the recovery of the most interesting parts of the world from a desolation that is equally painful and injurious to civilized society. Kindness and mercy shewn to the Jews are a token of good to any country, and will be the honour of any administration thus acting.

Similar political motives seem to have influenced the governing Gentile empire, THE PERSIAN, at the re-establishment of the Jews in their own land, after the captivity in Babylon. The granting the letters by Artaxerxes, at Nehemiah's request to the governors beyond the river, in favour of the Jews, was probably facilitated by political motives. From a victory of the Athenians under Cimon, and a treaty with them, it became important to conciliate the Jews, and attach them to the Persian interests, that the Persians might have the benefit of the fortified town of Jerusalem, and an important pass for an open communication between Persia and Egypt. It would be a singular coincidence, if similar political conflicts and motives lead on to their future re-establishment at a distance of nearly 2300 years.* 3.*

But a permitted, protected, and even favoured return, is only the beginning of that intense interest which the Gentiles will hereafter, we have scriptural reason to think, feel in their restoration. The Holy

*See Hale's Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. p. 484, 485. Mr. Hetherington in his able work on "The Fulness of Time," remarks, "It is not unworthy of observation that those of the Persian kings who bestowed peculiar favour upon the Jews, were those who enjoyed the longest and most prosperous reigns. Darius Hystaspes renewed the edict of Cyrus and encouraged the building of the Temple. Artaxerxes Longimanus sent Nehemiah to promote the same work, and the second expedition of Nehemiah probably took place under Darius Nothus. From Artaxerxes Mnemon they received few favours: but they enjoyed protection and almost uninterrupted tranquillity. These it is well known were the only kings of Persia who were permitted to wear the tiara for many years in prosperity, and whose lives were not terminated by violence." p. 232, 233. He gives the following as the Persian Dynasty.

Scriptures dwell very largely on the joyful and bountiful aid that shall hereafter be rendered by the nations of the earth to this now stubborn and unbelieving, but ultimately penitent and then universally honoured and favoured people. Isaiah xviii; lxvi, Zech. viii. 23. Thus it is said, Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. Isaiah

Ix. 9.

The JEWS themselves have always retained their full expectation of the coming of the Messiah, and their restoration to their own land. The 12th Article of their creed is, "I believe with a firm and perfect faith that the Messiah is to come."

The Jewish Liturgies abound in confident expressions of hope, and petitions for restoration to their own land. These occur in the morning service :"Thou shalt bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth, and conduct us in righteousness to our land." -"Call us together by the sound of thy great trumpet to the enjoyment of our liberty, and lift up thine ensign, to call and gather together all the captivity from the four corners of the earth. Blessed art thou, O Lord, that gatherest together the scattered of thy people Israel. Restore us our judges as at the first, and our counsellors as at the beginning, and remove far from us sorrow and sighing; and do thou, O Lord, only reign over us in righteousness and compassion, and make us righteous in thy judgment."

On the day of atonement this affecting prayer is offered up. "Because of our sins we were driven from our land in captivity, and removed far distant from our own country, and we are not able to go up, nor to appear and worship before thee in thy chosen house, the great and holy one over which thy name

was called, because of the hand that was stretched out of thy sanctuary. Be graciously pleased, O Lord our God, and the God of our fathers, most merciful King, again to have compassion upon us, and upon thy sanctuary, through thine abundant mercies, and quickly to build it and magnify thy glory. O our Father and our King, discover thy glorious Majesty unto us speedily. Arise, and be exalted to the eye of all living, and gather our dispersions from among the heathen, and assemble us that are scattered from the extreme parts of the earth, and conduct us unto Zion, thy city, with songs, and unto Jerusalem the city of thy sanctuary, with everlasting joy; that we may there perform in thy presence the offering of our duty, and the continual sacrifice according to their order, and the additional sacrifices according to their institution, and the additional one of [on Sabbath] the additional sacrifices of this day of rest, and this day of atonement, that we may perform and offer before thee in love, according to the statutes of thy will, according to what thou hast written for our observance, by the hands of Moses thy servant."

The Jews of the present day also are alive to their remarkable position, and deeply interested in the situation of their fatherland. One of the leading Jews of this country, Sir Moses Montefiore, after serving a high official situation in the metropolis of our country, has journied twice to the East, and has had very favourable interviews both with the Pasha of Egypt and, as we have just noticed, with the Sultan of Constantinople, possessing the ancient Assyria, respecting their protection in the East. Egypt, and Assyria, are often associated in connection with their return (Isa. xi. 11, 15, 16; xxvii. 13. Zech. x. 10), and have promises also of future blessedness with Israel. Isaiah xix. 23-25.

How pleasing it was to see recently in the Times, the most widely circulated public journal of Chris