Him in prayer, that He would now be pleased to remove from us the curse that, for all this long and weary time, He has laid upon my people and my land. "You have had weeks of prayer for the Holy Spirit's outpouring, days of prayer for the children of Christian parents. Will you not now set apart one week of prayer for my nation-of importunate prayer, that will not be sent empty away ? Will you, by faith, take hold upon God, and not let Him go until He bless us, beseeching Him, for Christ's sake, to be reconciled to us, to remove the blindness from our eyes, to lift the heavy cloud from off our hearts, that we may look upon Him whem we have pierced, and mourn that we may behold the King in His beauty?' Will you entreat Him now to gather us again from the four corners of the earth, that He will now let His anger be turned away, and have mercy on Jacob, and again choose Israel, and bring us to the land which He promised to Abraham that his seed should possess for ever? "In seeking for my nation this blessing, will you not be gathering largely for yourselves? If our fall has been the riches of the Gentiles, what shall our fulness be but life from the dead ?' " 66 From the same publication we extract the following : "JERUSALEM. 'Many eyes are directed to Jerusalem. The Jews themselves are more than ever turning to it. The Gentiles are active about it. The streets have been widened and paved, and the stones consequently lifted (Isaiah lxii. 10.) Many hundreds of Jews have lately arrived from the north of Africa, whence they have fled to avoid persecution. Many noble visitors, from all countries, are constantly visiting Jerusalem. A telegraph, to connect the city with Jaffa, is to be established; a carriage-road is being made, as well as a railway proposed. A number of splendid buildings are springing up on all sides, especially a large range built by Russians. Lighthouses are to be erected, and increased facilities for shipping are in progress. The work of Lieut. Wilson with his men, for furnishing a topographic plan for Jerusalem and its environs, is advancing very rapidly. The Pacha has afforded Lieut. Wilson every facility and protection for the execution of his operations. It is strange to see men with measuring lines going about the Holy City, and the land whose future is about to be developed. Many Jews say, 'We believe our Messiah's coming is near.' Jaffa is the port through which Jerusalem deals with foreign countries. The trade of Jaffa experienced a considerable increase in 1863; the quantity of cotton exported rose from 55,000 lbs. in 1862 to nearly ten times the amount in 1863, with a prospect of this again being trebled or quadrupled in 1864. This was owing to the interest excited. The merchants who operated in cotton made a profit of about 25 per cent. There are regular lines of French, Austrian, and Russian steamers, all doing well, and very often large quantities of goods have to be left behind for want of room; but only one English steamer visited Jaffa in 1863. The exports exceeded £200,000; of the imports no statistics are kept. The consul reports a telegraphic line in course of formation by the Government between Beyrout and Jaffa, thence to be carried on to Alexandria," The Missions. I. THE REV. B. F. JACOBI writes from Königsberg, June 1st, 1865. I AM happy to say that Dr. Davidson has been staying at Konigsberg for some weeks and that I highly enjoy his company. We often go to visit Jewish families and talk to those who come to us, always turning the conversation to the one thing needful. I send you, dear sir, the letter of a proselyte directed to another proselyte, now active in the cause of the conversion of the Jews. This latter is married to the daughter of the Rev. H- himself a proselyte and now a country parson a little distance from Konigsberg. A Jewish girl, a native of our town, R- · L· —, twenty-seven years old, and the daughter of orthodox Jews, having been instructed in our Christian religion during the time she went to school often visited our churches and expressed at last the wish to get more religious instruction by the missionary of the London Society. She showed a warm interest in it, and was baptised on the 10th of March, in my own church, and surrounded by a large audience. The Rev. Lawrenz, from Danzig, had come to perform the solemn rite. Mr. Davidson, my wife, and I, were godfathers and godmother. May the Lord take her under His protection, and may she prove a worthy branch of the vine, that is, Christ Himself." THE LETTER. "Honoured brother,-The committee of the pilgrims and missionaries at St. C—, near B—, las sent me hither, having been entreated for ministers. I should have liked to sacrifice my powers to the service of Israel, should it have been the will of the Lord, for my heart bleeds when I think of my brethren. But it was the will of the Lord that I should go and sow the seed of His word amongst His people of the New Testament, which is not less necessary. I left our dear German fatherland on the 7th of September, 1863, along with six other brethren from St. Chrishona. During our voyage I often found opportunity to talk with Jews, and to preach to them the salvation through Christ. There was a young merchant, about twenty-four years old, who liked to talk with me, after having heard and listened to me, when once I was talking about the great love of the Messiah, and how happy and blessed I felt in Him, he exclaimed: ‘Sir, I am a wicked man, an incredulous Jew, will you convert me ?' I do not know whether this was meant for a joke, all I can say is, that he liked to talk with me. Once, on a beautiful autumnal day, when we were comfortably sitting together, he asked me whether I had been a Jew ; of course I answered in the affirmative, and my answer was soon known by the one hundred and fifty Jews who were with us in the ship. Some other day, when I was sitting in the dining room, I heard an old Jewess saying to another, 'Only think, here, in the ship, is a girl who is a convert, and she is Meshumed one ought to keep the faith of one's fathers.' You will imagine that I profited by the occasion to bear witness for my faith, the more so as I was informed that there was no such girl in the ship, and that the words of the woman were only meant for me. May my words and the books which I distributed be some help to my former co-religionists. The Jews in America are for the most part atheists and rationalists. I met at once with some who showed their principles by saying: Here, in America, the dollar is our God.' And I have often heard such wicked words. "Some days ago I met with a pedlar, and having exchanged some words with him and guessed his origin, I invited him to my study, and spoke to him about the only thing needful, and how sinful it was for him to break the Sabbath and to eat unclean food, &c. We cannot be so particular here, we cannot keep the law here, in America,' exclaimed he. 'How is that,' said I; ‘is the law only written for the German, the French, and the English Jew? Is it written: Cursed be the French, &c. that does not keep this law?" We spoke for an hour about these things, and I proved to him that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah, saving the sinners who will believe in Him. When he parted I presented him with some tracts, and he took them thankfully. "As to myself I have been unanimously elected by my community; besides I have to preach in the town Charron and to constitute a congregation at Hobbard, where there are many Germans working in the coalmines. There is a great want of ministers, and if they can get one, he finds so large a congregation, spreading out so far, that he can only come and preach once a month at the same place. I have to preach twice every Sunday, and have kept a school for some time." THE subjoined from Mr. DAVIDSON's last report will deepen interest in M. JACOBI and his mission. That he is just where a faithful watchman should be, and that it pleases the Saviour to bless his labours, are plainly indicated: I have spent between five and six weeks at Königsberg in the company of our friend and brother, the Rev. M. Jacobi, your missionary at this place, and it is with much satisfaction that I give you the following account. The peculiar manner in which he is attached to our mission to the Jews, and his sphere of labour, may not unsuitably be passed here in review, as this will show more prominently his opportunities for disseminating the truth of the Gospel among his people. His position as a clergyman of the State religion, with access to most other pulpits besides his own, and much esteemed as he is for ability and piety by the Christians and the clergy themselves, naturally and necessarily enhances his respect in the sight of the Jews who know him, and whilst his relationship with, and his free access to their most respectable families, sustain his natural allegiance to the people, his personal affability and his readiness and zeal to serve them, not only without, but even also in the very bosom of their community, secure to him a high degree of their confidence. In connection with a man so favourably situated and so disposed, we are justly encouraged to expect much success under the divine blessing. Mr. Jacobi's church service or ministry is limited, from the character of his congregation, to the Sundays and feast-days prescribed by his Church; the working days he is at liberty to employ for his mission among the Jews, with the exception of twelve hours in the week, and of these also he is relieved during three months in the year, viz., the school vacation. During the time of these twelve hours per week, M. Jacobi is engaged in religious tuition in one of the principal schools of this place, which fully deserves to be regarded as an important appendage to his mission. The Jews here generally send their young to Christian schools, where they attend the Christian religious instruction, except the parents' signify their disapprobation by a note to the teacher. But of this privilege they rarely avail themselves, and a note seldom comes. Since Mr. J.'s appointment to the mission, as he has told me, his attention has particularly been directed to this legitimate opportunity. I have been present at the religious examination, and was agreeably surprised at the readiness and clearness with which the Jewish children answered the questions put to them touching the chiefest and most salutary doctrines of the New Testament; indeed, they outdo the Christian children. Among these I found one that surprised me most, and would have surprised you, too, were it wise on my part here to mention his descent. An essential item in Mr. J.'s mission is the sale of the Scriptures,-not so much in itself, as anyone can do this—but much more on account of the frequent opportunities it affords him for religious conversation. The cheap sale of the Old Testament Scriptures attracts numerous Jews from Poland and Russia, who come across the frontier on business, many of whom at the same time accept, and even not unfrequently ask for, Hebrew New Testaments and tracts. Thus a good portion of opportunity has been allotted to our friend. May the Lord bless and encourage him, and make him more and more feel his responsibility; for "unto whom much is given of him shall be much required." Since his accession to the mission, seven individuals taught by himself, received the rite of holy baptism at his own hands, most of whom walk consistently. Three others not instructed by him were also baptised in his church, the last of which had been instructed by Mr. Handler, the London Society's missionary here, and baptised by the Rev. Mr. Lawrence, the same Society's missionary at Danzig. On this last occasion I stood as witness with Mr. Jacobi. I feel thankful for this fraternal co-operation between those of different societies as an omen of good. Nor can I be otherwise than thankful for the personal acquaintance I made on that occasion with gentlemen, and especially grateful to Mr. I., who expressed his regret to myself and others that he had not been aware of my presence here, else he would have made arrangements for a longer stay in Königsberg for our mutual edification. I cannot give an adequate idea of the kindness and attention I received at the hands both of Mr. J. and his truly Christian lady during my stay here, whose memory will ever be grateful to me. Thus much as regards our friend, and I only wish I could say so much for my poor self. My stay here has been spent with a better will than success. Besides occasional introductions by Mr. J. to Jewish families and individuals and some of his converts, I passed my time chiefly in the streets and public walks, but owing to the scarcity of Polish and Russian visitors at this time, and the very cold and stormy weather which continues to the present time, my opportunities were sadly limited. And though according to the true adage, “He that seeketh, findeth," I was not without some religious conversations, they were in general only tending towards the subject "Christ, and Him crucified;" but rarely could I arrive at the blessed subject itself. May the Lord bless His Word in whatever degree it has been preached, and may it become a seed that will grow up to a tree of life to many an immortal soul! II. Mr. JAFFE has given us a pathetic narrative of the process to which his young disciple has been subjected in consequence of his confession of Christ. The details are humiliating, as they display the influence of bigotry and infidelity in overcoming even paternal feelings against the truth; but they bear a valuable testimony to the reality of the young man's faith, and his yearning affection for those who have become his persecutors. We sympathise fully in the joys and sorrows of the young man's spiritual father, and earnestly bespeak for them and even for those who return the curse for the blessing, believing intercessions. Shall we not also praise the Lord for His grace bestowed, and for supplying, in the manly and tender piety of this young soldier of the Cross, a fresh instance of His faithfulness and love, and another proof of His care for the elect remnant? Mr. Jaffé closes his narrative thus: He was therefore compelled to return with his parents to S- where he is now shining forth as a light amongst his Jewish brethren, and where he hopes, by a holy life and consistency, to gain others to the faith of Jesus. - You will own with me that this is one of the most remarkable cases of conversion we have met with for a long time, a conversion in which the grace of God was displayed in an astonishing manner,-in which the power of the cross was exhibited in all its beauty and attractiveness,—in which the graces of the Spirit were pourtrayed in all their charms and loveliness;—a conversion which will incite the heart of every child of God to prayer and praise, and through which great glory will redound to Him who is the Alpha and Omega. That such a conversion of our dear young friend would cause a great excitement everywhere, and rouse the passions of many, could have been easily foreseen; and indeed I have already had to feel, in more instances than one, their deep resentment; and many an one who formerly treated me with kindness and consideration, now look on me with suspicion and a kind of dislike; but this will all wear away in time. As our brother has still to wait nearly a year and a-half before he arrives at years of maturity, when he can act for himself, he will have for that period to submit to his parents; but it is also quite evident from his last letter that they have withdrawn every means of subsistence from him, and that he is now obliged, as he says, to earn his bread by "the sweat of his brow;" which means, in his case, as much as half or wholly starving; for, as he is by no means of a strong constitution, and knows besides no trade, I am at a loss to know what he can do to earn his bread. O that God would undertake for him, and open many a Christian heart with love and sympathy towards him! III. In a place like this, where the Jewish population is large, and where my acquaintance amongst them is necessarily very considerable, it cannot fail that now and then one or other out of that number is called hence to appear before the judgmentseat of Christ, and give an account of the deeds done in the body. Of many, alas! more cannot be said, except that "the dead have buried their dead," and I have passed them over in mournful silence as such, falling under the terrible category of those of whom the Lord, in His infinite and inscrutable wisdom, said, "Except ye believe that I am He ye shall die in your sins." There were, however, thanks to the good Lord, others who laid hold with a firm grasp of the immortal hopes of the Gospel, and I would fain believe "that they have passed from death unto life," and have reached the shadow of the great rock where they can rest from their weary labour. Of such cases as they occurred I have given you a faithful account; and it is to two similar cases which have transpired within the last few weeks that I would call your kind attention. When I removed about four years ago to my former lodging it so happened that the owner of the house was a Jew who resided in the same place, and I have no need to tell you that I was particularly anxious to obtain access to his house |