to the spiritual Zion. A few days ago he told me that his faith in Judaism was quite gone. I hope to tell you more in my next about this young man. Thus, you see, the Lord has opened a way for me, and has already blessed me more than I deserve. I do not think that we shall work miracles amongst the Jews here. At present they are destitute of the Word of God, and ignorant of Ghristian truth. I think if we can only succeed in diffusing the truth as it is in Jesus and circulating the Bible amongst them, that is as much as we may expect for the present. We hope prayerfully to sow the seed of the Gospel, and leave it to God's Spirit to make that seed vegetate, and bring forth fruit to the praise and glory of His great name."

HOME OPERATIONS.

Many and delightful are the illustrations of the truth uttered by the Psalmist, "The entrance of Thy word giveth light." Before its clear radiance, the shadows of infidelity and error vanish away, as the following case will shew:

"Mr. T called upon me. I have met with this Israelite twice at his employer's house, and on each occasion I was permitted to speak a few words on the importance of Christianity, when I learnt that Mr. T. had most peculiar views upon religion: his mind being filled with strange infidel notions. But on each conversation, he evinced a pleasure in speaking on the contents of the Word of God, not with a view to cavil or find fault, but in order that he might obtain some clearer light upon those portions of the inspired text from which he seems to have been led astray. However, there was some inconvenience felt on his part and my own, by our conversation being carried on in the presence of his employer. On this account, he was obliged to reserve his sentiments, and objections, and inquiries relative to Christianity, for fear of giving offence to an old Jewish family. I therefore invited him to my house; and he called upon me on Saturday last, when we conversed very freely together on the claims of Jesus as the promised Messiah. At the outset, was glad to find that he agreed with my observations; his free-thinking notions seemed to give way, and a desire to know the truth of Christianity took their place. He also agreed with me, that any man in his fallen condition is incapable in the least of judging or thinking rightly, unless God by His grace sets him free from error, and teaches him by His Spirit; and that the title of free-thinker is a vain presumption. Our next inquiry was in reference to the coming of Messiah. Not having before studied those portions of Scripture, Mr. T. seemed at first to take delight in them, particularly the 53rd of Isaiah. In expressing his whole views and opinions upon the character of Jesus and Christianity, he said, that since the period when Jesus appeared upon earth, a peculiar change seems to have taken place with regard to the bringing in of so many Gentiles to the knowledge of God: and then he told me it was his decided opinion, that Messiah must already have appeared, because he could see that through Jesus the world had obtained abundant blessings. This confession led us again to consider the 53rd of Isaiah, when I pointed out to him the atonement for our sins, and shewed that through Jesus only, who is the righteous servant,' he, as a sinner in

the sight of God, can be justified, viz., by living faith in Him. Yesterday he called upon me, and stated that he had pondered over the precious truths I had told him, and after reflecting on the value of Christianity, he expressed his desire of being baptized, as soon as he was considered fit for that solemn service.

"Mr. T. is at present in a respectable employment, but being among Jews who are much opposed to Christianity, he was anxious to be removed. I have therefore succeeded in getting him another respectable place; and I am glad to add, with one who has been very favourably inclined to Christianity, ever since I first visited him. He is also anxious to visit me, and hear Christianity explained without the knowledge of his wife. I believe God will bless every effort for the salvation of both souls." J. T. M.

In some instances the Missionary of the Cross is only permitted to sow the seed; other eyes behold its upspringing, and other hands reap the harvest. That seed, too, has often to contend with opposing influences, and yet, by divine care, is preserved from destruction, as the following case will show:

"The family whom Providence has been pleased to place under my spiritual guidance, since the 3rd of June, went on very favourably till the arrival of Mrs. F.'s mother, who, having been informed that they stood in connexion with a missionary, immediately left Poland, and hastened to England, in order to prevent them from embracing Christianity. From the 17th of July, the day the poor woman arrived in London, till the 10th of August, which was the day of their departure for America, her eyes were not dry from tears, constantly entreating them to accompany her to New York. Mr. F, however, continued to join our daily Scripture reading at ten o'clock with his usual sincerity and stedfastness.

"The day previous to their departure, he came at the usual hour, and after informing me of their decision, and having declared with tears, that he had fallen a victim to two women (meaning his wife and mother-in-law), I gave him an exhortation suitable for the occasion; soon after which Mr. T and Mr. C. came in. After imploring the divine teaching, we read the 3rd chapter of Isaiah. Upon reaching the 12th verse, I hinted to Mr. T to apply that verse to himself, at which the poor young man blushed, and said: 'I am ready to exclaim with father Jacob, "all these things are against me," nevertheless I can say, without hesitation, that if it were to please God to remove me to-day from this world, my soul is safe. After other similar remarks, which evinced his spiritual state of mind, he concluded, by saying, 'the earth belongeth to the Lord, and the fulness thereof; Christ reigns in America as well as in Great Britain, and nothing will prevent me from confessing Him before men;' after which he left.

"Next day Mr. F- came again, accompanied by his wife, to take leave. I spent with them about half an hour, I trust usefully; and after I had implored divine protection for them, they left in tears. I doubt not but that our Heavenly Father will accomplish that good work, which grace has already begun. In order that he should not be desti

tute of Christian friends, I, according to his request, gave him several names of our Jewish Missionaries, also the address of the Rev. Mc. Gregor, Secretary of the Society for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Jews.

"Mr. T and Mr. C continue to visit me daily as usual. I rejoice that my humble endeavours in their behalf have been sealed by the Divine approbation. Both give the highest satisfaction to all who know them, especially the former, who, through grace, has already chosen the Lord's side, acknowledging what a stranger he was formerly to the blindness of his own understanding, and to the hardness of his heart, but now rejoicing in that liberty wherewith Christ makes His people free."-J. S.

THE PROVINCES.

HULL.

Mr. Schönberg's journal for August contains several cheering instances of Jewish inquirers, who are in a transition state of mind; some under Christian instruction, and most of them reading the New Testament. The violent prejudices of the Jewish mind seem gradually yielding before the general influence of truth, and the persevering efforts of the Missionary of the Cross; while difficulties which present themselves at the first glance of the thoughtful and awakened mind, give way before the simple exposition of the Gospel.

"I called on Mr. B- and conversed with him for some length of time. Mr. B seemed very anxious to know what Christianity was. He goes regularly to Church, and reads the New Testament. Mr. B- asked me whether I could get his children into a Christian school. I promised to do it.

"I conversed with Mr. M

who told me that he made up his mind to study religion with more earnestness than ever; Mr. Masked me whether I was willing to read with him the Bible in Hebrew; I said yes. He promised to come.

"Mr. W- called on me, and questioned me on a passage he heard his Rabbi read in the synagogue, viz.: a prophet I will raise unto further told them, out of the midst of their brethren,' &c. Mr. W

me that he has his doubts about the Messiahship of Jesus, because the Jews were very learned in the days of Jesus, and they no doubt waited for the appearance of that prophet; but it was to be remembered that God also said, 'the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.' The Jews therefore must have had this passage in view when they began to find fault with Jesus, who said, my Father and I are one;' 'he that hath seen me, hath seen the Mr. W- thought Father;' 'ye believe in God, believe also in me.' that Jesus by His claims had gone too far; for the Jews could not have stumbled at the low condition of Jesus, when reading the 53rd of Isaiah; but when he made himself equal to God, did he not deserve to die? I told Mr. W. that I was not unaware of the difficulties a Jew

will find on this important point, but no matter how difficult and strange the Divinity of the Messiah might appear to the Jew, the Messiah is in the Old Testament Scripture predicted to be Divine, viz.: Psalm ii. 7; Zech. xiii. 7; Isaiah ix. 5. Mr. W- further thought that it seemed as if Christ were acting in opposition to the law; he did away with Circumcision and the Sabbath, which were commandments to be kept to all generations; and when the adulterous woman was brought before him who according to the law deserved to die he acquitted her. I answered that Christ himself was circumcised, and kept the Sabbath, although he said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath'; Christ observed every command of the law, and in doing so, he became the end of the law to every one that believeth.' With Christ every thing terminated-the temple was destroyed; the sacrifices ceased; the priesthood done away, as all these were types of Christ. And as for the adulterous woman, our Lord did not at all act against the law: because, first, He perceived the intentions of the Jews, that they brought the woman to Him merely to entrap Him. Secondly, He did not claim to be a judge. And, thirdly, although His decision differed from that of the law, it did not contradiet it; the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Mr. W seemed somewhat satisfied. I urged on him to read attentively, and to pray to God to enlighten him.

"After I had done with Mr. W——, Mr. P—, from Posen, with his wife and a gentleman came to see me. I conversed with them, and as Mr. P- was going to America, I presented him with a copy of the 'Old Paths,' in German. He accepted it thankfully."

LONDON SOCIETY.

PERSIA.

M. Stern thus represents the state of the Jews at Hamadan. According to the most accurate information that I could obtain, this ancient city is at present inhabited by five hundred Jewish families. They reside in a particular quarter, and in case of public commotion which generally exposes them to the lawless rapacity of the covetous, and the malevolent persecutions of the powerful, they close the gates of their Ghetto, and so enjoy some security till the storm has subsided. Their position is, however, at all times very sad and pitiable, and one cannot behold their sluggish and stooping motions, or their abject and cringing demeanour, without being struck with the terrible fulfilment of the prophetic warning.

Their principal occupations are as workers in silver, weavers of silk, and sellers of old coins. Many of them, Chacham Eliyahu told me, are rich and opulent; but, alas, what are treasures that must be concealed behind bolts and bars, and wealth which only fills with fear and terror the care-worn possessor! The evils of their social position have, as may be inferred, affected their moral character; and we cannot feel surprised that a people who breathe the impure atmosphere of Mahometanism, and whose own system of belief is not the most refined and pure, should be tainted with all the vices and crimes which, alas! so long have polluted this fair and fertile land, and changed it into a den of sin and abode of iniquity!

When the Rabbi, whose presence imposed some restraint on the Jews, was gone, I had a lengthened conversation with them, in which I endeavoured to impress on them the necessity of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. They all promised to read the New Testament, and, with tears rolling down their wan cheeks, entreated me to visit them whenever I came to Persia. "You think, perhaps," said some, "that we are ignorant men, and indifferent to your message; but believe us, this is not the case. We all here long for the advent of the Messiah; and oh! if Jesus is the true Christ, do thou, O Lord, revive our drooping spirits, by revealing this now faintly-understood truth to our dull and heavy minds." The last words were uttered with such deep earnestness and solemnity, that I felt quite affected, and at the very moment besought the Lord to hear and answer their petition.

CONVERSATIONS WITH JEWS.

In the evening, after the Sabbath had terminated, upwards of thirty individuals assembled in the house of my friend, with whom I dis coursed for a considerable time on the text "He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities," and without exception they admitted the correctness of applying such passages to the Messiah, and many appeared greatly astonished that Jesus, notwithstanding all his miracles and the testimony of Scripture, should have been rejected by the Sanhedrin. Mullah N- satisfied them on this point, by referring to the conduct of the Israelites from their exodus out of Egypt till the destruction and annihilation of their polity; they had nothing to object, and so remained for several minutes absorbed in serious reflections. I retired late at night, worn out with speaking and want of rest, having travelled six nights in succession, though at the same time I could not but bless God for the many tokens of His favour, which he had graciously vouchsafed to my humble efforts.

Early the next morning the Jews again began to collect; many of them asked for books, and those whom Mullah N pointed out to me as sincere inquirers (and their number was certainly considerable) I supplied gratuitously, whilst others had to pay a small sum in order to enhance their value. I also saw all the Mullahs, and amongst others their chief-rabbi, Chacham Mordechai, a clever bigoted Talmudist and fierce opponent to the Gospel; he embraced with apparent cordiality, and shaking his head, said reprovingly, "you come amongst us like the angel in the New Testament, to agitate the waters, and when the storm is most impetuous, you leave us to contend with the raging elements." I reminded him that the angel who disturbed the waters of Bethesda had a holy and beneficent object in view; and if my errand of mercy, added I, accomplishes the same end, the little anguish and contrition of heart is greatly surpassed by the peace and perfect happiness with which the Gospel fills the soul of the believer. "I suppose," rejoined he, "you mean those who believe in that blasphemous doctrine that Christ was God." "Yes, Rabbi, those very truths which you call blasphemous are still contained in the Bible, and maintained by your doetors and expounders of the law; for hear the statement contained in Echa Rabathi (Lam. i. 6) ́ ́ What is the name of the Messiah?' Rabbi Abah replied, Jehovah is his name, as it is said, He shall be called the Lord our righteousness.' Here you have Bible truth with rabbinical comment, so that you must either deny the authenticity of both, or admit