the Divinity of the Messiah." He was embarrassed and perplexed, and as I continued to quote other passages to corroborate the veracity of our belief, he requested me to desist, and politely inquired how we could reconcile the non-fulfilment of all the prophetical promises with the advent of the Messiah. I reminded him that Scripture predicted a two-fold advent. "Ah," interrupted he, "those nice distinctions which you endeavour to deduce from a few abstruse parts of the Bible vanish into air before those who are learned and intelligent"; and upon my requesting him to furnish me with his own comment upon those very passages, he got confounded and entangled, and stated one moment that Messiah was in Paradise, and yet that he was not born; and again that he was afflicted for the sins of Israel, and still that he was only to be an irresistible conqueror. In fact, the mistakes and absurdities of this Rabbi were so glaring, that his own friends entreated him to be silent, as he was certainly wrong. He challenged me to a friendly epistolary controversy, to which I readily consented, on the condition that both his objections and my refutations should be openly read in the synagogue. The Mullahs all gave their assent to this proposal, and I thus trust that the spark of truth which under the good providence of God has been kindled in this place, will, in my absence, be fanned into a glorious flame. Mullah N- was quite delighted with the proposition, and whispered in my ear, "I shall make him perform his engagement."

HUNGER AFTER THE GOSPEL.

Before I retired to rest an incident occurred, which I record, simply because it shows the anxiety which was manifested to obtain our books. A poor Jew during the evening came for a copy of the Hebrew Gospel. But as I was engaged with the Parsees he waited till they left, and then in a most suppliant tone made his request. Unfortunately the boxes had been closed and packed, and my muleteer swore by the life of Mahomet and the beard of Ali, that if the cases contained Khorans, and the Jew wanted to become a Moslem, he would not be disturbed at midnight and untie his loads. The poor man, when he heard this, was in great distress, still nothing could shake his determination, for he said: "The gatekeeper may try to eject me (it being late, and con trary to the regulations to loiter about the caravanserai at this hour), and your muleteer may scold and even maltreat me,-I love Christ and will have his revelation." I could no longer resist this appeal, and so unpacked one of the loads, which occupied me more than half an hour, and then presented him with a Gospel; and I confess that never was a present more gratefully acknowledged. He actually fell at my feet, and alternately kissed the book and my boots; even in going away he clasped the little treasure to his heart, and with eyes raised upwards, blessed the donor of this valued gift. I mentioned the circumstance to Mullah N, and he told me that he knew the man, and that he was both sound in mind and well acquainted with the Bible.

320

The Jewish Herald.

NOVEMBER, 1852.

LEILA ADA.

(Concluded from page 296.)

THE arrival of Leila at Jerusalem was followed by a severe illness, which, for the most part, incapacitated her for seeing its chief objects of attraction, and led to a change in her father's intentions of visiting Arabia. They, therefore, returned by way of Alexandria, Malta, and France, to England.

Now it was that the divine work, which, almost unconsciously to herself, had been for some time progressing, under the mysterious teachings of the Holy Ghost, began to develop itself. Near her residence in Cornwall was a village chapel, which, unknown to her father, she attended, for the purpose of obtaining a clearer knowledge of the Christian faith than she yet possessed; and here the word of God came with divine power to her heart. She sought an interview with the minister, which she describes as "a blessed season;" and says further, "It has stirred me up to seek the Lord fully, to agonize, with a determination not to rest till I am accepted in the Saviour, till my mourning is turned into joy." And again, "O, for that earnest, childlike simplicity and faith, of which Mr. (her minister) told me! I want to take the Word of God simply, just as it is. This is the faith of the New Testament; this is the faith God requires, and will have, in order to my salvation. Lord, save me! Increase my faith! Increase it largely-mightily! Confirm my hope, and fan my love for Thee into a mighty flame!" (p. 120.)

Joy and peace in believing were the result of her cordial reception of the truth as it is in Jesus. "O" she exclaims, "that I could express half that I feel of love to that gracious Being who has kept me hitherto, and led me from my deep darkness into spiritual light. I have not yet the evidence that He has pardoned my sins, through the blood of the Atonement,

NO. LXXXIII.

VOL. VII.

through my Jesus; but I earnestly pray for it; I am determined to agonize for it in simple faith. I know, I believeO yes! I do believe that Jesus died for me. I thirst, I pant, for the spirit of adoption, whereby I shall be enabled to cry, 'Abba, Father!"

'O my Father, I thank Thee; I adore and praise Thy holy name, that Thou hast removed from my heart that dark, impervious veil which so long separated between Thee and myself, and so between me and the Source of all happiness. Now, through Thine infinite mercy, I behold Thy glory, who art full of grace and truth, and the form and comeliness of Him who is altogether lovely, even the Saviour and Preserver of my soul." (p. 121.)

Her baptism followed; and after partaking of the Lord's supper, she writes, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget this day's benefits! I have sealed the covenant-have enlisted under the banner of the cross, by receiving the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper. But, let me write while my eyes overflow with tears of joy, my gracious Redeemer has manifested His presence to my soul, has filled me with the joy and peace of believing. That blood, which the Jews have imprecated upon themselves and their children, has been showered upon me in the most abundant and unspeakable mercies! I am happy beyond expression. I do, indeed, rejoice with a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory."

All this while her father was ignorant of the change which had passed over the mind of his child; and with a not unnatural timidity, she feared, yet desired, to make the truth known. Her heart, too, yearned with increasing fondness and anxiety over this loved parent's soul, and an earnest desire for his salvation possessed her. At length, she resolved to communicate her state of mind to her father by letter, which, with fervent prayer to God for His blessing on the step she had taken, she placed on his dressing table. This letter is given at full-length in the memoir, and is replete with childlike simplicity and feeling, unbounded affection toward her father, and a full and undisguised acknowledgment of Jesus as her Messiah and Lord. No one can read this production without tears, so touching are its representations, so importunate its appeals; and no one can rise from its perusal, without devout thankfulness to God, that one so young and timid was enabled to bear so heroic and convincing a testimony to the truth of the Gospel. That night she spent in fervent prayer, and met her father the next morning with a heart trembling, yet confident in the power of divine grace to sustain her.

"Entering the room, she found her father already waiting. She went up to him directly, and, throwing her arms around his neck, was about to claim her usual kiss. 'Leila,' ejacu lated her father solemnly, at the same moment turning his head from her. O, my dear, dear papa!' said Leila, weeping, 'do not refuse to kiss me; do give me my kiss, and then I will try to bear all you have to say. But, indeed, I cannot stay if you will refuse me this. I cannot endure so severe a mark of your displeasure.' 'What have you done, Leila? How can you expect me to kiss you? Can you imagine the night I have spent? Is it for this I have had my daughter instructed in the law of the God of Israel, that she should mock at it, and cast it behind her back? Is it for this I have withheld no means of knowledge from her, that her learning should become a snare to her? O, my daughter, perhaps my heart has been too much bound up in you. Now I am scourged; those hopes I had that you would soothe my declining years are blighted. Butcome, kiss me,' he continued, holding out his hand to Leila, who stood petrified with anguish.

"Now, my choicest treasure, tell me who it is that has poisoned you; let me know who it was made you a proselyte from the faith of your father Abraham. To think that one of my kindred should have become an apostate-a Christianand that one, too, my own child. But come, my dear, speak to me; tell me how your unsuspecting and innocent heart has been misled. The arms of our religion are as wide open to you as ever, if you will return now; and I need not tell you that I shall love you better than before."

"O, my dear father," faltered Leila, "no one has abused my judgment: indeed, it is God who has of His mercy opened my eyes."

"God open your eyes to believe in Jesus of Nazareth! It is not possible. Do you not know that God has specially chosen our nation as the depositary and conservator of the only true religion? You are flying from God, my dear child. God chose Israel, and made it the sanctuary of the true faith. The nations were sunk in error and idolatry; and in many cases, their idolatrous rites and sacrifices were perpetrated under the holy name of religion. But, in order to accomplish His designs of mercy, in the establishment of truth and righteousness upon the earth, He raised up Israel, and declared Himself unto them as His chosen and peculiar people, calling Himself by name Jehovah-the One—Î am. He became our Lawgiver and our King."

"But, my dear papa, God has entered into a new and better