re-admitted into all their former privileges, if they are led to the rock Christ, and look upon Him whom they have pierced, for Jesus Christ is the King and Priest of Salem, according to the order of Melchisedek." SPEYER. (Church of Scotland.) Extract Letter-Rev. R. STERN to the Convener, dated Speyer, 25th February, 1854: "I have visited, within the present month, Westheim, Liegenfeld, Schwegenheim, Hessheim, and Oberlustadt. Some of these places I had visited before. From the angry excitement, and a manifestation of a determined hatred against the Gospel, which on several occasions I witnessed on the part of unbelieving Jews, it would appear, perhaps, that the announcement of the Gospel, and the appearance of the bearer of this office among them, hitherto had not remained without some considerable influence upon them. I have not been able this time to enter with them into such thorough-going conversations on any special points as would deserve your notice. I had to confine myself to a plain and round declaration of the truth as it is in Jesus, witnessing rather than teaching. On some occasions, as in Westheim and in Hessheim, and in such houses where the wives and the daughters were alone at home, I had the pleasure to unfold the counsel of God unto the redemption and salvation of sinners in a more connected form, and, at the same time, in an affectionate way to invite them unto Jesus. The beneficial impressions upon the hearts of the hearers could not remain unperceived. It is only to be regretted that the ignorance of the Jewish females is so great that it is very difficult to effect lasting impressions upon their minds. The minister of the last of the above mentioned places, Hessheim, related to us, with great pleasure, how the Jewish children who frequented his parish school were all eager to commit to memory the hymns of an excellent small book, which he had succeeded to introduce instead of the old rationalistic and extremely shallow and unpoetical hymn-book that is still in use in the Protestant congregations of the Palatinate, and by which this church has become despoiled of the rich and delightful treasure of our old sacred poetry. Although the minister had repeatedly told the Jewish children that they were not bound to learn these hymns like the other children, yet they are doing so of their own accord, with a degree of zeal and delight which distinguishes them amongst their Christian fellow-scholars. Thus these Jewish children bear upon their memory, and are wont to repeat such beautiful hymns as these: My Jesus, I shall ne'er forsake;' 'Jesus, my Saviour and my trust.' These are grains of a living seed deposited in the soft soil of the tender hearts of the young, which, we may hope, will not altogether remain without fruit!" LYONS.-BRITISH SOCIETY. Mr. FRANKEL observes,— "Another year's experience confirms me in the conviction, that there is a brighter day beginning to dawn upon Israel, and that great results may be expected from the preaching of the Gospel to the Jews in France. It may, perhaps, not be the privilege of those who are now sowing the seed to gather the fruits of their labours; but I am persuaded that, by the blessing of God, a glorious harvest will one day be gathered to the praise and glory of the Redeemer. It is, indeed, lamentable to see the French Jew sink deeper and deeper into the gulf of infidelity; still he is accessible to the missionaryhe is disposed to listen, and ready to investigate and read the Gospel which is able to make him wise unto salvation. In the course of last year, I have been privileged to preach the Gospel to hundreds of Jews, both in this city as well as in many towns in the south and west of France; and everywhere (with very few exceptions) I met with a kind reception, and found them disposed to lend an attentive ear to the Gospel. I have also had many opportunities of meeting companies of Jews collected together in the house of some Jew, while I was permitted to speak sometimes for about two hours without interruption; and now that the Feast of the Passover is approaching, I hope I shall have many occasions of addressing such little assemblies. I have already received invitations from many families to visit them and meet some of their friends, who come to town only on the principal feasts. I have often felt the want of Christian books, for distribution amongst the intelligent and enlightened Jews. This has been very kindly and most liberally supplied by the Tract and Book Society at Toulouse; such as the 'History of the Christian Church,' 'History of the Reformation,' sermons of some eminent ministers, the Lion of Judah;' besides several hundred tracts, printed exclusively for the Jews. Some of these books were read by a great many Jews with much pleasure and interest, and I hope will prove a blessing to many. "From my journals you will perceive that I have had much to encourage me and bid me go forward in the strength of the Lord; still, in contrasting the little that has been done with the greatness of the work that is yet to be accomplished, considering how much more might have been done, and how imperfectly my duty has been discharged, I feel greatly humbled, and pray that grace may be given me to prosecute my labours for the future with more zeal, more devotedness, and with greater love for the souls of those who are perishing for the lack of knowledge." Mr. COHEN relates the following incident : "During this month I have had several opportunities to preach the Gospel of Jesus to my brethren, but have nothing new except the following. About three months ago I was introduced to Mr. K——, a Russian Jew, with whom I entered into conversation, and found he was a great Talmudist and a bitter opponent to the truth of the Gospel. He then told me, to deny the inspiration of the Talmud would be to deny the existence of that God who inspired it; and as to the Bible, that, he thought, was a mere book of reference to the Talmud. But before I parted with him I was enabled to soften down many of his prejudices, and succeeded in drawing his attention to the Scriptures, which he said he had no objection to read, provided I would lend him a Bible. I supplied him with a Hebrew Bible and Testament, but I lost sight of him till last week, when I met him at Madame S's, where he informed me that he had read the Bible I lent him, and found nothing in it about the inspiration of the Talmud; he had also read the Testament, and was much struck with the sermon on the mount. We conversed on the errors of Judaism, the truth of God's Word, and the gift of Christ in the love of God. Mr. K surprised me by the knowledge he had acquired of Christianity in that short time, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him not only defending the truth, but actually preaching Christ to those Jews who were present. I have seen him since, when he told me that he reads very much of the Testament, and that no one should for the future prevent him from doing it. He also told me that he attended last Sunday a Christian place of worship, for the purpose of hearing the Gospel preached." ALL HAIL! From "Lays of the Hebrews and other Poems," by Mary Benn. "What thing shall I take to witness for thee? What thing shall I liken to thee, O Daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee?" -Lam. ii. 15. Thy priests have fled: thy altar's rent; Thy sacrifices o'er : The smoke from golden censers sent Shall load the gale no more: Thy heavenly harp has sobb'd its last, Thy triple crown in dust is cast, Thy kingdoms given away. They pierce thy heart;-thou dost not fall; Years roll:-thou canst not die: Thou stand'st alone, bereft of all Save immortality! They swathe thee in funereal shroud;- From out the gloom of living tomb Thou walk'st the world; by every hearth All powerless seem the lords of earth; Yet didst thou not in ashes roll, Thy power had ne'er been known: Thy empire o'er the human soul Is greater than thy throne. Thou might'st have flourished, reign'd for aye, Thy strength, thy might, thy real right From ruin date their birth. Kings had not found thou could'st not die Till fallen beneath their throne; They would have held thy destiny Did they not see thee, bending low, A marvel to thy bitterest foe, Fallen as thou art, thou hold'st a scroll Trembling they ask, what Moses saith?- Thy Book in all their temples lies: Eternal mourner! crownless queen! When shall we view the hand unseen Dost thou the world's great drama rule? What do we learn in thy strange school? TO WONDER AND TO WAIT. All communications for the Editor, books for review, &c., to be forwarded to the Office, 1, Crescent Place, Blackfriars. |