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my learned and respectable opponent. But the very same interpretation of it is given by Mr. Wintle, as quoted by Mr. Faber, in his work on the Restoration of Judah. "Mr. Lowth," says Mr. Wintle, "has "recounted a number of passages in the prophets, "which indicate the restoration of the Jews in the "latter days, or when the fourth monarchy shall expire. At this decisive period, or after the twelve "hundred and sixty years of the reign of antichrist (popery), and the addition of another short term "for the restoration of the Jews, will be the end of "these wonders or marvellous things inquired after "in the last verse." Wintle on Dan. xii. 7. "Though the reign of antichrist seems here fixed "for twelve hundred and ninety years, which is "a term of thirty years more than was mentioned in "ver. 7, the excess, in the opinion of some, is the time allotted for the collecting of the Jews from

their captivity among all nations, or the several "countries of their dispersions: and at the close of "ver. 7, there does seem to be a further period "alluded to for this purpose, after the time, times, "and a half, or twelve hundred and sixty years." Wintle on Dan. xii. 11.

But some may be inclined to object, that if my opinion be true, then five years only remain till the close of the twelve hundred and ninety years, and as yet we see no signs of the restoration of Judah; and that it is incredible, that such a mighty event should be accomplished within so short a time as five years. To this objection I reply, that nothing is impossible to the power of God. The redemption of Israel out of Egypt was a very sudden

and unexpected event, and was accomplished in the space of only one year and had it not been for the unbelief of the children of Israel, in receiving the evil report of the spies,* they would have entered into the land of Canaan before two years had elapsed from the appearance of God to Moses in the burning bush. Now we have every reason to believe, that the future restoration of this wonderful people, in the marvellous circumstances that shall accompany it, will resemble their first redemption. From the consideration of the prophecy, in Isaiah lxvi. 7—9, Mr. Faber concludes, that "the conversion of Judah "will be sudden as that of St. Paul, and general as "that of the congregation of St. Peter;" and if their conversion be thus sudden, we may suppose that their restoration will be no less so. In the prophecy of Micah there is a passage which confirms this idea. The prophet having uttered the following prayer for the restoration of the ancient church of God: "Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock "of thine heritage which dwell solitarily in the "wood in the midst of Carmel; let them feed in "Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old;" this is the remarkable answer which the Lord condescends to return to it: "According to the days of thy "coming out of the land of Egypt, will I show " unto him marvellous things. The nations shall see "and be confounded at all their might they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall

* Numbers xiii.

+ On this point I follow the chronological tables of the Ancient Universal History.

Micah vii. 14-17. Mede likewise supposes that the conversion of Judah will be sudden, like that of St. Paul. See his Works, Book iv.

*be deaf. They shall lick the dust like the serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the "earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, "" and shall fear because of thee."

From the above passage there is every reason to believe, that the future redemption of the Jews will be accompanied with all those tokens of miraculous interference which distinguished the exodus from Egypt; and consequently that the absence of any appearances of their immediate restoration, by no means authorizes an inference that it is at any great distance. *

* Since the above was written, a paper has been published by the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews, containing some very remarkable information concerning the state of that people on the continent; and showing that they have a strong persuasion of the approach of their national redemption. The Rev. Mr. Nitschke, of Niesky, in Upper Lusatia, communicates to the Society the following extract of a letter from Mr. Nietz, a merchant in Riga, dated 5th March, 1811.

66 My son was last summer in the Crimea, and returned towards the "end of autumn by way of Odessa. In Odessa he heard a report, "that many Jewish families emigrated through that town. During "his journey through Poland he met himself many travelling Jews. "When he afterwards lodged in a town inhabited by Jews, and met "there with a German Jew, he entered into conversation with him, "and asked him to what country the emigrating Jewish families went. “He replied, to Palestine, to settle in the country of their fathers, having a presentiment that the Messiah would now soon come. "The rich of the nation, scattered in different parts of the world, "made collections for the journey expenses of the poor. This account of my son excited my attention; I wrote to one of our "friends at Wilna, as Poland is the chief seat of this people, and "asked him concerning these movements, and the probable causes "of them, to which I received, within these few days, the following

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"I have also received interesting accounts concerning the Jews "there is among them a general desire to return to the land of their "fathers. Many of them are probably impelled by need, as there is

It may also be added, that though as yet there be no appearances of the restoration of Judah, we have reason to think that their national repentance, which we learn from Deuter. xxx. 1-3 shall immediately precede the former event, is already beginning. A simultaneous movement in the Jewish mind is taking place in various countries. Many Jews in England, and likewise in different parts of the Continent, havė not only shown a disposition to read the New Testament, but have become stated contributors to Bible

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a stagnation of all trade here: but many are moved by the ex"pectation of the coming of Messiah in about eight years. The 66 same persons from whom I accidentally heard this, told me on "another occasion, that fifteen years hence probably no Jew would "be left in this country. In the present times of confusion, this "memorable people, scattered in all the world, is little noticed; but "if the above information is confirmed in process of time and more 'generally, that impulse among them is certainly one of the remark"able signs of the times.'"

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The Rev. Mr. Nitschke continues as follows: "This intelligence "excited my attention; and as I undertook another journey to the "German colonies in Poland, in the months of May and June, 1811, "I resolved to ascertain the foundation of these facts. In two towns, "which are inhabited by many Jews, I received from their leaders "the following account: That it was certainly true, that for two years some hundreds of Jewish families had emigrated from Poland "to Palestine. Inquiring into the purpose of their emigration, "I was answered, that they hoped the promises of the prophets "would now soon be accomplished; that the Lord would gather the people of Israel from all parts of the earth, where they were scattered, into the land of their fathers; and that they would "there wait for the appearance of the Messiah; for after their rabbis “had often been mistaken in fixing the time of his coming, they now were persuaded that he would come at length. When I replied that they might be mistaken, they said, No matter; if "those who now go to Palestine, should not live to see the coming "of the Messiah, they however are gathered into the Holy Land "with their fathers, and whenever the Messiah comes they will « be raised from their graves.”

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Societies. When we connect these interesting and encouraging facts with the prophecy in Isaiah Ixvi. 7-9. and add to them the circumstance, that a version of the New Testament in pure Hebrew has nearly been completed for the use of the Jews, and is indeed partly in circulation among them, and meets with every acceptance, we have surely reason to hope that the happy day is near at hand, even at the door, when the Redeemer shall come out of Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob.*

* I select the following facts from the Eighth Report of the London Jewish Society, and from the Correspondence which has since been published in the Jewish Expositor, and by the Bible Society.

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"In the St. Saviour's and St. Thomas's districts of the Borough, "there are three or four Jewish families subscribers to the Bible "Association. In St. George's, a Jew contributed for the purpose of obtaining a Bible for a Christian boy who worked with him. A few "doors from his house, one of the children of Israel, a native of "Poland, though himself possessed of a Bible in his vernacular tongue, "enrolled his name as a subscriber. In the same Association, another Jew is mentioned as having become an active member of the Com"mittee.

"The Third Annual Report of the Covent Garden Bible Asso"ciation, announces the interesting fact, that among one thousand 66 names who have within a few months been added to their lists as "subscribers, they have the happiness to number many of the stock "of Israel."

Extract from the Second Report of the Aldgate Association.

"Many of the Jews have manifested an anxious desire to obtain "the English Bible; and others have, with the utmost readiness, "become free subscribers to this institution. To the Jews alone "twenty-seven Bibles have been sold, and forty-seven of them are "now subscribing to this Association.”

Extract from a Letter of the Secretary of the Frankfort Bible Society, to the Rev. Dr. Steinkopff.

"In consequence of the public advertisement, in which we an"nounced the establishment of our Bible Society, the attention of the "Jews has been drawn towards it, and some expressed their regret

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