and the trees in blossom; scattered over the plain you behold tents pitched, horses, camels, and sheep grazing, and hundreds of men, women, and children of all nations, and in every variety of costume, strolling about enjoying the evening breeze. So rich and full of interest is the walk round Mount Zion, down to the brook Kedron, the valley of Jehoshaphat, the village of Siloam, to the garden of Gethsemane, and from thence up the Mount of Olives, that we cannot look upon it without delight and heartfelt admiration. The walks outside the Damascus gate, and those that lead to the Armenian convent, are very pleasant; and all who make short excursions to Bethlehem, to Bethany, and to the Jordan, speak in raptures of what they have seen."

HALLAM'S ACCOUNT OF THE JEWS DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.

(From Keith's Evidence of Prophecy.)

popular insult and A time of festivity

"THEY were everywhere the objects of oppression, frequently of a general massacre. to others was often the season of mockery and persecution to them. It was the custom at Thoulouse to smite them on the face every Easter. At Beziers they were attacked with stones from Palm Sunday to Easter, an anniversary of insult and cruelty generally productive of bloodshed, and to which the populace were regularly instigated by a sermon from the bishop. It was the policy of the kings of France to employ them as a sponge to suck their subjects' money, which they might afterwards express with less odium than direct taxation would incur. It is almost incredible to what a length extortion of money from the Jews was carried. A series of alternate persecution and tolerance was borne by this extraordinary people with an invincible perseverance, and a talent of accumulating riches, which kept pace with the exactions of their plunderers. Philip Augustus released all Christians in his dominions from their debts to the Jews-reserv

ing a fifth part to himself. He afterwards expelled the whole nation from France."

SIMEON ON THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWS. (From the speech of the Rev. Mr. Stewart, of Liverpool, at Exeter Hall, as reported in The Record.)

"He remembered his dear brother Simeon once preaching earnestly, and praying for the conversion of the Jews-he was pleading the cause of the London Society, when Brother Bickersteth wrote upon a piece of paper, Six millions of Jews, six hundred millions of Heathens; which should have the greatest interest in our hearts?' Dear brother Simeon instantly said, 'It is out of love to the six hundred millions-out of our desire

for their salvation, that we so earnestly and anxiously pray for the conversion of the Jews; when they are brought to the Saviour, the others, seeing the fulfilment of prophecy, will be brought from death unto life, through the influence of Jesus Christ.""

Entelligence.

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.

THE Third Annual Report of the Committee was read by Mr. Yonge, at the Public Meeting held in Freemasons' Hall, April 24th last. We wish that our limits would allow us to give this very interesting report in full; but if the following brief abstract should lead our readers to peruse the original document, which is now in course of publication, and may be had (gratis) at the office, No. 1, Crescent-place, Blackfriars, or of the Treasurers and Secretaries of Auxiliaries and Associations, we shall feel that we have rendered them essential service.

ABSTRACT.

That Christians were to be the instruments of the conversion of the Jews we learned from the Bible; nor had we far to go to find the sons and daughters of Abraham, for they were about our dwellings. We found them; and oh, how destitute was their spiritual condition! Not only had the crown fallen from their heads, but a veil was upon their hearts, and they were passing every day into eternity, unconscious of their state as sinners, and indignantly rejecting the only Saviour. Enemies surrounded them, but they had no armour of defence; sorrows pressed heavily upon them, but there was no balm; death was at hand, but they had no hope. There was, indeed, among them much of honourable character, of high intellect, and of tender charity; but there was wanting the germ of holy principle, the well of living water springing up into everlasting life. They had the book of salvation, but ignorance and unbelief had closed their eyes.

Missionaries were sought for and found; men of judgment, education, and piety; devoted to God and deeply interested in the cause of Israel's salvation. They were sent among the Jews with no other object than their simple conversion to the faith of Jesus, and they have won much of serious attention and confidence. At our last annual meeting five missionaries were employed; we have now nine, all engaged in our own country, among a Jewish population of thirty thousand. In addition to these, a female Scripture-reader is labouring most usefully, and two young men are preparing for missionary engagements. We have

also felt it a primary duty to aim at awakening in our fellowChristians a deep and practical interest in the object of our Society, and for this end to circulate information concerning the Jewish people, and to publish statements calculated to remove misconception, and to engage the hearts, the prayers, and the charities of the disciples of Jesus in the cause of Israel. A valued member of the Committee has written an address to pastors, which has been very extensively circulated, and there is doubtless an increasing interest felt in the salvation of a people erewhile objects only of suspicion and neglect, of which we have proof in the increase of our funds, an increase specially to be attributed to female piety and devotedness.

But we must hasten to the operations of the missionaries, seven of whom are employed in London, one in Bristol, and one in Manchester. Gladly would we convey to you some of the impressions made in our minds, as month by month we turn over the pages of their journals. We seem, indeed, to talk with the Jew of former times. As eighteen centuries ago, he went about to establish his own righteousness, and did not submit himself to the righteousness of God, so does he now. Still are the Scriptures made of no effect through their traditions; and still do they reject and blaspheme the only Name that can save them. The Pharisee and the Sadducee continue to live among them; and there are many who, while they do homage to the purity and benevolence of the New Testament, and speak in the highest terms of Jesus, deny his Divinity, and reject his Messiahship. "They hear, they marvel, and they go their way;" and this word follows them: (hear it for them, Christians!) "Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." But there are brighter lines to which we are glad to refer, although for details, as well as for general information on the course of the Society, we must direct attention to The Jewish Herald. The following extracts from the retrospects which some of the missionaries have given us of the past year's experience, will afford an interesting view of the sphere and nature of the Society's operations.

One of them states :-" During the past year about 2000 have conversed with me. And those who have seriously examined for themselves, like the noble Bereans, with some desire to become Christians and followers of the Lamb, have been numerous. Two of these, since last April, have been baptized; and a goodly number are still under instruction. I might mention a great number of merely professed converts, but with regard to these, we are waiting in faith and prayer for the result. You will observe, that the great number of the class first referred to are travelling Jews, whom I have met on Saturdays and the holidays. With regard to the distribution of the Scriptures, I could have disposed of many more than I had, but was unwilling to give them to any but those who I knew would read them. Since last year, I have dis

tributed sixty copies, including Hebrew, German, and English Bibles and Testaments, besides other books and a large number of tracts."

One of our friends, whose labours are not confined to a district, but visits his brethren wherever his way is directed, after expressing the grateful delight with which he witnesses the gradual and increasing usefulness of the Society, says :

I

"If I cast a retrospect upon my own past labour, I can likewise praise the Lord, exclaiming,' What hath God wrought!' He has opened to me the houses of many of my brethren, both high and low, rich and poor. I found access to the habitations of darkened Israel, nay, even to the hearts of some; and though the disappointments have been great, the opposition discouraging, and repulses not unfrequent, yet was I permitted to declare, almost everywhere, redemption by Christ, and by none other. Many of the Jewish families residing in this great metropolis, who never entered a Christian place of worship, and entertained a vague or mistaken notion of Christianity, are now better informed. have gained the confidence and respect of some of my brethren among whom I am permitted to labour. In season and out of season, I declare salvation through the Redeemer. Sometimes I have reasoned with the orthodox Jew, proving the non-inspiration of the Talmud, and its opposition to the word of God. At other times I have argued with the infidel Jew, on the necessity of a revelation, and to him who professes to adhere to the pure word, I have quoted those most remarkable prophecies which testify that Jesus was the Christ. But, whether conversing with the one or the other, never failed to address them most affectionately and solemnly on the necessity of being brought into a state of salvation. I believe that many a heart is, indeed, under the influence of God's grace; so that, whilst some seed has fallen on stony, other has fallen on good ground, for I have observed that prejudices have been diminished, and tracts have been read and taken to heart. I doubt not that in due time we shall reap the fruits of our labour. I have likewise sought out Jewish families in every town where, in God's providence, I have been sent; I circulated tracts and proclaimed the Gospel to some of the Jews and their teachers at Norwich, Yarmouth, Guildford, Colchester, and Ipswich. These are still visited by friends who dedicate themselves to this glorious cause, and I receive most pleasing accounts how some have been prevailed on to go to Christian houses of prayer, and have been there touched by the words of the living God. And can I forget that bigoted Rabbinite? Can I forget how great was his hatred to the crucified Nazarene, or his former fury against all who love and worship Jesus from among Israel? And now behold him himself a follower! Shall it not call forth from my bosom praises and thanksgivings, when I think how solemnly he very recently confessed that he beholds in Jesus his Lord and Saviour! All this shows

us that the word of God, the pure, unadulterated word, is still mighty in power, and that the Gospel is still, as it was 1800 years ago, the power of God to the salvation of souls."

Another missionary writes :-" The number of individuals with whom I have seriously conversed, in or out of my district, amounts to upwards of 450. But only a small portion of these receive my regular visits. The majority of the Jews in my district possess but an imperfect knowledge of Judaism. It is a lamentable fact, that the children are scarcely ever instructed in any other part of the Bible than the Pentateuch, and but very few are acquainted with the whole of that. For the female, the Bible is a sealed book altogether. How great an obstacle this ignorance of Scripture is in the way of the missionary, I need scarcely say. I must add, however, painful though the statement may be, that the irreligious life led by some who bear the name of Christ, is also one of the causes that make the Jew averse to the Christian religion; for I have found that, as soon as the Jew is convinced of the moral tendency of Christianity, he is willing to learn more about it. We have, amidst all this, reason to rejoice that there are several who, by the grace of God, have been brought to repent of their past unbelief, and to place their hope of everlasting life solely on the merits of the one Redeemer."

A missionary, who has entered on his work since the last meeting, says: "I suppose there cannot be fewer than 400 Jewish families resident in the district, or about 2000 souls. During the period of my engagement, I have conversed with more than one hundred families or individuals: to the larger portion of these I have frequent or occasional access; to some I am at all times a welcome visitor, and in my frequent visits I never forget that my sole business is with their spiritual interests, and I therefore turn attention from all other matters to the great concern of personal salvation." This missionary speaks-as indeed all his colleagues would be ready to do-in high terms of our esteemed brother, Mr. Davidson, who is employed by the Society to give instruction in Hebrew, &c. to the missionaries.

Another writes:-"The number of Jewish families living in this district, are about 900, supposed to consist of 4500 individuals, involved in the awful darkness of Judaism, with scarcely a ray to relieve the gloom. Of this number, many youths and grown-up persons cannot read. When I first commenced my labours here, I met with considerable opposition, which gradually subsided as I became better known. Some have lent an attentive ear to the communications of Divine revelation, and are investigating the word of God for themselves. During the year, I have made 1907 calls, 1109 visits, and have distributed 3855 tracts and books, seventeen Hebrew, and twenty-one English Bibles and Testaments."

Reference is next made to an interesting young Israelite who