the Jews," manifests an anxious desire for their conversion, and suggests means by the adoption of which, much, he believed, might be effected. We do not agree with the venerable prelate in some of the means suggested, whilst we admire the piety and the enlightened zeal which led him to desire their conversion, and to spend so much time, and labour with so much assiduity, in defence of the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I will now proceed to notice two remarkable efforts made in the last century to promote the conversion of the Jews; one by the Callenberg Institution, the other by the United Brethren.

The Callenberg Institution derives its name from John Henry Callenberg, Professor at Halle in Saxony. In a German pamphlet published in 1732, and afterwards translated and published in English in 1734, he gives a short history of an attempt to bring the Jewish nation to the knowledge and practice of the truth of the Gospel. The author, in giving an account of the origin of the Institution, states that a Protestant Divine, who died in the 80th year of his age, gave him a small manuscript which he had composed, containing an affectionate treatise, adapted to the genius and written in the usual language of the German Jews, i. e., a mixture of German and Hebrew. This tract Professor Callenberg published in 1728, and it gave rise to the printing several other useful works of a similar description. The encouragement which he then met with was so great, that it led to the formation of an institution whose objects were1. The establishment of a printing press;

2. Provision for proselytes and catechumens; and

3. The appointment of students as travelling Missionaries to the Jewish nation.

Christians were now beginning in a right way. Useful works were published in languages understood and read by the Jews; a home was provided for those who had become outcasts for Christ's sake: and the love of Christianity melted by its benign influence the prejudices of many, who were then brought into the fold of Christ.

After enumerating the hindrances on the part of the Jews, Professor Callenberg mentions the following as arising from Christians

1. Dissensions amongst themselves;

2. The intolerance and idolatrous ceremonies of Papists; 3. The wicked lives of both Protestants and Papists;

4. The destitute condition of proselytes, in consequence of the persecution which they encounter upon their conversion; 5. The distrust with which they are constantly treated by Christians.

This institution, which was eminently calculated to promote the great and noble object for which it was established, was suppressed by the Prussian Government in 1792. Its funds were appropriated to other purposes of a benevolent and Christian character; but the Callenberg Institution ceased to labour for the conversion of the Jews.

The other remarkable effort made for the conversion of the Jews in the last century is recorded in the periodical accounts of the Missions of the United Brethren. In the year 1738 Leonard Dober, one of the most devoted Missionaries sent forth by the Brethren, felt an earnest desire to labour for the conversion of the Jews. For this purpose he repaired to Amsterdam, and hired a lodging in the so-called Juden-Hock. Here he and his wife dwelt in great poverty, diligently seeking for opportunities of spiritual intercourse with the Jews, and meanwhile commending their cause to the Lord, with prayers and many tears, and waiting with patience and hope, till he should grant them an entrance among that people.

Count Zinzendorf always manifested the highest respect for the Jews, for the reasons assigned by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans-on account of the covenant which God had been pleased to make with them in the days of old, "because to them had been committed the oracles of God," but chiefly because "of them according to the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever." He therefore always treated the Jews with much tenderness and regard, whenever he met with them in christian or in heathen lands. Some of them joined the Brethren's Church. The Count sought to keep alive amongst the Brethren a desire for the salvation of Israel, and introduced a prayer to that effect into their church litany; it was this "Deliver the ten tribes of Israel from their blindness and estrangement, and make us acquainted with their sealed ones. Bring in the tribe of Judah in its time, and bless its first fruits amongst us, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel be saved." The Jewish Intel

ligence for September, 1838, contains a deeply interesting account of the labours of the Brethren amongst the Jews.

I have referred to these two instances in order to point out the different spirit in which Protestant Christians approach the Jews, the different mode which they adopted to bring before them the truths of Christianity. Both attempts were owned and blessed of God; both proved that he was willing to receive the Jew as well as the Gentile who should truly seek Him, and that the same means are effectual in the conversion of the one as of the other.

It has been reserved for our eyes to see and our ears to hear what men of by-gone generations never hoped for. It is our privilege to see true Christians almost every where awaking to a sense of their duty towards Israel. The present century has witnessed the commencement of efforts which have been continually enlarging, the employment of an instrumentality which has been signally blessed. The London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews has been the chief agency employed for effecting amongst God's ancient people more than had been accomplished since primitive times. This Society originated in 1809; it was composed, in the first instance, of members of the Church of England and Dissenters. Under this joint management it went on for a few years; difficulties arose, debt was incurred to a large amount, and the very existence of the Society was threatened. The particulars respecting this critical period in the history of the London Society are to be found in its Reports. God raised up a friend in the benevolent and munificent Lewis Way, who devoted both his fortune and his life to the cause of Israel. At the period of difficulty referred to, he gave upwards of ten thousand pounds towards paying off the debt of the Society, which then became ex

Other Institutions have arisen, having in view, more or less directly, the spiritual welfare of the Jews. On the Continent there are Societies at Berlin, Posen, Basle, Bremen, Amsterdam, &c. The Church of Scotland established missions to the Jews a few years since. The Missionaries whom it employed left that church, and now stand in connection with the Free Church. Both these communities have now Missionaries to the Jews. There are also other societies existing in England, whose object is either the temporal or spiritual welfare of the Jews, or both. Efforts are also being made in America for ameliorating the condition of the Jews.

clusively a Church of England Institution, and its managers were elected from the members of the Church alone.

We do not profess to give a history of the Jews' Society. This has been the chief instrument employed in these latter days to make known the gospel to the Jews. This Society has now thirty stations in different parts of the world; three of them are in England, four in Palestine, two in Syria, two in Persia, one in Africa, and the remainder in Europe. It has its schools both in London and on the Continent. There are a hundred Jewish children in the schools in London, who are clothed, boarded and educated, and who afterwards go out either as apprentices or servants. In Posen there are six schools, having an average attendance of upwards of four hundred children. The holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, are published in Hebrew by the same Society; the Litany of the Church has also been translated into that sacred language, and, every means likely, under the blessing of God, to be effectual, has been adopted. A kindred Society, The Jewish Converts' Operative Institution, has been a very efficient auxiliary in this great and arduous work. It has received many a poor Israelite within its doors, taught him a trade whereby to gain his livelihood amongst Christians, or led to his being engaged in a more important sphere of duty.

No longer is Christianity presented to the Jew, simply as idolatry; no longer only as a system which seems to inspire its adherents with hatred to his nation; but in many lands it impresses him with its own true character of love. On the holy hill of Zion, in the metropolis of the Jewish world, a band of Christians, Jews and Gentiles made both one in Christ, the liturgy and worship of the church of the first amongst Gentile nations, those attendants on Christianity, compassion for the poor and sympathy with the afflicted, speak to the heart of the once only despised Jew, and lead him to enquire what is the true character of the religion of Jesus. Ministering in the temporary church which has been there fitted up, the Israelite beholds one of his own nation exalted to the highest office in the Christian Church, and has thus the greatest possible proof that Protestant Christians honour and love the Jews. The missionary Ewald, himself an Israelite according to the flesh, thus speaks of the Bishop's entry to Jerusalem :"It made indeed a great impression on the inhabitants of Je

rusalem. And why? Not because a new Bishop had arrived; but the impression was produced by the fact, that a son of Abraham was selected as a Bishop of the Church of England at Jerusalem. The Jews were glad indeed to see one of their own nation amongst them occupying so high an office."

On Easter Sunday last there were no fewer than sixty-four communicants on Mount Zion. This band of Protestant Christians-the hospital for the afflicted poor of Israel—the College and School of Industry, all bear witness for Christianity, and present to the Jews, to the ignorant and superstitious professors of Christianity, and to the followers of the false prophet, scene unequalled in that "trodden down" and unhappy city.

We must not omit the mention of the remarkable circumstances connected with the establishment of the Bishopric of Jerusalem. "His Majesty the King of Prussia proposed the appointment of a Bishop for Jerusalem, and made it the subject of a special mission to our beloved Queen, and of a particular communication to the Archbishop of Canterbury." His Majesty had in view in this establishment the spiritual good of the Jews and the promotion of union amongst Protestants. "One main object was to make known the Gospel to God's ancient people. The mind of the king was first directed to Jerusalem by the mission to the Jews, and the attempt to build a Protestant Church there ;† and his Majesty says in his instructions drawn up at the time above referred to, Should not in particular, at the present moment, this be the loving thought of him who governs the Church, that in the old land of promise, on the stage of his earthly life, not only Israel might be brought to the knowledge of salvation, but that also the different Protestant communities, built upon the eternal foundation of the Gospel, and on the rock of faith in the Son of the living God, forgetting their separations, conscious of their unity, might tender to each other, over the tomb of the Saviour, the hand of peace and concord.””‡

Our gracious Queen, (whom may God long preserve and richly bless,) and the heads of our Church, readily assented to the proposal of the King of Prussia, and thus was established

* 1845.

+ See Sermon preached by Rev. Dr. M'Caul, at the consecration of the Bishop of Jerusalem, Nov. 7, 1841.

See Jewish Intelligence for March, 1845, where the instructions of his Majesty are given entire.