We could add many passages from the missionary journals of equal interest with those given, and we had marked other articles for insertion, but our very limited space forbids. There are two features which present themselves, on our retrospect of the year soon to close, which awaken devout thankfulness. Although it has been a season of unusual pressure and of urgent claims, we find no diminution of interest in the cause of Israel. We had, indeed, extended the effort beyond our resources, and have therefore appealed for additional assistance, and the appeal has not been in vain,—although, if the present band of missionaries is to be retained, and their very moderate salaries to be continued, we must still plead for further help. Our other reference is to the fact that progress has unmistakeably attended this cause, in the spiritual enlightenment, and, in many cases, in decided conversions among the Jews. For the reasons above stated, we are unwillingly obliged to defer the recommendation of publications received by us, especially Madagascar and its Martyrs, Science and Scripture, and small tracts well deserving perusal and circulation. In anticipation of the 20th anniversary, we venture to bespeak a deeper and more prayerful interest in the spiritual health and vigour of the Institution, and in the Christian fidelity of all who give their hands and hearts to the cause. Our kind friends, the Officers and Collectors of Associations, and all who are accustomed to send us remittances at this time of the year, will oblige by doing so at their earliest convenience, as the accounts are to be closed on the 31st March, -all orders to be payable to Mr. GEORGE YONGE, 1, Crescent Place, Blackfriars. SPECIAL FUND IN RESPONSE TO THE LETTER OF SIR CULLING E. EARDLEY, BART. Mr. Toulson R. H. Herschell... Wheatley, T. R., Esq. ......... 21000 0 0 10 0 0 12 11 0 5 0 0 200 200 Contributions to the Special Fund, as well as to the general objects of the Society, will be thankfully received by the Treasurer, Sir C. E. EARDLEY, Bart.; the Hon. Secretaries, Rev. Dr. HAMILTON, Rev. W. M. BUNTING, the Rev. J. STOUGHTON; and at the Office of the Society, No. 1, Crescent-place, Blackfriars, E.C., by the Resident Secretary, Mr. GEORGE YONGE, to whom all money orders are to be made payable. to young 0 18 6 Collection, Indp. 2 18 6 J. W. Sully, Esq 0 10 0 5 0 0 100 CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF THE SOCIETY. THE MONTHLY MEETING for prayer and conference will be held (D.V.) on Wednesday evening, February 18, at 7 o'clock, in the Society's Office, No. 1, Crescent Place, Blackfriars. London: Published by JOHN SNOW, 35, Paternoster Row. Printed for the Society by Adams and Gee, 23, Middle Street, West Smithfield, E.C-No. 205.-February, 1883. "PUBLISH YE, PRAISE YE, AND SAY, O LORD, SAVE THY PEOPLE, THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL." OFFICE:-No. 1, CRESCENT PLACE, BLACKFRIARS, LONDON. No. 207.] MARCH 1, 1863. [Price 1d. The Progress of the Mission. A REVIEW of recent reports fully justifies the adoption of this as the head-line of another chapter. To commence with Home incidents: the following extracts from the statements of London missionaries will stimulate our hopes of that which once presented a fearful aspect of moral sterility. Our readers who have taken an interest in the history of the Bible-stand at the International Exhibition, will be gratified and thankful, especially for the notices given in the present report, as well as of intercourse with the Jews generally. Intimations of success are all the more acceptable, because of the increased attention given by teachers and leading members of the Jewish community to its moral improvement. The institution and liberal support of schools, the gatherings of Bible classes, the delivery of lectures on scriptural subjects, the circulation of practical and useful tracts, and the publication of the Bible itself by the Jews, are among the means of facilitating the labours of the Christian missionary, and are, we believe, preparing the way for a much larger reception of the whole truth than has yet been apparent. Let the following extracts testify : The past year, as regards missionary work among my brethren, the Jews, has been a year of decided progress, so that the everlasting gospel of Jesus has been preached freely, and in many instances listened to with attention and interest, both among the poor of my brethren, and also by the rich; and I have seen many whose eyes sparkled with joy while the message of salvation by grace was declared, and have been delighted to hear some of them express their reliance upon Jesus for their eternal happiness. There is also a visible increase in the knowledge of the Gospel truth, both historical and doctrinal, and the tracts which we scatter daily tell greatly upon the Jewish mind, for not only are we often asked to give them further explanations concerning these silent messengers, but they are read and discussed among themselves; the Bibles and New Testaments which we distribute from time to time, are, with but VOL. XXIII.-NEW SERIES, VOL. IX. few exceptions, diligently read and studied, and a few instances I know where several sons and daughters of faithful Abraham have spent their whole Sabbath afternoons reading together these blessed books; in short, it is even in our days as in the days of the beloved disciple John, who, in the midst of describing Israel's blindness and fall, still adds (xii.) 42: "Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue." Some time ago I was introduced to an African Jew, in whose shop I met several of his countrymen. I was at once allowed to declare to them Jesus, to which all of them listened with attention and interest, and before I left, with the tracts, I also gave several portions of the New Testament. There was a young man amongst them, who, as soon as I gave him the Epistle to the Hebrews, in Hebrew, sat down quietly in a corner of the shop and read it, of whom some of the Jews present spoke very highly as to his character and knowledge, and said to me, "He believes more in Jesus than in Moses." This young man called upon me last Saturday, and I had a long and interesting conversation about the truth as it is in Jesus. He has but a confused knowledge of Christianity, but still, evidently he is searching for the truth, and as he is busily engaged the whole week, we have arranged that he should come to me every Saturday for instruction. He told me that he knows several in the same state of mind in his country, who dare not breathe the least about it for fear of the Jews, and asked me why we do not send missionaries there. A short time ago I called upon Mr. N——, whom I have known about two years. He is a tailor, and has several sewing machines, and keeps about a dozen hands at work; both he and his wife always receive me very kindly, and pay great attention to the message of salvation. Last time, soon after I entered the work-room, he told the people to stop their machines, as they could not hear what I said, and he himself, of his own accord, asked me to give them tracts, and to one Jewish young man, who made some objections about the time of the first advent of the Messiah, the master himself took the tract ("Proofs from the Ancient Prophets that the Messiah must have come, and that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah "), and gave it to him, telling him, at the same time, if he reads it attentively that it would do him good. A few months ago, I spoke in one of my reports about a son of Abraham, who was not only a son according to the covenant of works, but also that of grace, whom the Lord had been pleased to afflict with the dropsy for a whole year, and some months since he was obliged to sit in great agony night and day, in an arm chair, expecting every hour to be his last. On Thursday I read and prayed with him for the last time, and his wife told me that the whole day on Friday he was in prayer; in the night he became insensible, and early next morning his soul took its flight from his body, and he calmly and peacefully fell asleep in Jesus. Mr. and Mrs. Dwith three children were brought to Christ about ten years ago through my instrumentality, and ever since have been walking worthy of Jesus; two of their children have but lately left the Hebrew schools, Palestine-place, where they were taught, not only everything useful for this life, but also the things pertaining to eternity. As an instance of this, their boy, about 15 years old, seeing his mother and two sisters in affliction at the loss of their husband and father, asked them whether he should pray with them, and the mother, with deep joy, told me that she never would have believed her boy could pray so beautifully. For some time after they had been brought to the Lord, they remained in the Jewish quarter, and allowed me to hold meetings at their house. I have known them all the time to be a hard-working English family, but since he became ill, they have had a great deal to struggle with, and now they have not even wherewith to bury him. Another report states: During the last month I have been again obliged to part with one of my inquirers, who was under my instruction. When he began his inquiry he had maintained himself by his work, but when I saw he would very likely be a long time without employment, I gave him a recommendation to Dr. Ewald. From my personal experience I have learned that if an inquirer is thrown out of work, and still is in right earnest to embrace Christianity, he cannot do better than avail himself of the Palestine institution, for very often such indigent inquirers cause the missionary great anxiety and trouble, and are often the cause of interrupting him in the prosecution of his work. Another young man was introduced to me, who came recently from Germany with the intention of embracing Christianity. He is a fine scholar, and the son of a wellknown Jewish Rabbi. He could not publicly confess Christ when at for fear of his orthodox father. As he had not learned any trade by which he could support himself, he was in destitute circumstances. All I could do was to advise him to make application to Dr. Ewald, in order to be received into the Wanderer's Home, but whether he has done so or not, I cannot tell, as I have heard nothing of him since our last interview. I formed the acquaintance of a Jewish artist, who, as he himself said, was very anxious to converse about religion. He is a tolerably well-educated man, and as regards religion, he holds rationalistic views. He complained very much about the great number of ceremonies a Jew has to observe, and remarked that he had been estranged from Judaism on that account for the last fifteen or eighteen years. As regards Christianity, he was very liberal, and spoke in the highest terms of eulogy of Christ and Christianity; but alas! to him Christ was no more than the greatest reformer, and Christianity the religion of the world. I told him that though Christ is in a certain sense the greatest reformer, yet He was the long-foretold and expected Messiah, who should redeem Israel and mankind from sin, and reconcile them to an offended God. He listened very attentively to what I had to say, but, unfortunately, he was not acquainted with the contents of the Scriptures. He told me he used, when living in the country, frequently to attend a Christian's place of worship, and he was very anxious to read religious books. I gave him several suitable tracts, which he received very thankfully, and also my address. I hope very soon to have an opportunity to speak again to him, and in the meantime let us hope the reading of the tracts may lead him to read God's word, and that thus ultimately he may be led to receive Christ as his Saviour. To the house of one of my inquirers, who is preparing himself shortly to make a public confession of his faith in Christ, used frequently to come a Jewish private teacher, and all the tracts I left in that house he borrowed of him to read them. The effect of this has been that he has lately expressed a wish to see me. When I received his address I called upon him. He received me very kindly, and we entered into a religious conversation. He is a liberal believing Jew, who principally rests on the Old Testament. He granted that the Jews could not keep the laws of Moses entirely, but then, he remarked, what they can keep they are obliged to do, and if Christianity is really the fulfilment of Judaism, every Christian ought to keep them as well as the Jews. I referred him to the Bible, and we discussed principally (Jer. xxxi. 31, 33), about the new covenant. We were then interrupted in our discussions, and we appointed last Saturday to resume our conversation. True to his appointment, |