Our Missionaries.

I.-HOME.

1875.

MANCHESTER.

Mr. MOLLIS is pursuing his work with some tokens of success and blessing although harassed by unbelief and opposition. It is encouraging to our society and its missionaries, that there are some Jews at any rate candid and thoughtful enough to desire to search the Scriptures for themselves, upon the old important facts which affect their happiness here and their eternal salvation. Instances of this have been presented, and we are hopeful as to the result. One middle aged Jew is quoted more especially as thinking soberly and searchingly, bringing his difficulties for elucidation, and reading at home both the Old and New Testaments of God's grace. Yesterday he sat with me two hours, and earnestly conversed about the things of God." A young man, also, came to know why we believed in Christ, and asked proofs concerning His Messiahship, and he engaged in interesting conversation for a long time upon the subject. He attended service, snd stayed again for conversation.

Our missionary has many meetings with Jews on Saturdays, and Jewish children come to him for instruction. Altogether the month has been an encouraging one, and much seed of the kingdom has been sown, especially during the last Jewish feast. Frequent opportunities occurred of conversing on the great doctrines and the practice of Christianity. One Jew, when ill, sent for Mr. Mollis, and received the Word with apparent pleasure, and was pointed to Jesus, the great and only Physician of souls. In May our missionary was in Leeds, preparing for a campaign among the Jews there. The family whose baptism was recorded last year are and growing in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ."

LONDON.

well

Mr. FRIEDBERGER writes :- "When I reflect upon my last two months work, and count the numerous congregations I preached to, the houses I visited, the abuses I suffered, yes, the blows I received, and behold so little done, such a small achievement, then my soul mourns within me, I feel distressed, and many a time I really cried like a child for help and consolation, 'Oh! how long wilt Thou forsake Jacob.' Yes, how long are the poor missionaries to combat alone with such monstrous foes? Are there no Christians who would render some help? Not even with their prayer? Let us fervently pray that the Lord should remove the prejudices of the Jews, and the King in His glory will soon appear before them. As I have stated, my experience of the last two months was of great trials and hardships; not only abused in language and receiving a good beating, but my heart was pierced many a time, hearing them perverting the most beautiful, the most gracious and lovely in Jesus. I could not help exclaiming, "what a corrupt heart one must have to pervert and abuse such a striking beauty and purity in Christ. Yet, I am thankful to the Lord, for the little encouragement I received at the Lord's hand. There are many families where I am gladly admitted and welcomed; thrice was I invited to dinners to Jewish families during this feast of Passover, and twice to tea, where I really went and enjoyed, and preached the Gospel with power. During this feast I was preaching almost

1875.

the whole day, and so day by day in the hall and their homes. I know at least scores who are in opinion and belief Christians; and of several I have great hope for their conversion, especially of a young man Mr. C., and a young small family Mr. L., when you hear them speaking your heart must be gladdened. May the Lord bless them. Mr. D. G's family is progressing steadily, and I cherish great hope for their conversion in God's own time. Two are coming daily to my bouse for instruction. One is he whom I gave instruction six months ago, but left London pursuing his business. Now, I am glad to state, that during his absence he was progressive in every respect, saving money, wrote in the Hebrew language, and came now again to me, resuming his studies. I have also great hope for this case. May the Lord give His blessing."

Mr. ZUCKER gives a conversation held with a Jewish boy of nine years old, who had both heard of Jesus and read of Him in the New Testament, and who evidently thinks on His person and claims to be the one Messiah of Israel. A young man told Mr. Zucker, that having been living as an infidel without God and hope in the world, he was so struck with the truths brought to his notice from the New Testament, that he would give half his possession if he could but believe what he had been reading.

"In a general way," writes our missionary, "I have pursued my work by all the various methods suggesting themselves according as opportunities varied. I am thankful to say, that I find ready access to all classes of Jewish society, except those of high rank, and that the persecution which I suffered a few months ago has ceased. At the Crystal Palace, I have engaged in conversation some of the visitors, who in any other place would be unapproachable. Some have accepted and a few have purchased religious publications, including copies of the New Testament. During the Passover Festivals, I visited several families at their express invitations, where I preached Christ for hours to gatherings of Jews, having more leisure than on business days. While I thus met with general encouragement, I feel at times cast down not to see more decided spiritual results. Thus, for instance, the Moody and Sankey movement has given rise to a great deal of religious agitation and public utterances, in which many Jews have joined. But while it gave me an opportunity both in public places and in private houses to defend the truth, I am sorry to say that I cannot find any particular results."

Mr. ADLER and brother speak of encouragement, and record interviews with Jews in the streets and in their houses. They write: "Of the many incidents, we will recount the most important and interesting; in the course of the month we made the acquaintance of two more families; D. L., a Portuguese Jew, he is a very learned man and a teacher in a Jewish school, he has got an income and does not want any assistance at all, but searcheth the truth with all diligence, after we had been with him for more than an hour we left him a New Testament and some tracts. He entreated us earnestly to see him as often as we could, and to help him on in his search for truth. In the same places at No. 1, we made the acquaintance of a Mr. S., a Cantor in a Synagogue, who also is a learned man, made necessary by his station in life; he received us very cordially, and told us he would be very glad to see us whenever we might choose to call upon him, he is a pious and earnest man, and accepted also some tracts. A young man of the name of G., from Germany called on us, and frankly stated that he did not want any assistance, but simply desired to study Christianity. After having ascertained the sincerity of his wish, we sent him to Mr. Cohen, by whom he has

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been received. He is a very hopeful young man, and we trust that with the help of the Lord he may yet be brought to see and embrace the true faith. A year ago I made the acquaintance of a Mr. F., a married man of twenty-eight, an excellent talmudist, and had several discourses with him; on the sixteenth of last month he called on us and remained for some time, afterwards I accompanied him back to the railway station, on the way he asked me: "What has a Christian got to do," I replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved;" he doubted, he thought that there was some mystery I did not wish to tell him, and so he left us. the 16th of this month he came again to us, telling that he was resolved to study Christianity, but living among Jews he did not think it safe to do it among them, and being in needy circumstances, he could not leave them. As he is in earnest, we have thought about getting him a lodging in our own neighbourhood, and we wish very much to draw the attention of the honourable committee to this man. We had known a Jew of the name of C., with his wife and grown up son for a long time, he was rather poor, but their son assisted them with his earnings; some time ago the son became infected with a lingering disease and totally unable to go to work. The father wished to remove him to St. Giles' Hospital, but the son preferred to go to the German Hospital. Mr. C., meeting us in the street, asked us to come in and help him persuade his son to go to St. Giles'. We went in and found there almost all relations, and all in tears; we never witnessed such a heart-rending scene; the young man was unable to speak, but at last with a great effort he uttered a few words, wishing us to speak to him. We persuaded him to go to St. Giles', but he was soon sent back, because the authorities did not think he could recover; but he is recovering now at his fathers house. The next time on visiting Mr. C., we spoke to the son, who said he was not afraid of death, but he was grieved to leave his parents so poorly, and without any assistance. This excellent young man is reading the New Testament very diligently, with his father's permission; we entertain great hopes of him, and wish that the Lord may open his eyes to believe in Him through whom alone life is to be had. A Jew of the name of M., of whom I have already written before, has visited us this month again, and has gone with us to chapel; he has made a very good impression on Mr. Herschel, who said that the man seemed to be in earnest and wished to speak to him himself. This Saturday, we received also a visit from two rich Jewish ladies and gentlemen, who remained with us up to ten o'clock; we had discourses about the Passover, we pointing them to the only true Lamb through whom we are saved.”

II.-FOREIGN.

ADRIANOPLE.

Mr. ROSENBERG is daily bringing the message of the great salvation before the Jews, and amidst the many who will not believe the report, are some who give reason to believe they are sincere. Three Jews especially seem to be on the verge of enlisting under Christ's banner by baptism. "I am about to re-open one school with about twenty Jewish children, the parents paying small fees. In the summary of the year's work, our missionary states that the visitations to Jewish families amount to 300, being on an average three or four a day when practicable. He and the colporteur besides this visit the Jews in shops, cafés, &c., preaching also and disputing with them on the greatest of all facts, that the Saviour came into the world to give

1975.

repentance unto Israel." He continues, "During the winter season, in the evenings, from five to ten individuals came and meetings were held, and the harmony between the Old and New Testament, and those prophecies which point directly to the time when, and the place where, our Lord was to come, were examined. On Saturdays in the forenoons, a regular meeting was kept up in our mission house, being attended by ten people, and sometimes by above thirty, the numbers varying. In the afternoons Jews used to come to both houses, both the mission-house and my own, both Nisim and I met with them, and for hours the word of God formed the chief topic of our discourse in meeting together. Since the commencement of this winter, divine worship in the forenoons was held for our own spiritual edification, as for others, and on each occasion there were present from three to eight Jews, who have heard Christian sermons, and the way Christians worship God. Religious instructions was given to six inquirers, three of whom have given hopes of being enlisted into the Church of Christ, but owing to the many difficulties that lie in their way, and to avoid their becoming a burden upon the missionary, I refrain from baptizing any one unless he has work enough to be independent of both the missionary and his own nation as regards support. During this winter a good number of patients came for medicine, to whom we had occasion to preach the Gospel, and thirty of them, through God's help were cured, kindly bringing to Mrs. Rosenberg littls paper bags of comfitures as a token of gratitude for the medicine and advice given. A good number of tracts, and from eight to ten copies of the New Testament were distributed gratuitously. During the last summer our colporteur visited the Jews at Rodosto, Galipoli, the Dardanelles, Constantinople and Smyrna, he distributed among them a large number of various tracts, and ten copies of the New Testament, and preached the Gospel to as many as he got access to, among whom there were many who heard gladly the truth, whilst others raised opposition. Concerning our out-station, I am glad to say that from reports given me by native Protestant brethren in Philipopolis, Rodosto, and Yambout, the New Testament is studied by a few Jews, giving them reason to think that they are anxiously studying the truth. In this our station, there are also among the women, as well as among the men, some who are nominally Jews, but at heart they believe in the Saviour. Not long ago I visited a friend, the Jewess visitor I found there told me, tears almost running from her eyes, that her husband had kept her back, and only for the peace of the family she kept her faith hidden, if God would convert her husband she would delight to make a public confession of the Saviour. I was speaking with her of the peace and the glorious hope of the believer in the hour of death, and vice versa. I may say the same thing of not a few of the men, who for the sake of their families, and worldly interests keep quiet, waiting for a more convenient season. May God grant that time, when filled with the divine grace, they shall come openly to the Saviour."

HAMBURG.

Mr. NEUMANN gives record of many conversations and earnest discourses among the Jews. They are simply the old story, and do not need particular description. The truth of the Gospel is set forth faithfully from the New Testament, and the natural unsubdued heart rises up in opposition, suggesting the usual arguments which have been used by Satan since the world began. We can only hope and pray that the attention of Israel's hardened and impenitent sons and daughters being thus directed to the central truth, saving good may result, When arguing thus, a Jewish convert quoted from

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1875.

the New Testament Scriptures to a relative in reply to a remark, he said, you have always a ready passage against us," and she replied, "It is not Í that put it in the book." May we find many Jews who have received the truth thus acting, and thus quoting, as did their great Master, "It is written", for God's own Word comes with power.

PRAGUE.

Mr. SCHONBERGER intends to visit Bohemia, and to work among the Jews in the populous cities of that kingdom. He is holding meetings daily, and has abundant opportunities presented to him "of speaking to his brethren of the blessed Saviour and His Gospel." He has, however, no special incidents to record, except a cheering meeting held in a colony of the Moravians, in Silesia, on behalf of the Jews. He remarks, "by these lectures one gets those people which one could never reach in any other way." He relates an instance proving this. In these lectures he goes to the root of the matter, speaking on Christ, and on His works and miracles.

VIENNA.

Mr. SALKINSON sends a few lines, explaining why his annual report has to be deferred till the next month, and giving account of a Jewish proselyte, who is awaiting baptism into Christianity. He promises an interesting account how that "young man was won to Christ." Another Jew recently baptised goes on well.

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JASSY-ROUMANIA.

Dr. BENZION expresses the pleasure that tidings from London and the society affords him in that degraded land, where the Jews to whom he is sent cannot divest themselves of the feeling that the missionary is paid for what he is doing, and undertakes it as a matter of business, and they cannot believe he is really in earnest, and that the grace of Christ he proclaims is a living thing calculated to save their souls. He is recognised however, by Russian friends, who knew him formerly, and he gets many greetings of brotherhood. "The immense snow begins to melt, and yesterday," he writes, we had three degrees of warmth, and were afraid of an inundation." Many opportunities were embraced of speaking with the Jews during their preparation for the passover. "Your missionary has only to walk calmly in the street, and he is sure to be accosted by his brethren, eagerly desirous to know what he has to say about the feast, and they hear of a greater deliverance than that from Egypt, and that the Jew is the servant of sin, and the Christian a free man in Christ. I have, also, several letters, in which the writers inquire about Christianity, some earnest and others bargains, wanting to know what will be materially gained by becoming a Christian, and so on." In our missionary's last letter, dated May 1, he has intelligence concerning two Israelites, who are ready to acknowledge publicly that Jesus of Nazareth is their God and Saviour. One is a young man of twenty, of good family and good report. He is truly sincere, and his testimony is satisfactory. The second is the son of a rabbi, a good Talmudic scholar, and well posted in Hebrew lore. His wife agrees with him in leaving Judaism, and both show signs of reality in their profession. This is matter of deep thankfulness, and is the work of God the Holy Ghost.

WARSAW.

Mr. DWORKO WITZ writes us a letter of deep interest as replying to the taunts of the unbelieving and envenomed Jew, who sees the