extracts from other documents; but these are sufficient to show at what a special crisis in Jewish history our missionary work commenced -a crisis in which we seem to hear the Saviour's voice, as, when of old, He addressed His disciples, "Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to the

harvest."

CHAPTER III.

The time ripe for Jewish Missions-The day of small things-Early difficultiesDates difficult to fix-Frey-His address to the London Missionary Society-Its Directors meet his wishes-The work is found to require a distinct machinery-A separate Society commenced-Original constitution-Difficulties in working-Society reconstructed on a Church basis-Early friends. IN perusing the records of the working of Divine Providence contained in history inspired, or uninspired, one thing must invariably strike us, viz., that God's purposes are all of them evolved in the “fulness of time." There is no haste, no confusion, but, as in the natural, so in the moral world all is harmony and order. Nor is evidence of this wanting in the history we are now engaged on; for it was just when the course of events, and the changes of opinion, briefly sketched out in the two preceding chapters, had so materially altered the condition of the Jew, both externally in his relation to the Gentile, and internally as to his own prejudices and opinions-it was just then, that God put it into the hearts of some to lay the first stone of that which has since become so great an edifice; or, to speak without metaphor, to commence the London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews;-the first systematic attempt to bring the Gospel to bear on the despised outcasts of Israel. We say systematic attempt, because, as the first Report of the Society remarks, "It is not to be imagined by any one that this idea is a novel one; for it may be safely affirmed that Christians have, in all ages and countries, shown a disposition, more or less, to induce the Jews to embrace Christianity." And, again, Happy are we to declare that there have existed some amiable and pious characters, who have united with zeal for the Redeemer's cause the meekness as well as wisdom of His Spirit; and

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instead of imitating Mahomet in endeavouring to promulgate their religion by fire and sword, they have, by prayer and supplication at a throne of grace, and by using the appropriate means authorized in Sacred Scripture, strenuously exerted themselves for the salvation of Israel."*

With respect to the commencement of the great Reformation, its modern historian thus speaks: "When man would raise a shelter against the weather, a shade from the heat of the sun, what preparation of materials, what scaffolding, and crowds of workmen, what trenches and heaps of rubbish! But when God would do the same, He takes the smallest seed that a new-born child might clasp in its feeble hand, deposits it in the bosom of the earth, and from that grain, scarcely distinguishable in its commencement, He produces the stately tree, under whose spreading branches the families of men may find a refuge. To effect great results by imperceptible means— such is the law of God." This sentiment we also feel very strongly, when we look to the origin of the Society.

It was emphatically a "day of small things;" and no one can help feeling, that we have a manifest proof that the work was owned of God, in the fact that to a feeble, almost hopeless infancy, has succeeded a vigorous maturity. "No remark," says the writer of the Jubilee Report, himself for more than two-and-thirty years connected with the working of the Society, 66 was more common among thoughtful Christian observers of its many trials, during more than the first half of its course, than this-that if the Society's work had not been the work of God, it never could have surmounted the very singular difficulties to which it was exposed."

The earlier members of the Society could not avoid noticing this fact. We find in the fourth Report the following sentence:"The

*There was the Callenberg Institution at Halle, commenced 1728, and closed in 1792. There was also an effort made by the United Brethren in 1738. It continued till 1764. Results of their preaching have been met with very recently by Mr. Pauli, in Amsterdam; and we have been informed that, just prior to the establishment of the Society, more than one individual had begun to seek Israel's welfare.

commencement of the Society was small, and its instruments feeble. They were composed of persons almost unknown. On one side, prejudices were to be removed; on the other, opposition was to be overcome. Trusting to the righteousness of their cause, and the assistance of Him that keepeth Israel, they began, through the press, to make known the objects of the Society."

We cannot, indeed, avoid being struck, in reading the earlier Reports of the Society, with the apologetic tone which they all assume. The objections and prejudices alluded to above, are, some of them, almost calculated to raise a smile, now that Scripture views have been more generally diffused, and practical experience has been gained; but many have still to be combated as vigorously as ever. It was alleged, with respect to the undertaking, that the time was not come for the conversion of Israel, and that therefore to attempt it, was to interfere with the designs of Providence-it was alleged with respect to the work, that it was unnecessary, impossible, enthusiastic; and those who conducted the Society itself, were assailed with the most contradictory accusations. Speaking of this in the third Report, they say :-" Accusations of a very opposite character have been preferred against your Committee. On the one hand, they have been charged with holding the doctrines of high and rigid Calvinism; while on the other, it has been imputed to them that they do not hold the fundamental truths of vital and evangelical Christianity."

We have thought it well to make these preliminary remarks, and to draw attention to these extracts from the earlier documents of the Society. It is one thing to view it as it now is; it is another to contemplate it as it was then. And yet unless we do so regard it, we shall fail to realize that the work, to which its early friends addressed themselves, was pre-eminently a "work of faith." Speaking of present encouragements, the writer of one of our Jubiles papers well remarks :-"Our fathers knew nothing of all this, they had all the work before them." We may walk without emotion through the stately streets of some transatlantic city, if we only view it in reference to the present; but can we do so if we allow our thoughts to revert to the not-distant past, when, instead of the stately

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edifice, there was only the pine tree's shade, and when, where now the busy hum of men is heard, there was no sound to break the stillness. The dullest can become eloquent on the theme of human industry; and yet human faith is a grander subject of contemplation.

There is one extract more that we cannot forbear to give; it is one which illustrates and proves what many are ready to question, the sober and sound Scriptural views with which the work was undertaken. "A charge of enthusiasm has been made by some persons concerning the views of the Society, and it has been asserted that your Committee are influenced by foolish and Utopian expectations.... They certainly consider the occurrences of a few years past awful and surprising, and are roused to exertion by the signs of the times. Nevertheless, they are not determined to any measures which they adopt, by visionary and uncertain calculations. They wish to distinguish between the restoration of Israel to their own country, and the conversion of Israel to Christianity. If nothing peculiar appeared in the aspect of the times-if neither Jew nor Christian believed the future restoration of Israel-if no exposition of prophecy had awakened attention or excited expectation in men's minds—if it were possible to place things as they stood many centuries ago-still your Committee would urge the importance and propriety of establishing a Jewish mission."*

These things premised, we shall now endeavour to give a few details of the Society's early history.

It is a matter of some difficulty to fix the exact period of its commencement. By some it is dated from the 4th August, 1809; but the Committee Meeting, which really may be considered the first of the Society in its separate and distinctive capacity, was held on the 15th February, A.D. 1809; and this, as being strictly speaking the beginning of its official career, was adopted as the most suitable date from which to commence our Jubilee year which has just closed. For the practical commencement, however, we must go back to a period earlier by a few years, namely, to the autumn of 1801. At

*Second Report, p. 22.

that time, there came with two others to this country, in order to enter the service of the London Missionary Society, a Christian Israelite, C. G. Frey by name. To quote the language of the Jubilee Report, "during his stay in London, it was put into his heart to visit his brethren of the house of Israel. He found them in a state of darkness and bondage, worse than that of their fathers in Egypt. He spoke to them of Christ and His salvation. He engaged a few other Christian friends to feel a concern for their spiritual welfare.”

He made known to the Directors of the London Missionary Society his earnest desire to be permitted to preach the Gospel to his own kindred after the flesh, in a letter from which the following is an extract: It is, therefore," he says, "my dearly beloved brethren, my humble wish to remain, if but one year, in London, to try if possible, to save if but one soul from the power of Satan, and lead it to the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. But Jesus is my Lord and Saviour, who has bought me on the cross with His precious blood; to Him I give myself, in body and soul, to be directed in this important object. He who is infinite in wisdom, knows best what is good for me a poor worm. He is perfectly acquainted with the hearts of men, and turns them as He does the rivers of waters. The desires and motives of my heart are better known to Him than to myself; and He will, no doubt, rule according to His holy will, the hearts of my dearly beloved brethren and directors." Thus wrote Frey. Some have, in consequence of subsequent inconsistency, stigmatized the above language as insincere; all we say is, in the words of Sacred Scripture, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth."

This application was favourably considered by the Directors, they acceded to his request, and some three years having been consumed in the needful preliminary preparation, we find him in 1805 commencing in earnest his missionary work, under the auspices of the London Missionary Society. It was soon, however, discovered that the work required distinctive and peculiar machinery.* Accordingly,

* We would commend this to the consideration of those who sometimes object to the existence of a distinct Society for proclaiming the Gospel to the Jew.