made in behalf of the Jews, the works published, the discussions held, and the interest excited here, are also well known and made the topic of conversation amongst the Jews throughout Europe. The number of foreign Jews, likewise, who annually visit London, is very considerable, and they carry back the account of our transactions to their respective countries. It is also in London only that, under the immediate direction of your Committee, and with the valuable assistance which they are able to command, revised editions and translations of the Scriptures can be satisfactorily carried through the press, that tracts and larger publications can be prepared, and that preparation can be made on an extended scale for carrying on the missionary work with efficiency in any part of the world.

"The present arrangement of your Home Mission was the unpremeditated result of a chain of providential circumstances, and your Committee consider that it has produced a most important influence on the future general prospects of your work amongst the Jews; and that it has also tended greatly to recommend the labours of your Society to more general and permanent support amongst Christians. When your Committee consider that, within the last four or five years, two valuable editions of the Hebrew Scriptures have been carefully revised; that an amended translation of the New Testament into Hebrew has been prepared; that the Scriptural Liturgy of our Church has been translated and published in the Hebrew language; that an edition of the Syriac New Testament has been printed; that such a work as the Old Paths" has been written, not to mention others, which lay open the real and unscriptural character of modern Judaism, and meet the Jewish disputant on his own ground; when your Committee recollect that the great want of many of these works was, in former years, deeply felt and frequently deplored, and that the efficiency of missionary labour has more or less been impaired by the want of themthey cannot but feel thankful to God for the means by which such pressing demands have been supplied, and go on in the confidence that the labours of the Home Mission will still continue, not only to bear testimony to the Jews in England, but also to exert a beneficial influence on the operations of every other mission."

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CHAPTER XI.

Gradual extension of the Society's plans-Dr. Naudi's letter-Mr. Nitschke's communication-Restoration of peace-Rev. Lewis Way's journey-Decision arrived at by the Committee-Concluding remarks.

In the last chapter, we concluded our brief sketch of the operations of the Home Mission. We now proceed to the consideration of the other great branch of the Society's labours-viz., its Foreign Missions. It will be necessary, however, in the first instance, to give a short outline of the preliminary steps that were taken before that field of labour was occupied, and in doing so, we would remark that there is nothing more worthy of notice in the history of the Society, than the way in which the views and objects of those engaged in guiding and conducting its operations have been gradually enlarged; and how, by a chain of providential circumstances-some of them exceedingly minute they have been led on, from one point to another, until the work has at length assumed the dimensions of the present day, in which missions have been established in the east and in the west, and the Gospel of the Kingdom has been proclaimed to the great majority of those of the seed of Abraham to whom it has been possible to obtain an access.

Although, as we have in a former chapter observed, the founders of the Society contemplated little more than the temporal and spiritual amelioration of the condition of the Jews of England,—we might almost say, of London,-yet the importance of extending their efforts to those residing in foreign countries soon forced itself upon their attention. Nor need we be surprised at this; indeed, the wonder would have been, if, considering merely the numerical proportions in which the Jews are distributed over Europe, they had rested content with endeavours to promote Christianity amongst the very few who had fixed their abode upon British soil.*

* The number of Jews in the following countries may be stated in round numbers as follows:-in the Russian Empire 2,500,000; in Austria 1,000,000;

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One of those circumstances, which led to the establishment of Foreign Missions, was the sending out, in the years 1810-11, some of the tracts which the Society had published, to the East and West Indies, and to Gibraltar. It pleased God that some of those tracts,-insignificant as such an instrumentality may appear in the eyes of many,-should bear fruit, and that the fruit should come to the knowledge of the Committee. A letter, dated December, 1812, was received from Dr. Cleardo Naudi, of Malta, who was at the time in England, pressing upon them the fact, that large numbers of Jews were resident in the Levant, Egypt, and Syria, that there were many circumstances that seemed to render them accessible to the missionary, and that their claims should not be overlooked. In confirmation of his assertions, he narrated the case to which we have alluded above, and which we now give in his own words :

"Some months ago, a Jew of the name of Murthim, from Jaffa, called on me for medical advice. I then took the opportunity of conversing with him upon religious subjects, and shewed him some of the tracts of your Society, translated into Italian by one of my friends. At first he blamed these efforts, and almost derided me for attempting by these means to induce Jews to relinquish their ancient opinions. He even said, that these things might be published and read by the English and European Jews, but not by those of Jerusalem and Syria, who are so well instructed in their creed, know their duty well, and observe their religion with integrity, as it was ordered by the Almighty Himself from the beginning. Notwithstanding this, some days afterwards, he desired me to lend him one of these Italian tracts, which I accordingly did with pleasure; and soon after he called upon me of his own accord, (the first act of Divine grace,) and shewed a desire to resume our discourse upon religious subjects. I then took an opportunity to introduce him to Mr. Annotti, who discoursed with him both in the Arabic and Hebrew languages, and who had just translated your tracts into Italian. Mr. Murthim became very inti

in Germany 500,000; in France 100,000; in the Turkish dominions 150,000; in the Principalities 80,000; in North Africa 300,000; whilst in England there are but 40,000.

mate with Mr. Annotti, who proved very useful to him; for not long after this he became convinced of the truth of Christianity, and was consequently baptized. I gave him all the tracts of your Society I had then in my hands. He translated some into Hebrew and Arabic, which he carried away with him when he left Malta. I received a very kind letter from him after his arrival in Tripoli, earnestly requesting me to send him some of your tracts and publications, and, if possible, a New Testament, translated into the Hebrew language. He concludes his letter by observing, that he is now actively engaged in endeavouring to bestow upon others those blessings, derived through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he had himself partaken of by our instrumentality at Malta.”

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In the conclusion of his letter, Dr. Naudi says, "I hope and trust that your Society will endeavour to do something towards the conversion of the Jews in the countries I have spoken of; and I am very well assured that your efforts will be attended with remarkable success." In the same year, also, the attention of the Committee was drawn to the state and condition of the Jews residing in Poland. A Mr. Nitschke, a Moravian minister of respectability in Upper Lusatia, wrote a letter upon the subject, containing some facts which had been communicated by a Mr. Niety, a merchant of Riga, in a letter dated March, 1811. The latter gentleman communicated his information with a view to its being laid before the Society, and suggested that it "desirable that the Society should send a person to Poland, endowed with the requisite gifts of wisdom and grace, with a view to ascertain the state of things more particularly; and to inquire, if a desire after truth, and an approach to the saving faith in Jesus Christ, may be discovered among some Jews in that country." Mr. Nitschke, having intimated his willingness to undertake such a mission, was requested to do so, and complied with the request; and the Committee were able, in March, 1815, to lay the account of that journey before their friends. The result is given in the following words, in the "Jewish Repository" for March, 1815. Having mentioned that there was a great fermentation taking place among the Jews of Germany, so that, to use his own words, it appeared as if new life had

entered into the olive-tree, supposed to be completely dead," he proceeds :

"The Jews in Germany shake off the yoke of their traditions, under which they have been confined, in numerous instances; but it is to be regretted that most of these embrace Deism or Scepticism, or manifest a total indifference to religion. The Jews in Poland, on the contrary, who adhere closely to the traditions of their fathers, still entertain some fear of God, amidst the too general spread of immoral principles,-profess obedience to the God of their fathers, and imagine that they still serve Him as they ought. Formerly, the Author of our most holy faith could not be mentioned without producing marks of contempt and execration from them, such as spitting, &c.; but now they generally listen with attention to what is told them, and many desire an improvement of their position; though by this the majority mean temporal prosperity only, because their hearts are still carnal, and not spiritually-minded. But by what means can this spiritual, heavenly, and God-like mind be awakened and maintained among them, or their true conversion be effected? By no other means than by the Spirit of God through the Sacred Word of the Gospel, which, as an incorruptible seed, is alone able to renew human hearts, and which is the power of God unto salvation for all that believe. This must be preached and brought nigh to them; and though it is no longer confirmed by signs following, as in the primitive ages of Christianity, it will approve itself by its saving efficacy, as a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation; so that they will acknowledge and experience the truth, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

He pointed out, what is of consequence to be noted, that, at that time, it was hopeless to expect anything from the German Church, as "almost none felt themselves called to engage in the work; nor, indeed," he adds, "had they, if they desired to do so, means or opportunity." It was evident, therefore, that if it was to be done at all, it must be by the English Church, to which, with its machinery already organized, the call seemed a plain one. A communication was also received through Mr. Nitschke, from Rev. Dr. Augusti, of Breslau,