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THE JEWISH HERALD.

FEBRUARY, 1875.

Editorial.

UR heart being still full of the thoughts we expressed last month, and most prayerfully exercised respecting the response we might expect, and the way it may please Israel's God to enable us to extend our glorious work thereby, we were much encouraged in receiving, both through our Secretary and direct to ourselves, certain letters, to which we must refer in the forefront of our remarks, that our readers may see that some hêarts have been opened by the power of the good Spirit of God to ponder an appeal, made not for ourselves, but for the Jews, brethren according to the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A. and A. C., from near Newcastle, write :- "After having read with much pleasure and deep interest the pages of the Herald, our hearts warmed, and our affections were drawn toward's Israel's cause, and were resolved to do what we could to aid. Not being able to give much money, we set apart specially the enclosed, which is the amount of sale of our eggs. Although the first sum is small, we hope next year it will be greatly increased. As long as we keep hens we have resolved to devote a special portion for the Jewish Mission."

L. E. writes:-"I have read your Editor's appeal for friends doubling their subscriptions. Instead of keeping my half-sovereign at the beginning of the year to commence my usual collection for autumn, I will double and send it now, hoping many may be led to do likewise."

II. L. L. says "I have great pleasure in enclosing a P. O. O. for £1, in response to the appeal in the last Jewish Herald for double or extra subscriptions, and I will request the Editor to insert it as such, without my name; then it may have a good effect on others." NEW SERIES, No. 26.

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1875.

A minister, who received a gift as a testimonial from a loving people after long and blessed connection, writes :-"Part of it I have appropriated to the Lord, and I have pleasure in enclosing £5 for your Society as a donation. And may our God hasten the conversion of His own people."

The next comes from over the sea, and our Canadian brother's letter must be given entire, as a proof of loving sympathy, and as both example and encouragement to ourselves. "I herewith enclose the sum of ten dollars for the poor Jews' fund, and ten dollars for the work in Rome amongst the Jews. While God is so abundantly blessing the Churches at large in England, Ireland, and Scotland, and in fact in nearly every land, it becomes those who are so highly favoured to especially remember the Jews, through whom such blessings have come to all the world. Should there not be an effort made to appoint a week of prayer in every Christian country in behalf of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that the Good Shepherd may find and be found of His own? Were such a thing proposed in Britain, I am sure America would gladly respond to it."

The saving Name has

Several other cheering letters have reached us, and personal assurances of increased zeal and love for our work have not been wanting. We are thankful for every testimony of regard for Jewish work, and for every mite bestowed in furtherance of its great objects. BUT THE WORK IS NOT YET DONE. Our object will not, cannot, be achieved unless there be united response and a general effort. What we plead for is not merely to hold our own and pursue our way-by God's blessing there is not much doubt of this-but, as we intimated last month, we look at the wide untrodden fields; we gaze at the thousands and thousands of Jews thronging the great cities of central Europe, and our heart yearns towards them. Not an effort-not the shadow of an effort is made to reach them. never sounded in their ears-the glad tidings of life in Jesus, and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ are unknown to them--as utterly so as to the far-off heathen, to whom we send so many missionaries of His Cross. It is a fact-a most solemn fact. We have banded ourselves together to seek and save, in a strength and power not our own, the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." Here they are in myriads, and no one cares for their souls so earnestly as to stretch out a hand to deliver. Oh! may we not-shall we not-do it? WILL not our friends help so effectually; WILL they not rally round us' so lovingly; WILL they not deny themselves so really, that more missionaries may be sent out? This-this is our appeal. We can put our hand at once on suitable men, if our friends will but give us

the means ; and this being accomplished, more carnest soldiers of Christ being planted in some of these mighty centres, He-Israel's Messiah-being lifted up, souls-Jewish souls-will, must, be drawn to Him and be saved. Then in the day of His return, when we stand together in the glory with Him and those rescued ones, will not the approving smile be accounted sufficient reward? Will not the "well done, good and faithful servant," be recompense for the self-denial and the labour?

There is work for our Master we can lovingly do personally, but this must be performed vicariously-by deputy. Our part is to find the means, and to follow the effort with believing prayer. Is there no one before whom this appeal will come who will give of his abundance, as those dear people, whose letters we have quoted, have given of their smaller means? Oh! that it might be so, and that all would make the effort at once to do what they can. Instant action would be taken by our Committee, and the joy of feeling that other missionaries were at work by their instrumentality, and other Jewish souls reached, should be joyfully chronicled in these pages, to the glory of the God of Israel.

Communications, books for review bearing on the Jewish cause, will be gladly received by the Editor of the Jewish Herald, 38, Bloomsbury Square, London, W.C.

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Palestina: the Land of the Jew.

PART II.-CHAPTER XXVII.

WE now in fancy transport ourselves again to Jerusalem, the centre from which our aerial flights are made, and looking at the city of the great King, with our minds full of the last scene we have described, we picture to ourselves another great Eastern Queen,-more illustrious by far than the ambitious Zenobia,—with royal retinue and barbaric pomp proceeding to the hill of Zion to visit King David's wise and royal son. Jerusalem was then in the very height of her prosperity-never had such magnificence been seen before. The infallible record declares that Solomon was at that time "strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. . . . And the King made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the vale for abundance" (2 Chronicles i. 1 and 15). When this visit took place the grand and stately temple was built, and had been consecrated with untold glory. The fire had descended from heaven upon the altar, and had "consumed the burnt-offering and the

1875.

sacrifice, and the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house" (2 Chronicles vii. 1, 2). Solomon had renewed his solemn covenant to walk before the Lord with a true and godly heart, and all had been prosperous and blessed with him for more than twenty years. During this time he had reared his royal palace, and the various store and treasure cities throughout the land; together with that Tadmor in the Wilderness we have recently visited together. Now, seated upon his ivory throne, surrounded with all the insignia of state-in perfect peace without and resplendent with grace and heavenly wisdom within-he awaits this Ethiopean or Arabian Queen, who has come to bow before him. Entering at the gate, and defiling through the steep and narrow streets, her long and shining train slowly ascends the heights of Zion. Camels are there, and dromedaries, with horses and mules, all richly adorned with embroidered hangings that swept the ground, and bridles gleaming with silver. The riders were Eastern princes, stately in their mien and rich in their apparel. Precious stones sparkled on their persons, and shone on their turbans. The woman, who was the leader and sovereign, was supreme in dignity of person, and was worthy of all note and regard. Her royal race might be traced in her countenance and bearing, and she seemed worthy to be Queen in that brilliant company, and to be the honoured guest of the wisest and greatest Prince on the earth. As she rode up the high ascent, she looked around with wonder and delight. It was no mere vulgar curiosity which had brought that famous woman from her own far-off land to Jerusalem and to the holy hill of Zion. Ships had gone to her kingdom for gold, and silver, and jewels, which were brought to Solomon, and the mariners had told to her how great was his power and glory, and how wonderful his wisdom. They had spoken of Israel's God, and told how in times past He had brought the people of His love from the house of bondage in Egypt, because of His covenant with Abraham; and what mighty things He had done for His own great name's sake, and His promise to David His friend. They had extolled the holy and beautiful house on the mountain of Moriah, and had told of the ark of God, with the overshadowing cherubim, of the holy of holies, of the mercy-seat, and of the dazzling glory of the Shechinah cloud. These things moved her inmost heart, and touched a responsive chord. It is pleasant to read that in coming to see and to hear for herself, it was more for the fame of Israel's God than for the fame of Israel's King (1 Kings x. 1).

We have purposely avoided the discussion as to the nationality of the Queen of Sheba. Learned men may carry on the old dispute as to Arabia or Ethiopœa, and may impart historic lore concerning Seba or Assaba, Cush or Arabia. We accept the fact of her presence, and the commentary of. Christ that she was Queen of the South and came from the uttermost parts of the earth (Matthew xii. 42, Luke xi. 31); and from the enumeration of the gifts and spices she presented to Solomon, we can judge with sufficient accuracy of the Eastern locality of her kingdom.

We will follow her reception by Solomon in the next chapter, and will in the meanwhile take to our hearts the lesson drawn from this memorable

visit by our Master, Christ, lest in the Day of the Lord this woman's act should rise up in judgment against us and condemn us, for she performed the longest journey upon record to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, says Jesus, a greater than Solomon is here" (Matthew xii. 42).

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M. E. N.

A Remarkable Book.

THE first volume of a work of great interest from our point of view has just come under our notice. It is entitled Kol Kore (the voice of one crying), or "The Bible, the Talmud, and the Gospel," by Rabbi Elie Soloweyczyk, author of a commentary on Maimonides. It was written in Hebrew, and now appears in French, translated by the Grand Rabbi, L. Wogue, who has added some notes. The interest of the work to us arises from the fact that the writer, although a well-known Jewish Rabbi in Paris, refers throughout to the New Testament, and prints the whole of the Gospel of Matthew; and further, because we have long known that he was often engaged in protracted and earnest conversation with the missionaries of our Society. The object of the work is suggested by the woodcut on the title-page, in which the Old Testament, the Talmud, and the New Testament, are included in the same ornamental band.

In the preface the author expresses his fear that he will be condemned both by Jews and Christians, but declares that God knows his intentions are good, his heart sincere, and that he seeks only the truth. In his view Christians regard themselves as separated from the Jews by the Talmud, which makes void the Word of God, and Jews are offended with the New Testament because of the erroneous explanations of commentators. He proposes, as a work pleasing to God, to remove these difficulties, that "they and their Christian brethren may walk hand in hand." This he hopes to do by showing that the New Testament is in full agreement with the Talmud. He then gives the thirteen Articles of Faith according to Maimonides, which the faithful Israelite recites daily, affirming belief in God and stating His principal attributes, belief in the prophets and in the greatness of Moses, in the performance of the law and its penalties and rewards, in the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead. Then thirteen chapters are occupied in fully treating each point, and showing that the Talmud, the Old Testament, and the New, are in agreement in respect to these fundamental beliefs. Then two chapters are added, one on The origin of the dogma of the Trinity," and the other on "The style of the Gospel," and the remainder of the book-more than 200 pages-is occupied with a running commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.

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The object of the writer is, from his point of view, generous in the interests of peace and brotherhood, and in its execution materials are gathered that are of value to the Bible student; but he has undertaken a hopeless task. It is true the Talmud quotes much from the Bible, and often adopts the principles and sentiments of the Bible, but it is also true that it often per

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