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verts or explains away the original teachings, and that a thousand times it falls short of the doctrine and spirit of the New Testament. Hence the proofs of agreement, however satisfactory to the author, will not convince others. For example, in chap. v. on "Prayer due only to God," after many quotations, he ends the chapter by saying: "The Christian documents agree then with ours in proclaiming this important truth, that worship belongs only to God, and that one ought not to invoke any angel or created mediator," and, hence, he would conclude that prayer should not be addressed to Christ. But the author quite forgets such passages as Acts 7, 59, where Stephen prays, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And at the end of chap. xii., on "the Messiah," he shows that the three books are agreed that the Messiah will come. And by quoting such passages as Matt. xxiv. 36, "Of that day and hour knoweth no man," he aims to show that the books agree that the time of the coming of the Messiah is uncertain, forgetting that Christ said to the women at the well, who spoke of Messiah coming, "I that speak unto thee am He” (John iv. 26). He thus quite ignores the fact we stedfastly maintain, that as Messiah will come again so He has already come.

The commentary on Matthew, the larger part of the work, is remarkable for the numerous verses without note or comment. These we trust will carry Christian conviction to many who will pass hastily over pages occupied with explanatory notes or Talmudic quotations. When a difficulty arises the author passes it by; e.g., the author maintains that not the Jews but Pilate crucified Christ, but passes over Matt. xxvi. 3, and xxvii. 20, which show their complicity and guilt, without a note. When Christ teaches to pray "Thy kingdom come," he explains, "that is to say, that the entire universe should acknowledge the unity and sovereignty of God, and then His name would be hallowed." When Christ, as the Son of God, says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem," &c. (Matt. xxiii. 37), he says "Jesus speaks in the name of the God of Israel, after the example of the prophets of the Bible. It is as if He said, "Thus saith the God of Israel."

There are, also, longer notes in which the author takes up disputed points of great interest. Thus, on Matt. i. 23, p. 155, the oft-disputed passage quoted from Isaiah, "Behold a virgin," &c., he labours to effect a reconciliation by showing that the angel, in quoting the words of Isaiah, wished to show that the son of Joseph would be called Jesus-a liberator-as truly as, following the prediction of Isaiah, the son of Ahaz had been called Emmanuel. In another long passage he shows that Jews and Christians are wrong in contending over passages against Jesus in the Talmud, because those passages relate to another Jesus. He admits, however, that one passage in Aboda Zara does refer to Jesus of Nazareth. In another passage he tries to explain away the force of the expression, "Son of God," as applied to Christ. He shows, also, at length that Christ's teachings are more in harmony with those of the Essenes than those of the Pharisees.

But the reader may ask, "What, then, is his view of Christ's mission? A reply can be found to this question at p. 368, where, speaking of Christ's resurrection, he says: "What was the mission of Jesus? To confirm the rule

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of the law of Moses, by explaining it to the people; by causing to sink down into their minds the doctrine of the absolute unity of God and of His providence, which has for its necessary consequence the dogma of the immortality of the soul and of future reward. For Jesus was not ignorant that no part of the law of Moses affirms distinctly the immortality of the soul, and that, nevertheless, without this principle the law has not any raison d'être, so that "to deny the future life," as the Talmud says, "is to deny the law itself." He established then this point as the fundamental basis of the law, as the explanation and final end of all the rewards promised by it. It is in this spirit He said to His disciples, " In order to maintain you in inviolable attachment to this belief by proving by the fact itself the immortality of the human soul, which I have taught during my life, I will return after my death; I will appear on the third day after my crucifixion ; you shall see me; I will speak to you, and you shall be convinced that the soul, this emanation from God, does not perish with the body." He thus mistakes a part for the whole, and does not see that Christ's great aim was to "seek and save those that were lost." It is noteworthy that in the later chapters, giving an account of Christ's crucifixion, the writer gives few notes and Talmudic quotations, unlike Lightfoot, who distributes them pretty equally over the Gospel. Why is this? Does the author feel that there his theory breaks down, or is he hurried on with the burning interest of his theme? Let us hope that in later volumes of the work, having given up the vain effort to show the fellowship of darkness and light, he will write only to show that the New Testament, while free from the errors of the Talmud, is infinitely raised in doctrine and spirit above it, and is the flower and crown and fruit of the Old. In the meantime this instance serves to show that missionary efforts reach not only the poor wanderer, but are felt, also, among the leaders and learned of the Jewish people. J. MILLER.

Our Missionaries.

I.-HOME.

LONDON.

MR. ZUCKER writes:- As a rule the reception I meet with among my brethren is either friendly or, at all events, free from outbursts 'of temper. But, considering the emnity which, alas, still prevails amongst multitudes of Jews towards our Saviour, it would be strange, indeed, if from time to time one did not come across some virulent opposition. I am led to these remarks by an incident in my missionary experience.

"I met in the street a Jewish friend of long standing, a very prosperous man, in company with two of his co-religionists, perfect strangers to me. Observing that he was engaged, I merely saluted him and passed on. Mr. N., however, made me stop, introducing me to his two friends. We went to a refreshment room, already occupied by a few gentlemen (Gentiles), who were in the habit of meeting here these Jews on business. After a few minutes, I threw out some observations calculated to give them a hint of

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my religious belief, and the matter was sharply taken up by the younger of the two strangers, who observed, that he liked all sorts of men, but that there was a certain species, viz., Apostates, whom he DETESTED. Apostates!' I said, 'Apostates! They truly deserved every reprobation who wickedly fell from the true faith, but unfortunately that name had been falsely or erroneously applied to those who simply renounced that part of a creed which they had found superstitious, and became the adherents of some inspired truth long hidden from their eyes. For instance, I added, I have personally known some scores of Jews, who, upon the carefullest and maturest investigation of Moses and the prophets, were led to the conclusion-indeed, the only one open to them--that the time for the advent of their long waited-for Messiah had expired with the period of the second temple. That the minute details of prophetic reference to the Messiah astonishingly coincided with the history of the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and I asked whether the courage which led to an open confession of such convictions convictions, too, which involve the painful trial of giving up father and mother, brothers and sisters, yea, the nation itself from which the Jew is hewn, and from which he sadly parts-did not that bold step rather deserve to be praised than to be tarnished by stigma. Indeed, where was the rhyme or reason for hating a converted Jew? Finishing these remarks, I stood up, saying aloud, "I believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God." Scarcely had I finished the sentence, when, as though the flood gates of Satanism and Billingsgate were alike opened together, the name of the Master was assailed, and the preacher, also, by a voluble torrent, alternating between blasphemy and abuse. It was, I can assure you, hard to hear, and also hard to bear. As I had no wish to excite any illwill against my antagonist, I could only protest, in very fervent words, pointing out that declamation did not constitute argument. As I proceeded in my defence of the honour of our great Master, and reasoned warmly, both from the Scriptures and from the history that followed, the interest of my audience grew perceptibly. A sort of chairman was informally constituted for keeping order, whose authority was tacitly acknowledged. This check answered admirably, as everything of a personal character was immediately condemned and promptly silenced. To give you some idea of the violent ebullition of my excited and bigoted friend, he said, among other things, 'If I dared I would kill you! Again, upon eliciting my confession of faith, he shouted, 'You are a liar, you are a liar!' I checked myself for fear lest it should look like retaliation, remembering the words, ' In your patience possess ye your souls.' This quiet demeanour in due time produced its proper effect. The Gentiles called out for fair play, and the other two Jews also sided with me. An opportunity being now given me to give a reason for the faith that was in me, I grappled with the series of subtle objections one by one, leaving no resting-place for the foot of my objector. Those nominal Christians listened seriously, and the landlord, too, who originally was ill-disposed, saw me out upon leaving, and told me he was glad that I bore testimony of Christ.

"As to the three Jews. The one who has known me for many years being appealed to by my disputant to say that I became a Christian for money, promptly replied, "No, certainly not. I have known Mr. Zucker for a long time, and I have ever believed him to be a Christian from conviction.' That kind declaration at once strengthened my hands a hundred fold. When again appealed to as to the value of my reasoning, he quietly replied that he thought that there was a great deal in it, and that it certainly had exercised his mind. 'Are you also then a Christian?' he was asked to say. 'No,' my friend said, but I have been considering that that reasoning leads up to it.' I thanked God inwardly for this encouragement,

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One of the two strangers, too, gave me hope to believe that my words that evening were not in vain. As to the one who argued with me, I believe that he regretted having been too hasty, although he had not the courage to own it; but he did own towards the end that I had the best of it in argument. Thereupon I remarked that my advantage did not consist in wisdom of words, but in the logic of facts, and that facts were stubborn things."

MR. FRIEDBERGER says :-"I do not attempt a statement of that preaching of the Gospel which is naturally, in our work, only the daily occurrence. One case, however, which claims special regard, might exceptionally be noticed. One evening I visited a Jewish family, to whom the unsearchable riches of the Gospel had been preached. In the course of the evening a Jew came in, who had some business with my friend, and took part in our conversation. He is a learned man, not only in Jewish literature, speaking three or four languages, but also a man of science and general knowledge. I felt very happy to have been enabled, in the college, to correct some of his misconceptions about the Lord, the intrinsic value of which is sufficient, • if misapprehended, to undermine the very foundation of Christianity. We analyzed all the essential principles of our Christian doctrine. I laid much stress upon the beauty of atonement, which is prompted by the inexhaustible riches of His love.

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'Apart from this, I am happy to say that I have many encouraging, as well as some discouraging, cases. Doors, unforeseen, are opened before me. Apparently hopeless cases return again, and give much satisfaction. In my last statement I mentioned several cases, who are going on, though slowly, yet steadily. Mr. D. G.'s family are much improved in every religious feeling, and even his domestic management has taken a blessed turn. I still frequent the Jewish coffee-shop, and also preach with Mr. Lazarus, notwithstanding the college work which I have to attend to. The Lord is good to me in every respect."

MR. ADLER writes :-"I met a Jew, Mr. N., in Gracechurch Street, and asking him how his family were getting on, he said, 'We are all quite well, but I am rather at variance with my wife as regards our children. You know my parents are Jews, and my wife is a Catholic. My parents would have my children circumcised, and my wife would have them baptized in the Romish Church. Although I am not yet baptised, I will not see my children brought up as Catholics. I must have them baptised by Mr. H., or by some other Protestant minister. I would rather have them brought up as Jews than Catholics.' When I asked him not to quarrel with his wife about it, he replied, 'We do not quarrel at all, but I am determined to take the children to some pastor, without saying a word to her about it, and have them baptised. When all is over, my wife will then be content too.' I begged him to wait till I had asked Mr. H. The latter told me he would not do it without the consent of the mother, as she is a Christian. So that poor man, though himself a Jew, tries his best to gain his wife for the Protestant Church. May the Lord bless the efforts of that Nathanael. "During the month the Lord opened to us a door into one of the most eminent Jewish families in London, for which we have reason enough to be thankful. The father of the family I allude to is a certain Mr. W. He was for twelve years' chasen' (reader) in one of the great continental synagogues, and has for the last seven years performed that function in London. It happened, that in the previous week, a Jew, who is a great friend of the chasen and ourselves, was run over by a cab. The poor man communicated to us the accident he had met with, and we at once went to see him. Whilst speaking with

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him, Mr. W. came in, and was exceedingly surprised to meet us there. He shook hands in the most cordial manner, but for a considerable time he only gazed at us, without uttering a single word. But then he expressed

I am) שמחתי כראות פני אלהים,his sutisfaction in the Hebrew words

glad as seeing the face of an angel.) He then challenged us to give him the reason of the hope that is in us, which we gladly did. The conversation lasted for more than three hours, and it was especially pleasant to hear those two Jews discussing with one another about Christ and His doctrine, E. in the affirmative, and the chasen in the negative. I am afraid to enter into details, lest my report might be too long. The chasen then invited us to come to his house the following day. While there the chapter of Christianity was again produced, and it lasted till nearly eleven o'clock at night. His wife and children took part in the discussion, and all of them begged us to repeat the visit as soon as possible. The eldest son of the chasen paid us a visit one evening. When my brother directed the conversation upon Christianity, he added, ' I am very fond of reading the Bible, Old Testament as well as the New, but the New Testament I dare not read in the presence of my father.'

"Thus the Spirit of God works among our Jewish brethren. May the name of the Lord be glorified. Besides this, I had a very interesting conversation with a Jewish medical man, who left a short time ago the University of Breslau. I am glad to state that he is very much inclined to study the New Testament, and I dare hope that he will then find the truth. great number of tracts have been given away to our Jewish brethren, in the houses as well as in the streets."

LEEDS.

A

MR. MOLLIS says, concerning his recent visit to this town :--"I am happy to inform you that in August last a Jewish family, consisting of husband, wife, and three children were baptised, by the Rev. Edward Jackson, at St. James's Church, York Road, Leeds. The service was very solemn, and all who were present felt that the Lord was with us, and had brought us together to witness another Jewish family openly confessing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and being baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The father is a native of Germany, and comes from a place near Berlin; his wife was born in Holland, but brought up in England. They have resided in Leeds for the last two years, and are well known to many of our friends as very respectable and industrious people. The children, which are Mrs. B.'s by her first husband, who died a few years ago, were all born in England. They are still of tender age, but under the care of their mother and step-father. I have been accustomed to visit at their house, spending as much time as they could spare me in reading the Scriptures with them, and expounding all the leading questions referring to Christ, and then concluding with prayer. These instructions, I am happy to say, especially on the part of the husband, were received with meekness and with a prayerful heart, and thus the Lord was pleased to bless these means to the conversion of their souls. At last, both Mr. and Mrs. B. expressed an earnest wish to be baptised, and being satisfied with their pure motives, earnestness, and fitness, and having, also, consulted some Christian friends who knew them before me, and hearing their name well spoken of, I recommended them, at their own request, to the Rev. Edward Jackson, whose church they are in the habit of attending, to be baptised.

"I have visited several Jewish families and individual Jews, whose acquaintance I had made before, and I was generally well received, in some cases even with affectionate kindness. Thus, being encouraged, I endeavoured