1877. Mohammedanism a far more enlightened religion than the brutal Christianity of Russia.' With the Jews of Prague it is common to resist the missionary's invitation to Christ by saying, 'Is it Russian Christianity we are to adopt? So sadly do these fallen Churches misrepresent Christ, and thus prove stumbling blocks in the way of Israel's conversion." RUSTCHUK. MRS. ZUCKERKANDL (late of Rustchuk) writes, April 29th :-"Mr. Weiss, our Teacher, says in his last report from Rustchuk that we have now 34 Jewish, 9 Protestant, and 17 Bulgarian children, who are all taught Christian truth. The Sunday school is also well attended, in spite of the warlike state of the country. Looking back on the past year of work I find much cause for praise. "It is its situation on the Danube, and on the railway line to Constantinople, which makes Rustchuk such an important place for missionary work. So many Polish, Russian, Wallachian, and Hungarian Jews passed through it, to whom the Word of God was offered. In this way the seed was spread in many directions. Many a Jew accepted thankfully the Scriptures offered by Mr. Weiss, and the Lord will surely make them a comfort in the present time of trouble. Through the children of the school, too, the Gospel has been brought into many a house and family in Rustchuk. "And now, after 27 years of work, 17 of which I spent with my late husband in Wallachia and Turkey, I have been led to a great field of work in the East of London. In Whitechapel I have no lack of opportunity to speak about the great mystery of godliness, and I can joyfully say that many German and Polish women, and men too, are glad to hear the Word of God in their own language. Every Saturday I hold a prayer meeting, in the house of a proselyte woman." Poetry. How long, O Lord of hosts, how long Make bare Thy glorious arm again, As when our cause Thine own was made When 'neath the wildly rolling main, Thy wrath the host of Egypt laid. Ah, where wast Thou, our fathers' God, The heaven-defiant Roman stood,. The conqueror of our helpless race? Ah, where art Thou? long years have rolled, And still Thou heedest not our prayer; Yet we are Thine, Thy chosen fold- S. S. 1877. THE JUBILEE. THE year of Jubilee! how oft, in Israel's glorious days, The year of Jubilee ! the notes strike on the captive's ear, The sound revives his languid hope-hope almost deemed as vain ; The year of Jubilee! ah, gaze around that sacred land! The year of Jubilee! how long, on Canan's sacred shore, The year of Jubilee! again, a brighter, nobler year, Than ever gladdened Jewish hearts, shall speedily appear! Not Jew alone shall hail the day, but every Christian voice, Through the wide world, shall join the song, and every heart rejoice. The year of Jubilee! that bright, that happy, glorious day, And, as its sacred, blessed hours peacefully glide along, The North, and South, and East, and West, shall echo with the song! The year of Jubilee! once more that sacred note shall rise, Blest time! but faintly shadowed forth in Israel's hallowed year, Hasten it, Lord!—oh, in our day, gladden this world of woe, Judaica. AT the late meeting (May 4th) of the London Society for the Jews, held in Exeter Hall, the Rev. H. Stern said :-"I was one day talking to an eminent Church dignitary, a man of considerable Oriental learning, when, 1877. quite incidentally, he said :---' Oh, Mr. Stern, I hear that you are engaged in that wild-goose chase of seeking to convert the Jews. Surely you ought to know that that is a most preposterous enterprise. No Jew has ever been converted, they are either too superstitious or too sceptical to believe.' I inquired of my interlocutor whether he was quite sure he was correct in the assertion he had made, and his reply was, 'Quite.' I rejoined,' If such is the case, you have been duped, since there are many Jews who profess to believe in Christ. Besides I feel you are too courteous to deny the fact to the individual you have invited to meet you.' He then said, Are you a Jew Mr. Stern? You should have told me so. I had the impression that what I have said is correct, but I shall be more careful in giving utterance to such sentiments in future." DEPUTIES AND SENATORS IN THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT.-We translate the following from an Italian Jewish paper: The new Imperial Ottoman Chamber contains already three Jewish deputies, and two senators. This is a cause of rejoicing, knowing as we do the prejudices entertained by Orientalists in religious matters. The Sultan himself elected the two senators. The first is Dr. C. De Castro, the president of the Italian Israelitish community at Constantinople. He was the first, now 22 years ago, to give an example to the Israelities in Turkey of order and arrangement amongst themselves, and with Albert Cohen, was the founder of the first establishment or instruction in Constantinople. Dr. Castro is consulting physician to the Sultan, and medical director for the last 30 years of the military hospital of Haida Pasha, and is a member of the medical society of Con stantinople, to which he was elected perpetual secretary. The Sultan sent for De Castro and requested him as a special favour that he would become a senator of the State Chamber. "I wish," said he, "thus to recompense the long services rendered by you to my country, and so with my own hand crown the memorable career which has made your name illustrious." As we have said, Dr Castro is a true Israelite, and has never lost an occasion of defending the rights of his co-religionists. The other senator is Effendi Carmona Davidson. With his family there is a story connected. His father, under the reign of Mahmond, acquired a colossal fortune, and was banker to the Sultana Valide and to the chief of the Janissaries. The Sultan, a fierce enemy of both parties, had Davidson strangled in his own house without any trial. The successors of Mahmoud, recognising the iniquity of this proceeding, endeavoured to repair the injury, and granted an immediate pension to the family of the Jewish banker. In the reign of Abdul-Aziz the present senator was was elected member of the Council of State. The Israelitish element in the Ottoman Parliament is an eloquent fact, and we may be sure that these Jewish deputies and senators will have that strength of mind not to permit the overthrow of justice and brotherhood, from whatever quarter fanaticismand injustice may rear their fatal arms.—Jewish World. 1877. Coming Events says: "Sir Moses Montefiore is sending out, at his own expense, an accredited agent to inquire into the distressed condition of the Jews in the Danubian towns threatened by the war. It is said that it was with considerable difficulty the family of the philanthropist succeeded in persuading him to send a messenger, instead of undertaking the task himself." A WRITER, signing himself "Omega," in the Western News, is already recommending England to take Egypt, and get Palestine ready for the Jews! He says "It is England's interest to take Egypt for herself as soon as the Turkish Empire shows signs of dismemberment. If Egypt were England's, she, with a 'Woolwich infant' at either end of the Suez Canal, might defy the navies of the world." I think there are a few Englishmen left who are not guided wholly and solely by self-interest-the ruling passion of the day. To such I would point out the imminent peril of the Christians and Jews who are under Mohammedan rule. England, the Christian nation of the world, ought to provide an asylum in the East for refugees from Turkish oppression. No better place for this purpose could be found than Palestine. It is the Jews' land; Jerusalem is their city. Let England, having acquired Egypt, use her influence with the other Christian Powers to secure Palestine for them. They have been wanderers over the face of the earth for 1,800 years, without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice. If they be God's chosen people, which few Christians doubt, England in taking their part must necessarily be recompensed by the blessing of the Most High. VARNA.-The Turkish garrison placed at this important station is commanded by a Jew, a native of Prussia, Blum Pasha, who twenty years ago immigrated into Turkey.-Jewish Chronicle. BUCHAREST.--Nineteen Jewish young men out of a meeting of twentyeight enrolled themselves as volunteers in the army at the appeal of the Roumanian students.-Archives Israelites. RUSSIA.—In an order of the day addressed by the Grand Duke Nicholas to the troops, he said: "It is not to make conquests that we march forth; it is to defend our insulted and oppressed brethren, to defend the faith of Christ." And there are sixty thousand Jews in the Russian army! -Univers Israelite. TIFLIS. A Greek journal announces that at the opening of hostilities in the Caucasus the Jews at Tiflis have been expelled, only a fortnight having been allowed them for the disposal of their property. 1877. CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED FROM MAY 14th, to JUNE 18th, 1877. SERMONS AND ADDRESSES ON THE BEHALF OF THE SOCIETY, Have been delivered as follows:-from April 14th, to June 18th, 1877. DEPUTATION, REV. L. HERSCHELL: Alnwick (5 services) Sunderland-Dr. Antliffe, Revs Hames, Hartlepool Revs Haworth, White, and Donnington North Sunderland Rhodes, DEPUTATION, REV. I. FLECKER: Stowmarket (2 services) Trinity Chapel, John Street, Edgeware Kentish Town Cong. Ch., Children's Ser- |