so in

sions in those countries which are in the hands of the Austrians. But, alas! all countries are not so free as England. Here, if any one wishes to preach the Gospel he can do so, and he will not meet with outward opposition. But it is not many other parts of Europe. There all is darkened by the cloud of Popish error. The Government is Roman Catholic-the priests and ministers are Roman Catholic-most of the people are Roman Catholic. They do not like the light of Protestant truth. They therefore do all that they can to keep out any who love and follow it. And above all, they will not allow any missionaries and faithful preachers of the Gospel to live and labour in the country.

But if this be so, how is it that we have a mission at Cracow? Is not this one of the places at which the Austrians have power, who are so entirely in the hands of the Church of Rome? This is true; but sometimes missionaries have been allowed to come into those countries, who were only permitted to go to the Jews. This is of course all that our Society would desire. If our work is with the Jews, we should not complain so long as we are permitted to go to them. We only wish that this permission might be given to us in every place.

Before speaking of the mission at Cracow, I must tell you something of the number and state of the Jews who live there. There are about 30,000 Jews who live in Cracow, and in the neighbourhood. These are divided into three classes. The Talmudists are those who in their practice put the Talmud, or the writings of the rabbies, in the place of the Word of God. Most of these Jews are Talmudists. Then there are

the Chasidim, who are a kind of sect among the Jews, and have their own forms of worship. There are a good number of these at Cracow. There are not many of the third class. These are called the German Community. They profess to have more light and knowledge than the others. It is true that they do not believe in the Talmud, but it is to be feared that they have but little belief in the Word of God.

Cracow is a fine spacious town, but when we come to that part in which the Jews are obliged to live, we find it narrow, dirty, and confined. The poor people are crowded together in this part, which must be a great evil to them. And then their poverty and misery is so great. They are quite remarkable for the manner in which they will strive and labour to get a living. With anxious and eager care they will toil from early in the morning till late at night to get their daily bread. But all seems to do nothing more than keep them from starvation.

This was the state of the Jews among whom the missionaries were called to labour. And we have seen already what is the religion of those who were looked upon as Christians, amongst whom the Jews lived. The idolatrous and wicked practices of those whom the Jews regarded as true Christians, was one of the chief hindrances to their receiving the Gospel.

Upon this field of labour our Society entered in 1833. For six years Mr. Hiscock carried on the work amidst great hardships and difficulties. Then great troubles commenced. War and sedition arose among the people, and these things interrupted the missionary work. Mr. Hiscock however was mercifully preserved, and did not

leave his post.

When peace was restored he

was able to resume his labours.

In 1840, Mr. C. J. Behrens came to assist Mr. Hiscock. It was well that some one had come to carry on the work, for Mr. Hiscock became so ill, that it was necessary to remove him to Frankfort-on-the-Maine. The Rev. L. Hoff was afterwards transferred from the mission in Poland, to take Mr. Hiscock's place at Cracow.

The work which now went on was very encouraging. Mr. Hiscock had been ploughing up the ground.

Mr. Hoff had come to sow the seed, and to gather in some that had come to perfection. Great numbers of Jews began to come to the public services. Many of them even came to the family worship, which was held daily at the mission-house. showed their anxiety to be which was right and good.

All these things instructed in that The Word of God

and tracts were distributed amongst them. The heart of the missionary was filled with hope and joy, but it was even then that his work was about to be checked. About these things I must tell you in my next letter.

Your sincere friend,

THE EDITOR.

QUESTIONS.

XXV. In what way did God command Noah to select animals for admission into

XXVI.

the ark?

In what remarkable cases do we read of lions?

XXVII. What riddle was told in eonnexion with

a lion?

XXVIII.
XXIX.

XXX.

Where do we read of bears?
Who speaks of the conies, and what
were they

Where do the Scriptures speak of ani-
mals as beasts of burden?

Poetry.

From Salem's towers a sound was borne,
It made the captive free;

The poor rejoic'd, it was the horn
Of Israel's Jubilee.

No more that blast is heard! the Jew,
An outcast from his God,
Hath bid a long, a sad adieu,
To fields his fathers trod.

Yet oft in exile hath he found,
With Greek, and bond, and free,
Proclaim'd by trump of sweeter sound,
A better Jubilee.

Yes! regions long o'errun with worse
Than briers and weeds, are blest
With fruits of grace, from Eden's curse,
A Jubilee of rest.

The fields are white, the harvest great,
Lands, barren long, do raise
Immortal sheaves,--come celebrate
A Jubilee of praise.

But, ah! who shall the harvest reap?
How few the burden bear!

Lord of the harvest we would keep
A Jubilee of prayer.

Thou to thy Son earth's utmost bound
Shalt give, the promise saith:

Lord, by Thy Spirit, wake around,
A Jubilee of faith.

Yet vain the hope, the prayer how vain,
That earth's white fields shall prove
Ripe shocks of corn, unless there reign
A Jubilee of love.

Of love, whose meat is to fulfill
The law, to till the soil,

To do a heavenly Father's will—
A Jubilee of toil.

Debtors thro' grace to Greeks and Jews,
Shall we, redeemed by blood,

A willing sacrifice refuse,

Of Jubilee to God?

Forbid the thought! Lord, thine we are,
Accept what thou hast given;

And may our Jubilee prepare

The Jubilee of heaven!

REV. E. BIRCH.

THE CHILDREN'S JUBILEE MEMORIAL.

THE work goes on well. More than six hundred books are now in the hands of our friends. We hope and believe that they are making good use of them, and that they will all exceed the amount they have undertaken to collect. There are four thousand books prepared, all of which we hope will be taken in the course of the year. We are anxious that more applications may be made without delay. We remind our readers that the sums to be collected are from Five Shillings up to Two Pounds.

Printed at the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, Palestine Place, Bethnal Green, London, N.E.