ENCOURAGEMENTS TO CHRISTIAN EXERTION.

THE following incident reported (in 1845) by the Rhenish Westphalian Society in behalf of Israel, shows how individual Christians in humble life may become missionaries in this

cause.

A Jewish salt-vender was accustomed, for the transport of his merchandise, to engage the services of a driver, who was not only a Christian, but one well acquainted with the word of life; and frequently it happened that he took his seat on the car at the driver's side. Such opportunities were not lost for the announcement of Messiah's claims and the truths of His Gospel.

One day he sent

The Jew was seized with a mortal disease. for this driver, who, on his arrival, found the salt-merchant fast approaching his last moment. The room was full of Jews. The dying man motioned to the Christian to draw near to him. "And is it then, indeed, true?" he inquired in broken accents, "is it true that Jesus Christ the Messiah died for all sinners?"

Yes, assuredly it is true," replied the Christian. "Then he died also for me, for I am a poor sinner!" exclaimed the dying man,-and immediately expired.

While his soul was thus passing into his Redeemer's presence, the Jews who stood by surrounding the corpse of one whom they looked on as an apostate, gave vent to noisy exclamations of mingled rage and lamentation, while the Christiar waggoner returned thanks to his God for having deigned to bless instrumentality so feeble.

We may subjoin another anecdote of similar purport, which is not without interest, though we cannot furnish our authority for it, further than by stating that we have met with it in a small German collection of Stories for the Young. The one to which we allude is entitled, "The Conversion of a Jewish Servant-maid;" and it narrates that in one of the towns of Silesia a rich Jew had in his service a young nurse who was a Christian, and a female cook who was of the Jewish persuasion, but who lived together on very good terms. At night, when the nurse was putting her youthful charge to bed, she was accustomed to sing verses of her favourite hymns. As the nursery was near the kitchen, the Jewess not only listened to the singing with interest, but also learned many verses by heart. When she and her companion met at intervals of

leisure, she often sought an explanation of those verses which her memory retained. By degrees she was led to perceive the

excellence of faith in Jesus as the true Messiah: and her convictions were so strong that she was induced to go to a preacher of the Gospel in order to seek from him further instruction, and to request the administration of baptism. The minister sent for her master, and informed him of the circumstance. The latter was troubled at this, and said: "I have been perfectly aware of the conversation that has been going on between my maids; but I resolved not to interfere in the business. Now it grieves me that I must immediately dismiss both these faithful servants from my employ; but if once the thing were known among those of my religion, neither the one nor the other would be secure from molestation." Means were privately taken for the support especially of the Jewess; she was placed under instruction, and in due time was admitted to the rite of baptism.

THE JEWISH WOMEN'S BIBLE.

*

THE incredible ignorance of the lower class of Jews is prin cipally shared by the female descendants of Abraham, who receive scarcely any tuition. Their only book of instruction is that which is peculiarly the Women's Bible, called (ze-aynah ou-reaynah.) It was written by Rabbi Jacob ben Isaac, and is a Judaïco-German paraphrase of the Pentateuch, with a supplement containing the later Scripture-history. A Jewish author says concerning it, "Insipidity has here reached its intensest degree." This tissue of fables is also the source of instruction for children of both sexes. It is not long since a proselyte after his baptism, having read the book of Esther, was known to reproach a Christian for not possessing the complete Bible, because no mention was made in it of the horns which were to have thrust Queen Vashti !

* Words derived from Sol. Song iii. 11, which signify, ye (daughters) and behold."

"Go forth

REVIEW.

The Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon; consisting of an Alphabetical Arrangement of every Word and Inflection contained in the Old Testament Scriptures, precisely as they occur in the Sacred Text, with a Grammatical Analysis of each Word and Lexicographical Illustrations of the Meanings, &c. Bagster and Sons, London. 1848. 4to. pp. 874.

WE wish that we could effectually urge upon our readers the study of the Hebrew language. It is scarcely possible that any diligent student of the word of God has not at times been conscious of a wish to consult the original sacred text. Such a wish has perhaps been evanescent, because of the many obstacles which he has imagined to be in its way. We believe that there are many diligent students of Scripture amongst the younger portion of our readers who have entertained the wish, and whom we may be permitted to assure that, in by far the greater number of instances, zeal and perseverance could easily surmount all hindrances. Want of time may be urged as an excuse; but how many minutes might be daily gained from idle reveries, from profitless converse, as well as from that listless discharge of duty which makes it consume double time! The exceeding difficulty of the language may be urged as another excuse, but the book before us-Bagster's Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon-silences the plea for ever.

After the ample title which stands at the heading of the present review, it is hardly necessary that we should explain the nature of the lexicon, or dwell on its advantages. Every word, accompanied with its prefixes, suffixes, &c. and under every modification of form or vowelling, as it occurs in the Sacred Text, is alphabetically arranged, and fully parsed. It is, in fact, "Hebrew made easy." It is Hebrew, correct and beautiful, yet brought down within every one's grasp. As the volume consists of a grammar as well as a lexicon, this, in addition to a Hebrew Bible, is all that the student requires. We trust that the appearance of so invaluable a work will induce many of our young friends to acquaint themselves with the noble language in which God spake with patriarchs and prophets of old. What study so dignified-so important to him who desires to know the mind of the Spirit as revealed in Scripture?- so interesting to every one who loves and reveres his Bible? It has been well remarked, "Those waters

are sweetest that are taken fresh from the spring. As that fruit is by far the most pleasant that you pluck from the tree itself, with your own hand; that wine the most delicious that you take from the very cask in which it was first stored; so the Divine letters are enriched with I know not what native fragrance, breathe I know not what charm peculiarly original, if read in that language in which they wrote, who partly derived it from the lips of the Eternal, and partly delivered them to us by the breath of the same inspiration."

It will add to the interest taken by the readers of the Jewish Herald in the Analytical Lexicon, if they are informed that it is compiled by Mr. Benjamin Davidson, of the Jewish Mission College. He has devoted to its execution the long period of seven years. We are not surprised at the length of time it has cost him. The work is a monument of persevering industry as well as of lexicographical skill; and in proportion as it has consumed the time of the compiler, it will save the time of the student.

CORRESPONDENCE, EXTRACTS, ETC.

PRESENT POSITION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

THE following extract from a speech of the Hon. William Cowper, M.P., delivered at Exeter Hall, on the 5th of June, deserves attention :

"At this moment, when we see so much gloom hanging over all the nations of Europe-when they are shaking with apprehensions of civil discords, wars, and tumults-when they scarcely know what to look for on the coming day-when, over all the nations of Europe, I say, this gloom is hanging, I see that the prospects of one nation, and that the despised nation of the Jews, alone is brightening. While the sun of prosperity appears to be setting over so many other nations, it appears to be rising over the Jewish nation.

"In Germany already we see Jews occupying high stations. The prejudices that have hitherto ground down the Jews into the dust are now fast dissipating. In France we see every career opening to the Jews. We see them filling the most distinguished positions. Even at Rome itself, the prejudice against Jews and the persecution of them is passing away. Even in that stronghold of persecution, where alone the Inquisition still raises its gloomy head, and by the instrumentality of the Pope himself, there has been indulgence extended to the Jews. In our own land, there passed last night, in the House of Commons, a bill, to which I will not allude in detail, but I quote it for the purpose of showing what a great, strong, and marked sign of the times it is, that the representatives of the United Kingdom should, by a large majority, have broken through what has been held to be a sacred principle of the constitution, that of not admitting any one into parliament who does not profess the Christian religion.

"When I consider these things, I cannot help thinking that at all events it is a very marked sign of the times. When I see the position of the Jews, as a nation, so rapidly changing, and when I see that the world at large is becoming indulgent to the Jews, I ask myself, what ought to be the feelings of real Christians to them? If the world is indulgent to them, what ought to be the love of Christians? What should we feel towards a nation whose history-past, present, and future has been chosen as the medium of God's revelation to us, and who are intimately associated with every thing that we hold dearest with regard to our faith in this world, and to our hopes in the next? I believe, and I feel strongly, that we are all too deficient in our love of the Jews. We have not that spiritual eagerness and interest about their welfare that we ought to have. I speak for myself, and I dare say I speak for others: I myself feel that I ought to be more interested about the Jews than I am, and particularly in the present day, when the workings of Providence seem so peculiarly to be leading us into this field of exertion. On this account, and on those I have advanced, I conceive that this is peculiarly a time when we should be turning our attention to the true welfare of our elder brethren the Jews; when we should feel towards them that love, that affection, that warm interest, to which they are entitled, both from their close connexion with ourselves in spiritual matters, and from their connexion with those great and glorious promises, for the speedy accomplishment of which we are now looking."

GLEANINGS.

19.

THE following is the testimony of Dr. Tholuck, Professor of Theology in the Prussian University of Halle :

"It is undoubted matter of fact, that more proselytes have been made during the last twenty years than since the first ages of the church. No one can deny it on the continent, and no one, I am sure, will deny it. Not only in Germany, but also in Poland, there has been the most astonishing success, and I can bear testimony to what has come under my own observation in the capital of Silesia, my native place, where there have been many conversions. In this capital, I shall speak only of such individuals as I am acquainted with myself in the profession to which I belong. In the University of Breslau, there are three professors who were formerly Israelites-a professor of philology, a professor of chemistry, and a professor of philosophy; there is, besides, a clergyman, who professes the Gospel, who was a Jew. In my present station, at Halle, there are no less than five professors, formerly Jews-one of medicine, one of mathematics, one of law, and two of philology.

"I might show that some of the Jewish conversions have taken place amongst men of the highest literary attainment; and amongst others, I might mention Dr. Neander, of Berlin; Dr. Branis, of Breslau; and Dr. Stahl, of Erlangen. These are all persons of the highest scientific reputation, and now faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ."