ascribing all the calamities that have befallen them in Christian countries, to the doctrines and commands of Christ in the New Testament. This unfavorable feeling being once removed, they would gradually advance to the investigation of the Christian Scriptures, and these, ere they had finished the gospel of Matthew, would inevitably speak to their consciences, that they had sinned against God, and against his anointed, in ascribing such unholy doctrines to him who is so holy and lovely.

Were the true church of Christ in any measure acquainted with the persecutions suffered by the poor Jews in Roman Catholic countries, their sympathies would be called forth far more than they have hitherto been, and they would also send delegates to condole and weep with them, for the hardships they endure. The church reads of the persecutions and cruelties of Roman Catholics, as a history of what has ceased to be. But I am certain that those who have resided in corrupt Poland, will not say so. They will have learned that Roman Catholicism is the same now, that it was in the darkest ages; and that, if its professors, and their leader the Beast, were not restrained by secular powers, they would soon assume their former authority of condemning every body to the flames, whose faith differed from theirs. At present the poor Jews are the chief victims of their ferocity, for they have no power to resist it. The fullest exhibition of their enmity and cupidity toward them, is made at Easter. To justify which, they have recourse to a most horrible legend, viz. that the Jews use Christian blood for the passover cakes. To fix this dreadful imputation upon them, they have even been accustomed there, to throw dead children whom they had transfixed, into the houses of some rich Jews, or into the synagogues, on some night before the commencement of the passover, and the next morning, surround the houses or the synagogues, and produce the children. As soon as this was done, the sentence was well known. The men and women were either committed to the flames, or executed upon the gallows, and their property divided among the persecutors, or consecrated to the church. Thousands of rich Jewish families have shared this fate, and every year were they liable to it, until the Russians took possession of the kingdom, in 1796, and abolished such infamous proceedings. Since that time, such a thing rarely happens, and if

it does, government gives it no countenance. Yet the Jews are now not exempt from the most dangerous attacks.

One instance will show the nature of these proceedings of the Roman Catholics against the Jews, and will further the object for which these remarks are introduced; viz. to show you the necessity of sending missionaries to the Jews who sojourn where corrupt Christianity exists, that they may counteract the evil effects produced upon their minds by such corruption and persecution, and at the same time to remonstrate with the Roman Catholics against their inhuman ferocity, thus procuring for the Jews, temporal relief and spiritual blessings. The instance I shall relate occurred at Neuenhaven, and is taken from a letter of the Rev. J. Stoefeld, printed in the monthly publication of the Jewish Society for Nov. 1834.-"I must tell you of a shocking event which took place about a fortnight ago in my sphere of labor. At Neuenhaven, in the county of Gulick, about three weeks ago, the fair was held, continuing for eight days; and the customary procession occurred, to which a great number of people ran from far and near. Now a fortnight ago, a Roman Catholic boy, five years and eight months old, was lost, and on the next Tuesday morning, his body was found in a field near that village, he having been killed by a thrust in his breast. After this the people, in that very dark Roman Catholic country, repeated to each other the old superstitious fable, that the Jews must have the blood of Christians, and that they had killed this child in order to get it. When they had thus, for some days, mutually stirred up their old enmity and hatred against the Jews, they destroyed a synagogue with all that was in it, in one village in the neighborhood, and in Neuenhaven itself, they broke into the houses of the only two Jewish families that live there, robbed them of all that could be taken away, and destroyed all other things. When I heard this eight days ago, I went immediately to visit these persecuted families, and to see in what I might be able to help them. The government on that very night sent soldiers, who were making diligent search to detect the murderers and ring-leaders, and all the persons who were active in the said persecution and robbery. Not one of the Jews lost his life, but one old man received some cruel strokes by which he might have been killed, if one had touched his head. The loss of these

two families is very great, and in the synagogue were destroyed five copies of the written word of God, of which the price of one copy is about $200 or £30 sterling. I mention this last circumstance, as perhaps a few of the friends of Israel may be willing to send a sum sufficient to furnish these poor sufferers with one new copy of the word of God, after the fashion in which they must have it at their public service. When I went to visit these Jews, I requested the Rev. Mr. Kalthoff, who lives about six English miles from that village, and who is very active for the welfare of Israel, to go with me; and it softened, visibly, the sorrows of these poor sufferers to see our sympathy and real love for them. But the Roman Catholics in that place were very much dis. pleased that we should speak in defence of the Jews, and refute their error with respect to the use of blood. The enmity against this people has also appeared in other parts of this country, and different attacks have been planned. I therefore went to the Vicar-General of the Archbishop, who is not at present himself here, and requested he would charge all clergymen in this diocess to instruct the people respecting the above false charge, and I am happy to tell you that he has done so, and thus I hope that the present enmity will soon cease. The general superintendent of the Protestant Church in this province does likewise, at my request, send letters to the superintendents that they may request all clergymen to say a word in favor of the Jews, particularly with respect to the above-mentioned vulgar error. May it please the Lord to accompany this with his blessing to the real benefit of Israel, and also to the Christian church!"

The prevailing question among Christians is, "Where are the fruits of the above-mentioned benevolence and Christian duty towards the Jews?" To this inquiry I would answer: If one would take into due consideration the labor which is required to remove the heaps of rubbish that have been accumulating for centuries, by nominal Christianity and Roman Catholicism, and also the small number of missionaries who are scattered among the millions of Jews, and the short period which has elapsed since the commencement of these operations, no surprise would exist that the success has been no greater.

Wherefore I would remark, thirdly, that as far as my own experience goes, I may venture to say that a great work has

already been done among them. This conclusion I have drawn from the following observations. Not many years since if a Jew were in any measure religiously disposed, he would not have allowed himself to argue about Christianity, although the Jews from childhood are accustomed to argue on the most frivolous subjects. But if any thing respecting Christ were mentioned all would stop their ears, and the name of Jesus would be accompanied with every expression of imprecation and blasphemy, and a sentence of excommunication passed upon any, who either in public or private introduced such a discussion.

The following occurrence will illustrate my assertion. A Polish nobleman had for a factor a rich and learned Jew, whom he attempted to convert to Christianity. The latter listened, but feared to bring forward his objections. The nobleman not being satisfied without a decisive opinion from the Jew, urged him by threats and promises to reply to his arguments. At length he promised to search the Scriptures, and to give an answer after three days. Immediately upon reaching his home, however, and reflecting upon his promise, he began to tear the hair from his head with regret and anguish, lest he had left an impression upon the mind of the nobleman that he had been brought to some serious thoughts respecting Christianity. The three days were employed by the poor Jew in fasting and prayer, and when they had expired he went to the nobleman and passed sentence upon himself, at the same time defining the nature of the penance to be inflicted. In accordance with which, his tongue, hands and feet were mutilated, and he was thrown into the synagogue, where he expired in a few minutes.

Now I would mention the change which has taken place among the Jews in reference to this point, especially where missionaries have visited, and tracts and New Testaments have been distributed. They are not only willing to converse on the blessed subject of Christianity, but are also candid to acknowledge many doctrines which it once would have been highly criminal to have done. They formerly regarded Christianity as a system of religion, which had nothing to do with the Bible; and this prejudice exists even now in places unvisited by Protestant missionaries. But thanks be to God, through the united influence of these and of the Bible Society, the Lord has been pleased to lead many

of his ancient people to the knowledge of the true Messiah, and a much larger number to see that Christianity is built upon a rational interpretation of the Law and the Prophets.

They are also now in some measure acquainted with the nature of true Christianity, and have discovered that there are those who love them for Christ's sake; contrary to what they have experienced from the resident nominal Christians of the lands in which they have sojourned.

I may also confidently assert that there are many among them who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, but are afraid to confess it publicly, like the priests who dwelt at Jerusalem in the time of our Lord. There is even now 66 a remnant according to the election of grace." I know several in the Holy Land who are thus kept from openly acknowledging the Lord, and have ventured to go to their chief Rabbi at Safed, and declare that they had been led to the conviction that Christ Jesus must be the true Messiah; and by their own request this Rabbi sent for me, that, by our arguments they might be confirmed either in the faith of Christ, or in Judaism. The Lord so enabled me to exhibit the truth, as that the Rabbi himself became entangled in his own arguments. The subject was thus discussed for several hours, in a friendly manner, before several Rabbies. I scarcely heard the name of Christ blasphemed in all my discussions with them; and those who were familiar with the New Testament, and the beauty of its doctrines and precepts, have ventured to declare publicly that Jesus Christ must have been a very good and wise man. From the respect which they paid to Mr. Nicolayson, and more particularly to me, I was led to suspect at first, that they doubted the sincerity of my profession, and I therefore inquired of them the meaning of their deference towards one who not many years since would have been the object of their utmost contempt and abhorrence. They all declared that they could discover in me the earnestness of my faith in Christ. I was frequently invited to their entertainments, where I was always conducted to a seat among their most respectable Rabbies; and notwithstanding that the conversation soon turned upon Jesus Christ and him crucified, they did not diminish aught from their respect. I scarcely ever heard from their lips the reproachful name of renegade, which not many years since would have been my only epithet among them.