protection of Israel's Keeper, who never slumbers nor sleeps, and parted for a time.

We would solicit an interest in the prayers of all our Christian readers in behalf of our dear Jewish friends, that the Father of love and God of mercy may grant them grace and strength and wisdom, to prove themselves LIVING AND LIFE-GIVING EPISTLES henceforth and for evermore. Amen.

WE

JEWISH MISSION CONFERENCE.

E evidently live in remarkable times, when signs of the winding-up of this dispensation are day by day accumulating. One of the most portentous signs is the organisation of all sorts of conferences; the publication of all sorts of works, in which are discussed the "sure word of prophecy," in its various bearings upon the present convulsive state of the whole of this our earth. Not the least significant in importance is the last organised Conference under the above designation, held in the Victoria Assembly Rooms, Clifton, on the Thursday and Friday, the 11th and 12th ult, under the presidency of the Right Honourable and Right Reverend Lord Arthur C. Hervey, Bishop of Bath and Wells. A happy accident enabled us to be present, and very grateful do we feel to the accident; the meetings filled our thoughts with much solemn interest of a very suggestive character. We only wish that a similar accident had made known to others of our clerical Hebrew Christian brethren that such a conference was about to be held; then we might have seen on the platform a score of quaternions of episcopally ordained Jewish clergymen, instead of a single quartet. They would have been as much interested in the proceedings as we were.

No one will have expected that on such an occasion, as an initiatory conference, nothing but good sense, sound wisdom, and new ideas should be given utterance to. With interlopers there were about fifty speakers at the four sittings. We confess to having had to listen on both days to much irrelevant matter, trite truisms, stale platitudes, threadbare anecdotes, and painful crudities, which we have already heard over and over again from many a pulpit and many a platform. Yet, as a whole, the conference was a great success, and the promoter deserves a large share of praise. The majority of the gentlemen whose names were announced in the printed programme treated their respective themes with considerable ability and clearness, which could not but make a favourable impression upon the audiences. We cordially trust that the suggestion made by one of the speakers-that such a conference shall take place every year-will be acted upon. A few bye-laws, as to subjects and

speakers, might prevent the repetition of the objectionable features of which many sober-minded Christians had reason to complain.

The proceedings were opened on the first sitting, which took place at 2 p.m. on the 11th ult., by singing Bishop Heber's well-known plaintive hymn which begins,

"JERUSALEM! JERUSALEM !

Enthroned once on high," &c. &c.

After which the Rev. H. A. Stern was called upon to offer up a prayer for divine aid in behalf of the meeting.

The noble and right reverend President then delivered his introductory address, which was distinguished by his lordship's well-known Christian suavity. The following imperfect abstract will give some idea of the noble prelate's address :--He began by expressing his satisfaction that the conference had been convened, and said he could not but hope that, as in other meetings which contributed something for the furtherance of the understanding of the subject brought before them,-for instance, in connection with their great agricultural show, which was not merely for an idle show, but it was that persons coming together having practical knowledge in some particular subject should communicate that knowledge one to another, that persons who had perhaps some measure of enthusiasm for some particular subject might impart that enthusiasm to others, in order that the common work might advance and make progress - he earnestly trusted that the conference on the Jewish subject would have that effect also. There were met together that day those of their brethren who had made the Jewish subject one of the main considerations of their life, of their thoughts, of their reading, and he thought he might boldly ad d, of their prayers, through many years; and it would be a very strange thing and a very great disappointment if from the lips of those brethren they did not learn something which they had not known before, and did not acquire some practical knowledge of that great subject; and it would be still more disappointing if they did not gather from them something of the spirit of holy enthusiasm which animated them in the sacred cause of the conversion of Israel. It was for that reason that he felt particularly pleased that the kind invitation was made to him to preside at the conference in Clifton. It was a subject which had occupied his own thoughts more or less through a great number of years, and therefore in the necessary absence of the Bishop of the diocese, the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol,-with whom they might be quite sure he conferred upon the subject, -and with his entire consent and good wishes, it had been a very great gratification to him to be present there that day. What, he asked, enabled those conferences and those congresses to take place? He had often thought of it. It was a very mysterious, a very wonderful thing, and they did not,

perhaps, all think of it. Why, he repeated, were they able, in that particular age of the world, to come together, not only from the four corners of England, but very often from more remote parts, and discuss those subjects which were near to their hearts. The answer simply was because there was coal in the bowels of the earth, and because the use of that coal, which, under God's guidance, man's wisdom had been enabled to find out, had led to their many facilities, and so what they could not have done a hundred years ago they were able to do now. He alluded to that particularly, because it struck him, in thinking of it, that it was one of the most remarkable illustrations of the providence of God working through countless ages for a particular purpose-working in secret, and in a way which no intelligence probably could ever have understood till the practical purpose was brought to light. Supposing that any of them had lived in the days when those forests, which now formed our coal-fields, were growing: what human intelligence, perhaps what angelic intelligence, could ever have anticipated what that purpose was ? But the great Creator of all things knew what it meant, and they might be quite sure that God's providence was then preparing the way for such Christian civilisation as they saw in their own country, and as an auxiliary and subsidiary part, and a very important part of that civilisation, God was preparing the means by which His people should be able to come from the four corners of the earth and confer in His name for the welfare of His Church and for the glory of His great name. He thought that seemed to furnish a very useful illustration of God's hidden purposes, of Providence in His dealings with Israel. Through what a length of centuries, as they already knew, was God's purpose in originally calling Abraham, and through what a long succession of centuries-three or four thousand years-had that purpose been working the most signal benefits for mankind. That call of Abraham, with all that followed from it, was, as they knew, a part of God's grand scheme for the illumination and for the salvation of the world. They, at a distance of some three or four thousand years, were reaping the spiritual benefits, benefits of the highest possible character, from that call of Abraham. They knew that all that had followed since in the whole history of the Jewish race, and the whole history of their influence upon mankind, and their influence upon the Christianisation of mankind, was in the mind of God, and had already reaped, as he had said, incalculable and most blessed fruits from that movement of God's providence which of course was to a great degree secret in those days. They might register the results that had already taken place, but they must not think that Providence had run out its course yet; and if there were no other reasons, one reason that impressed him immensely was because Israel still existed as a separate people. Was that not almost an unanswerable argument? The preservation of that people as a separate nation, with all the wonders

of their history, was surely a very clear and a very distinct intimation to them that God's providence had not yet run out its course, but that there were yet blessings that they knew not of, though they might have but a dim glimmering of what was to come. There were effects and results upon the whole condition of the human race of which they knew little at present, but they would be brought about in good time through the instrumentality of his people Israel. Referring to the conference, his lordship stated that it was independent of the society that promoted Christianity among the Jews; he meant that they were not there merely to set forth the work of the society, but they had two special objects in the conference. One was speculative, and the other practical. He explained that what he called the speculative part was the discussion of questions of prophecy, the study of which he warmly defended, but remarked that there was nothing merely speculative in Christianity. Philosophers might theorise, and nothing come of it, but a Christian's speculations had for their object the benefit of his fellow-men. He hoped, therefore, that they would have speculative theories, and also a great deal of practical wisdom.

The noble and right reverend President, evidently apprehending that some speakers might be betrayed to indulge in an exuberance of eloquence by way of a wind up, suggested, on concluding his address-that as the time allowed to the first two readers or speakers in the programme was only twenty minutes, and to the non-programmed only ten minutes-if any one had prepared a fine peroration, he had better deliver it as an exordium. Before his lordship resumed his seat he announced that the first subject in the printed programme before him was,-"How far the divine order of the Jew first, and also the Gentile,' demands practical recognition at our hands." The first programmed essayist on the subject was the Rev. Alexander Israel M.Caul, Rector of St. Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge, and Divinity Lecturer at King's College. We, who had the privilege of knowing the rev. gentleman's father, the great and good Dr. M'Caul,-we, who know the love which Hebrew Christians cherish for the name M'Caul,-we, who have known him as the truest friend of Israel, who has not left his equal except in his own sons- received the announcement with peculiar pleasure. We expected something recherche from the second son of our venerated sainted friend, and we were not disappointed. Would that we could publish his essay in extenso, but this, for obvious reasons, we cannot do. But it is just in our power to furnish a synopsis of his discourse, which we gladly accord to our readers. The burden of Mr. M'Caul's address was that in spite of the example, and notwithstanding the precept of our Master, it was a sad truth that Church parties and denominations were not yet united in seeking the welfare of God's own people, the Jews. The interest in that work was still abandoned to a comparatively small number, and mostly to one section of the Church, and even the clergy, the appointed shepherds of the sheep, were ready too often to repudiate the idea that they were in any way responsible for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But were not the Jews in need of conversion? Were they not

accessible to the same influences by which the heathen were reached? Or was their wickedness so great that they might not be forgiven? Was their guilt so tremendous that repentance and pardon and admission to the privileges of Christianity for them had become impossible? Was it true that God had cast off His people? St. Paul had answered that question, and answered it in the negative. The rev. gentleman next considered the question how far it was possible for them at the present day to obey the command of the Gospel, and how far they ought to place Jewish missions first, and make them take precedence of other interests. He suggested that among other things the clergy might take every opportunity which occurred in the services of the Church for bringing the subject before the minds of their people. They might point out how Jewish prophecy had been fulfilled, that Christianity was based upon Judaism, and how the promises of Jesus Christ were the promises of the Father declared centuries before by the mouth of His prophets; they might declare that as the curses had come true, so also would the promises of restoration become true; they might also dwell often on the immense debt of gratitude which the Christian people owed to the Jews; and lastly, they might give their attention, as a matter of conscience, to the language of the Jews, devote time and study to the language in which the prophecies were delivered. Without that knowledge they could not expect that the Jews would pay much attention to their entreaties, or do much personally to promote the cause in which Christians professed to be interested. This suggestion should be given heed to in an especial manner, by those who have undertaken the appointment of missionaries to the Jews.

The learned divine wound up his able discourse by quoting Wagenseil's appeal in his Tela Ignea Satanæ for prayer in behalf of Israel, and his recommendation to ministers of religion to make the Hebrew language their peculiar study, so as to fit them to cope successfully with unbelieving Israelites.

On Mr. M'Caul resuming his seat, the noble President observed in terms of high eulogy on the paper just read, more especially on the recommendation of the study of the Hebrew language. His lordship added that he had organised a Hebrew studying class at Wells, and that the progress of the students was most satisfactory. He then called upon the Rev. H. Moule, Vicar of Fordington, Dorsetshire, whose name was programmed on the same subject, to read his paper. It was a scholarly, well-digested paper. It dealt principally with the interpretation and fulfilment of the prophecies of the Old Testament. He importuned the audience to strive to sweep away every particle of the dust of superstition and rationalism, and to give themselves to the study of the Scriptures. Mr. Moule was followed by the Rev. C. W. M. Boutflower, Rector of Dundry. The pith of his address was that their-Christians' -duty was plain. They were to preach to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, and it was for those who denied this to show when and why the change was made. He pressed the matter upon them most earnestly as a matter for deep and prayerful consideration, and if it was true that the Jews were still beloved for the fathers' sake, he would express his earnest hope that the result of that conference might be to stir up a greater practical interest on behalf of the Jews. It had been said that