THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND PROPHETIC INVESTIGATOR. NEW SERIES. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE PRINCIPALLY DEVOTED TO RESEARCHES AND THEIR RESULTS IN SACRED ARCHÆOLOGY, EDITED BY THE REV. M. MARGOLIOUTH, LL.D., PH.D., ETC. VICAR OF LITTLE LINFORD, BUCKS. BIBLIOTHEC MAR 1879 BODLEIANA LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW. PREFACE. It is just twelve years since we, in connexion with our immediate predecessors of the SCATTERED NATION, helped forward in raising the "Voice of Believing Israel" in praise of our common Lord, and in the defence of THE FAITH. For the last six years-with the interval of a year's rest-the publishing of the "Voice of Believing Israel" devolved upon ourselves. Similar circumstances to those which occasioned the imperative necessity of our relinquishing the work, for a time, at the close of 1875, compel us to do so again at the end of this year. Whilst doing so, we cannot help looking back with gratitude-too deep for words-for the many mercies which we experienced from the hands of Him whom we endeavour to serve, and whose work we strive to do. He raised up friends for us, when we thought we were friendless. He sent us help when we were helpless, from a quarter we knew not of before. He has blest our humble efforts beyond our most sanguine expectations. It is impossible to overrate the amount of good which our Magazine has been instrumental in effecting amongst the higher ranks of the Jewish communities in Great Britain and her colonies. Nor has the publication proved ineffective amongst the middle and lower classes of the Jewish community. The anti-Christian Jewish Press, once so rancorous and virulent against Believing Israel, has been taught, by degrees, to moderate its rancour and subdue its virulence, till at last an ebullition of frantic fanaticism against 1 See pp. 10-15. Hebrew Christians is the exception; and not, as used formerly to be, the rule with the organs of unbelieving Israel. These considerations lead us to believe that this special work, on our part, is not required at present from our hands. We retire from it, for a time at least, with the conscientious conviction that such is the will of the God of Israel. There is another consideration which adds potency to our conviction. There are now in this country two influential and popular Magazines- The Contemporary, and The Nineteenth Century. Their promoters and editors, whose principle it is to let every representative of every Theological and Philosophical School be heard, will gladly welcome a paper, now and then, when there is occasion for one, in which the "Voice of Believing Israel" may be heard. Should, however, unforeseen contingencies and emergencies arise, which should call for THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS to resume its testimony, we have no doubt that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will raise up "a leader brave and bold," whose object will not be the promotion of "gain" but that of "godliness," equal to the occasion. We shall gladly resign into the hands of such an one the copyright of this our cherished 'Magazine. A Magazine endeared to us by many tokens of mercies and loving-kindnesses which we experienced; as well as by the spiritual blessings which it was the means of conveying to the souls of many sons and daughters of Israel. We ourselves are constantly urged by eminent Biblical Exegets and Critics, at home and abroad, to publish those works on the Old Testament to which the best part of our thoughtful life has been devoted. God helping us, we purpose-after some rest from literary labours which we trust may conduce to the recruiting of our health and strength-to give ourselves, in addition to the ministry of THE WORD parochially and ministerially, to the publication of those works as a small offering to the Church of God at large. We humbly pray and trust that the Author and Giver of all good things may graciously deign to accept the same. In the five volumes of THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS, or, The Voice of Believing Israel, published under the imprimatur of the Editor, will be found some of the most valuable and lucid expositions of apparently obscure passages in HOLY WRIT. More than that, many perplexing problems in Israel's past and present annals are satisfactorily solved. The five volumes will be found to contain not only isolated articles of great value and importance to theological and archæological students, but whole Treatises, in successions of consecutive papers, on various themes. In short the five volumes of THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS will be found to contain such an amount of information of intrinsic value-on Sacred Hermeneutics, Archæology, Philology, as well as on the now all-absorbing manifold Jewish question,— as the most diligent student will search for in vain elsewhere. Before taking leave, for the present, of our readers we desire to tender our grateful acknowledgment to our fellow-labourers in the work which we have hitherto carried on as THE HEBREW CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND PROPHETIC INVESTIGATOR. Of the numerous believing Israelites who strengthened our hands, not merely with their names, but with their able pens, we would especially mention the Revs. A. Bernstein, Dr. A. Fürst, J. B. Goldberg, S. A. Herbert, A. A. Isaacs, C. S. Krænig, J. Lowitz, Dr. Pick, G. W. Pieritz, E. Salkinson, A. Schwartz, and M. Wolkenberg; Messrs. C. Chattock, J. Lederer, and Paul Warschawski, &c., &c. Of the numerous believing Gentiles who sympathized in our testimony and aided us with their literary contributions we would name the Revs. R. Gascoyne, Dr. B. Hurst, C. P. Nicholson, the late W. Stone, the late R. A. Taylor, 2 A few copies of the first four volumes-sold for charitable purposes-may be had of the Editor. |