Not less important are the remarks on Scripture and the Holy Ghost. Mr. Saphir always begins, and justly so, with an appeal to the Book itself; for it holds true of the Bible as of Christ, that they do not take testimony from another, and do not need the assent of men in order to become God's revelation. No; Scripture speaks and Christ testifies by His person and work, and every one that is of the truth hears Him, and believes and lives.

The self-evidencing power of the written and living Word is the argument which even the bitterest enemies of inspiration cannot gainsay. Very profitable hints anent the prophetic and symbolic character of the Scriptures, and practical observations which will greatly promote profitable reading, enhance much the value of Mr. Saphir's book.

But more important than everything else, and characteristic of Mr. Saphir's work, is the clear teaching that the Bible and the Christ are Jewish, and therefore universal. It is generally admitted that the Bible was written by Jews, and that Jesus of Nazareth was born a Jew, but the inferences are generally not drawn nor are people alive to the all-important distinction between the "Japhetic" and "Shemitic" influence. It is the tendency even of Christians to gentilize the Scriptures as well as Jesus; and instead of causing Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem, as it was foretold, they cast Shem out of his own tents and transform these tents into Japhetic palaces. The result is disastrous. Scripture is deprived of its reality, and Christ is changed into a man-made ideal; both are now man's work instead of God's gift and revelation. Rationalism and Romanism cannot be overcome but by placing Jerusalem against Rome, Israel against Greece, for Israel is the root, and is not to be engrafted into the Gentiles, but, on the contrary, the Gentiles are born by Israel, and are proselytes into the Church, which is from the commencement a Jewish one.

THE SCATTERED NATION has from its beginning advocated these principles, and will do so as long as God allows me to continue it. For I firmly believe that Dr. Colenso's attacks, the assaults of the authors of the "Essays and Reviews," and the fancies of 66 Ecce Homo," can only be fairly met and fully over

come when the Church of Christ ceases to lean on her systems of theology or on the

enticing words of Greek philosophy, but draws all her weapons from the Israelitish armoury God has given her in the Scriptures, made effectual by Him who is the King of the Jews. Mr. Saphir's book is a very important contribution towards the defence of the truth, as it is in Christ and in the Scriptures, and the more it is studied the more it will be found to be a weapon against the adversary; a treasure to increase our knowledge of Divine things, and a faithful witness of God's Word and the Christ.

I am glad to have space for an extract, which will enable the reader the better to estimate the value of the book:

ISRAEL'S MESSIAH.-THE LIVING AND THE
WRITTEN WORD.

Jesus was not merely man: He was a Jewish man; He belonged to Israel. We have already seen that this was according to God's idea. But it may be necessary to add, that Jesus never gave up the Divine thought of Israel's priority and peculiar position in the kingdom of God. While He protested against the traditions of men, against Pharisaic pride and narrowness, He confirmed the promises made unto the fathers (Rom. xv. 8). He spake of Jerusalem as the city of the great King, of the times of the Gentiles, and of Israel's future return to Him; and in the full possession of the Spirit, He anticipated the time when every jot and tittle of the law and prophets shall be fulfilled. Jesus was the true Israelite. His nationality is apparent throughout Israel. The chosen nation, the servant of God, the nation of priests unto God, finds its true exponent and fulfilment, flower and perfect fruit, in Jesus, even as He is the spirit and root of Israel, root and Lord of David.

And for this very reason is Jesus the man for all men of all nations. For the only centre of catholicity is Jerusalem. The Jews were chosen to be a nation separate; but in order to bless all mankind; Israel is to be the centre of light and blessedness for all people; the purpose of their election is universal; the secret aim of their isolation is expansion; the very joy and glory of their destiny is a worldwide influence. Jesus as the King of the Jews, Jesus as the true Israel, is appointed to draw all men and to rule all men.

As it is with Jesus, so it is with Scripture. It is Jewish and universal. Universal, not in spite, but in virtue, of its Jewish character. In order to be universal, it must not be Paganized or Gentilized, or stript of its Jewish character. Its Jewish character is not a garment in which it is accidentally clothed; it is the body which the Spirit, according to God's plan, has prepared. Eliminate the Jewish character, and you lose the essence ;,

Christ and Christ's thoughts are Jewish, and that according to God's plan.

The Scripture is like Jesus Christ, because He is the Spirit of Israel, and Scripture is the record of Israel. Viewing thus the Scripture as an organic growth (not an aggregate, a stone, but a plant), many interesting facts are displayed, of which I single out only three :First. Every part is complete, containing the seed, the germ; and though subsequent parts contain a much fuller unfolding of the germ, they do not render their predecessors superfluous or antiquated. Thus the whole Gospel is in Genesis, even in Gen. iii.; the Protevangelion contains the whole counsel of God in germ. More fully in Leviticus, more fully in David's Psalms, more fully in Isaiah's prophecy, more fully in Paul's epistles. As Israel developed and grew in stature and wisdom (or rather the revelation of Christ in Israel, for the nation always fell short of the glory of God), so the Scripture develops. It is not that something is added to the old stock (as another stone to a collection of stones), but the plant, the organism, the body grows. Beautiful and benign arrangement of our great and blessed God! Abraham rejoiced, and David rejoiced, and Isaiah rejoiced, and Paul rejoiced, because to each there was given all, though on a different scale, in different degree and measure.

But though Paul possesses this whole more perfectly than David and Moses, does he throw aside David and Moses as a scaffolding is thrown aside when the building is finished? By no means: and, among many reasons, for this reason also-that in Genesis, and the Psalms, and the prophets, there is the revelation of a great comprehensive plan, the fulfilment of which reaches into the ages to come; so that without the previous portions of the Word we, and future generations, cannot be perfect; there is much of this whole which yet remains unfolded, and manifested in reality and actual existence. Thus the Apocalypse returns to Genesis, and the 11th chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans leads us back to Moses and the Prophets.

Secondly. If the Bible is a plant, a growth, or body, there are portions which are inferior in importance, value, beauty, but none which can be separated from it, or in which the same blood, or sap, or spirit, does not live. No person denies that in the human body the lungs are more important than the limbs; the heart more essential to life than the eye; the eye a more delicate and noble part than the foot. Nobody asserts that a man would be killed if you cut off his hair or his nails; but there is a vital union of all the members. If you cut off my little finger I shall survive it, but it is my little finger you cut off, and it is a loss, a disfigurement. So with the Bible. It is not like a piece of cloth that you can clip and cut. It is a body, animated by one Spirit. Who would assert, that a chapter of names in

the book of Chronicles is as important and precious as the third chapter of John's gospel? or that the account of Paul's shipwreck is as essential as Christ's sufferings? But what we say is, that all Scripture is one organism, and that the same wisdom and love have formed the whole; and that down to every branch, and bough, and leaf, it lives and breathes, and is beautiful and good. And the reason why many historical, and statistical, and prophetic portions of Scripture seem to us unimportant and even unmeaning, is because we do not sufficiently live in the whole circle of divine ideas and purposes.

Thirdly. Christ being thus the Spirit of Scripture as well as the Spirit of Israel, the substance of Scripture throughout is Himself. All divine revelations have Christ not merely for Mediator, but for their centre. We have not merely a succession of prophetic announcements of his coming, his work, and glory, but in all God's dealings with Israel He revealed Himself to them in Christ. Abraham beheld the day of Christ; the Rock that followed Israel through the wilderness was Christ. In his love and sympathy, in his sufferings and faith, David was a type of the great ShepherdKing, even as Solomon prefigured His glory and widespread dominion. Through all the festivals and sacrifices shone the light of God in Christ. That God would descend from heaven to earth was impressed on Israel by the constant appearance of God as angel or messenger, as Angel of the Covenant, Angel, in whom is God's name; as God manifest, whom man can see face to face. And that from earth, from among Israel, would grow up before God One who was perfect, the Servant of the Lord, filled with the Spirit, and the delight of the Father, a child born unto Israel, a Son given unto them, and yet the "Pele," Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace; this also the prophets expressed. Christ was thus beheld in a twofold aspect (which it must have been difficult to combine), Jehovah coming down, and Israel's Representative, the Son of the Virgin of Zion, ascending from earth to heaven. They expected the Messenger of the Covenant from above. They saw a man who was Jehovah's equal.

And as Christ's person was the substance of all Jewish history and Scripture, His sufferings were continually witnessed in word, type, and experience.

Christ and Israel are thus connected, and for all ages. Scripture testifies of this Jehovah as Israel's David, in whom glory cometh to the nation, and salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth. For the view which is so prevalent, that Israel is a shadow of the Church, and now that the type is fulfilled vanishes from our horizon, is altogether unscriptural. Israel is not the shadow fulfilled and absorbed in the Church, but the basis on which the Church rests. (Rom. xi.)

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went up in a cloud to God more than 1800 years ago, when they see Him come in like manner? (come in a cloud, Isa. xix. 1, for their salvation.) Why when they look on Him whom they pierced, they shall mourn and be in bitterness; the whole land shall mourn, every house and every family apart, and their wives apart; an individual mourning; a grief as for an only son, the firstborn, a bitter cry. (Read Rev. i. 7.) In that day the Lord shall be king over all the earth (also Ezekiel xxxvi. 16-38, and Xxxvii. 21-28.) Here we see it is when God tabernacles with man, when the beloved is Israel's king, that they cease to walk in the imagination of an evil heart (Jer. iii. 17). It is then that the new covenant referred, to by

Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews, comes into operation (Jer. xxxi. 31-40, and xxxiii. 14-26). Evidently Hosea ii. 14-23, refers to this same time. I could multiply texts, but these few will suffice, I am sure, to lead the honest inquirer to search if these things are true. Christ will be seen in His people Israel in that day, as He will be seen in no other people. "A nation shall be born in a day." Yes, as soon as they behold Him whom they pierced, they shall believe and mourn, saying, "We esteemed Him smitten of God and afflicted," and it is by Him we are healed. How blinded they will then see they have been by the god of this world. O that both Jew and Gentile would yet consider Isaiah xxix. 11-14 and 18th verses! G. BEN.

THE first public meeting of the Hebrew-Christian Alliance took place at Willis's Rooms, Kingstreet, St. James's, London, on May 14. The room was full to overflowing, and on the platform were numerous members of the Society, ministers, and laymen from various parts of Europe. The Rev. Dr. Schwartz, President of the Alliance, occupied the chair.

The proceedings commenced by the singing of the 100th psalm, "All people that on earth do dwell," after which prayer was offered by Mr. T. P. Cohen.

The CHAIRMAN then addressed the meeting. He said-It is, no doubt, the duty of a president, in ordinary circumstances, to be as brief as possible, and not to detain the meeting, which naturally is anxious to hear the men who are expected to speak; but I find myself in an unusual position, as a public meeting of a "Hebrew-Christian Alliance" is something quite new, and ought, therefore, to be explained, and, as far as it is necessary, to be justified. We appear before you with the declaration that by becoming Christians we have not ceased to be Hebrews-yea, that in order to be Hebrews, Israelites indeed, we must be Christians and as Hebrews. As Christians we wish to be united, and testify of this union before our Jewish and Christian brethren. Yes, it is the object of this Alliance to testify of our common faith in Jesus as the Messiah before them who are our kinsmen after the flesh, but who to this day reject Him who was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. We know when Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be the Promised One, He appealed to the law and the testimony as the only safe guide, the only sure test He could offer, and Jews could accept. A minority of the Jewish nation acknowledged His claims, and worshipped Him as the God of Israel; the majority, however, rejected His claims; but history shows us, and more especially the history of Israel teaches, that truth

never was with the majority, for only one tribe, that of Levi, did not worship the golden calf, and of the twelve spies ten brought back a false report. We who believe in Jesus follow the footsteps of the minority, they that do not believe, endorse the verdict of Caiaphas and of the great multitude. The Church was not called into existence by Jews becoming Gentiles, but by the thousands of Israelites who were baptized in the name of the Messiah, and the Gentiles were engrafted into this Jewish Church; if we, therefore, become Christians, we are simply Jews who believe in Jesus, who himself was a Jew, and never abandoned the hope of Israel. This hope we desire to maintain before our Gentile-Christian friends; for if, on the one hand, it is necessary to declare that Jesus is the King of Israel, it is as necessary to maintain that Israel is the people of that King. It has pleased God, in sovereign mercy, to choose Israel as His peculiar people, but since He has done it, He is, I say it with all reverence, bound by His faithfulness to preserve them as His own. Christ never gave up the title "King of the Jews," and, strange to say, Gentiles, believing and unbelieving, the wise men from the East, and Pontius Pilate, proclaimed Him as being born and crucified the

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King of the Jews." This King and his people are inseparably connected. Israel must be trodden down as long as it refuses obedience to its glorious King, and the glory of Christ will never be complete until Israel shouts out, "Blessed be He that comes in the name of the Lord." I do not pretend to know when and how this is to take place; but this I say, the same nation that compelled Pilate, the representative of the Gentiles, to crucify Jesus, will constrain the peoples to crown Him Lord of all; the same nation that in early ages stirred up the rulers to oppose His kingdom, will, in the last days, call upon them to confess Him as the Christ as the Lord; the whole nation changed from a persecuting Saul into a professing Paul; and if what

Paul achieved by the grace of God in bringing the Gentiles to the knowledge of Christ is marvellous in our eyes, what will it be if a whole nation of Pauls, as it were, shall proclaim to the astonished world the crucified and glorified Saviour-what will it be?-yes, what will it be but "life from the dead"?

A shrewd Jew, Dr. Da Costa, once made the remark to that noble witness of Christ by pen and mouth, be it when he fought God's battles against infidelity and superstition, or suffered for the cause of Christ and in His strength; the Jew said: "It seems to me you wish to make the Jews Christians, and the Christians Jews." And so it really is. We must confess that Judaism, as taught by Moses and the prophets, is the foundation on which Christianity is built. It becomes high time that the Church should break entirely with that Greek Christianity, and put in its stead a Hebrew Christianity. A Dutch minister, some years ago, blamed the painters, because they gave to Christ a Jewish countenance. He thought this rather offensive. Has not Rome introduced heathenism, and has not rationalism given us a Greek instead of a Hebrew Messiah? In ancient days the prophecy was uttered, "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem;" and what has been made of it? Some tell us that Japheth is now in the place of Shem, and behave no longer as fellow-citizens, but simply say that they are now come in the place of Israel, and cast the Jew out of his own house; others pervert the prophecy to such a degree that they make Shem to dwell in the tents of Japheth. In other words, many Gentiles arrogate to themselves all the promises, and leave to the Jew nothing but the curses; while others forget that Christianity is but the development of the germ, the realization of the shadow, the fulfilment of the promises of Judaism. They forget that if you separate Christ from the Old Testament you may get a more or less beautifully painted human ideal, a perfect man according to human or earthly conception, but you have lost the God-man, whom God alone could reveal to man, and who alone could lead man to God; you have lost Him who is the Light, and whom to know is eternal life. Jesus himself was so fully alive to this truth, that when he appeared to His disciples going to Emmaus, He reproached them not because they had not believed the testimony of the women and of the angel, but because they were foolish and slow to believe what was written concerning Him; the risen Christ did not say," Look at me," but He said, Look into the Word, and led them into the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. When we, therefore, wish to make the Gentile-Christians Jews, we are not Judaisers, narrow-minded; nor do we proclaim new or strange things, but we call the Church back to the teaching of the Apostles-Hebrews of the Hebrews, and of Christ himself, who ascended into heaven with a glorified Jewish body. He was born a Jew, and was buried a Jew, and what was sown in weakness was raised in power. He could not cease to be a Jew.

Some months ago a book was published, which has caused a great stir, and called forth several replies and many reviews; the book bears the title "Ecce Homo." It is a very dangerous book, but is the necessary result of the attacks made on the Old Testament in the 66 Essays and Reviews," and of Dr. Colenso's assaults on the authenticity of the Pentateuch. These writers

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have misunderstood not to say maligned Moses. The Bishop has disputed our right to pray to Christ; in Ecce Homo" the consequences are drawn the Old Testament is set aside, Jesus is not the fulfilment of the promises, the reality of the shadows. Jesus is a Greek, a Law-giver, a man becoming God, no longer God becoming man. It is Greek, yea, the devil's theology:-"Ye shall be like unto God;" but God's theology is, the Son of God shall become the seed of the woman. A few days ago a book was published, "Christ and the Scriptures," by the Rev. A. Saphir. It is a small volume, but it contains a great deal of matter, and could easily have been expanded into a large octavo. All that can relish wellprepared, strong meat will find substantial food in every page, I had almost said in every sentence. Why do I mention this book? Not merely to call your attention to it, Mr. Saphir's book needs not my recommendation, but in order to tell you that though it does not at all pretend to be an answer to "Ecce Homo," the principles it proclaims are a complete refutation of it. For it presents to us the Jew Jesus according to the Jewish Scriptures, as distinguished from the Greek Christ according to the imagination of the author of "Ecce Homo."

Hebrew-Christians have great difficulties to encounter as Christians and as Hebrews. They are frequently called " baptized Jews." Jews reproach them for being baptized, and nominal Christians for being Jews. What Moses said of the Israelites, "Ye know the heart of the stranger, for ye have been strangers in the land of Egypt," holds true also of Hebrew-Christian's. The mental struggles, the difficulties, the temptations they have to overcome, no one can fully realise but a Hebrew Christian. They frequently feel completely isolated, and it is but right that those brethren whom God has blessed with means, and who have obtained an independent position, should strengthen the hands and cheer the hearts of them that are still struggling, not as patrons, but as brethren who feel for them, and suffer with them, and are ready to help them as far as they can. To raise the character, and to make the name of Hebrew Christians respected by friends and foes, is the aim of this our Alliance. May we not count on the approval, yea, on the help of our Gentile-Christian brethren!

I do not hesitate to say that there is no country in which the cause of Israel is so much thought of, so energetically helped, and so heartily sympathized with, as in Great Britain. A Hebrew-Christian Alliance is only possible in England, and why? Because you find here a combination of the two elements which are indispensable for its success, viz., a goodly number of converted Jews, and a kindly feeling of Christian friends. More than 700 letters have been sent me within the last six months from Christians of all denominations, and in these letters so much love and genuine interest is manifested, that I cannot but believe that a country where so much prayer is offered on behalf of Jerusalem, occupies a special place in the kingdom of God, is destined to exercise a great influence on the destinies of the world, and to partake of God's blessing. I cannot refrain from alluding to a note which I got some weeks ago, containing six penny stamps, with the inscription, "Fasted a meal to give a meal." Surely this is not of man,