David, shall reign in Mount Zion, and before his ancients gloriously: Jerusalem shall be an eternal excellency, the joy of many generations.' Christ now rules in and over his Church, and overrules all things for the Church's good. He is now King of the Jews and King of nations; but by Jews and Gentiles alike, nationally considered, is he their rejected King. The kind of enthronement he receives in Christendom is merely nominal: when he shall rule among his enemies, his kingship will be an openly and universally acknowledged thing, and the acknowledgment will be a substantial reality. Men shall then know the Lord, in the sense of that knowledge which is 'life

eternal.' Every knee shall then bow in token of the prior submission of the heart, and every tongue confess his name, as men only can do by the Holy Ghost. Christ's Church is now in an enemy's country, surrounded by enemies; but his rule is not now among his enemies, in the sense of his enemies being the direct subjects of his rule."

Yes, it is so. If Christians employ rationalistic methods in explaining the prophetical word, and then deprive it of its real meaning, how can they safely and fairly meet their opponents who do the same with what God has done in days bygone?

DEAR SIR,-I am, like yourself, deeply interested in the welfare of the "SCATTERED NATION," and most anxious that they should no longer be despoiled. Allow me to make, in the pages of your valuable periodical, an effort to restore to the Hebrews a passage in the epistle to the Hebrews, which Christians have too long appropriated to themselves. I mean Heb. xiii. 10-17.

I have read in your interesting number for this month an article of the first portion of this passage. The Inquirer asks, "What is the Christian altar?" and he quotes the tenth verse: "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

I am persuaded that a candid examination of this verse in its context will lead to the conclusion, that the term "altar" in this passage does not mean "the Christian altar "-THE CROSSand that the term we (which is not expressed in the Greek) does not signify 66 we Christians."

Of the many reasons derivable from the whole passage (Heb. xiii. 10-17). I can adduce only those connected with the tenth verse itself.

The sacred writer's meaning of Aviation, "altar," must, I should think, have been that which it had at the time the epistle to the Hebrews was written. Now, will it be seriously maintained, that in A. D. 64 (while Jerusalem and its temple were still in existence) θυσιαστήριον had the signification given to it by your correspondent," the cross"? And if not, how can it now convey a meaning unknown to the writer himself, and to the original readers of the epistle? Surely the modern diplomatic use of language, 'as a medium for concealing our ideas," was not employed by the sacred writer. The cotemporaneous usus loquendi, with regard to the term under review, may aid us in our effort to ascertain its meaning in the passage before us.

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We meet it already in this very epistle. In Heb. vii. 13, it expresses the Jewish altar. Can it in Heb. xiii. 10 convey a totally different and (at that time) an unknown signification? Must not the first readers of the epistle, in their simplicity, have understood an altar to mean really an altar-or had the recondite meaning-"the ," been recently communicated to them? Why not boldly tell the taunter"—"We have

cross,

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the cross as our altar"- 66 we have Christ, the sacrifice offered on it"?

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Twenty times the word OvσiaσThρiov occurs in the New Testament. In every case, except that under consideration, it conveys its undoubted meaning, an altar.' Should not this constant use of it elsewhere decide its signification here? The word occurs in profane and sacred literature. It is met in the Sept., in Josephus, in Phil.: where is it used to signify a cross?

But now to consider the term "we," which does not appear in the original. If "we have an altar" mean "we Christians have the cross,' true criticism would (as it appears to me) require that the term "we" should be expressed in the Greek; "we Christians" would be emphatic, would be in decided opposition to those "who serve the tabernacle;" but as the pronoun "we" is not in the Greek, is it not reasonable to conclude that "we and "those who serve the tabernacle" were not contrasted by the author of this epistle, but formed the parts of the same body-the Hebrew nation. (This view can also be sustained by closely observing the invitation in v. 13, where "us" in that verse is the same party as we " in v. 10.)

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The

Another argument against the "altar" signifying "the cross arises from the use of the word "eat." In dealing with the meaning of the sacred writer we should reason only on what he writes, —viz., “those, who serve the tabernacle," not "those who still serve the tabernacle." parties "who have no right to eat" are described in Heb. viii. 5, as well as in the passage before us. They are spoken of in their official capacity; their "frame of mind" is not brought under consideration; we nowhere learn that it deprived them of the right to eat. We are informed, without a hint of their being "content" or otherwise, that there is an altar of which they, "who serve the tabernacle" (the priests) "have no right to eat." The use of the word "eat" is suggested naturally, I think, by v. 9. In it eating, in the natural sense, is indirectly referred to by the introduction of the term "meats," as opposed to " grace. What other meaning, then, can consistently belong to "eat," except its natural one? OWEN, therefore, justly remarks, that the words, "have no right to eat" have

respect "unto the institutions of the law." Now according to the law the priests have no right to eat of the altar, or the sin-offering, on the great day of atonement. In conformity with this restriction imposed by divine authority we are told that "they, who serve the tabernacle, have no right to eat" of this altar (typical of the sacrifice of our Lord), "no right to eat," as I conceive, in the literal sense-and the reason is annexed by a reference to the institutions of the law"for the bodies of those beasts whose blood are burned without the camp," they cannot be eaten, for they are otherwise disposed of by divine authority.

I would paraphrase the passage Heb. xiii. 1012 thus: "We (the Jewish nation) have an altar (the sacrifice of the great day of atonement) the benefits from which must be by grace and not by eating, seeing that they, who serve the tabernacle, have no right to eat (being deprived by law of such a right) for the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary, by the high priest for sin (are not eaten by the priests, for they have no right or divine authority to eat thereof, but) are burnt without the camp. Wherefore (in accordance with this type and its doctrine of benefits by grace) Jesus," &c., &c.

In this paraphrase the close connection between vv. 10, 11 is recognized. It is declared by "for" yap a word that simply introduces the reason for the statement in the tenth verse.

If, however, we forsake the established meaning of Ovalarpov, and adopt any of those meanings of medieval or modern divinity," the cross, the "Lord's table," or "the altar in heaven,” we are reduced to an ad absurdum of the following sort: "We Christians have the sacrifice of Christ in our Church, whereof they, who serve the tabernacle, have no right to eat spiritually; (though bidden by God to eat, i. e., believe); for they have a sacrifice in their own (Jewish) Church, whereof they have no right to eat literally (being forbidden by God to eat what is to be wholly burnt by divine authority). The priests' own sin offering is burnt in their own Church, therefore they cannot spiritually eat of the sacrifice in our Church!" Could any reason more devoid of reason be assigned by the sacred writer? Yours truly,

JOHN LEECH, M.A.

*Tap semper reddit rationem antecedentis sententiæ vel expressæ vel intellectæ.-Alford on Heb. p. 239.

DEAR SIR,-Has it ever occurred to any of your people to look for the ten tribes of Israel in North and South America? I ask if these are the "outcasts of Israel"? The Missing Link Magazine for last month contains two interesting articles relating to this subject, which help to confirm my previous opinions on that subject from other authors. William Penn gives a very interesting account of the people he met when he first landed in what he afterwards named Pennsylvania. In writing to his friends in this country, he says that he could imagine himself in Old Jewry, in London. These people he met, in physiognomy, were Jews, he doubted not; their manners, customs, and religion were the same; they observed circumcision, feasts and fasts Israelitish. Surely they are of the "Preserved of Israel." Mrs. Simon, in her "Hope of Israel," gives full information regarding the North American Indians, which, to any reader without particularly biassed opinions, will, I doubt not, afford convincing evidence of their Israelitish origin. These people were much to be admired before they were contaminated by intercourse with the white people. I will give an extract from the " Hope of Israel" for the benefit of those of your readers who cannot easily procure a reading of the book, and trust that this inquiry wll lead those interested in "the scattered nation" to extend their researches and give them publicity, so that we all may have enlarged views on those subjects connected with the revealed mind of God.

"The Northern Indians have a current tradition among them, that their ancestors wandered eighty years in search of the land to which they were directed, through a strict regard to the

commands of the Great Spirit: by that means they discovered and settled in Mexico. It is said by their beloved men that they have handed down from their ancestors that the book which the white people have was once theirs. That while they minded it they prospered exceedingly, but that the white people had bought it of them, and had learned many things from it; while they, for parting with it, thus lost their credit, offended the Great Spirit, and suffered bitterly from the neighbouring nations. That the Master of Life took pity on them, and directed them to this country. They also say that some of their ancestors were possessed of an extraordinary Divine Spirit by which they foretold future events, and this they transmitted to their offspring who obeyed the sacred laws. That they by these means did bring down showers of blessings on the beloved people; but that this power, for a long time past, had entirely ceased. One of their most ancient traditions was, that a great many years ago they had a common father, who lived towards the rising sun; that he had twelve sons, by whom he administered his government; that his authority was derived from the Great Spirit. They also knew from their tradition that a time would come when the Indians would regain the gift of the Great Spirit. Spanish writers say that they found a temple called Jew-Lalli, or House of the Great Spirit, and a person belonging to it called Chacaluma, or minister of holy things. They speak of the hearth of the Great Spirit, the continual fire, and the holy ark. Though many of their hereditary laws have been corrupted, they affix vicious and contemptible ideas to the eating of swine's flesh; insomuch that 'swine-eater' is the most opprobrious

The

THE editor of the "Israelit," the Rev. Dr. Lehmann, of Mayence, in taking to task a Roman Catholic journal which sought to rouse the popular fanaticism against the Jews, writes: "During the thirteen years of our official nativity (?) at Mayence we have declined a large number of Christians, both Roman Catholics and Protestants, who applied to us in reference to their intended conversion to Judaism; we told them that, as good and honest men, they might also be saved in their religion, in accordance with the declaration of the Talmud: the pious of all nations have a share in the world to come. And on the other hand, we have also to record a fine example of tolerance set two years ago by the Protestant garrison preacher, who sent to us a Jew desirous of being baptized, that he might confer with us previous to taking this step. And we, indeed, succeeded in preserving this young man, aged twenty-eight, for his religion and family."

To raise popular fanaticism, be it against Jews or against Christian Jews, is very wicked; but to act as Dr. Lehmann did, is very wrong too. Jews

believe Christians to be idolators, and the Jewish Chronicle again and again tells us that Christians and Jews worship a different God. If these Roman Catholics or Protestants apply to the Rev. Dr. to be received into the Jewish community, is he not committing a great sin in telling them, that as good and honest men, they might be saved also in their religion? Where is this to be found in the whole Old Testament? As to the alleged liberality of the Talmud, the less that is said about it the better.

Many a time I asked Jews who wished to be baptized, to hold conversation with Rabbis, but the Rabbis mostly decline, and whenever they agreed to it, they used threats and anathemas instead of arguments. I am ready to send any Jew that wishes to be baptized by me, either to Dr. Benisch, or to any of the London Rabbis, either orthodox or reformed, if these gentlemen will speak to such a Jew in the presence of two Christians or two Jews, taking their arguments from the Old Testament.

IT is not very uncommon to charge another with the fault one feels guilty of himself. So it happens that the Jewish Chronicle continually speaks of Jews who believe in Jesus as apostates, though it can clearly be proved that more writers in the Jewish Chronicle apostatise from the teaching of God in the Scriptures. Here are two specimens. In an article headed "Jewish Preachers and Jewish Sermons," these sentences occur:

"As a rule our texts are taken from some part of the Old Testament, and, consequently, the discourses themselves are limited to the subjects treated therein. I know there are some men who advance that the five books of Moses alone contain sufficient and everlasting matter for all ages and all philosophies; yet, as there may be a few who, living in the present, desire to know what is as well as what has been, it may be wise occasionally to leave the old oft-trodden track of the past, and take note of the wondrous progress of this non-miraculous age. We might, with advantage, remember Bacon's aphorism: "Time is the greatest of innovators, and the wisdom of one age is the folly of another.'

It is impossible to speak with less reverence of the whole Old Testament, and more especially of

the five books of Moses; for, if the quotation from Bacon means anything, it comes down to this: that, what was wisdom in Moses' time, may be folly in our day. We do believe that the five books of Moses contain sufficient and everlasting matter for all ages and all philosophies; so that if the present age is safely to be guided, it must take care not to leave what the writer in the Jewish Chronicle so contemptuously calls "the old ofttrodden track of the past.'

Here is a second specimen

תשעה באב:

"The three weeks which date from the seventeenth day of the fourth month (Tamuz) and terminate on the evening of the ninth day of the fifth month (Ab), is a period of mourning for every true son of Israel. The object of wailing and fasting on this the Black Fast,' is not solely for the purpose of regretting the past, or grieving for the destruction of our national place of worship, and the slaughter of so many myriads of our brethren and sisters in faith, but the moral to be deduced from this burning which the Eternal has kindled' is, that we should bear in mind that the disobedience and sins of our forefathers

have brought all these evils on themselves and on us their descendants, and that this visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children' should induce us to lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens;' and, as another inspired servant of the Eternal bids us, 'And rend your heart, and not your garments, and return unto the Eternal, your God."

"While most nations have had a past, and while some have a present, Israel alone has a future. It therefore behoves us Jews to ponder well on the important lesson which the anniversary of each recurring ninth of Ab teaches, and that we should earnestly strive by the veneration of God, obedience to His Divine behests, and living on terms of amity and concord with all races and classes of men, to hasten the arrival of that glorious period, foretold by the Jewish prophets, when 'Ten men shall take hold out of all tongues of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt* of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you' (Zec. viii. 20-23). May this be speedily, and in our days.-Amen.'

If the one writer speaks irreverently of the Old Testament Scriptures, the other misrepresents the importance of the Holy City, and the cause of its destruction. Is it really true that Jerusalem was nothing else to the Jew than "a national place of worship," and is the moral to be deduced from the continued "burning which the Eternal has kindled" this, "that we should bear in mind that the disobedience and sins of our forefathers have brought all these evils on themselves and on

*Heb. "Wing" (Benisch).

us their descendants?" It is very easy to cast all the blame on the forefathers, but we protest against such a view of the God of the Old Testament visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children for eighteen centuries if these children do not share the sins of their forefathers. We, who say that Jerusalem was destroyed because it rejected its King, and that it remains desolate because the children of those fathers continue in the same sin, rightly divide the guilt between fathers and children, and maintain the justice of God; but what of those Jews who try to shift their own responsibility by blaming their fathers and the God of these fathers?

Does any one believe that the glorious period described in Zec. viii. 20-23 will be brought about by the Jews "striving earnestly to venerate God, to obey His Divine behests, and to live on terms of amity and concord with all races and classes of men?" For eighteen centuries the Jews have, no doubt, striven to do so, and how far have they succeeded?

As little as the Jewish Chronicle understands the cause of Israel's dispersion, as little does it explain the hope of Israel. We, at least, are consistent when we say Jerusalem is trodden down, and the Jews are scattered because the fathers and the children have crucified, and are crucifying, Jesus; but that Jerusalem will be re-built, and the Jews re-placed at the head of the nations, when they shall look on Him whom they have pierced, and bow before Him as King of the Jews. what of them who neither confess guilt with their fathers nor look for the coming Messiah as their fathers did? Are not they apostates?

But

FROM "The Sword of Truth we learn, that on April 11th last, the leaders of this colony set out on a journey through "Philistia," or Southern Palestine. Here is a portion of the account :

"The first evening we pitched our tents near ancient Ashdod, in the land of the Philistines. On Friday we took our lunch amidst the ruins of ancient Askelon, and the same evening pitched our tents at Gaza, where we remained two nights. Whilst at Gaza we visited the Governor, and other officials, and were received and treated in the kindest manner. We also visited the hill on which Samson left the city gates, and many other places of interest. On Sunday evening we pitched our tents in the midst of the land of the Philistines, where Samson burned their corn, where we visited many ancient ruins. From thence, on the following day, we journeyed on to Hebron, the place where David reigned some twelve years, before he was made king over all Israel.

Thus far we had passed through fields of barley and wheat, and vineyard after vineyard. The vast fields of barley and wheat filled us with wonder and amazement. Never before, within the memory of man, has Palestine produced such immense crops on the plains of Philistia. From Hebron we came to Bethlehem, from thence to Marsaber, and from there to the Dead Sea, Jordan and Jericho, and thence to Jerusalem, where we arrived on Friday evening, after a journey of nine days of tent life in Palestine. During that

nine days we saw much of southern and middle Palestine, and everything which we saw convinced us that the great age of restitution had commenced. Mr. Bidwell, our Commissioner, was delighted and electrified. In the vicinity of Jericho tens of thousands of acres lay uncultivated; some of it the richest land in the world.

"The colony are now enjoying good health; the barley harvest has commenced in earnest; the rains are about over for the season, but the dews are abundant and heavy. The pròspect for fruit and grapes was never better than it is at present. The colony are now having peace and quiet, and we are still living in peace with the natives.

The colony is going to receive an increase from America, as will be seen by the following extract from the same paper:

"For the benefit of our friends and those interested in the cause of truth and hope in Israel, we will say, by the favour of Providence, our next vessel will sail for Palestine, from Jonesport, Washington County, State of Maine, the last of August, or the very first of September next, with some twenty families as passengers, together with lumber, agricultural implements of all needful kinds, a few machines, presses, &c. The fare for adult passengers, including board, will not exceed 75 dols. in currency, while freight and furniture of those who are going will be carried at the lowest possible rates.

PESTH.

The following statement, from the pen of a missionary at Pesth, will be read with much interest by all who rejoice in the extension of the Lord's kingdom. Mr. Moody, one of the missionaries, in speaking of the success of the Hungarians, says: "We look on with special interest, however, because the present changes are of the greatest possible importance as affecting the prospects of our mission work in the land. The restoration of constitutional government, and the putting in actual operation of those laws which had been suspended from the time of the revolution, place us in quite a new position. Instead of being under one of the most despotic, we find ourselves at once under one of the most liberal governments on the continent, for Hungary takes its place now among the freest countries in Europe. The door is thus opened wide for evangelistic work, and we shall have a feeling of liberty and security in carrying out our arrangements and prosecuting our labours, such as we have not hitherto enjoyed. We look up with wonder and gratitude, and seek to praise Him who ruleth among the nations; and who, according to the counsel of His own will, and to the glory of His own name, maketh the devices of the enemy of none effect, putteth down the mighty from their seats, and breaketh in pieces the oppressor; removeth barriers and hindrances, which had been as gates of brass and bars of iron, and prepareth gloriously the way for the coming of His own kingdom."

AMSTERDAM.

The Rev. T. Myers (recently of Ancona, successor to the Rev. Dr. Schwartz, at Amsterdam), reports the following pleasing incidents in connection with his installation to the charge by Dr. Schwartz. Speaking of the services on that occasion, he says:-"The church, both morning and evening, was crowded, as it was advertised that Dr. Schwartz was to preaeh, and the crowded audience were eagerly drinking in the words spoken by their late pastor. After a long privation the people enjoyed again the privilege of having the Lord's supper dispensed to them; a very interesting and touching sight it was to see thirty-six Jewish proselytes partaking of this sacred rite, and Dr. Schwartz ministering it to them-himself a converted Jew. That is a fact which speaks volumes, and is well calculated to stir up our zeal and love for Israel, and our faith in all the promises of the Lord regarding Israel."

Mr. Myers also records the baptism of a Jewess on the 25th of May, who, having received the first impulse of Biblical inquiry from a sister of hers who had some years previous been led to see the truth as it is in Jesus, eagerly examined the prophetic declarations, and, after the full conviction that Jesus of Nazareth is the true Messiah, she avowed her faith in Him by public baptism.

WARSAW.

The "Lebanon" has an article on the Jews of Warsaw, a few particulars of which we copy:—

"The Jewish population of Warsaw exceeds 80,000 souls. With very few exceptions, they are all faithful adherents of traditional Judaism, and greatly excel in the knowledge of the Divine law. Among the thousands of students of the law there is a poor tradesman known by the excellency of his character and rare attainments throughout all Jewry. His name is Rabbi W. He is a poor cheesemonger, who, wrapped in his sheepskin coat, is wont to improvise for himself a couch on the bare ground in some street, there dines off a piece of dry bread, which he washes down with draughts of purling water, seasoning his meal with the recitation of some Talmudical section in a low tone. From infancy he applied himself to the study of the law, and so tenacious. is his memory that if he is asked the explanation of a verse in the Bible he recites by heart the whole passage, together with the commentary of Rashi, without committing the slightest mistake. Never did he consent to accept charity from anybody. More than once persons of property offered the poor cheesemonger to receive him into their houses and to provide for him, so that, free from all anxiety, he might pursue his studies; but he always declined. Nor is he averse to profane science. Thus engaged in his studies, he is seen day after day, even in the most wretched weather, traversing the street, with a pair of scales in his hand, weighing out to the purchasers the cheese they might buy of him. Everybody knows him, and everybody respects him, and no one interferes with him."

A JOURNEY.

THE REV. J. Lowitz thus describes a missionary journey, previous to his arrival in Paris, where he is now stationed in the Exhibition :

"I must not defer any longer to give you a brief account of my missionary journey to Laghuat, some three months ago. I left Algiers on the 7th of March, and got to Blidah on the same day. The Jews there were pleased to see me, and ready to listen to the preaching of the Gospel, and to receive tracts. I visited the girl's school, recently opened for the education of Jewish and Protestant children; and I was glad to find it in a very prosperous state. There are now, I hear, sixtythree girls in regular attendance, of whom twentyone are Jewish, and twenty Catholics, and the rest are Protestants. They are all under Gospel teaching, carried on by a pious teacher, under the direction of the Protestant pastor. This school is supported by voluntary subscriptions; and I sincerely trust the Society will give some help. The 8th I reached Medelia, which is a town nicely situated on the Atlas, with a population of 7,000 -800 Europeans, 200 Jews, and the rest all, Arabs. There I proceeded in the usual way of visiting the Jews in their shops and dwellings, speaking to them of Christ, and distributing tracts amongst them. There just happened to be a Jewish marriage in a house I entered, and I had the opportunity of addressing a large number of them together. I gave to some of the most intelligent Jews Hebrew New Testaments, and a