bosheth's cause. He was, soon afterwards, murdered by two Benjamites, who carried his head to David, in hopes of a reward. David put the murderers to death, and "took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner, in Hebron."

And now David was made undisputed king over Israel. All the tribes came unto him at Hebron, and spake, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and king David made a league with them in Hebron, before the Lord."

This league, or covenant, had reference to the mutual duties of king and people. When Saul was chosen king, Samuel wrote, "the manner of the kingdom," in a book, " and laid it up before the Lord." David now, on his accession to the throne, was called upon to respect the constitution of the kingdom, and to govern according to its established laws. All these preliminaries settled, David was anointed king over Israel : "David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.”

Now there was in the tribe of Judah a city called Jebus (which is Jerusalem). This city was strong, and it had been held by the Jebusites, the old inhabitants of the land, from the days of Joshua: the Israelites had never been

able to drive them out. David's first exploit, after he was made king of Israel, was to go against this stronghold. The city stood upon three hills, Mount Zion, Mount Akra, and Mount Moriah; and was surrounded by deep valleys and water-courses, beyond which rose circling hills. David took Zion, upon which was a castle, and made it his own city, "the city of David." He fortified the place, and he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. From that day, JERUSALEM became the capital city of the land. And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David an house." "And David went on and grew great; and the Lord God of hosts was with him."

SELIGMANN; OR THE LEAVEN OF THE GOSPEL IN A JEWISH FAMILY.

(Continued from page 41.)

We must refer our readers to the deeply interesting little volume from which we have taken the foregoing parts of this encouraging narrative, for the full recital of all the recorded dealings of Divine mercy with this favoured Jewish family.

A few extracts more from its pages are all that we can insert.

"When this happy little party came in the course of their reading to Matt. xvi. 24, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," they at once recognized in these words of our Lord a call to

themselves, not to rest satisfied with a secret belief in him, but to confess him openly before men in the rite of baptism, and thus to take up their cross and follow him. Seligmann at length resolved upon the decisive step. He asked his eldest sister whether she would consent to be baptized with him; and on her saying that she had desired it for a long time, they went to their father and told him, representing to him, the duty of those who had ascertained which was the right road, to walk in the same. They declared their resolution openly to embrace Christianity by the Sacrament of Baptism, as their conviction was so strong that they could not conscientiously act otherwise. The documents from which our narrative is gathered, do not inform us how this declaration was received by the father, but they state that Seligmann went the same day (June 24, 1824) to the Rev. Mr. Heinrich's, and told him of his own and his sister's desire to be instructed by him. The clergyman promised to do this as soon as his time would permit; but on the following day he sent for them, and told them that he felt himself constrained to comply with their request without delay.

Although Seligmann's conversion was gradual, and he had not first to be rescued from the depths of gross sins, he nevertheless recognised the difference between the past and the present, and acknowledged that he had been living far from God, without Christ in the world; that hence he was subject to the curse of the law, but he had now found a Saviour in Jesus, and, through faith in him, could live by grace. He once forcibly illustrated the change that had taken place in his heart by a lively picture of the phenomena of

nature. "I was sitting, on a sultry summer's day, under a turpentine-tree, lost in reflections about God, his Word, and commandments, and about man and the works of his hand. Suddenly a storm arose. The lightning flashed, and heavy peals of thunder rent the air; it was as though the heavens above were about to overwhelm me. I fell on my face in terror, and, in trembling agony, and alarm, I cried out, God, be merciful to me a sinner!' The thunders ceased, the lightnings no longer flashed through the sky, the clouds divided, and Jesus Christ, full of grace and mercy, spoke from above, in accents of tenderness, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.' I lifted myself up from the earth, and stood like a new creature."

At another time he compared himself to the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. (John v.) He said, that he too had lain a long time as a sick man, and earnestly desired help, but he had not the power to reach the fountain of mercy, nor was there any man who could help him to be made whole. At length Jesus Christ came and loosened the bands of his infirmity, healed and lifted him up, that he might walk in newness of life.

(To be continued.)

OBJECT AND OPERATIONS OF THE LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONGST THE JEWS.

1. OBJECT.

THE OBJECT of this Society is, to make known the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."-MARK xvi. 15.

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And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."-LUKE xxiv. 47.

"I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds saith the Lord, because they call thee an outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after."-JER. Xxx. 17.

There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."-Roм. x. 12.

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."-Rom. i. 16.-Roм. xi, 12-15.

II. MEANS.

THE MEANS used by this Society are the following:

1. The Holy Scriptures in Hebrew are circulated extensively among the Jews. The Society has published two editions of the Hebrew Bible. Previously it was not within the reach of the great body of the Jews.

The New Testament has also been carefully translated into Hebrew, and the Gospel has thus been, for the first time, presented to the Jews in the language of the Law and the Prophets.

Portions of the Holy Scriptures have been published in English, German, Dutch, JudeoPolish, Judeo-Spanish, and Syriac.

2. The Liturgy of the Church of England has been carefully translated into Hebrew; and many of the Jews have expressed themselves delighted