endeavoured to get him employment in Leadenhall market, where it was no sooner discovered that he was a Jew, than every man in his own trade refused to work with him. A second effort was made to procure him employment in another line of business, and on proposing to bind him apprentice, all the men in the employ declared they would quit their master if he took a Jew as an apprentice." Thus, on the one hand, the Jews persecuted the inquirer, because he sought to know the truth; and on the other, the Gentiles, professing to be Christians, refused to work with him because he was a Jew.

On these accounts, it was determined to establish a house of industry, in which some kind of handicraft or manufactory might be carried on, by which these poor people could earn their daily bread. To accomplish this, a separate fund, called "the building fund," was commenced, and subscriptions were earnestly entreated for it, that this most necessary object might be accomplished. It was also determined that subscribers of twenty guineas at one time should be Governors of the Society; half of their subscription was to be paid to the building fund.

The encouragements which it pleased God to grant to the Society, were, notwithstanding their many trials, sufficient to strengthen their hands and gladden their hearts. The number of children under their care, amounted now to forty-four. Many copies of the Scripture, in the German and Portuguese languages, were distributed, and several Jews were received by baptism into the Church of Christ. The Committee thus expressed the grateful feelings of their hearts: "They cannot refrain from making a few observations upon

the remarkable events which took place on the 13th instant,* in the sight of many hundred persons: they allude to the baptism of several persons of the house of Israel, as the sign of their public avowal of their faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

66

Since the days of the Apostles, there is no account on record of so many Jews, on one day, making a voluntary public profession of faith in the crucified Redeemer. Well may it be said: Blessed are your eyes; for they see.' Christians! in the spectacle of yesterday, exhibited by twenty-four children and sons of Abraham, putting on Christ, behold the great wave sheaf, waved before the altar as the first fruits of our

Lord's spiritual harvest. Hear ye His words: Say not, there are yet appointed times, and then cometh the harvest: Behold, I say unto you; lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to the harvest:' and although one may sow and another may reap, yet, He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together.'"

NATHAN, OR THE POWER OF LOVE AND TRUTH.

In last year's volume, we presented our readers with a series of extracts from "Seligmann, or the Leaven of the Gospel in a Jewish Family." The small volume which contains that true history,

* June, 1810.

contains also another equally true and interesting, whose title stands at the head of this paper. The author of the two memoirs, himself a Jewish convert, and a faithful and long-tried labourer in the missionary field, in a brief introduction says, "I was relating a story to a dear child, a short time since, and when I had finished he exclaimed, What a beautiful story! but is it true?' I was happy to be able to reply in the affirmative, but added, "Supposing that the story were not true, what then?' It would not be so beautiful,' was the answer.

66

6

Though the following narratives may not be richly adorned or embellished, yet I rejoice to say they are true; not merely historically true; but they set before us in living examples, the power of eternal truth.”

"Towards the close of the last century a respectable and opulent man, kept a retired inn in a secluded part of the village of M- in H Though wealthy, and possessed of an abundance of earthly goods, one care pressed heavily upon his heart. His son, who ought to have been the joy and comfort of his life, was wild and dissolute, and set at defiance the commandments both of God and man. One day the innkeeper having occasion to purchase stock and provisions, went with his servants to the neighbouring town, leaving his son in sole charge of the house. Towards evening, an aged sickly Jew, named Eleazer, who needed rest and refreshment, turned aside into the lonely inn: he asked for a little straw, in order to repose his weary limbs and strengthen himself to pursue his

* Introduction to Seligmann and Nathan, published by Wertheim and Macintosh, 24, Paternoster-row.

toilsome journey. The venerable man lay down and slumbered peacefully, little thinking of what awaited him. The young innkeeper looked at the aged Israelite lying in unconscious slumber. 'I dare say the old Jew has plenty of money about him,' was the first suspicion that crossed his mind. Wicked thoughts were now awakened in his breast; and instead of manfully resisting these evil suggestions, he suffered himself to parley with the tempter. Suspicion was quickly followed by covetousness; and he said to himself, Would that, that money were mine!' And no sooner was the thought conceived, than he ventured to approach nearer and nearer, and, looking yet more eagerly at the pockets of the infirm Eleazer, lust was strengthened and brought forth most deadly fruit-one of the blackest deeds that the mind of man can conceive: this infatuated sinner not only robbed his unsuspecting guest of his money, but also attempted to take away his life by stabbing, him in several places with a knife.

"He thought that Eleazer was dead; and after taking off a ring from his finger, he dragged him: out of the room and threw him upon a dry dunghill behind the house, intending as soon as possible to secrete the corpse of the murdered

man.

66

After having accomplished this infamous deed, the youthful criminal returned to the parlour, but he could not rest; horror and dread fell upon him; he rushed out of the house like a distracted man, and hurried away from the scene of his crime, as though he could by this means silence his upbraiding conscience, and hide himself from the allseeing eye of God. He thought not of the wounded man, lying exposed to view, nor yet of

the empty inn; he hastened onward, resolved if possible to escape to the sea-shore, which was about a day's journey from the village, to go on board some vessel, and thus avoid the just doom of a murderer. In his flight through a wood he encountered a young Jew who had sunk into a deep sleep by the roadside. Instead of shuddering at this sight, and being induced to return and to confess his crime, this wicked youth resolved upon another diabolical plan; he determined to shift his foul crime from himself upon the young Jew with whom he had thus unexpectedly met. He went up softly to the sleeper, and drawing the blood-stained knife from his pocket, placed it carefully in that of the innocent Israelite.

"This second crime served only still more to harden his conscience; he fancied that he was now quite out of danger, and continued his journey, if not at peace, yet in security, towards the seaport of P. He succeeded in reaching it, and for a time it seemed as if the justice of God had not been offended by him, and as if his double crime was to remain undiscovered and unsuspected.

"The daughter of the innkeeper, at whose house he put up, was much struck with his fine figure and handsome countenance. She conceived a strong liking for him, and after a short time received her father's consent to become his wife. His earthly happiness now seemed secured to him; he had found a home, was much beloved, and soon became a partner in the house of his father-in-law.

66

We will now leave him for a time, to enjoy his apparent happiness, for it was indeed but apparent; he could find no peace to his troubled conscience, but was in continual fear lest his cvil