I might eradicate from his heart the love of money and the ambition to become the richest man in the place! This broke the ice, and led to a conversation between the Frenchman and myself. I asked whether he ever read the Bible. He had not, and most likely he had no idea what kind of book it is; and yet he is a well-educated, respectable man. I inquired if he felt any desire to read it. He thought he should like to see a book of which people talk so much. I fetched a small Bible, and begged him to accept it; as also a copy of "Keith on Prophecy." He gave me many thanks, and I think he felt pleased with the Bible. I advised him to read it first, and gave a brief account of its contents. My friend made some remarks that gave me occasion to speak to both for awhile on the importance of seeking truth for its own sake, and when a truth is found to hold fast to it, and not allow worldly considerations to deter them from following their convictions.

The time of mourning and lamentation in Israel is come and gone. Would that the consolations of the Gospel had reached their hearts! They would then no longer mourn over the destruction of a temple that lost all its value after the great sacrifice for sin had been offered, nor for a dispersion that has been fruitful of so much good to the world, although, alas! attended by so many bitter calamities to themselves. During the first nine days of Ab nothing is heard among the Jews in their houses but weeping and lamentation. The expulsion from Spain, and from other Christian nations, is vividly brought to mind. Every other modern calamity is remembered. The Jewesses howl and cry fearfully, particularly those who have lately lost any member of their families. It is very difficult for the missionary to administer consolation. Their sorrow is too deep; their minds are too excited. All he can do is to sympathise in their sorrow, and weep with them for all the sufferings of the nation. The time is coming when Israel's mourning shall be turned into joy and gladness. May it come speedily! Amen.

ALGIERS.

Mr. LowITZ writes, in reply to a request that he would, on account of the financial state of the Society, avoid expenses of travelling:

Your letters of August 21 and September 4 duly reached me, in both of which you desire me to defer my visit into the interior. I must tell you that I was induced to ask you to do so, since you have in a former letter expressed a wish to know whether the Jews in the interior could be reached with the message of the Gospel through those who have been brought to know its saving power. As I saw no likelihood of effecting this through the few converts just now, in consequence of their not being as yet sufficiently instructed and fortified in faith and doctrine, I thought of proposing a visit into the interior myself. Besides, I have had occasion to speak with some Jews from different towns of Algeria, who told me that if I came to their native place they would be glad to hear and to examine the subject of the Messiah; for on their arrival here they are too much occupied with worldly affairs. However, since you inform me that the funds of the Society do not at present permit me to incur any expenses on travelling, I shall postpone my visit to some future time, if it please God. In the meanwhile I am happy to say that I am never at a loss how to employ my time usefully, be it among Jews or others. I have continued during the past month, in dependence upon Divine grace, to pursue my labours as hitherto; for, in spite of this season, which the Jews regard as one of the most solemn seasons in the year, and when they consider it a crime to speak with a missionary on Christianity, at least in

this place, still I have had intercourse with many. I also sold amongst them a dozen copies of the Hebrew Bible, and gave away a few Testaments and tracts, which I hope will be read by them during the feast. As regards my inquirers, I am thankful to say they persevere in coming for instruction almost daily. I was obliged to part with one, a native of —, whom the Jews began to persecute, threatening to deprive him of his subsistence if he continued to visit me. I, therefore, thought it best to send him to recommending him to the care of the London Society's missionary there, in the hope that he will be able to pursue his investigation into Christianity unmolested, and in due time will realise in Jesus the promised Messiah and the Saviour of his precious soul. I have still English divine service on the Lord's-day in the temple for the benefit of the few British workmen who are employed on the line, though the railway is finished, and was opened for the public on the 8th instant. I have likewise a little meeting in my own house on Sunday evenings, with two of my converts, and one or two French Christians, who unite with us in reading and exposition of a chapter in the Bible and prayer for Israel's salvation, which, through the Divine blessing, may prove effectual to our own souls and those of others.

In a letter of recent date, Mr. LowITZ reports:

Since my last report, I am happy to say that I have been able, through the mercy of God, to persevere in the work of faith amongst my brethren of the house of Israel. Besides the usual way of meeting with them, I have had the opportunity of addressing a good many on the all-important subject of our holy faith, at the fair which is held in this place. I was daily at the stall of Mr. --, the colporteur, from Constantine, who came here to sell Bibles and religious books on this occasion; I therefore endeavoured to encourage the Jews to buy from him copies of the Holy Scriptures, and at the same time to engage with them in spiritual conversation. I also gave to some Hebrew and French tracts, and likewise bought a few little books for others, who manifested a great desire for them, but could not probably afford to buy them for themselves. I therefore trust that, with Divine blessing, they will be the means of producing some salutary effect upon their souls. I am sorry to say that I have had but few visits from Jews during the past month. My inquirers, too, have absented themselves for the present; one told me that his family are threatening him with expulsion from their midst if he persist in coming to my house, but I trust that the seed already sown in his heart will not be lost upon him. Knowing, as I do, the hard and trying situation to which inquirers and converts are exposed here, I can easily sympathise with him, and pray that He who began the work in his soul may carry it on in His own way. I must not, however, omit to mention the case of a venerable old Jew, whose acquaintance I have lately made. When I spoke to him of Christianity, he appeared to be deeply affected, even to tears. I asked him whether he had ever read the history of our Saviour, and he told me that he had done so many years ago with the late Mr. ———, of Jerusalem, of whom he spoke in the most respectful and kindly terms, saying that if he had then followed his kind advice, he would have been happier now. I quoted to him the first few verses of the 59th chapter of Isaiah, and of Matthew xi., 29, 30. He afterwards became still more interested in the proofs I advanced of Christ being the true Messiah, the Saviour of sinful men. This seemed to have brought back many things to his memory which he must have heard before. I offered him a New Testament and a tract, but he begged to be excused for not taking it, as his eyes were impaired and weak, but promised to call on me again. May the Lord revive His work in this interesting old man's soul.

JAFFA.

We are thankful to publish the following extracts from letters by Dr. PHILIP:

September 26th, 1862.

According to my last letter, which I wrote to you from Malta, I left by the said steamer, and returned to this on the 4th instant; and, since my arrival here, my duties have been many and various, in the midst of much sickness and death around us, so that I was obliged to miss two mails writing to you since my return. One of my principal patients here is one of the most influential and most learned of all the Jewish rabbies with whom I have met. He has resigned his charge for the purpose of living here in the land of his fathers, where he expects great changes soon to take place. Both himself and his wife were dangerously ill with the Syrian fever, and as they lived in a garden-house, in a low and damp situation, I recommended a change of air; but he could not find a house in town, and as I had a good room above the dispensary, I invited them to take up their abode there, which they did, and now reside there. He is very much esteemed by the Jews here and elsewhere, and my kindness to him has made a most favourable impression on the minds of the Jews here. I am happy to say that both himself and his wife are out of danger now, and I hope to see them soon well again. As the calls which I have to see the patients are so many that I can scarcely sit down with quietness for half an hour, you will excuse the brevity of this.

October 9th.

Since I wrote to you last I have been constantly occupied attending to our poor population here, but especially to our Jews. Innumerable have been the calls for my medical attendance, since my return from Malta. The rabbi, of whom I spoke to you in my last letter, is still upon my sick list; I visit him twice every day, and, after giving him my medical advice, we generally have a conversation upon the great truths of God. I cannot say that there are any symptoms of Divine grace within him; but he is a great man in Israel, the like of which I have met very few : a thorough, though philosophical theologian-a man who seems to have deep convictions of sin, struggling to find out any remedy but Christ. He laments over the sunken condition of the Jews, and more so over those who surround us in Jaffa. We often take our Bibles in our hands, and compare the different passages of prophecies often I have directed his mind to those prophecies respecting the Messiah, showing him how perfectly all has been fulfilled in Christ; and I have every reason to believe that his views of Christ and His religion are now different from what they were before, as he had imbibed them during many years' residence at Rome, where he was chief rabbi. But the veil of Moses is still before him, and shuts out the glorious view of Israel's Messiah and Saviour. With such a man we must hope against hope-praying that God may open the mind and heart of a man, to whom multitudes of Jews look up as their guide and teacher, and upon whom the rise of multitudes of the fallen Israel may depend. I am sorry that I shall have to part with him for some time, as I find it necessary to send him for a change of air to Mount Carmel, having provided him with letters of recommendation to the convent there, as the monks here in the land acknowledge thankfully my kindness for giving them medical attendance when they require it. I have also now two Jewish inquirers labouring at the Model Farm, and as I have two brethren of the London Society's Mission to the Jews of Jerusalem staying with me for a change of air, they do their best to speak with them and preach to them Christ,

whilst I am engaged in my duties in town. Though many are the Jews with whom I have had intercourse of late at the bed of sickness, yet I cannot say that I have to mention any further case of interest. May our Heavenly Father give efficacy to our feeble words, and bring home to the heart of many the truth of Christ which we preach I have not ordered any medicine since the last envoy from Liverpool, but I should feel deeply obliged if any friend would make us a present of a good supply of quinine; I have already bought several bottles this season, and dispensed it all.

I would ask your Committee to take into consideration the establishment of a good school here, for which I am asked almost every day, and I think that there is a good opening for it here, both for boys and girls. Indeed schools, as experience has taught us, is one of the most useful means in missions; and as there is so little progress among the adults, the rising generation seems to be the great hope for future churches in mission stations; it is there where we have the opportunities to infuse the divine truths of the Gospel into the minds of the young, and they are the channels through which we can also reach the parents, with whom otherwise we can have but little intercourse. I would ask a first-class English teacher, and a well-qualified lady, able to give an education as good as in any of the best institutions at home and I have no doubt but that parents here, who now begin to see the advantage of education in both sexes, would be glad to pay a respectable fee.

Mr. COHEN relates:

MARSEILLES.

During this month I have conversed with several of my brethren, and I am happy to say that in two instances I have been enabled to discern a little of the glimmering light of the Gospel of the blessed Jesus in their dark souls, and I have reason to believe that the Word preached has been accompanied with "power from on high." One said:" After a careful investigation of both the Old and New Testaments, I have come to the conclusion, and I am perfectly satisfied that he who rejects Christ not only disbelieves the prophets, but actually rejects that God by whose Spirit the latter have prophesied ; and," he added, "I am almost a Christian." I told him that I was truly happy to see the progress he had made in the right direction since I had the pleasure of seeing him last, but I felt it my duty to tell him that the "almost " would not save him-he must strive to be a Christian altogether. He thanked me, and said, "That is my desire; pray for me." Another, who, after having told me that he had just passed through heavy family trials and bereavements, said, "I cannot tell you how thankful I am to God that these trials did not overtake me a year or two ago, when I knew nothing of the religion of Jesus. I am certain they would have then driven me to despair, but now I can kiss the rod, and am enabled to see in them all God's wonderful dealing with me." He added, "Yes, I have richly deserved all the affliction and trials with which the Lord has been pleased to visit me."

I cannot close this without remarking, that though the Jewish missionary has frequently to sigh and mourn over the determined opposition of those for whose happiness he is labouring, yet amidst it all his heart is overwhelmed with joy and he feels more than recompensed when he hears or sees the least progress in the hearts of those for whose spiritual welfare he is labouring. May the Lord enable us to "work while it is day!"

NUREMBERG.

Mr. JAFFE has taken a journey for five weeks, in company with a brothermissionary, and has realised the truth of two being better than one, according to the first Christian Mission:

The reception every where given us was a frank and open one, though occasionally attended by strong outbursts of human passions and feelings, which were, however, in most cases, overruled for good. As to the religious condition of the majority of those with whom we came in contact, I must own, with grief and sorrow of heart, that we nearly everywhere found, to a larger or less extent, the principles of infidelity to be predominant; a worldly, selfish spirit actuating the largest portion of them, and a want of earnestness and concern in religious matters discernable in all. So great is their indifference that a very respectable rabbi, to whom we had been trying to prove the true Messiahship of Jesus, openly declared, that if he is to take the prophecies in the same sense in which we view them, that he would a thousand times rather deny the whole inspiration of Scripture than consent to the interpretation which we attach to them. We have called upon that rabbi several times afterwards, but he either could or would not be seen.

Quite different to this was the experience we made with a Jewish professor, president over a large training establishment, whom we visited. His cordial reception and unreserved manners highly encouraged and animated us in our object. He showed himself quite willing to enter into conversation with us, expressed his views frankly on this and that point, and allowed that the Word of God alone ought to be the standard of our faith. His belief with reference to a personal Messiah was, nevertheless, exceedingly confused and indistinct; he could not see in Christ the atoning Lamb, the Deliverer from guilt and condemnation; yet he owned that they may be in error on many doctrinal points, and believed the time fast hastening on when the glorious truths of the Bible will be received and acknowledged by all. After a two hours' conversation we parted, mutually glad and pleased with the interview we had had.

A number of teachers whom we visited we found more or less infected with the poison of infidelity; but to their praise be it said, that most of them showed a very healthy disposition, and a mind ready to acknowledge when they were in the wrong and we in the right.

From Mr. GOTTHEIL :

WURTEMBURG.

When I was still in Bavaria, some ten years ago, I made the acquaintance of a clergyman, pastor of one of the parishes in Lower Franconia, with whom I conversed a good deal on the subject of Israel's redemption. Yesterday I quite unexpectedly received a letter from him, in which he reminds me of our conversations, and tells me that the subject has ever since deeply engaged his thoughts, that he has of late written an appeal to the Jews on the subject of Christianity, of which he sends a copy. Furthermore he informs mc-such is his sense of the importance of the work, that he is resolved to leave his parish duties for awhile (with the consent of his superiors, of course), and devote himself to the work of preaching the Gospel among the Jews, and he asks me to point out to him a locality where he might take up his abode with advantage to the cause, and whence, at the same time, he might now and then work in conjunction with mc. It is a simple matter of love to souls with him, and he asks for no remuneration. I shall not lose sight of him, but correspond with him on the subject. Here is a fruit of our work, many years after we think it has been in vain!