The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-28 00:00:00

THE

Iwith them in the opposition. In this conflict between light and
darknesq, misrepresenta,ion— that familiar weapon of " the God
of this world''—has not been spared. A report has been spread,
w. nd Genii;es, that our missionary gets a
'5O for ere, r Jewish baptism. This report is exten—

the moi

s veld ebev ', and, of ereirse, operates most injuriously upon
the mind of the too credulous Jew. Your committee notice
these things whir mingled feelings of regret and satisfaction—
regret that those whom we sincerely love, and whose best
interests we are, for the Redemer's sake, so anxious to promote,
should be induced to make use of such unworthy weapons
in opposition to the truth ; and of swisfaction, because we
cannot but see in these efforts of the adversary, an indication
that he trembles for his kingdom. We feel thankful, too,
for the grace • vouchsafed to our beloved missionary ; for the
exalted standard of Christian character which he is enabled to
maintain ; and for the persevering—though in a secular point
of view, ill-requited " work and labour of love ;" in which,
" through evil report, and good report," lie has been so
graciously sustained. During the past year our missionary,
aided by his intelligent and willing Scripture Reader, has
come into contact with upwards of 401) individuals. The
Hebrew and German services have been attended by 141
different parties, and the aggregate attendance has amounted to
upwards of 620. Among these, there have been 38 enquirers,
and including one which took place as late as last Friday
evening. there have been five baptisms ; a number small in
itself, and no doubt .in the eyes of the "men of this world"
very insignificant; but which, in the estimation of those who
are acquainted with the difficulties which are opposed to really
honest and spiritual labours among modern Jews, is by no
means discouraging; while, to those who know the
value of our immortal soul, it supplies an abundant
cause at once for lively gratitude and earnest prayer. " May
God bless this little flock," may he deepen in them whatever
convictions they have received, strengthen and confirm in them
the faith which he has bestowed, give them grace to endure
with patience whatever afflictions they may have to undergo
for the Gospel's sake, and make them to abound in the comfort
of that blessed hope, even to the glorious appearing of Him
who is the great God and our Saviour—Jesus Christ. in
regard to the condition of our local auxiliary, the committee
are thankful to have a comparatively favourable report to give.
There has been a small increase•in the income of the society,
as well in that derived from the congrational associations as in
that arising from subscriptions paid directly to the treasurer—
a mode of aiding this great cause which your committee most
earnestly commend to those friends of Israel who may not have
the advantage of a congregational association connected with
the church at which they attend. The whole amount collected
last year is £783 2s. 94d., being rather more than an average
income, and exceeding that of the previous year by £42 6s 2d.
A small sum this to be contributed by the church in such a
town as Liverpool,'for the conversion of a people who are
brought so much into commercial intercourse with ourselves as
are the Jews; an amount which, as your committee cannot
but think, indicates a sad want of zeal in the
cause of the Gospel, or else of an enlightened judg-
ment regarding the claims of this particular department
of the work of God. But, while deeply feeling the insignifi-
cance of this, even when compared with the momentous nature
of the interests involved, and with the hours which are daily
squandered in luxury and vice around us, we feel it to be a
subject of matter for thoughtfulness, that, notwithstanding the
prevailing ignorance and indifference, so much has been con—
tributed for the promotion of Christianity amongst the ancient
people of God. lie who has inclined the hearts of some of his
dear cliiidrea to seek the welfare of Israel, even done by little
or by much, as seemeth to Him good, and the little which is
brought to Him to bless shall certainly accomplish the purpose of
his glace, and feed the fainting souls on whom lie has compassion.
Your committee feel that it does not belong to then, to plead
with you on behalf of this cause, but rather to put you in
possession of these Lets which came within their province and
report. t e they cannot conclude their annual statement,
without expressing their unabated sense of the great intcrest
and deep impOrance of the work in which this society is
seed. I. work ehich appeals to so many of the highest and
t eteithisers of the Christian heart, and the progress of
en ie so rtimateiv connected with the welfare of the world
A. a time like 'his, in which the claims on Christian
re multiplyng almost daily. and at a rate far

hrrtev.'lr❑

execedir

the increase in the number of those who are likely
to sympathise with and to support them, we cannot conceal
from ourselves the danger which arises to those institutions
which are already established, and which have not the excite•
ment of reality upon their side ; but we trust there are some
who, while their hearts are large enough to embrace every
legitimate object of benevolence, will not, on that account,

allow their affection for an old friend to grow old.
We speak advisedly, yet earnestly, whe❑ we say that there is
no clas of our fellow men who have stronger claims upon the
evaogeliral labours of the Church of elitist than have " the

lost slis,-p or Israel." Whatever may be the claims atising
from ignorance, or from any other characteristic of fallen
humanity which can be pleaded upon behalf of any of the
families of the Gentiles, the same may be, with at least equal
force, asserted for the Jews. And, in addition to those claims
which " are common to men, there is one, at least, peculiar to
the Jewish people,
.which a sense of gratitude as well as of
mercy renders it impossible for the Christian to ignore. Their
debtors we are," A prominent principle in the economy of
Divine mercy —a principle which presses itself upon our obser-
vation, whether we contemplate the past, the present, or the
future, is thus—THE GENTILE A DEBTOR TO THE. JEW.
Do we take the retrospect of the past, and recal the time when
we were Gentiles in the flesh, aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world, and can we forget that for
all which we hold dear in time and eternity, we are indebted
to the Jew—to Jewish wisdom, Jewish line, and Jewish
labour ? Again, when we contemplate the present, and behold
them in the same position as that in which we once stood, and
from which their venerable fathefs rescued us—those once so
" nigh," now " far off,"—so th2re rests here, too, a most
affecting claim upon our interest and gratitude ; for, on the one
hand, " they are enemies for our sakes," and, on the other,
" the spiritual things" which we Gentiles are " made partakers
of" are " theirs." And when, from the history of the past and
the facts of the present, we look forward to the no less certain
because predicted gloties of the future, we find the same
principle as prominent as ever, and still more bless:Air illus-
trated. and more extensively applied ; for if the casting away
of them has been the reconciling of the world, what shall the
reclining of them be, but life from the dead ? And shall we
not recognise this three-fold claim upon our gratitude, as well
as on our mercy? When we drink refreshment from Siloah's
powerful stream, and remember that its living fountain first
gushed forth to light upon the mountains of Israel—that thence
its healing waters have flowed to earth's remotest boundaries,
and that thither they must return once more, in older that

they may again break forth to the right hand and to the left, to
comfort and ref,esh the nations—can we refrain from
the weary and thirsty exiles from that
o participate in our happiness, and
share with us the cup.of joy, which sparkles with the gladness
of their native hills ? Whatever, then, may be the urgency,
and whatever the number of other claims upon the sympathy
and affection of the Christian's heart—and such claims are
numerous, and urgent too—lot him never forget the dearest
recollections of the past; the happiest enjoyment of the present,
and the minutest anticipations of the future—all combine to
testify, that the Gentile is under the deepest obligation to the
Jew.
The follow irg were the collections on Sunday : _

inviting
hallowed FUil

s d.
St. Bride's
St. Mary's, Edge-hill „
Wavertree
St. Paul's Priuces-park
Chri t. r2,%ureb, Everton
St. Thotuas's, Seaforth
St. Jude's
St. mark's
St. Tchn'a
St. L ke's 7 1 0

The n't.. Mr. Bilks came forward to propose the first
re,olotioo, which was, that the report and statement of
accounts ktst read be adopted, printed, and circulated
among the society. He said be felt a very great amount of
responsibility in addressing an assembly like that—a meeting
held in one of the first towns of the empire, and in the first
seaport of the world—but he did not shrink from that
responsibility, because he believed that it was on a subject
which claimed the first of subjects connected with Christian
benevol. nee. It might appear extravagant on his part to
make such a statement, yet, notwithstanding that, he had
not made that statement hurriedly, or -without thinking of
its imrortance, for he really did think that the claims of
their a;,cient brotherhood had the greatest claim possibly
upon their attention. He would not attempt to deny there
were other claims pressing upon the attention of Christians.
There might be claims that come closer home to the heart
of Christians, but none could have a greater claim than
that of the Jews. The Jews should have their serious con-
sideration. To devote their attention to doing their duty
as Christians at home was not sufficient; they
must look to others. The first was self-love ; but
there were other claims than them. He believed that the
subject of the mission amongst the Jews was the
oentral subject for all consideration, and when they were
promoting the spread of the Gospel amongst that ancient
people of God, they were performing a Christian duty—as.
it was the keystone to all the difficulties with which they
were surrounded, in political, ecclesiastical, and a scriptural
hemisphere of the present age, and a guiding star for
them to act by. He would state a few reasons that had
lead to that belief First, with regard to the political
appearances and agitations of the present time. This was
the first time they had been appealed to in the time of
peace—since the war broke out, and peace has been pro-
claimed—since the earth has been shook with the thun-
der of wars, and after much blood had been shed. He
then stood before them in a time of peace, and they had
been triumphant over the enemies of the earth. He
conceived that the late wars would be the cause of bring-
ing the nations of the E.st more closely in connection
with this and other Christian countries of the world, and
that the Word of God would by it be fulfilled, and that
they would hear a voice crying from Asia unto Europe—, s
the voice dui from Macedonia, baying, Come forth and h‘ to
us." He conceived that a voice would yet be heard, 1.• 0 !
come forth, and help us." He would repeat that t, e
spread of the Gospel among the Jews was a point on wLi,.h
they should centre their attention ; and, ultimately, the
result would be, that they would be exalted
among the people of the earth. Having dwelt