The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-24 00:00:00

THE FREE CHURCH.-MONDAY.

The Assembly met at twelve o'clock, and after prayer
and praise, and some preliminary proceedings, Mr.
M. STEWART read a report of the proceedings during
the last year for the conversion of the Jews. The report
stated that, at Pesth especially, there was a great thirst
manifested for Christian knowledge, and every prospect
of the Church's missionaries becoming still more suc-
cessful in their labour of conversion. At Jassy, also,
the labours of Mr. Edwards had been most successful,
several interesting communications to that effect having
lately been received from him. Great hopes were enter-
tained that Damascus would become a most important
station. In regard to Constantinople, the report stated
that it had not yet been determined whether Mr. C.
Schwartz should be sent back to this station; however,
fifty or sixty converted Jews continued to meet three
times a-week. The report then referred to the state of
the funds, the collections for which, during the past
year, amounted to 4,548/., and concluded by noticing
the great loss which the scheme had experienced by the
death of Mr. M'Cheyne of Dundee, and Mr. Wodrow
of Glasgow.
Professor DUNCAN wished to make a few remarks in
reference to the qualification of young men to be mis-
sionaries to the House of Israel. What he had hypo-
thetically laid down on this matter at a former occasion,
had had the effect of deterring young men from coming
forward, thinking that those qualifications which he re-
commended were higher than they possessed or could
easily attain. While he thought that there was no
ground for entertaining either of these opinions, he also
admitted that Jewish learning was by no means neces-
sary in order to make useful labourers among the Jews.
Such learning, however, was of great importance, inas-
much as it secured more personal esteem and influence
to the missionary. He then referred to the great ob-
stacle which the missionaries had to encounter in re-
spect of the conduct of those professing Christianity.
It was a favourite argument among the Jews to point to
the behaviour of Christians, and ask how they
could be expected to leave their religion which was so
moral in its results, and adopt a religion the professors
of which were so immoral. He admitted the truth and
justness of the argument, and hoped that it would be re-
futed by Christians taking care that their walk and con-
versation was becoming the Gospel. Taking that view
of the matter, he considered the great revival now taking
place in this country, and which was to come under the
consideration of the Assembly—was a most important
movement in favour of the conversion of the Jews, and
he confidently expected that it would be zealously pro-
secuted at home, and prove a great assistance to the la-
bours of the Church abroad. The Learned Doctor con-
cluded by calling upon Mr. Schwartz to address the As-
sembly.
Mr. SCHWARTZ, who is himself a Jew, accordingly
came forward and addressed the Assembly at some
length, corroborating the statements of Dr. Duncan.
He dwelt chiefly on the character which Christians bore
of being drunkards, swearers, &c., which caused the
Jews to consider them as bad, if not worse, than
_Roman
Catholics, or those belonging to the Greek Church, and
concluded by adverting to the many temptations and
difficulties to which missionaries were subjected.
13nowN, of Aberdeen, moved the adoption.of the
report, which was seconded by Dr. WILSON, of Bomba
and the motion was agreed to. . ),
The Assembly, after retiring for refreshment, mei in
I the evening, when Dr. CUNNINGHAM gave a report of