The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-10-23 00:00:00

not, the mind of God. Some persons appeal to tradition,
but tradition is too uncertain to give real rest to an in-
quiring mind. Some appeal to antiquity, but the unin-
spired writers of antiquity differ from one another as
widely as modern writers do. To what then can we appeal
with confidence ? I answer, to the gospel in Mosaic, as
inlaid by the finger of God.—(Cheers.) Any interpretation
of the New Testament which will not bear comparison
with this Divine Model, must be so far erroneous.—(Hear,
hear.) For example. Some men advocate what they
call a reasonable Christianity divested of all mysteries,
especially divested of the doctrine of vicarious sacrifice.
They can see no reasonable connexionbetween the shedding
of blood and the pardon of sin, and therefore they reject
what some among them have ventured to call the ghastly
dogma from their philosophical religion. Now, instead
of replying to them on general principles, or being dis-
turbed by such arguments, however plausible, we fall bask
upon the divine pattern of truth ; and finding there, that
" without shedding of blood there' was no remission of
sin," we are fortified in the great truth, with all the sober
assurance of having the revelation of God on our side.
The application of this argument and this test, might be
extended to many roost interesting particulars, but I must
forbear, and proceed to the next general aspect of the Jewish
subject. It is an historical subject. And herein it is not
merely an obsolete relict of facts, but an instructive store
house of tranferable and unchanging principles. We call it
sacred history, not because the events recorded were more
immediately under the divine direction than other events :
for events in the history of all nations, are equally under
the management and guidance of Almighty God ; but it
is sacred history to us, because it is accompanied by in-
spired comments, pointing out the philosophy of the his-
tory. The language of God by the prophets directs our
attention to the principles involved in the narrative, the
principles of the divine government under which the facts
took place, whether those facts referred directly and ex-
clusively to the Jews themselves, or whether they included
the surrounding nations, by means of whom God carried
on his .discipline over the Jews, and manifested his
sovereignty over all. In the history of the nations of the
earth, the human agents change, one generation after
another of mankind passeth away, but the divine agent
chanzeth not. He is the same yesterday semi to day, for
ever ; and the principles of his moral government are like
himself. The same righteousness, the same long suffering
patience, the same merciful and loving forbearance, the
same retribution, which characterise the Divine dealings
with the Am-rites and the Assyrians, and the Chaldeans.
and the Israelites of old, are at this moment the charac-
teristics of his dealings with ourselves, and with all the
notions around us. Idolatry did, and does, incur his
righteous anger, especially where practised by those who
possess. but disregard, his revealed truth. It was more in-
tolerable in Israel than in Sodom. Sabbath breaking (lid,
and does, incur his righteous anger, especially when
practised by those to whom he has given his holy
Sabbaths, to be signs between him and them, whe-
ther they will obey him.—(Applause.) It was more aggra-
vating in Capernaum than in Tyre and Sidon. His anger
was, and is, manifested by pestilence and by famine, and
by wars. Thus, the historical branch of our subject is a
glass, in which we and our statesmen, while we read what
God has done, may, if we will, read what he is doing,
and what he will do. No language can exaggerate the
importance of this when attended to, or the awful aggra-
vation of responsibility incurred by neglecting it. I will
not attempt, at present, any illustration of this, or appli-
cation to facts around us, but proceed to the third general
aspect of the Jewish subject. It is a missionary subject.
And here we fall in with the direct objects of our society,
which is, as I have already noticed, a missionary society.
However, our interest may be excited, and our minds en-
gaged, by the typical and historical branches of the sub-
iect, it is to the missionary branch that we are invited to
put to our hands. The duty i' plain, for the Lord's com-
mandment is plain. In his commandment to preach the
gospel to every creature, the Jews are certainly included ;
and on this ground alone, independent of anything pecu-
liar to them as Jews, they cannot be omitted or neglected
in the labours of Christian missions. On this ground
alone you might he appealed to, to give your countenance
and support to this society ; and if there be any persons
who cannot agree in our advocacy of this cause except in
this one point, let this one point suffice for unity of action.
No man, by joining and co-operating with this society,
pledges himself to any special opinions concerning types,
or history, or prophecy : he only pledges himself to this,
that it is a Christian duty to endeavour to promote Chris-
tianity amongst the Jews.—(Cheers.) Itis true, indeed, that
under this view only, a mission to the Jews will probably be
estimated as comparatively insignificant, seeing that while
there are hut about six millions of Jews in the work,
there are above six hundred millions of heathen. Still,
if even so it be, as it may be, and has been, cordially
joined, if a man with no other view of the subject than
this, co-operate with us. subscribing to the society, col-
lecting for it, interesting friends in it, speaking for it, and
preaching for it, we therein do rejoice, yea and will rejoice.
The arty is urgent, because the state of the Jaws is des-
perate. St. Paul describes their state by that one fearful
word—" unbelief," and says that •` wrath is come upon
them to the uttermost." How then can we view them in
the light of the gospel ? There may be exceptions. There
may be persons who are called Jews, but who do not re-
ject with scorn and cursing the name of Jesus of Naza-
reth. But looking upon Jews, as Jews, and supposing
them to be indeed what they say they are, unbaptised and
unbelievers, surely our Lord's language is enough to
make our hearts tremble for them, and to engage
us heartily in his mission,—" Go," • said he, " and
preach the gospel to every creature, and he that elieveth
and is baptised, shell be saved." Can this be applied
to any Jew ? Is he a believer of the gcspel ? Is he
baptised ? The Saviour added, and we dare not with-
hold it—" He that belicveth not, shall be damned."
The duty is primary; because the Saviour, in command.
ing the preaching of the gospel among all nations, said,
" beginning at Jerusalem" ; and the sacred narrative
shews with all distinctness the interpretation which the
Apostles, even the Apostle to the Gentiles, put upon that
command. The gospel of the circumcision, or the preach-
ing of the gospel to the Jews, was specially entrusted to St.
Peter, as the gospel of the uncircumcision was to St. Paul.
On the strength of this division of labour, St. Paul might
heve confined his labours to the Gentiles, but he did not
do so. On the contrary, wherever he went he preached
the Gospel "to the Jew first, and afterwards to the
Gentile." When the Jews at Antioch fiercely rejected
his message, he said to them,—" it was necessary that
the Word of God should first have been spoken to you:
but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves un-
worthy of everlasting life, 10, we turn to the Gentiles."
Yet when he left that city, and went to Iconium, he began
again with the Jews. So he did at Thessalonica, and at
Berea, and at Corinth, and in his hired lodging at Rome.
This is precisely the work in which our society is engaged.
It goes to the Jew first. It has undertaken ' the gospel
of the circumcision," as other societies have undertaken
the gospel of the uncircumcision. The agents of this
society go the Jews, and reason with them out of their
own Scriptures, " opening and alleging," opening the
true meaning of Moses and the prophets, and alleging,
on their authority, that Messiah, in conformity with what
was written of him, must suffer unto death, and rise again
from the dead, and that Jesus of Nazareth, whom we
preach, is indeed the Messiah. The agents of this society,
moreover, have schools, in which the children of Jewish
parents are instructed in Christianity, as it is set forth in
the articles and formularies of our church. We thus en-
deavour to promote Christianity amongst the Jews, and
in so doing we meet with many very interesting cases.
You will, I doubt not, hear of some of these, in their
instructive details, from our valued friends who compose
the deputation. My lord, I have had many conversations,
of most lively interest, with inquiring Jews, both in this
town and in London, and the chief objection which they
have urged, I hope sincerely, certainly intelligently, was,
that so many things predicted concerning Messiah have
not been fulfilled in Jesus. They have said to me, " How
can we believe that Messiah has come ? Israel is still
scatt red. The land of Israel is still in the hands of
Gentiles. The kingdom is not restored to Israel. There
is no king on the throne of David. There is no priest at
Jerusalem." My answer has been in the language of the
apostle, "We see not yet all things put under him. We
see Jesus made a little lower than the angels, for the
suffering of death," according to the types of the law and
the language of the prophets : we see Jesus raised from
the dead and crowned with glory and honour in his
ascension to heaven, according to the language of the
psalmist, and the type of the High Priest going in behind
the veil : but we see not yet all things put under him,
Remember what Solomon said, "To every thing there is
a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."
Thus it is, my lord, that in the missionary part of our
work with the Jews we are from time to time compelled
to feel that the Jewish subject is a prophetical subject,
and that we cannot, if we would, refrain from the dis-
cussion. This is the last point on which I designed a few
observations, and they shall be brief. It is a prophetical
subject. The Jewish history supplies most remarkable
examples of the fulfilment of prophecy. The siege and
destruction of their city, the dispersion of the people
who survived, their scattered conditiqn among the
nations, their continued separation from every surround-
ing element, their preservation as a people without
a country, without a king, without a priesthood, without
the possibility of exercising their old religion,--these
and kindred features in their case to this very day, where
compared with the volume of prophecy, constitutes stand-
ing miracle; and 1 know nothing in the shape of external
evidence, at all so arresting and so unrefutable as this, for
the truth of revelation. Here again we shall see how the
Jewish people, even in their dispersion, are, to the
honour and praise of God, for now again, the Christian
Church is driven, nod will be more and more desperately
driven to contend for the truth of revelation itself; and
to whom upon earth can we turn for such evidence of its
truth, as to the Jews ? 3ut further, the Jewish history
is not finished. All that is written in holy scripture con-
cerning them is not yet fulfilled. Much of it indeed is
fulfilled, and the clearness and precision wherewith
a part has come to pass, confirm us in the confident
expectation that with like clearness and precision,
all the remainder will come to pass. This is eminently
true with reference to their king. Much that was pre-
dicted for Messiah to do, Jesus did; so much and so
plainly, that he could appeal to his works, as compared
with the prophecies, to prove who he was. In answer to
the question, "art. Thou he that should come, or do we
look for another ?" He said, " The blind receive their
sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the
deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the
gospel preached to them ; and blessed is he whosoever
shall not be offended in mc." The disdiples were con-
vinced. They knew lie was Messiah. They confessed
him as such, and he approved of their confession. They
consequently and most naturally expected that he would
proceed to do other things which had been predicted ; that
be would restore the kingdom to Israel, When he was
put to death, they were dismayed. What, after all, was
he not the Messiah, and had they been deceived ? When
he arose from the dead and chewed himself alive to them,
their hopes revived. All might now proceed according to
toe prophecies. It is evident their patience. was excited,
for they then asked him with eagerness, " Wilt thou at

this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? In reply,
he told them, it was not for themeo know the times or
seasons; but he left them in expectlimn of the thing it-
self. He gave no intimation that they were expecting a
wrong thing, though he made it sufficiently plain that
they were wrong about the time. When he left them. as-
cending up to heaven, and disappearing from them in the
clouds, they were utterly confounded. What ! gone ! and
so much still undone, so many prophecies still unfulfilled;
Jerusalem a reproach instead of a praise in the earth, and -
the throne of David fallen under foreign gentile dominion,
instead of being occupied by the long-looked for and
plainly predicted King ! Is it possible we have been mis-
taken ? So much done that we could not doubt he was
Messiah ; yet so much undone that now we cannot believel
We gaze in astonishment and perplexity. To this painful
state of mind it pleased God to give instant relief by the
ministration of aneels, who appeared at the moment, and
said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven ; this same Jesus whom ye have seen go into hea-
ven, shall so come, in like manner as ye have seen him
go." This was pointedly to the purpose. It admitted
that there was much undone which Messiah was to do,
and that their astonishment and perplexity would be most
reasonable on the supposition that Jesus was gone for
ever. But not so. He had accomplished a part of what
was predicted of him, and was gone away for a time.. But
" for everything there is a season, and a time for every
purpose under heaven ;" and at the set time he would re-
turn to accomplish the remainder of what the prophets
had spoken and the disciples expected. This was satis-
factory. The time of his absence is the time of Jewish
dispersion and degradation ; the time of his return shall
be the time of Jewish restoration and glory. Wh t has
been done is an earnest of what shall be done. On this
point hear that prince of reasoners, Bishop Butler. In
the seventh chapter of his "Analogy," he says :
"As several of these events seem in some degree expressly
to have verified the prophetic history already: so likellise they
may be comidere..l farther, as having a peculiar aspect towards
the full completion of it : as affording some presumption that
the whole of it shall, one time or other be fulfilled. Thus, that
the Jews have been so wonderfully preserved in their long and
wide dispersion ; which is indeed the direct fulfilling of some
prophecies, but is now mentioned only as looking forward to
somewhat yet to come: that religion came forth from Judea
and spread, in the degree it has done over the world before lost
in idolatry ; which, together with some other things have dis-
tinguished that very place (Judea) in like manner as the people
of it are distinguished : that this great change of religion over
the earth was brought about under the profession and-acknow-
ledgment that Jesus was the promised Messiah : things of this
kind naturally turn the thoughts of serious men towards the
full completion of the prophetic history concerning the final
restoration of that pcop'e, concerning the establishment of the
kingdom among them. the kingdom Of Messiah, and the future
state of the world under this sacred porernment."—(Applause,).
As serious men, our thoughts do indeed turn, and
fondly turn, to the establishment of this sacred go-
vernment, when that happy state of society shall be
introduced ; that state of order and peace, and li-
berty and love, which the heart of man longs for,—
which politicians and economists, philosophers and phil-
anthropists, peace congresses and financial reformers
labour after in vain. It shall come when the Lord shall
come, and when the kingdom shall come to the daughter
of Jerusalem; for thus runs the sacred oracle in its con-
vincine and satisfying context :—" They shall beat their
swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning
hooks : nation shall not lift up a sword against nation ;
neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall
sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and
none shall make them afraid. In that day, saith the
Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather
her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted ; and I
will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was
cast far off a strong nation," Her that was cast far of!
Who is that ? Can a plainer description be given of the
Jewish nation ? " And the Lord shall reign over them
in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And,
thou, 0 tower of the flock, the strong hold of the
daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first
dominion : the kingdom shall come to the daughter of
Jerusalem." This is the strain in which the Jewish pro-
phets delight. Whatever mey be the prelude of the
song, or from whatever circumstances it may take its
rise, whether the conquests of Joshua, the establishment
of David, or the glory of Solomon : however soft and
plaintive may be the cadences which rest upon Jewish
sorrow, or Jewish sin : whatever startling alarm may ac-
company the sounds of retribution on the nations who
have afflicted Zion ;—it is not till the daughter of Jeru-
salem presents herself to the eye of the seer, arrayed in
her beautiful garments. and with her king on the throne
of his father David, that the music deepens to all its
power.—that the sacred harp is shaken in every string by
the inspiring spirit, and the chorus of heavenly harmony,
in full diapason, and with voices which cannot be num.
bered, raises and prolongs and re-echoes its hallelujahs of
final triumph.-(Loud applause.) Thus,fromvarioussources
do we derive motive and inducements to engage in Jewish
missions; and I would, in conclusion, entreat our as-
sembled friends, by all the sound instruction in doctrine
to be derived from Jewish types; by all the instruction in
practice, both public and plivate, to be derived from
Jewish history, by the plain, urgent, and primary duty of
preaching the Gospel to the Jew first, and by the glory
which shall be revealed, but which waits, and must wait,
for Jewish restoration, to help us, heart and hand, in
this good and blessed and sacred cause. (The reverend
gentleman concluded amidst loud end continued applause.)
The Rev. Mr. REYNOLDS, secretary to the Parent So -
ciety, next addressed the meeting. At cohsiderable length
he contended that the Gospel should, according to the
command of Christ, be preaChed to all people, but to the
Jews first. There was no difference to be observed its
preaching the Gospel to the Jews from what should be
employed in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. He
would not refer to the operations cf :the society in Jeru-
salem, for teat station would be described to them by
Dr. M`Gowan, who had himself laboured there. (Cheers.)
But he would refer to a few of their other stations. It
was gratifying to reflect that in London alone, they had
in their chapel, usually, an attendance of from fifty to
sixty adults, and sometimes as many as two hundred
occasional corners. In their school in Landon, ,they
had a daily attendance of one hundred children, be-
sides a college for the.' instruction of such Jewish
youths as intended to become Missionaries themselves.
In Amsterdam they had also an interesting station, where
might be seen the utmost goodwill prevailing between
Jew and Gentile. Oh ! this was a most refreshing station.
In Warsaw they had about 300, who had been baptized
in that mission. They had a station for bookbinding
there, and in addition to the number stated many more
had been instructed in the Christian faith ; and here they
had again a beautiful union of Christians, who had come
to the knowledge of Christ, being the only " way the truth
and the life. The same might be said of the station in
Berlin. One of the most striking facts was that Jews.
who lived as Jews, as in the duchy of Posen, allowed
their children to attend the Christian schools. This was
a remarkable fact, for many of these children were led
to the knowledge of the Redeemer. In Frankfort, on the
Main, you might find Rabbis addressing the Jews in a
style which was in strong contrast with the feeling of the
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some further observations, the re :. gentleman resumed his
seat amid loud applause.)
Dr. EDWARD McGowAN, missionary from Jerusalem,
next, addressed the meeting. He commenced by giving
an interesting account of the character of the Jews located
in the city of Jerusalem. These people were quite diffe-
rent from what we were generally led to believe. In the
Holy Land the Jew was looked upon with every species of
contempt; and the only reason why he visits that land at
all is because he can there perform all his rites and
ceremonies, and also because he believes that it' he diet
there he will have peculiar privileges after death. Witk
that belief there are thousands of Jews who go to the
Holy Land. They are more bigoted than the Jews in
any portion of the earth. The Jews at Jerusalem
consider themselves to be the representatives
of the entire Jewish people. They are known as
the poor saints of the Holy Land, and they are sup-
ported solely by the contributions which they receive from
their brethren spread over the face of the earth. In this
respect he thought that the Christian people of England
should take an example from the Jewish people. It should
not be said that the Protestant Church should be the only
church which was not fully represented at Jerusalem.
He should inform them, however, that they had a church
in Jerusalem called Christ Church, in which every Sab-
bath was celebrated the beautiful and soul-elevating ser-
vice of the Church of England. This church was erected
on Mount Zion, and it had this good effect—it enabled
the Jews to contrast the pure Gospel of Christ with
the spurious and idolatrous mode of worship by which
that people were surrounded. (Hear. hear.) They had
been enabled, by the accommodation this church afforded,
to bring many of the Jews to the house of God, and there
present them with the Word of Life, and the Liturgy of:our
church, in their own language, for they had got both trans-
lated into the Hebrew tongue. But even after all this, he
wont come to us. And why ? Because he believes 'hat
Christians are his enemies. And, unfortunately, history
hut too fully bears him out in his idea, that the Christian
is his enemy, for lie has been an outcast amongst those
woo called themselves Christians in all ages, and yet we
were astonished that the Jew did not join us heartily.
But it would be their duty to de what they could to era-
dicate this hostile feeling, by endeavours to op ei the
hearts of the Jews, and prove that they were their friends,
and were anxious for their salvation. For that purpose
they had erected an hospital fur their relief. (Hear,
hear.) At first they refused
.to come into the hospital,
but gradually their fears were removed—for would the
meeting believe it, a common report was spree 1 that it
was our intention to drag all the Jews into the hospital,
cut their beards off, and make Christians of them. The
first patient that came to the hospital was a poor girl,
.of
about fifteen years of age, who was soon cured of a very
dangerous disease. But this good feeling was soon inter-
fered with by the Rabbis, who denounced all who cams;
but in spite of all this, the Jews soon found out
that the missionaries were their real friends. (Hear,
hear, and applause.) This hospital has thirty beds,
and in addition there is accommodation for many more
at the dispeusary ; in this say we relieve about 3,000
Jews annually, or very little short of one-third of
the entire Jewish population. He could tell them much
about the antiquities of Jerusalem, but of all its sights
the most prominent and affecting of anything to be sees
in the Holy City is the poor Jew himself. (Hear, hear.)
It is a most affecting sight to see the poor benighted Jew
stalking in the city of his fathers—despised, degraded,
and impoverished. After descanting on the various his-
torical reminiscences of the Jewish kingdom, concluded
a very interesting speech amidst theapplause of the meeting,.
The Rev. W. W. EWBANK was received with muck
applause on rising. 110 addressed the meeting nearly as
follows :—My Lord, in rising to speak this evening on the
conversion of Jews to the faith of Christ, I have the great
encountered difficulties in the acquisition of it ; and that
satisfaction of knowing, that 1 am about to address this
meeting under the presidency of one who is eminently
distinguished for that very important Christian virtue—
sContieuel an page 8.)