The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-21 00:00:00

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY
AMONGST THE JEWS.

The twenty-second anniversary of the Liverpool Auxiliary
Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews was
held yesterday evening at the Amphitheatre. Long before
the time appointed (half-past six) for the chair to be taken,
the house was crowded in every part—the boxes were filled
with elegantly dressed ladies, and the stage also was occu-
pied. The following clergymen and gentlemen were present
amongst many others whose names we could not ascertain
Revs. 11. S. Joseph, J. H. Stewart, T. Nolan, H.
M'Neilc, W. W. Ewbank, R. Davies, E. Bickersteth, F.
Barker, W. Rawson, J. E. Bates, Dibdin, H. Jones,
H. Carpenter, Stokes, Knox, Townsend, D. James,
J. N. Connor, F. Ould, W. Falloon, Bailey, Turner,
Northop, Wood, C. J. Hamilton, F. Parry, W. Dodd, J.
Jones, A. Owen, Mansfield, Brown, Peel, Messrs.
W. Jones, J. Edwards, W. Drevar, J. Howard, C. Bout-
flower, W. Wilson, Maples, and T. Bourne.
The Rev. Chancellor RAIKES took the chair, and he called
upon the Rev. Mr. Joseph to open the proceedings with
prayer. This having been done,
The CHAIRMAN addressed the meeting as follows :—La-
dies and gentlemen, or rather let me use a more appropriate
expression, and address you as Christian friends. Let me
address you as Christian friends, assembled for a Christian '
object, associated with Christian views, and united for the
purpose of forwarding a work which must be dear to every
Christian heart, because we know it is a purpose dear to God
himself. (Hear, hear.) We are met this evening to hear
the report, and to consider upon the future proceedings of,
the Society for Propagating Christianity among the Jews.
I own I cannot but rejoice to see that this holy cause, if I
may judge from the appearance before me, has lost no inte-
rest with the inhabitants of Liverpool, and that it is as dear
to your hearts at present as it appeared to be this time last
year. (Hear.) In truth, I think there are subjects, and
abundant subjects, for congratulation in the circumstances
under which we meet. There are some circumstances to
which I will not trust myself to allude ; but there are others
of sufficient notoriety to justify their being stated, even from
the place which I have the honour to hold. (Hear.) We
meet to-night for the first time under episcopal patronage.
(Applause.) Our revered diocesan has long watched with
the deepest interest the progress of this society ; but, unob-
trusive as he is in all his proceedings, willing that others
should have the glory and honour of any work which they
may be permitted to carry on, he felt it was sufficient for his
own feelings to know that the work was being carried on,
though he did not wish to assume to himself credit or dignity
' where lie believed he had been unable to render assistance.
But when he saw spring up feelings exhibited by those whom
he was bound to respect and love, when he saw that hearty
and lively interest was manifested by the inhabitants of Liver-
pool in this most important work, he no longer felt
he was at liberty to withhold from the association the com-
pliment they had done him the honour to request, and he
cordially consented to the proposal that he should be named
patron of this association. (Hear, hear.) I know that I
speak to those who can appreciate any step taken by an in-
dividual like him ; and I know that if his accession to this
society has not been rendered so quick as some of us might
wish, it will not be less appreciated because it comes now
with the sanction of experience upon it, and will be the con-
firmation of an established approbation of its proceedings. In
truth there are few circumstances which do excite more
astonishment in the minds of the beholder than the progress
of interest with regard to the Jewish nation. There are
some of us, no doubt, old enough to remember that some five
and twenty years ago the Jews were hardly recognised as an
object of interest among us. There were certain vague no-
tions under which it was customary to represent the Jews,
and it was under those notions alone that the whole nation
was contemplated. To imagine that any kind of interest
should have been drawn out towards them, and any lively or
strong sympathy should have been felt with their condition
would at that day have been asimpossible to imagine as any of
those things which exceed imagination. But now mark the
change, and it is really one of the most astonishing changes
in public opinion we have marked; mark the change which
has been produced in public opinion with regard to this sin-
gle subject. (Hear.) There was a time when the few indi-
viduals attached to this society felt it necessary to make
some excuse for devoting to the purpose of converting the
Jews, some portion of those means which were claimed
for other objects, and when it was necessary to say we were but
acting in obedience to the command of our Lord and Saviour
to preach the gospel to every creature, that the gospel should
be preached to all the world, beginning at Jerusalem, that
it was to the Jews first, and afterwards to the Gentiles,
all the riches of the truth, as it is in Jesus, be made.
known ; we were thus obliged to merge the pecu-
liar character of the Jews in the general character of Gen-
tile, in order to justify to the world the charity that was ex-
tended towards their wants. At that time it was thought
much that the sum of £BOOO, £lO,OOO, or £12,000 was col-
lected fOr this purpose, and it was requisite to use some sort
of reasoninc, in order to justify the subtraction from objects
of general charity even the pittance which was devoted to the
object of converting the Jews. Now mark the change. We
have lived to see not only whole nations appearing to take au
interest in the welfare of the Jewish nation ; we have lived
not only to see their case considered by politicians, as involving
the future destinies of Europe ; we have not only lived to see
them considered as objects of national consideration, but we
have lived to see, from one end of the kingdom to the other,
that the interests of our common christianity are allowed to
rest upon the welfare of the Jewish nation, circumstances
from which we expect the largest extension of the Gospel of
Christ, as connected with the conversion of those nations. I
say, when we consider the changes produced in public opinion
upon this subject, when I see the interest now taken in the
welfare of Jewish people compared with the apathy—the worse
than apathy—with which they used to be contemplated, we
are lost in wonder and astonishment. I can only say from
this that it must be the work of God, and that while we are
engaged in his work we may be assured that our labours shall
not be in vain. I will not, ladies and gentlemen, detain you
any further by any observations of mine, but at once call upon
the secretary to read the report of the committee.
The Rev. H. JOSEPH then read the report, of which we
give some extracts.
Among the circumstances which have occurred since the
last meeting of this Auxiliary Society, one of a peculiarly
encouraging character, and calculated to give efficiency to
the society, is the accession, to the number of its avowed
supporters, of his Grace the Archbishop of Camerbury, who
has kindly accepted the office of patron, and of the Lord
Bishop of London, who has accepted that of vice-patron ;
and it will afford peculiar pleasure to the present meeting to
be informed, that our own esteemed and beloved diocesan,
the Lord Bishop of Chester, has also expressed his willing-
ness to become the patron, and the Chancellor has accepted
the office of president, of this auxiliary association. This
surely is a token for good, and a cause of devout thanks-
giving to all who are anxious for the great and blessed object
which the society has in view.
The prospects of the society are bright and inviting.
Proofs of the Divine blessing resting upon their labours are
daily multiplied. Instances of conversion from Judaism to
Christianity, even in our town, are no longer either rare or
questionable. Authenticated cases, with proofs of sincerity
sufficient to satisfy the most scrupulous- inquiry, are now
common in this our highly favoured place of abode. Since
the institution for enquiring Jews was opened, no less than
302 Jews have called upon Mr. Lazarus, to whom he did
not fail to set forth Christ : 64 of them became inmates of
the institution for longer or shorter periods, and 21 are
known to have eventually been baptized.
The aggregate amount of contributions towards the gene.
ral purposes of the Parent Society is £22,938 19s. 2d., being
an increase to the general fund of £2,128 18s. sd. above the
receipts of the preceding year. And towards this sum, your
own committee have remitted to the Parent Society during
the past year £621 3s.
With respect to the proceedings of the Parent Society
during the past year, your committee are thankful to report
.hat the distribution of copies of the Hebrew scriptures and
;nets has been as follows :
SCRIPTURES AND TRACTS.—During the past year the
'ollowing Bibles and other works have been issued from your
lepository, from April 1, 1840, to March 31, 1841 :
Hebrew Bibles, Bvo
Do., Bible Society's
Do., 12mo. ............. ...... 1,984
Do., New Testaments 492
Do., German, Dutch, and English Psalms 1,913
Do„ Portions, &c.
Do., Liturgy..
Do., Pentateuch and Haphtorah
English, German, &c. Bibles and Testaments
The " Old Paths," English, Hebrew, and
German 542
....
Tracts, &c. ......
There are now 319 baptisms recorded in the baptismal r e
gister, of which 114 have been baptized as adults.
The report then notices in high terms of commendation
the services of Mr. Alexander, at the mission in London,
and those of Mr. Joseph, in Liverpool.
The attention of the friends of Israel is then called to the
institution for inquiring Jews in this town, the funds of
which, we regret to hear, are in an extremely depressed

Dr. TATTEusHa Li, was received with loud applause. He
said he rose with exceeding pleasure to move the resolution
put into his hands, one principal object of which was that the
report then read be adopted, printed, and circulated under
the direction of. the committee ; and he might say that the
materials of which that report was composed and: the sub-
jects to which it related were of a nature to call forth feel-
ings of congratulation and awe, and also sentiments of
gratitude to Almighty God for those things which their ears
had heard ; and that, therefore, the report was certain to
meet with the most cordial reception by that meeting. There
was one point to which especial notice was directed in the
resolution which he held in his hand, and to which he would
for a single moment refer, although he had been anticipated,,
and better far, in what fell from the chair, than any observa-
tions he could make. He could not help, however, revert-
ing, and calling on the meeting to revert also to that part of
the resolution which expressed a feeling of gratitude to the
lord bishop of the diocese for having kindly consented to be-
come the patron of this auxiliary. (Applause.) The very
mention of the name of that beloved and esteemed diocesan
was impossible to take place amongst them without exciting
feelings of reverence, affection, and elevated esteem, and it
could not be regarded as otherwise than a token of good to
this society that his lordship had joined himself to this
cause, and his patronage to that society would not be merely
a name, but his influence would be exerted in its behalf.
(Applause.) It had also been noticed that even more dis-
tinguished episcopal patronage had been conferred upon the
society. He did not know the extent of this patronage, but
he would be right if he stated that, h consequence of the ne-
eociations which had lately taken place, and the modification
of rules thought necessary to secure the patronage of their
ecclesiastical rulers,
his grace the Archbishop of Canterbury,
end at his grace's own
solicitation, the Archbishop of York
and thirteen of the other bishops bad already joined them,
so that within the last few days or weeks the majority of the
episcopal bishops
had joined. themselves to the society.
During the period they had existed it had been their humble
and earnest desire that all things amongst them should be
done decently and in order. It had been from the first a
was to be done in strict accordance with
principle that all
their own ecclesiastical rulers, and God had blessed them.
They thought that these token:: of good were marks of the
Divine blessing
for having. so done. There was another
point which he might be permitted to say ought to be in that
resolution, and which not being in the written resolution, al-
though he was sure it would meet with the approbation of
every member there, he would add to it. The resolution
went on to say that the best thanks of the meeting be pre-
sented to the Lord Bishop of the diocese for having permit-
ted his name to be put as patron. Now, as what he was
going to add could not be put from the chair, he hoped it
would be received by a thousand voices—it was that the
thanks of the meeting he also given to the chancellor of the
diocese for having become president of the auxiliary. (Loud
applause.) This was a resolution which he believed did not
need being put from the chair, because it was agreed to already
and carried by acclamation. (Applause.) He would not
detain the meeting further with any remarks of his, inasmuch
as he was going to be followed by one of the secretaries of the
Parent Association,
who would enter at length into the oper-
ations of the Parent Society, but he begged their attention to
that part of the report relative to the Jewish institution of
this town. It was worthy of their care, their patronage,
their support, and prayer. He could not briefly detail to
them the nature of that institution better than it had been
done in the report, and when they were told that during the
short period of its existence better than 300 Jews had called
on the superintendent, inquiring more or less seriously the
way to Zion—they would say that this was God's work—the
way to Zion. A fair proportion had joined themselvesto the
Lord in the covenant of baptism, which called upon them to
render their best support to the institution. (Applause.)