The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-10-17 00:00:00

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SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRIS-

TIANITY AMONG THE JEWS.

Last evening the twenty-ninth annual meeting of the
Liverpool Auxiliary Society for the Promotion of Chris-
tianity among the Jews was held at the Collegiate Insti-
tution. The lecture-hall was densely crowded by a re-
spectable auditory. On the platform we noticed an
unusually large number of the local clergy, including the
following :—Reverends J, Ryan, Dr. Carpenter, 11. Car-
penter, D. Stewart, A. Thomas, J. Cordeaux, F. Parry,
P. Ould, H. Jones, J. Jones, G. V. Chichester, J. B.
Lowe, Ayerst. A. Knox, W. Rowson, H. Boutflower,
J. Hamilton, W. Hugbe.,, J. Baylee, W. Ewbank, D.
Anderson, Dr. Hume, Haldane Stewart, C. Lawrence,
W. Pollock, T. Nolan, R. Woods, D. Barry, A. Fowler,
G. Warr, Dr. Buck, G. Dover, H. H. Higgins, &c., &c.
The chair was taken amid loud applause by the Rev.
Hugh M`Neile, D.D.
The proceedings having been opened with prayer by
the Rev. Thomas Nolan, the local secretary,
The CHAIRMAN .proceeded to address the meeting as
follows :—Ladies and Gentlemen,—On an occasion like
the present, the office of chairman is simple, and easy of
fulfilment. He has no stranger to introduce—no novelty
' to commend—no special circumstances to datail, as having
originated a special meeting. There is nothing special in
the case. It is a prat of our annual routine; the cause is an
old and valued friend—(hear, hear)—the cause of Israel,
and I may add that one of its advocates at hand (the
Rev. Haldane Stewart) is, like the cause, an old and
valued friend.—(Cheers.) For the sake of the cause he
has been living in our sights • and it is our pleasing pri-
vilege once. more to witness thei cheering brightness of his
venerable countenance, and to hear that cause advocated
by that mingled sound of praise and prayer,

"-So rarely to mortals given,
With less of earth in them than heaven."
(Hear, 'hear.) The Jewish cause, in every aspect of it., is
interesting and instructive. To be viewed clearly, I think
it ought to be viewed chronologically. It presents itself
under three leading periods. The. first period may be
called the period of local religion and national discipline.
The second is the period of national dispersion and
degradation ; and the third will be the period of national
permanence and glory. The first period commenced with
the nation, and terminated in the time of the apostles.
The second period commenced in the time of the apos-
tles . and has not terminated yet. The third will
commence when the King of the Jews shall appear in
rfis glory—that is, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall
return from heaven. In each of these periods there is
something deeply interesting, as I have said, and in-
structive. In the first period, the Jewish nation presents
the very best interpreter of New Testament doctrine,
and the best teacher of God's dealings with nations. In
the second period, the Jewish nation presents a remark-
able instance of God's preserving care--His watchful love,
while it also presents a peculiar subject of missionary exer-
tion. In the third period, the Jewish nation is the bright-
est theme of inspired prophecy, with the exception of her
King Himself. Although the work we have in hand limits
itself to the second period, yet collateral instruction is to
be derived from the other ewriod, and net only collateral
instruction, but increased interest in-the work now to be
carried on. For example : in the first 'period much in-
struction is to he derived from. the Jewish subject in the
interpretation of New' Testament doctrine. Where shall
we find a true interpreter for the general principles of the
New Testament ? They are easily drawn aside by human
ingenuity. Philosophical perversions may easily draw
apparent conclusions ,contrary to the truth; and this
has been carried •to such an extent, that actually
differing and even opposing interpretations are given to
the New Testament, each claiming the New Testament
for its basis. (Hear.) Where is the umpire ? Is there
any umpire ? Not ,in the New Testament : it is a subject
of dispute. Not in the writings of uninspired men : they
differ from one another—they differ from themselves.
Where, then, is an umpire to be foundi. Not in any in-
fallible tribunal set Alp upon earth. The only attempt
ever made to set up such a tribunal has proved practically
a signal failure. The only pretence to it in the history of
Christendom has been made by the Bishop of Rome, and
it has proved a failure:: instead of an infallible interpreter,
many of these Bishops have been monsters of iniquity.
(Hear, hear, and loud-cheers.) Where, then, is an um-
pire to be found ? I allege that this sultect now before
us gives a true answer: it is to be found in the local
religion of the Jews, every particular of which was
constructed after a prescribed pattern, the original
of which pattern was the Gospel, as lt rexisted in the
mind and purpose of. Clod. (Hear and applause.) The
Gospel was set before Moses in a pattern,—whether
in a vision presented to his mind's eye, or in an actual
model, I will not venture to say ; hut, whether vision or
model, it must have been so presented as that he was able
I to take all its admeasurements—as that he was able to sec,
what we now call the working drawings, whereby the Jews,
as experienced workmel, were enabled to construct the ta-
bernacle,—its form, its-eize, its inward beauty, and its out-
ward covering, together-with all its contents—'the table, the
bread, the candlestick,-the altar, the veil, the mercy-seat,
the cherubim—all constructed according to its pattern,
and every one of them supporting the details-of true Gos-
pel interpretation, so much so, that any interpretation of
the New Testament which will not acco d with that Mo-
saic pattern must, for that reason, if for no other, be dis-
carded, (Hear, hear.)'Here is one important point of
instruction then to be derived from the Jewish subject;
and this might be applied to many other particulars, but
an explanation of them would occupy too much time.
The early period of the :Jewish subject is instructive,
and particularly so at the-present time. The History of
-Israel is written for the reading of nations, and there
,you will find that God's dealings with nations are condi-
tional—that nations, having no existence in eternity, are
dealt with in this world, differing in that respect from
individuals, who will be dealt with in another world.
An individual in this world may be wicked and prosperous,
or,it may
be, both righteous and calamitous. Now, with na-
tions thiscannot be. Having naexistenceas nations in eter-
nity, their judgment as well as probation is visible on earth.
This lesson was taught in the history of Israel. The princi-
ples of the divine government were laid down. They
were told that if they obeyed litis voice, and more especi-
ally, -" if they made no idols, nor graven images, nor reared
up a standing image, neither setup an image of stone in
their-laud to bow down to it," that, in that case He would
"give them rain in due season, and cause the land to yield
her increase, and the trees of the .field their fruit, their
threshing should retain the vintage, they should eat bread
to the full, and dwell safely"—that is, national prosperity
was promised to national fidelity to God. And the reverse
is,—tbat if they forsook this law, and set up idols in their
land, graven images to bow down to them, he would send
utter consumption upon them :—" He would consume their
eyes and cause sorrow to their hearts, and give their enemies
power over them, and they would fall before those who
aspersed them"—that is, national calamities should
follow upon national disobedience I allege—and I
venture to say, without risk, I will not say of
contradiction, but of refutation, that this principle is
transferable that it is not Jewish only, but that
it extends to the dealings of Almighty God with all the
nations of the earth. (Hear, hear.) If so, it contains
one of the roost solemn lessons which, as a nation, the
attention of mankind can be called to—a lessen that has
been disregarded by the nations of Christendom. And
what is the consequence ? Instead of peace, prosperity,
calmness, tranquillity, loving kindness, which should have
characterised Christian nations, the history of Christen-
dom has been a history of war, of bloodshed, of tears, so
that but for " the faith of God's elect," it might be won-
dered indeed if there was such a thing as Christianity in
the world at all. And why is this ? Just because this
principle has been violated—because idols have been set
up, and because the head of man, which should stand
erect as it was made, has been bowed down to stocks
and stones.—(Hear, hear.) Hence the anger of Je-
hovah against the nations, and hence the history of
Christendom, instead of peace, has been a history
of the horrors of war! And now, at this moment,
these horrors have not ceased, but are rather on the
increase ; and now, at this moment, as if not to be
taught by experience—not to be warned by the principle
laid down in the history of Israel—not to be deterred by
the fearful facts before our eyes—now, in defiance of all
things, as if the nation had formed a diabolical resolution
to dare the Almighty, our own country, as a nation, makes
light of those idols, allows images to be multiplied
through the land, laughs at the notion of danger to the
country from men bowing down their heads to stocks and
stones, and is ready to take into national endowment and
support authorised teachers of such idolatry. The Jewish
subject, as I have often heard said by some of its warmest
advocates, is a Protestant subject, and that is a reason,
and a very great reason, why I love it dearly. (Renewed
cheers.) Looking at the present period of the Jewish
nation, or history, we find what I venture to call a special
object of missionary interest ; and I call it special for this
reason—not because that, intrinsically, there is more value
in the soul of a Jew than in the soul of a Gentile—not
because the Jews are more numerous than the Gentiles,
for the contrary is thefact, but I call it special because it has
pleased God to speak of this nation during her present
period of dispersion, as " the dearly beloved of his soul."
" I have given," he says, " the dearly beloved of my soul
into the hands of her enemies" ; and therefore while the
Jewish nation is pillaged and plundered and massacred by
almost every nation of Christendom, still she has been all
along " the dearly beloved of God's soul." I speak His
own words ; and, whatever period they may be applied to,
still it is true that while in the hands of her enemies—
whether at the period of the Babylonish captivity,
or whether in her present captivity, to which period I
think it refers, He still calls her " the dearly beloved of
His soul." (Hear.) Upon what other principle can we
imagine her preservation as she has been preserved for
the last 1800 years ? (Hear, hear.) Without a home—
without- a- Government without a Sovereign upon
earth—without a parliament—without a president—with-
out anything th it gives continuity to a nation. but " wan-
derers 4u4 vagahends upon the lage 9f the earth," yet,

strange to say, there is a perpetuity about this nation that
baffles all the other nations. (Hear.) Give other nations
a home and a government and they disappear, while Israel,
without any of these things, continues. A loving father
holds her fast ; and if we have imbibed the mind of God
we will be followers of St. Paul, " even as he was a fol-
lower of Christ," and we will cultivate a speciality of in-
terest for the Jew. The Chairman proceeded at some
further length to rest the claims of the society upon the
speciality of interest which Christians should take in the
conversion of the Jews, after which he concluded by refu-
ting the statement published in the Mail of Saturday
week, and unblushingly reiterated in that paper of Satur•
day last. His indignant and eloquent refutation of this
misrepresentation will be found in his own language in
another part of to-day's Standard.
The Rev. Taos. NOLAN, the secretary, read the fol-
lowing report of the Liverpool Auxiliary for the past
year :--