Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-05-15
OF THE JEWS.


u lecture recently delivered, cndoavored
to show that the prophecies respecting
the restoration of the Jews could be UNI
dcrstood no otherwise than literally. In
reference to this subject, M. M. Noah,
(thc editor of the starr himself Jew,
quotes the following extract from Black
woods Magazine, and adds thereto the
remarks annexed :-Boston Courier.
eft is impossible to read the Scriptu-
raj references to the future condition of
Palestine, without discovering a crowd of
the plainest and most powerful indica-
tons that it shall yet exhibit a totally
different aspect from that of its present
state. Enthusiasm, or even the natural
interest 'whicffWc feel III this memorable
nation, may color the future to us too
brightly but unless language of the most
solemn kind, uttered on the most solemn
occasions, and by men dlvinely COM
missioncd for its uttcrancc, is wholly I'M
meaning, we must yet look to some pow
crful, and unqucstionablc display Of Pro-
violence. in favor of the people of Is
racl.
The remarkable determination of Eu-
ropean politics towards Asia Minor, Sy-
ria, and Egypt, within these few years;
the not less unexpected change OF manners
and customs, winch seemed to defy all
CHANGE; and the new life infused into the
stagnant Governments of Asia, even by
their being flung into the whirl of Euro
pean interests, look not unlike signs of
the times. 1t may be no dream to mag
inc in the phenomena the proofs OF some
memorable change in the ntcrioroi things
some preparatives for that great prov
idential restoration, of which Jerusalem
will vet be the scene, if not the centre
and the Israclitc himself, the especial
agent of those high transactions, which
shall make Christianity the religion of all
lands, restore the dismantlcd beauty of all
earth, and make man-what he was crc-
atcd to be-only "a little lower than the
angels
The statistics of the Jcwishpopulation
arc among the most singular circumstan-
ccs of this most singular of all people.
Undcral their calamitics and dispersions,
they seem to have remained at nearly the
same amount as in the days of David and
Solomon, never much more in prosper
ity, never much less after ages Of suffer-
ing. Nothing like this has occurred in the
history ofany other race Europe in gem
cral having doubled its population within
the last hundred years, and England near
ly triplcd hers with the last half century;
the proportion of America being still more
rapid, and the world crowding in con-
stantly increasing ratio. Yet the Jews
seem to stand still in this vast and gen.
cral movement. The population of Ju-
dea, in its most palmy days, probably did
not exceed, if 1t reached, four millions,
The numbers who entered Palestine
from the wilderness were evidently not
much more than three and their census,
according the German statisls, who were
generally considered to be exact, is now
nearly the same as that otthc people I'M
der Moses-about three millions. They
arc thus distributed:
In Europe, 100000, of which about
G5S,000 are in Poland and Russia, 453,
600 in Austria.
In Asia, 73S 900, of which 100000
are in Morocco.
In America, North and South, 81 900
If we add to these about $4,000 Sa
martans, the calculation in round num-
bers will be about 3, $50, 900.
This was the roportin lS25-thc mum
bers probably remain the same. Tho
extraordinary ixedness in the midst o
almost of universal increase, is doubles
not without a reason--if we are even t.
look for it among the mysterious opera
tons which have preserved Israel a sep
arato race for eighteen hundred year
May we not naturally conceive, that
people thus pressed without advance or re
procession; dispersed yet combined; bro
ken yet firm; without country, yt
dwelling i'll all; every where insulted, yo
every where influential; withouta nation
vet united as no nation ever was before c
sinco--has not been appointed to offer tn
extraordinary contradiction to the con
mon laws of society, and even the con
mon progress of nature without a caus,
and that cause one of final bcnevolcnc'
universal good, and divine grandeur"
We apprchcnd there is some error
the above statistics, and that the numb'
of Jews throughot the world may be est
mated at nearer six millions than thrc
Their numbers will never !
accurately known until the rcstoratio
when thousands who, from convenient
and pride, and some from apprehensio
conceal their religion, will be most Gag
Il ,,ntinn tnI LOG