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have come." Then we discussed several passages, and when at last we bade him good-bye, he thanked us for having called upon him, and accompanied us to the door. I invited him to call upon me if ever he came to Bucharest.

On Saturday morning we went first to the Great Synagogue, and when the chasan saw us standing at the back, he sent the beadle to ask us to come up and sit in the front seat, which we thankfully declined, as we did not intend to stay very long. Later in the day we met him in the street, when I took the opportunity of thanking him for his kind attention; and told him who I was. "Yes," he said, "I thought you belonged to the Mission." We also visited two other synagogues, and in one of them some big boys gathered round us, evidently perceiving that we were strangers, and to them I explained the Feast of Tabernacles, about which they knew nothing.

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We not only visited the Braila Jews in their houses, but had also longer and shorter conversations with them in the streets; to recount them all would be next to impossible. It must suffice to say that once we were surrounded by more than a dozen, and another time by more than thirty Jews, to whom we expounded the Scriptures, exhorting them to turn to God, and believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who alone could save them from their sins.

In the evening, when I was sitting in my room, writing down the events of the day, there was a knock at my door, and in came one of the waiters, saying that the garçon-de-chambre had told him that I had given him a nice book to read, and he asked me to let him also have one. He told me that he was from Russia, and that a gentleman had once given him a similar book, which he had enjoyed reading very much; but when his father found it out, he had beaten him and taken the book away. I gladly gave him two tracts, with which he was much pleased. I also exhorted him to read above all the New Testament, and he answered, "I shall first read these two books, and then I shall purchase a New Testament, as I am desirous to know its contents."

On the 11th we left by steamer for Galatz, which is only an hour's distance. The Jewish community here, I was informed, numbers about 15,000 souls, but that seems rather high. They have one large synagogue, which they call the Temple, and two smaller ones, besides a number of large rooms fitted up, where they assemble to say their prayers.

Colporteur Barnescu was met by his adopted child, a Jewish boy of nine years of age. Some four years ago, when on his errand of mercy, he met this boy in the depth of winter, sitting in a cold room, half

starved, badly clad, with limbs swollen from the cold and covered with sores. Barnescu felt much moved, and asked the parents to let him have the child, which they did. Now he is a nice boy, going to a Christian school, and being instructed in the Christian religion by his adopted father, who hopes that some day he will be baptized and become a good follower of Christ.

In Galatz we had many opportunities of speaking a word for Jesus, and drawing the attention of Jews and Jewesses to the one thing needful. We visited them in their houses and spoke to them in the streets, to single persons and to numbers-in fact, where and when we could get hold of them. As Barnescu has been stationed in Galatz for the last ten years, he is well known among the Jews, and therefore it was comparatively easy to come into contact with them. The last day but one of the Feast of Tabernacles is a great day with the Jews, and they celebrate on that evening now (simchath thora). In the morning we went to one of the great synagogues where, in the courtyard, I explained to a crowd the meaning of simchath thora (joy of the law), and went on to speak of the glad tidings of a Saviour, whom God had sent to redeem us from the bondage of sin.

Among the crowd I noticed a young man who was listening attentively, and when we left he followed us, but did not say anything. The next day, however, we met him again in the street, and then he took courage, came up, and asked whether he might speak with me. "With pleasure," I said, "will you come to my hotel?" At the appointed time he called and told me that he was a tailor, employed by a Jew, who had intercourse with Missionaries, and he had heard from him several things about the Christian religion. He also told me that he had formerly led a very restless life, had been employed in a circus and travelled from town to town. He had not found peace, neither did the Jewish religion satisfy him. He was married now and had two girls, and he asked me what he should do, and how he could get acquainted with the Christian religion. I had some talk with him about the truth, and said to him: "If you are really anxious to know the truth, and if you, as you say, can earn your living as a tailor anywhere, try and come to Bucharest, where I can instruct you in your spare time." He liked the idea very much, and said that he would wind up his affairs in Galatz and try to come to Bucharest shortly.

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collars, which the illustration represents, was well trained and sang very nicely. The roll of the law was lifted up and carried by the Chasan (Cantor) several times in a procession through the synagogue, the choir walking in front with candles in their hands. When the procession had passed where we stood, my neighbour, a Jew, said to me: "Is not that a beautiful ceremony?" "Well," I said, "the ceremony itself is the least important part in a service. The prayers, provided they come from the heart, are much more important, but I do not see you or most of the others really joining in the prayers." He looked startled, and said: "Oh, the Chasan prays for us." "Ah," I said, "that is not sufficient; every one ought to join in and pray devoutly, not only with the lips, but with the heart." Then he turned away and joined frantically in the singing of the two words, "Simchath Thora," which were repeated over and over again.

On leaving the Temple I made the acquaintance of a young man, who wished to go to England to become a Christian. Two days later he called upon me, and said that his eldest brother had gone to England in 1884, entered the "Wanderers' Home," and had eventually been baptized. His brother had then written to him about Christianity, and urged him to go to England as well, but he had at that time turned a deaf ear to it. Last year he had, more out of curiosity, bought the four Gospels and Acts in Judæo-German and read them, and had been much struck by the contents. Since that time he also had the desire to go to England. I told him that it was not necessary to go so far, he could have Christian instruction quite near. If he came to Bucharest I would instruct him and show him the way of truth. But he said that, for various reasons, he would rather go to London. He had saved money enough for the journey, and would only ask me to give him a letter of recommendation to Mr. Eppstein.

I had made arrangements with Colporteur Barnescu to visit several other towns in Moldavia, but had to return home sooner than I had expected. Though I had wished very much to proclaim the joyful message of a loving Saviour to the Jews in other places as well, I felt very thankful to have been permitted to sow the eternal seed beside all waters in Braila and Galatz, and I sincerely hope, God willing, to visit at some future day all places in Moldavia, Wallachia, and Hungary, with Jewish

inhabitants.

GOOD FRIDAY OFFERTORIES.

It is earnestly hoped that clergymen, who cannot have Sunday Collections for the Society, will remember it on this day when our Church specially prays for the Jews.

M

THE PERSIA MISSION.

GOOD NEWS FROM ISPAHAN.

R. Mirza Norollah writes thus from Teheran: "The Mission Assistant at Ispahan reports that many foreign pupils of the Mission School come to him for instruction, that the Ispahan Depot has been visited by many Jews and Jewesses, and that Sabbath services have been held, when Jews gathered to hear the message of salvation. The Ispahan Jews are quiet now and make no objection to the Mission, and I hope God will prepare the way for my return. The Rev. Dr. Bruce wrote to me on August 13th: 'You will be glad to hear that Mr. Carless is carrying on the work in Jubareh (Jewish quarter). He holds a service there every Saturday, and has also opened a Dispensary. Dr. Johannes goes there with medicine once a week.' We are very thankful that the Missionaries of the C.M.S. are kindly giving their help in this time of need. May God help them and make them a blessing The Rev. H. Carless wrote from to many souls. Julfa, Sept. 16th, as follows:-"As Dr. Bruce is writing to you, I thought I would enclose a line. The work among the Jews here is going on, and the Lord is. blessing it. It is encouraging to us. On Saturday afternoons we have congregations of from 50 to 100, and the little room (Bible Depôt) and courtyard are sometimes quite packed. On the whole, they are very attentive, and I think the Lord is softening their hearts. The Dispensary on Thursdays is not very largely attended, but I have no doubt it is doing good work.

"It appears that about 400 Jews went to hear the message of salvation at the Depôt during August. This represents the attendance at the Saturday gatherings, and Joseph Elyahoo writes that from ten to fifteen Jews also visit the Depôt on week days either to buy Bibles or to have discussions. Many Jews have received New Testaments and the "Old Paths" in Hebrew, and a good number of tracts. have been given away. The Mission Assistant helps Dr. Johannes in the Dispensary on Thursdays and brings poor Jews there to receive medicine.

"Dr. Bruce again writes that the work in the Jewish quarter of Ispahan continues with much success and that Saturday services have been held for Jews by the C.M.S. Missionaries. Since the departure of Mr. Carless from Ispahan, Mr. Styleman has conducted the Saturday afternoon services. The attendance is good, and the Jews listen quietly and attentively to the addresses delivered.

"I am glad to inform you that the child of Joseph

Hakim was baptized by Mr. Carless on October the 9th. Joseph Hakim was baptized on May 29th last (see Jewish Intelligence for August, 1892, page 129). We now have three families of Christian Israelites in Ispahan who had come out since the beginning of my work there in 1889.

"Joseph Elyahoo has been instructing a Jew, Benjamin by name, and writes a good account of him. He attends Church services at Julfa every Sunday, though he has to walk a distance of ten miles from and back to the Jewish quarter."

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Jews who died of cholera, according to Jewish statistics issued afterwards, was 225. The disease soon after spread amongst the Persians in Teheran, and for upwards of eight days the number of deaths went up from 200 to 1,000 daily. The Mohammedan shopkeepers closed their shops and fled. In many houses dead bodies were left unburied for a day or two. The prices of provisions went up very much, and it was very hard for poor Jews and Armenians to get bread, which was a most serious thing.

"The European residents of Teheran soon started a Cholera Relief Fund and helped the American Mission

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aries to open their hospital in Teheran. The Revs. J. L. Potter, L. F. Esslestyn, and S. L. Ward gave their services and visited the houses where patients could be found. The disease also appeared in Shemiran (the summer resort of Teheran), and the village in which I had taken up my residence suffered most. Out of 500 inhabitants, 125 persons died in ten days. Miss S. L. Smith, M.D. (American Missionary), offered her services for this village. The death-rate amongst Europeans and Armenians was much less than amongst Jews and Mohammedans, on account of the mode of living. Of the ninety Christians in

MR NOROLLAH.

many Jews dying. As soon as it appeared, the Jews left their houses and shops and went either to Demavend or to Ispahan, on a pilgrimage to the Saint house of Sarah the daughter of Asher. For upwards of twenty-eight days all the Jewish shops were closed, synagogue worship was suspended, and there was no rabbi to slaughter meat. Almost all all the Jewish physicians left the quarter, except Dr. Mirza Mahdi (my brother, who was baptized in Teheran in the year 1888), and no Mohammedan doctor would visit Jewish patients. The exact number of

Dizashub not one died.

"It is customary in Persia, when famine or any kind of plague visits the country, for all the mollahs (priests) and rabbis to call their followers to prayer. The places appointed for assembly are cemeteries, where they pray to God for mercy. Accordingly the chief Mohammedan priest appointed a day in August and invited the Moslems to prayer. The Chief Rabbi, on hearing of this, appointed the same day and asked the Jews also to go out for prayer. A procession

started from the Jewish quarter, consisting of about 500 Jews carrying a scroll of the law in front, beating their breasts, and reciting prayers in Hebrew. The Mohammedan mollahs sent Moslems to protect them, and also lamps and candles to be lighted and carried in front of the Pentateuch. When the Jews reached their cemetery, they were met by a large crowd of Mohammedans who had gone out for that purpose, and the two parties prayed together for mercy. Afterwards the Moslems accompanied the Jews to one of the synagogues, where they again prayed. On another occasion the Jews were invited by the Persians to their mosque for prayer. They went (an unheard thing for Jews to put their feet in a Persian mosque !) and worshipped together.

"This dreadful disease also appeared in Tabriz (the capital of the province of Azerbaijan), Hamadan, Yezd, and Ispahan."

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WORK IN TEHERAN.

My chief labours during September consisted in visiting houses where the Jews had died of cholera and in comforting their relatives and friends. In some houses I had gatherings of from fifteen to twenty Jews, to whom I pointed out that it was the time of repentance, and that we must come forward and accept Christ as our Saviour and Great Physician. I gave temporal help to those who had need of it, having received from Ispahan the sum of 170 khrans for that purpose. Dr. Bruce sent me 50 khrans, and Messrs. David Sassoon & Co. (of London), 120 khrans,

which sums I gave away.

"During the Feast of Trumpets I went to the Jewish quarter, and entered into my father's synagogue, where I remained for an hour. I could not make a public speech, but I talked to three young Jews about repentance and the great sacrifice which was made by our Lord. Six, members of this synagogue had died of cholera during the recent visitation. I have given instruction to one young Jew, and am thankful to say he is now ready for baptism. I hope to send him to Ispahan to be baptized by

Dr. Bruce.

"In October I paid 27 visits to the Jewish quarter and entered into 76 different houses, conversing with 270 persons about Christianity. I hope this kindness and help shown to the Jews will be of much use in my future work. Many Jews have become my friends, received me into their houses, and accepted tracts from me.

"On the great Day of Atonement, Saturday, October 1st, I visited one synagogue and conversed on the Atonement of Christ to three young men who were fasting and repenting of their sins. I told them they

must believe in Christ and receive pardon from Him.

"On Sunday, the 30th, an English gentleman (Mr. Jewson) accompanied me to the Jewish quarter. We visited many Jewish widows and orphans, giving them temporal help, which he kindly put at my disposal. I am also thankful to say that a friend of mine at Bushire sent me 50 khrans for cholera relief, which sum I distributed to Jews who had need of it.

Mr. Norollah is the son of a Rabbi of Teheran, where he was converted to Christianity under the ministry of the late Dr. Stern. He was trained in the Hebrew Missionary College, and, after preliminary work in London and Mogador, was sent out to Persia in charge of the Mission.

COLPORTAGE IN MAROCCO.

HE Colporteur at Mogador thus reports:"After asking God's blessing in prayer I left Mogador on August 4th and arrived next morning at Mazagan. Unhappily I was not able to do much, as the place was smitten with fever. At five o'clock in the afternoon I re-embarked, and the next morning arrived at Casablanca, and took my books on shore. Here I sold a few Bibles and New Testaments, although the fever was worse at this place. We continued our voyage and arrived at Tangier on August 10th, and found this town in a state of excitement owing to the rebellion of the neighbouring tribe of Andjera. The Sultan's troops were fighting the rebels close to the gates, and one could easily hear the firing. The Jews were much alarmed notwithstanding the assurances of the Legations. I stayed five days here, visiting synagogues, schools, and markets, and sowing the Word of Life, but the sale was bad. I did not sell a single Hebrew New Testament, and I would not give them, for the Jews destroy those copies which are profusely distributed gratis, and keep the covers to make

note-books!

On 16th August, not being able to go by land owing to the rebels having possession of the roads, I embarked in a small Spanish steamer, and, after a very rough night, arrived the next morning at Tetuan. I was well received by Jews and Rabbis, who have known me for so many years. God blessed the sale-40 Bibles and 60 Haphtorahs were sold in two days, as well as some religious tracts.

August 22nd. I arrived at Larache. It is a small town, and by visiting the caravansaries, synagogues, and houses, I was able to sell several books. As the roads

were dangerous, I took the opportunity of joining a caravan that was leaving for Alcazar, where I arrived on August 26th. There was not a house here where there were not several lying ill of fever. In spite of this I had a pretty good sale, and so returned to Tangier on August 31st.

The next day I embarked for Casablanca. The fever was still very bad in this town: every one was ill, but it gave me the opportunity of visiting Jewish houses, where I was very well received. There were a good many Jews from the interior who had come to be cured of the fever, and it was principally amongst these that I sold my books. Having stayed at Casablanca until September 5th, I sold at Saffee a few Haphtorahs, and returned to Mogador on September 9th, blessing God for having preserved me from the pestilence which was so rife at this time in Marocco, and of which so many have died.

During my journey I sold :-75 Hebrew Bibles; 175 Hebrew Haphtorahs; 50 Psalms; 8 Hebrew French Pentateuchs; 15 Hebrew English Psalms; 45 Hebrew New Testaments; 45 Hebrew Missionary publications; 5 Arabic Gospels. 300 New Testaments, Hebrew, and Arabic Gospels, and Hebrew Tracts were given away.

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Der Weg zur

Verständigung zwischen Judenthum und Christenthum. (The Way of an Understanding between Judaism and Christianity.) By Dr. JOHANNES MULLER, Leipzig.

Tuis is a treatise of rare value on a most difficult problem, the solution of which has occupied the minds of theologians and politicians for many centuries. With great impartiality the author traces the history of the Jews during the nineteenth century to the present time; and shows that, in Germany at least, Jews and Christians have not substantially come nearer to each other than they were before the breaking down of the Ghettos, through the influence of Lessing, Mendelsohn, Rousseau, and the French Revolution. On the contrary, the gulf between them is now wider, and the racial differences more accentuated, than The reason for this is not national antipathies, for mixed

ever.

marriages are constantly taking place, and this very slow amalgamating process is one of the disturbing factors in a real union. The cause lies deeper than the surface. The approximating parties on both sides were influenced by a desire to meet on the common ground of unbelief in the revelation of both the Old and the New Testament. They both fell from God, the centre of unity, therefore their foundation of human convenience had no solidity, and their bond of mutual advantages snapped asunder before they yet succeeded in raising the fabric of worldly union. It is the history of the Tower of Babel repeated. It is a strange thing that both parties, working for the interests of the common fatherland, and speaking the same language, do not understand each other. To borrow an illustration from Jewish tradition about the builders of the Tower of Babel, when one was asked to bring a spade, he brought a hammer, and this mutual misunderstanding caused so much irritation between them that they left each other in disgust. The author, who is neither a Philo-semite nor an Anti-semite, describes that agitation in Germany as an epidemic, and a leprosy, springing from egotism, envy, cowardice, laziness, and Pharisaism. The attempts to counteract this have, thus far, not succeeded, for the present intercourse between Jews and Christians is only conventional. The author therefore appeals to both to unite personally; and gives, in the second part of his book, a plan for a solid and lasting union. This is by mutual recognition that the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New, that He manifested Himself in successive stages in the history of His chosen people for the purpose of carrying out His plan of salvation for all mankind; and that this manifestation culminated in the person of Jesus Christ, in whom Judaism was developed and glorified as a religion and saving institution for the whole human race and the aim of Divine history. The possibility of an understanding between Jews and Christians, says the author, will become a fact when both shall seek the way of conversion to God through Jesus Christ. Then they will be one in the God and the Father of Jesus. Not the reception of individual Jews into the Christian Church will bring about the desired union, but the acceptance by the Jews of the Gospel as the completion of the revelation of God. We have only touched here and there the ideas which the author has developed in such a masterly way, but we trust that this book will find a wide circulation among Jews and Christians. Outlines of Messiah's Kingdom. By the Rev. ALEX. BARINGGOULD, M.A. London: H. Burnside, Blackheath. This little work is the substance of eight lectures delivered by the author at Worthing in 1891, which he was led to publish by a sentence in a speech made by the Archbishop of Canterbury, in which he said, "I do think there is something like silence in the present day, in many pulpits, on the Second Advent of our Lord." The testimony of some of the Psalms (ií., ex., lxxii., lxvii., xlv., l., xcviii.) with regard to this great event, is examined, and forcibly and clearly explained. These lectures undoubtedly achieved their object, which was to give an outline of "the Coming and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ," and they form an excellent introduction to the study of "The Word of Prophecy." As such we heartily commend them, and especially the chapter on "God's Army of Missionaries," in which the author rightly, as we think, insists that the conversion of the world can only result from the prior conversion of the Jews. He quotes a story of those true friends of Missions, both to the Jews and Gentiles-Charles Simeon and Edward Bickersteth-to this effect: They were present at a meeting. held in support of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews. Simeon was the speaker, and, in closing his speech, he said that they had met together that day for the

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