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Sprung from that great prince and patriarch, he claims a gentle style by birth: and the claim is fully borne out, also, by the character, if rightly studied, of Abraham himself, as it stands in Scripture. For, if Adam was the first man, Abraham appears to have been the first gentleman. And, as the race of English gentlemen is rapidly becoming extinct, and there seems a great danger, as we recede from the last century, of its totally disappearing, we should not be sorry to see a race of Jewish gentlemen, rising up in its stead.

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What then is the sort of spirit-for that is the point from which we started-what is the sort of feeling which we would recommend, towards our Jewish brethren? Why, this. kindly feeling, the feeling of Christian charity, respect, and good-will. If you view the children of Israel, generally, with contempt, and any Israelite in particular, who comes to you for Christian instruction, with low suspicion; if you have got into such a habit of thinking ill of them, and feeling evilaffected towards them, that these emotions, as often as you see a son of Abraham, are the first to rise up in your mind; what have you to do with the conversion of the Jews? You need to be converted yourself, at least as far as this point is concerned: and you must be converted, before you are likely to do much for the cause. Think not that we would decry prudence. Think not that we object to Christian discernment, in judging of character. The more of this the better. What we want is goodwill. What we want is Christian charity. What we want is the disposition to form a favourable, rather than an unfavourable estimate. Keep, at the same time, your deep sense of the guilt and peril of a people, who have revolted from their King, and have slain him in the person of his co-equal Son, sent to reclaim them to obedience. There we go hand in hand with you only reserving this point, that we hold the guilt of nominal Christians to be, at least, as great as that of unbelieving Jews, if not greater. We fully, however, accord with you, in maintaining the sinfulness of Israel. But what we want is, to see a kindly feeling. Depend upon it, if you have this, the Jews will soon find it out. He loveth our nation," said they to our Lord, of him who had built them a synagogue. And therefore depend upon it, with equal certainty, that if you have No such feeling of kindness towards them, they will find out this also. He loveth NOT our nation. If the Jews once begin to say this of you, He loveth NOT our nation, no zeal, no force of argument, no advantage of station, will ensure you attention or success among them. Your success does not depend, merely, upon your being more or less plain, in denouncing their national guilt,

VOL. III-NO. I.

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and in reprobating their sins. The question still returns; Have you a kindly feeling towards them? Have you the principle of Christian charity? What good, what real good, was ever done without it? If a man has this, he goes to work, bearing his credentials from Heaven. If he has it not, let not that man think to receive any blessing upon his work from God.

In fact, in our dealings with the Jews, any act that is merely declaratory, any act that shews and signifies, by some outward and visible sign, that we mean well to them, is so far good. You wish for spiritual good, or no good. You will have this, you say, or none. Then wait. Let years still pass, as years have passed. Let a few more golden opportunities escape you. Let another generation of Jews die in their sins, and pass into eternity. We, on the contrary, would say, Let us do what we can. If we can do spiritual good, then spiritual good by all means. If we cannot, if God be pleased to keep this, because it is greatest, to himself, then let us do whatever our hand findeth to do, and see that we be not high-minded. Shew kindness to his people. Try and find some way of convincing them, that you really mean well to them.-Come now; let us consider. You have long been anxious to convert the Jews. Have you ever done any thing, with the view of shewing them that you are their friend? Has there ever been any single act of yours, by which you have endeavoured to make them see that you are not their enemy?--O yes, indeed, you have tried to do good to their souls. You wish to convert the whole Jewish nation. That may be. But, if you see a Jewish individual coming to you, you view his approach as the approach of a pickpocket; and dismiss him, cut to the heart by the reception which you have given him. Do pray pause and examine yourself, before you proceed any farther in this work. You may be zealous. You may be in earnest. You may be bent upon doing good. But if you want this feeling of respect, which one man ought always to have for another; if you want good-nature; if you want common candour; if you want common kindness; what have you to do with the conversion of the Jews? We really think that these points require to be much insisted upon. In reading over catalogues containing the works of Christians, written to convince and convert the children of Israel, we can but observe the frequent recurrence of one phrase. They are all written AGAINST the Jews." How can we imagine that people are to be converted, by writing books AGAINST them? Yet such was the spirit of former days: and such is the spirit which the Jews will think we still retain, unless we take very effectual means to convince them of the contrary.

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We, then,-while we would ever keep in view the main object, and remember that, unless the soul of the Jew be saved, he has received no real benefit,-are for declaratory acts: for demonstrations of kindness: all which we take to be good as far as they go; and indispensable, indeed, though insufficient. We cordially approve of the invitation of Jews, by Christians, to public discussions. We think it is beyond a question, that the discussions which have been actually held, and are still proceeding, have been attended with a blessing from above. There has been a gradual improvement, in the mode of carrying on the debate, in the subjects discussed, and in the whole conduct of the business. Since the adoption of the measure, which excludes nominal Christians, but real infidels, the blessing seems to have been fuller and more evident*. And the thanks of the whole Christian world are, in our opinion, due to those, who planned, and have since attended and kept up, these interesting discussions for the success of which, we wish that every believer, on reading this account, would offer up a prayer. If there be any Jew, whose conscience is beginning to be awakened and alarmed, it is natural to expect that he will be found at such a place: there, then, let the prayers of Christians meet him.-We also wish well to all plans for relieving the temporal necessities of the Jews, whether as Jews, or as inquirers after Christianity. We are glad to hear of such plans abroad, whether at Warsaw, or in North America. But, more than that, we are glad to hear of them in this country. As long as there is any thing in the conduct of Gentiles, to impress the Jews with an opinion, that, as far as we feel in the business, provided they are converted to Christianity, they are welcome to starve, so long shall we rejoice in hearing of any institution, or of any attempt, which manifests a feeling of a different kind. Whether the institution be managed by Jews or by Christians, provided those who are concerned of the latter class, are enabled to bring into it a spirit of benevolence and Christian kindness, and to keep out of it the harsh, sour, domineering, financial spirit, we anticipate good from its formation." It will certainly fail," says an objector. Let it, say we, if such be the will of God. Nevertheless, we shall think that even then, the demonstration of a friendly intention will have done good: nor, after all, does the failure appear to us a matter of such absolute necessity. Nay,

* This meeting takes place every Saturday evening, at 18 Aldermanbury. All Jews are welcome. Gentiles are admitted only by tickets, in order that Gentile infidels may be excluded. Among the earlier subjects of discussion, were some which seemed rather wide of the grand point at issue between Jews and Christians. Subsequently, however, the Jews have consented to discuss topics, directly bearing upon it.

we cannot help wishing, that the whole Christian Church could unite in some declaratory act, in some intelligible demonstration of good-will towards the Jews: so as to make them understand, that we are not their enemies. True, the preaching of the Gospel to them is the best token of real kindness. But it is one that they do not, at present, understand or appreciate as such: and therefore there is still something further necessary, to convince them of that, of which there is little to convince them at present, we mean, that we are not their enemies.-A real feeling of good-will to the Jews, is the feeling of our Lord himself. Could we look into his very heart, we should there see kindness to that people. To the love of Him, who shewed so much love for all who wronged him, the Jews seem to have established a peculiar claim, by delivering him to be crucified. And even while he was amongst them, they appear, in some measure, to have found out what were his real thoughts towards them; namely, thoughts of kindness and not of evil. When they came to him and said of the centurion, "he loveth our nation,' they seem to have known that they were speaking to one, to whom such love would be a recommendation, because he felt it also himself. They knew that the plea would prevail, and they were not mistaken. "Then Jesus went with them."

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Now in recommending this spirit of love and Christian kindness towards the Jews, we say again, let us not be misunderstood. We would on no account recommend an exclusive love; for instance, to the neglect of the heathen. We certainly are disposed to adopt the primitive plan, " beginning at Jerusalem;" but we would by no means end there. While the centurion loved the Jewish nation, his servant, also, was dear unto him." Such was the disposition of the man; embracing within the bond of charity all who claimed his good-will; and such ought to be ours also.-Neither is it a merely literary regard to the Jews, which we wish to see. We mention this, because, in certain quarters, some tokens of such a regard have lately manifested themselves: and Christians, ready, as usual, to cling like the ivy, to any but the true Support, have begun to rejoice in them. But let not such an appearance impose upon us for one moment. One quarter it may be the literature of the Jews; the next, the literature of the Bulgarians.-Nor are we seeking for a selfish devotion to this cause. A man, unconsciously, may be going upon this principle: "I wish that the Jews may be converted, and that I may have a great share in the work." Hence a person may come to have an ardent zeal for the Jewish cause, but care very little for the Jews themselves.-Nor are we calling for a merely natural feeling. The conversion of the Jews may

be, so to speak, our fancy object. There are many things to make it so. But, after all, what is fancy? Nay, what is feeling; unless it be of that right kind, which comes down from above? Natural feeling is, often, a very transient impression of the heart; and, when it is gone, leaves us, perhaps, colder, as to the particular object which excited it, than any other. It is surely some better feeling than this, which has kept so many friends of the Jewish cause, true to it for so long a time, through evil report and good report, through fair weather and through foul. Nor do we set any greater value, on a political regard to the Jewish nation. Cant of every description is bad. But we are now more especially infested with the cant of political liberality. Nor, lastly, do we ask for the kindness of false indulgence: the kindness of those who cannot see the sinful condition of the Jews, who cannot bear to hear of it. They are a " sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters." (Isai. i. 4.) The crime of crucifying Jesus Christ, is the crime of the Jews of this day, as much as it was of their ancestors, who perpetrated it. For all their writings, all their conduct, all their reasonings manifest, that they have nationally adopted this act, as much as any children ever adopted the act of their fathers. If any think, indeed, that because God is angry with this nation, we have a right to ill-treat them; any view them with contempt and scorn; if any mistake and misrepresent their national character, exaggerating its defects, and overlooking its better features; if any seek their conversion, in the overbearing, dictatorial spirit of lordly, self-assumed authority, not in the meekness and gentleness of the Gospel of Christ; if any forget that while they are sinful, we are sinful also, and more sinful, because more favoured ;—against such a spirit, against such conduct, we lift up our voice. But we ever wish to keep in view, the true condition of the Jews in the sight of God; and to remember that they, with us, have souls to be saved, which, if not saved, must perish everlastingly.

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But, having stated the kinds of feeling which we cannot recommend, we shall now perhaps be asked, of what sort we approve? But how shall we meet this harder question? Here we require the mind of Christ himself. His large and comprehensive love to the whole human race, seemed, as it were, all concentrated, in order to be especially manifested, in his love to the Jews. Yet, on this subject, also, we would say a few words, though we feel our inability to do justice to it.

The foundation of all love to the Jews, we conceive, is faith. We see tokens of this, even in the individual, to whose case we have more than once alluded; the centurion, who loved their

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