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bitants of that city had likewise to celebrate two days instead of one, lest they should infringe the law. The continued celebration of the second festivals down to our own times, has been retained for three reasons. 1st. It is a maxim with our sages, that we should adhere to the custom of our ancestors when such customs have been adopted by the whole house of Israel; 2ndly, Because the old mode of ascertaining the new moon shall one day be restored; and 3rdly, To enable us, under whatever latitude, to celebrate the several sacred festivals, for twenty-four hours at least, simultaneously with Jerusalem.

The compatibility of such celebration with the scriptural ordinances. -The written law says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it," (Deut. iv. 2;) and it is contended by some, that the observance of the second day of the festivals is in direct opposition to such commandment; but such persons reason most erroneously. It is commanded (Levit. xxvii. 32) concerning the tithe, &c.-"The tenth shall be holy unto the Lord”but supposing you should think proper to bestow a fifth, would that be infringing the law? We are commanded, "Thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field," (Levit. xix. 9); but if we were to leave two or more whole portions of our fields for the poor to glean in, would that be such an addition to the written law as to subject us to the anger of God for adding to his holy laws? It would not, indeed; and thus, as we have shown, are we perfectly justified in adding an extra day to our sacred festivals, being done for the sole purpose of more rigidly carrying out the law of God. Amen.

VISIT OF MRS. FRY TO A CONVERTED JEW.

"I WENT," says the late Mrs. Fry, as appears in her Memoirs, recently published, "to visit a dying converted Jew, who had sent a letter to beg me to go and see him; my visit was highly interesting. I often wish for the pen of a ready writer and the pencil of an artist, to picture some of the scenes that I am brought into. A man of a pleasing countenance, greatly emaciated, lying on a little white bed, all clean and in order, his Bible by his side, and animated almost beyond description at seeing me; he kissed my hand, the tears came into his eyes, his poor face flushed, and he was ready almost to raise himself out of his bed. I sat down and tried to quiet him, and by degrees succeeded. We had a very interesting conversation; he had been in the practice of frequently attending my readings at Newgate, apparently with great attention; latterly, I had not seen him, and was ready to suppose that, like many others, his zeal was of short duration; but I lately heard that he had been ill. He is one of those Jews who have felt perfectly liberated from keeping any part of the law of Moses, which some other converted Jews yet consider themselves

bound to observe. I found that when he used to come so often to Newgate he was a man of good moral character, seeking the truth. But to go on with my story.-In our conversation he said that he felt great peace, no fear of death, and a full reliance upon his Saviour for salvation; he said that his visits to Newgate had been to him beyond going to any church; indeed, I little knew how much was going on in his heart. He requested me to read a Psalm that I had one day read in Newgate, the 107th. This I did, and he appeared deeply to feel it, particularly as my dear friends M

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and S- and I made our little remarks in Christian freedom as we went along, truly, I believe (as friends say) in the life. The poor Jew prayed very strikingly; I followed him and returned thanks: what a solemn uniting time it was! The poor Jew said, 'God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth,' as if he felt the spirituality of the Christian administration. His countenance lightened with apparent joy, when he expressed his undoubted belief that he should soon enter the kingdom, and that I should before long follow him; then he gave me his blessing, and took leave in much tenderness, showing every mark he could of gratitude and love. He did not accept any money, saying that he wanted no good thing, as he was most kindly provided for by serious persons in the neighbourhood. After about two or three weeks I received an account of the peaceful end of the poor Jew."

REVIEWS.

Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation. A Book for the Times. By an AMERICAN CITIZEN.

THIS book has had a very extensive sale, both in America and England, and we think it well deserves it. There is a freshness, and originality, and energy both in the reasoning and the style, which cannot but be acceptable in these days of common-place and sameness. The book is particularly interesting as the recorded experience of a man of no ordinary powers, who fought his way resolutely through scepticism to faith in Christianity. We seem in reading this work to escape from the frigid dogmatism of the schools, and to commune with a living, earnest mind.

The circumstances which gave rise to the work may best be given in the writer's own words: "During some years of the writer's active life, he was a sceptic. He had a friend, who has since been known as a lawyer and a legislator, who was also sceptical in his opinions. We were both conversant with the ordinary evidences of Christianity; but none of them convinced our mind of the Divine origin of the Christian religion." This led the author "to search for other evidence :" and in this search, he claims to have struck out a track of his The argument he has here elaborated satisfied his own mind, and the minds of several of his sceptical friends. It is particularly interesting to us, as being founded on the connexion of Christianity with the Jewish religion, especially the Levitical and Prophetical economies.

own.

The writer undertakes to show that, in harmony with the conditions in which the human race was universally found to exist, it was impossible that a Divine revelation should be successfully communicated in any other way than that in which Jehovah communicated the true religion to the Jews. He points out forcibly some of the difficulties which were in the way of true religious knowledge. The knowledge of the true God had been corrupted, and men had universally fallen into the most abominable and debasing idolatry. It would therefore be extremely difficult to restore the knowledge and worship of the one true God. In order to this, it was necessary to separate one people from the world of idolaters, and to keep them perfectly distinct. For this purpose the Israelites were chosen, and were gradually educated in the knowledge and worship of the true God. The author well describes the means employed to unite them in indissoluble union; and he adds:

“How firmly did these providences weave into one web the sympathies and views of the Jewish people! It is a fact, which is the miracle of history, and the wonder of the world, that the ties which unite this people seem to be indissoluble; while other nations have risen, and reigned, and fallen; while the ties which united them have been sundered, and their fragments lost amidst earth's teeming population; the stock of Abraham endures, like an incorruptible monument of gold, undestroyed by the attrition of the waves of time, which dashed in pieces and washed away other nations, whose origin was but yesterday, compared with this ancient and wonderful people."—p. 19.

The author next traces the gradual and progressive development of religion amongst the Jews. At first they acknowledged Jehovah, but only as one amongst numerous gods. They were

deeply infected with the idolatry of Egypt. The miracles wrought by Moses were admirably adapted to destroy the credit of the Egyptian gods, and so to convince the Jews that Jehovah was the only true God. Still they were not broken off from their inveterate habits of idolatry; and, even at the foot of Mount Sinai, where the presence of Jehovah was so awfully manifested before them, they worshipped him under the representation of the golden calf. The race of idolaters, however, died off in the wilderness; and those who entered into the promised land had been educated in the new and better system.

God had first revealed (in the miracles wrought by Moses) the attribute of power; but now, in the symbolic sacrifices and ceremonies, the attributes of holiness, justice, and mercy were gradually developed. The Jewish people, when God first revealed himself to them, were in a state of infancy with respect to their knowledge of Divine things, and their education was necessarily adapted to their actual condition. During the whole existence of the Jewish nation in their own land, we see the development of the true religion. By the system of Moses they were weaned from idolatry, and then succeeded a higher and more spiritual development by their inspired poets and prophets. It is remarkable, that in the Jewish system there was always provision made for further development; and those who, under God, administered that system, always foretold it. Moses hinted at this, in no obscure way, when he said, "The Lord thy God shall raise up unto thee a prophet, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." It is most remarkable that, while the system of religion instituted amongst the Jews was, in its existing form, exclusive and local, there yet prevailed amongst them the expectation that it would become universal. God was, indeed, rearing up amongst them a system of universal religion. He promised them the Messiah, who should extend the influence of the Jewish system over all nations. This is now actually being accomplished; and well may the Jew exult in seeing that his faith is evidently advancing towards universal dominion. But we would ask, does not this establish the Divine origin of that form of the Jewish faith which now promises to become universal? Does it not prove that Christianity is really the development and fulfilment of Judaism? It is a contradiction in terms, to suppose that Judaism in its exclusive form can be universal. It must develope free and comprehensive tendencies. These

we discover in Christianity. The Messiah offers to all a spiritual deliverance, of which the deliverance out of Egypt was but the type. He accomplishes a real and effectual atonement, of which the ancient sacrifices were but the prophetic symbols. He has set up the true temple of God, since through His intercession the Spirit descends, and dwells in the souls of all believers. We trace the rise of all these great principles to the Jewish system; and we maintain that they are no other than the same as existed then in a germinal state. There has been but one God revealed to men. There has been but one atonement made. But one way of communion with the Eternal Spirit has been disclosed. "God, who in time past spoke to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by His Son." It is the imperishable glory of the Jewish people, that they have been chosen to be instrumental in revealing and spreading the one universal religion.

In this cause, their history, their language and literature, and their institutions have been employed. And now, in its extension and triumph, ought they not to become a nation of apostles?

Hymns for Israel: a tribute of love for God's ancient people, presented to the British Society for the propagation of the Gospel among the Jews. By WILLIAM BENGO' COLLYER, D.D., LL.D., F.A.S. pp. 66. 24mo.

THE British Society is much indebted to Dr. Collyer for his interesting and appropriate hymns. They are forty-one in number, and are varied in subject; all, however, more or less directly connected with Israel's conversion. We trust that they may prove eminently useful in awakening and sustaining the holy feelings of compassion for Israel, and desire for their recovery to God. Then will the purpose contemplated by their respected Author, in his kind presentation of them to the British Society, be realised.

We subjoin the following extract :—

"THE FALLEN TABERNACLE OF DAVID RAISED.

Acts xv. 16, 17.

Low the tent of David lies,

Prostrate is Judea's throne-
Who shall bid the fallen rise?
David's Lord, and he alone!

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