publications :-The Magic Wreath; Israel Defended; The Records of Israel; The Perez family, (for the cheap Jewish library ;) The Spirit of Judaism; The Women of Israel; The Jewish Faith; A Short History of the Jews in England, in Chambers's Tracts; and her last work, Home Influence. Her ardour and perseverance in writing may be inferred from the fact, that she re-wrote her Spirit of Judaism, on learning that the manuscript sent to the Rev. J. Leeser, in America, for publication, had been lost.

Of her writings, it may be said that they are in no small degree imbued with the spirit of Christianity. She accounts the mere rites and ceremonies of the Jewish religion, as of themselves of no value. She denounces tradition, and pleads for the revived study of the Old Testament. But she seems not to have understood the typical character of the Levitical sacrifices. The great doctrine of atonement for sin by the shedding of blood, is no part of her creed. declares that "no efforts of our own, however great and magnanimous they may be, can work out our redemption," .. but her trust seems to be in the general mercy and compassion of God, unpropitiated by sacrifice. Such was not the faith of Abel. Such was not the faith of Abraham.

She

There is much in the character of Grace Aguilar to admire-much to excite our interest-much to induce a sad and unavailing regret, that one on whom so much of light had dawned should never have knelt at her Saviour's feet, and confessed him Lord. Her principal study was the Bible, which she always read through once a year, beginning on her birthday. The Psalms she perused once a month. She rose early, and was diligent in the employment of her time. hours of leisure, notwithstanding her numerous engagements, she worked for the poor. She was accustomed every evening solemnly to scrutinise each thought and action of the day, and has left in writing many prayers composed by herself for her private use.

In

This interesting Jewess had reached her thirtieth year, when her health materially failed, and in June, 1847, she left England on a visit to her brother at Frankfort, for change of air. She never returned to her country. Her death took place at Frankfort, on the 16th of September. Her last hours were distinguished by resignation to the will of God, and her last words were, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."

We desire, in speaking of the dead, only to record and imitate their excellences. Their eternal state is in His hands who "openeth and no man shutteth, and who shutteth and no man openeth.' But we know for ourselves that faith in God must have respect to a Mediator, to be pleasing in his sight. We know that it is written, "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Oh that the many thousands of the Jewish nation who admire the character of Jesus of Nazareth, and whose religious views are moulded by the imperceptible influence of his teaching, would candidly examine His claims !

NEW SYNAGOGUE AT NORWICH.

The congregation at Norwich have determined to erect a new place of worship, sufficiently large to accommodate the increased Jewish population of that town.

The Jewish Herald.

No. XXXII.

AUGUST, 1848.

VOL. III.

THE WORK OF FAITH.

“Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”—John iv. 48. THUS the Saviour spake of that incredulous generation, who closed their eyes to the numberless proofs of his Messiahship, furnished by his character and his daily practice, and sought, with a natural impatience and curiosity, for some evidence, new, and strange, and surprising. Human nature loves the marvellous. It craves excitement. What was true in the days of Christ is true still. Still there is a strong and lamentable tendency in us all to shrink from the constant, patient labour which duty prescribes, unless we be roused to it by some strong and stirring excitement. It is true, we do not ask now for miraculous attestations that our work is acceptable to God. We do not look for fire from heaven to consume our sacrifice. We listen not for the footsteps of an angel sent down, as in days past one was sent down to the beloved Daniel, to tell us that our prayers are heard. But still we ask for signs; and further, (for the simple asking would not be blame-worthy,) without them our faith dies, and our efforts languish. The reports of our missionary societies are thrown aside unless they contain striking narratives. One story of success goes further to excite to missionary effort than ten solemn binding precepts of God's word. Except we see signs and wonders,

we will not believe."

66

Alas that it should be so! This shows no healthful spirit of devotedness. If the disciples of Christ have so little faith that the command of their Master is not enough to move them

1

to obedience, what wonder that the world should disbelieve and disobey altogether? Such was not the faith of Abraham, who at the voice from heaven went forth, not knowing whither he went. Such was not the faith of Paul, who, "in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft," only sought that Christ might be magnified in him. Such was not the faith of the martyrs, who asked but to obey, though the path of obedience was lined with torture, and ended at the stake. Such was not the faith of Luther, who, a single, friendless monk, stood forth against a whole Europe, declaring, 1 fear God." Such was not the faith of Henry Martyn in Persia, of Morrison in China, and of other devoted missionaries, of whom the world was not worthy, who pursued their solitary toil in the translation of the Scriptures, and in many holy works, trusting only that their life and death might be accepted as an offering to their Saviour's praise.

66

Why delay, asking for "signs and wonders," when the commandment to work is rendered imperative by “Thus saith the Lord ?" If our foreign missionaries had acted thus, what aspect would the South Sea islands have presented now, and how would it have been with China and India? We know not of how much we may have robbed ourselves by this slowness of faith. The punishment of Zacharias may have become ours. As dumbness sealed his lips, and he was unable to testify his joy and thanksgiving till the promise was fully realised, so through our unbelief, we may be left in silence and in doubt, till the visions of prophecy on a sudden unfold themselves to our enraptured gaze, and our praise ascends, together with the hallelujahs of the new creation. God may even now be saying to us in judgment, "Behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day when these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season."

In these days of universal and unthought of changes at home and abroad, in public and in private, it becomes of double importance that Christians should have a foundation of firm and acknowledged principle on which to base their procedure. Mere impulse will not avail now. Zeal which is the produce of excitement alone, will not avail now. It is of especial moment that young Christians, in their active efforts for the promulgation of the Gospel, should be trained to regard the originating motive, as well as the result of their labours.

The zeal of children may be kept alive by missionary stories, but after a season childish things should be put away. Our warrant to labour-nay, our obligation to labour-does not rest upon instances of success. It is the commandment delivered to us by our Saviour, that " 'repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Listen to the precept which binds us Gentiles, by the authority of a Divine inspiration, (who can hear it and venture to turn away from his duty to the Jew?) "For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy."

Let it not be supposed that we are seeking to prevent our Christian brethren from expecting success. Far, far from it! On the contrary, we believe that the expectation of success honours Him who has given us the promise of it. It is this very want of expectation that makes our energies so dependent on "signs and wonders." We cast a grain of the good seed into the ground, and if it does not spring up immediately, we despair and fold our hands, and say, we will do no more. Our neighbour sows a grain likewise; on a sudden we see the tiny green leaf emerging from the soil. His grain has germinated. Now we take courage again. Again we set to work. We have seen a sign. We believe now that God means to fulfil his promises. Thus our faith depends upon success, and not upon the Divine word; and the consequence is, it is an unsteady, flickering, dying thing. Is it not equally true that the promise will be fulfilled, whether we see the identical seed which we have sown appear above ground or not? Dare we thus narrow the everlasting purposes, and bound the infinitude of the Divine faithfulness and power by our own limited experience? Abhorred be the thought! No, let us be assured that the promises will be realised. Not one word shall fail. And their fulfilment shall show that there was in them a fulness of meaning and an abounding of blessing, more than we asked or thought. With this assurance firmly rooted in our souls, we need not ask for “signs and wonders." We must expect success, and at the same time be prepared to go on with unflinching ardour, even if it does not presently appear. Let Christ be our example. He was despised and rejected of inen. His work was scorned. His life was sacrificed.

"Who

believed his report, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?" Yet his ardour in the mighty enterprise of man's salvation was not diminished. His zeal consumed him. The flame of his devotedness was kept alive from no such polluted sources as the intoxication of immediate success, and of actual promising appearances. It was fed by oil from heaven. The recollection of the commission which he had received from his Father, and the sure and confident anticipation of the joy set before him, these sustained him, as, heavy and foot-sore, he trod the streets of Jerusalem, and the deserts of Judæa, and the shores of Galilee-these thoughts gave him strength to bear his cross, to endure the reviling of sinful men, and to grapple with the enemy of souls, till the victory was won for

ever.

The same considerations may animate us. We too have received a commission. The promise of a bright reward is not withheld from us. "Our labour is not in vain in the "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars, for ever and ever."

Lord."

The ground, then, of our expectation should be the sure promise of our God. With this as the anchor of our hope, our course would be steady and prosperous, and constantly progressing. Ridicule would sharpen its arrows against us in vain. The misgivings of our weaker brethren would neither hinder our work nor damp our spirits. We should neither be disheartened by failure, nor unduly elated by success.

Blessed be God, he does give us something else beside his word. He gives us actual success. In our labours for the salvation of Israel, his promises have been proved true. His Gospel has been seen 66 the power of God and the wisdom of God." Many among the sons of Abraham have returned to Abraham's faith, and gathered round the banner of Abraham's Messiah. And whilst we write, the secret influence of Christianity is interpenetrating the whole Jewish nation. The New Testament is finding its way into Jewish families. The name of Jesus is mentioned with reverence, even by those who refuse him worship. They admire his spotless virtue. They adopt his pure maxims for the guidance of their daily life.

And how shall we best express our gratitude to our heavenly Father for the measure of success which he has already afforded us? By receiving it humbly, and by giving to ourselves