himself an Israelite, by name Ngai, a native of Kae-fung-foo, the capital of the province Honan, where, having prepared himself by study for a Mandarin degree, he had now repaired to Pe-king for his examination; and, led by curiosity, or a fellow-feeling for the supposed fraternity of his nation, he had thus ventured to call at the Mission-house.

He stated, that in his native city there were ten or twelve families of Israelites, with a fair synagogue, which they had recently restored and decorated, at an expense of 10,000 crowns, and in which they preserved a roll of the law, four or five hundred years old; adding, that in Hanw-chow-foo, the capital of Che-keang, there were considerably more families, with their synagogue.

He made several allusions to events and persons of Scripture history, but pronounced the names differently from the mode usual in Europe. When shown a Hebrew Bible he was unable to read it, though he at once recognized the characters. He said, that Hebrew learning was still maintained among his people, that his brother was proficient in it; and he seemed to confess that his own neglect of it, with preference for Gentile literature, had exposed him to censure from the congregation and the rabbi; but this gave him little concern, as his ambition aimed at the honours to be gained from Chinese learning. He was a disciple rather of Confucius than of Moses.

Three years afterwards, having had no earlier opportunity, Ricci despatched a Chinese Christian to investigate, at Kaefung-foo, the truth of this singular discovery. All was found to be as described, and the messenger brought back with him a copy of the titles and endings of the five books of Moses. These were compared with the printed Plautinian Bible, and found to correspond exactly: the writing, however, had no vowel-points. Ricci, ignorant of Hebrew, commissioned the same native convert to return with an epistle, in Chinese, addressed to the rabbi, announcing that at Pe-king he was possessor of all the other books of the Old Testament, as well as those of the New Testament, which contains a record of the acts of Messiah, who is already come. In reply, the rabbi asserted that Messiah is not only not come, but that he would not appear for 10,000 years. He added, that having heard of the fame of his correspondent, he would willingly transfer to him the government of the synagogue, if Ricci would abstain from swine's flesh, and reside with the community.

Afterwards, three Israelites arrived together from the same city, apparently willing to receive Christianity; one of these was son of the brother already mentioned by the first visitor. They were received with kindness, and instructed in many things of which their rabbis were ignorant: and when taught the history of Christ, they all paid to his image the same adoration as their entertainers did. Some books being given them in the Chinese language, such as A Compendium of Christian Faith," and others of the same nature, they read them, and carried them home on their return.

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They described their congregation as on the brink of extinction, partly from the decay of their national language, and partly because their chief had lately died at a very advanced age, leaving for his hereditary successor a son, very young, and very little versed in the peculiarities of their religion.

These personages readily fell in with several opinions of the missionaries. Trigaut tells us that they expressed a desire for pictures as helps to devotion, to be in their synagogue and private oratories; particularly pictures of Jesus. They complained of the interdiction from slaughtering animals for themselves, which, if they had not transgressed recently upon the road, they must have perished with hunger. They were likewise ready to renounce the rite of circumcision on the eighth day, which their wives and the surrounding heathen denounced as a barbarous and cruel practice. And they held out the expectation, that inasmuch as Christianity offers relief in such matters, it would be easily adopted among their people. Yet the author gives no account of any consequent conversions.

It appeared, on further inquiry, that the Chinese comprise under the one designation, Hwuy-hwuy, the three religions of Israelites, Mohammedans, and the Cross-worshippers,-descendants of early Syrian Christians, subsisting in certain provinces, but they occasionally distinguish them thus:

1. The Mohammedans, as the Hwuy abstaining from pork. 2. The Israelites, as the Hwuy who cut out the nerves and sinews from their meat; and,

3. The Cross-worshippers, who refuse to eat of animals who have an undivided hoof; which latter restriction, it was said, the Israelites there did not observe.

Julius Aleni, after the death of Ricci, being a Hebrew scholar, visited Kae-fung-foo about the year 1613, but found

circumstances so much changed from some cause or other, that although he entered the synagogue and admired its cleanliness, they would not withdraw the curtains which concealed the sacred books.

In Nan-king, Semmedo was informed by a Mohammedan, that in that city he knew of four families of Jews who had embraced the religion of the Koran, they being the last of their race there, and their instructors having failed as their numbers diminished.

Indeed, the visitors from Kae-fung-foo had before assured Ricci, in Pe-king, that the same cause would soon reduce them to the alternative of becoming Heathens or Mohammedans.

Such was the amount of intelligence received in Europe concerning that remote off-shoot of Israel up to the middle of the seventeenth century. Christendom was not unconcerned at the discovery, China itself was but a newly-opened mine for European research; the indistinct glimpses afforded by Marco Polo in the thirteenth century were indeed extending into broader fields of vision, by means of the obedient zeal of Romanist missionaries. But when Xavier, expiring within sight of China, before admission was conceded to Christianity, prayed for its conversion with his latest accents, and when Valignano so frequently turned his looks from Macao towards the prohibited land, exclaiming, "O rock, rock, when wilt thou open?" they were not aware that within that strong solidity was to be found a relic of the peculiar nation who are everywhere witnesses of the "goodness and severity of God."

To be continued.

AN ACCOUNT OF AN INTERESTING CONVERSION FROM JUDAISM TO CHRISTIANITY IN THE

EARLY PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. THE following narrative of the dealings of God with a son of Israel has been communicated to us by the writer of the following letter. We shall be exceedingly glad if our correspondent will continue to favour us with well-authenticated facts of a similar nature.

To the Editor of the Jewish Herald.

Nuremberg, August 22, 1849. SIR,-As it is always interesting to the Christian observer to trace God's dealings both with individuals and with nations, it is more especially so in the case of his own ancient people, whom he has led forth from so many bondages, and delivered from so many captivities,

shown so many mercies, and so much of loving-kindness and long-suffering, in order, by them, eventually, to finish the great scheme of a world's redemption.

And accordingly, if, now-a-days, a messenger of peace goes forth to proclaim glad tidings of great joy to the wandering mourners of Zion, it must be of interest to him to see whether, and in what way, the Lord's work has been done in times past, in the particular locality in which he is placed, and God's mercies experienced by single individuals.

Now, sir, this is my position. I am stationed by the British Society as missionary to the Jews at Fuerth; and I have taken some pains to trace the Lord's dealings with that community, which is now committed to my labours and prayers. In doing this, I have discovered a document of the conversion of a Jew at Fuerth, as far back as the year 1771; and, as the readers of your journal now and then read something about Fuerth, it struck me that I would send you a copy of that narrative, leaving it for you to decide whether it is deserving a place in your journal or not. The paper itself is drawn up by the clergyman who took a part in the transaction, but his name is not appended to it anywhere.

In my humble judgment, the simplicity of the narrative only tends to give it a higher interest; and, as it stands, it bears witness to the fact that, though the children of Israel have turned from the Lord, he has not quite forsaken them-not turned away altogether from them. It also evidences the great mercy of God, and the power of his Spirit, that is both able and willing to save, even at the eleventh hour, those that turn unto him! Though the proselyte's life, after his baptism, was a short one, how soon did this "brand plucked out of the fire" grow up into the "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," to the soul's eternal salvation, and to the glory of our blessed Redeemer !

Should this narrative be acceptable to you, and I be able to discover more of this kind, I beg you will let me know that you desire to have them sent to you.

Begging you kindly to pardon this intrusion, I remain, sir, yours, in Christian esteem,

P. E. GOTTHEIL.

JACOB CHRISTIAN GOTTLIEB THEOBALD was the son of Jewish parents, and a native of Fuerth, near Nuremberg. He was born in the year 1697. His Jewish family name was Doeble. After he had received a strict Talmudical education, he was sent to qualify him-. self for a merchant. He manifested no inconsiderable talents for acquiring languages, especially the German and Hebrew, as also some other branches of science; and this, together with the circumstance that he was believed to be descended from the family of Aaron,--(as such he had been "redeemed," in the manner described by the law),—was the means of procuring him an influential position, and a great respect amongst his brethren. In the year 1744, he married and settled at Ellshadt.

Whilst zealously pursuing the study of the Talmud, he bore a great hatred to Christianity; but having been led, in the providence of God, frequently to visit the houses of several Christian families, he had an

opportunity of seeing the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. For six years he was occupied with the study of this sacred volume; at the end of which he became fully convinced that Jesus was the true Messiah.

It was in the year 1771 (on the 14th Sunday after Trinity) that I received notice from one of the elders of our church, of the name of Schneider, that Doeble had determined openly to embrace Christianity, requesting me to give that Jew farther instruction in the Christian religion. On the day following, being the 2nd of September, Doeble himself called upon me; and he had scarcely entered my house, when he was followed by his wife and daughter, who reproached him for troubling me so early in the day, adding, that he had not yet said his prayers, and that he was to come away with them to say his prayers in the synagogue. To all this he firmly said he would not comply, but that he wished to stay with the pastor, and pray with him. He also invited them to stay and join him, upon which the two females began to cry very much the daughter reproaching the mother, that, though she had been well aware of her husband's turn of mind, she had never taken any measures to prevent this. They kept on urging him to come away, but in vain. At last the noise became very great, and being apprehensive also of a tumult from the synagogue, I was obliged to send the females out of the house.

I then asked Doeble to walk up-stairs with me, and began to inquire earnestly, and to search deeply, into the motives that might lead him to take this step, taking care to tell him that he must not calculate upon any worldly advantages he might expect to enjoy by this change. To this he touchingly replied, that he was now in his 74th year, and believed, yea, he was sure, that he should not live much longer; he prayed, therefore, that I would do my best to promote his soul's salvation, and to protect him from farther insults. Upon which I sent for the city authorities and the office-bearers of the church, and having, in their presence, made him once more solemnly promise firmly to adhere to his present resolutions, I reported the case to the superior authorities, from whom satisfactory replies were soon obtained.

Having convinced myself that worldly gain was not his object, but that he was earnestly desirous for his soul's salvation,-the Jews had offered him 500 florins in case he returned to them, but he refused, stating that it was not the things of this world, but those of eternity, he sought for,-I commenced giving him religious instructions on that very same day, and found that, though in many points he was still in the dark, he yet possessed a good knowledge of God, Christ, and the means of grace. Upon this good foundation, which had been laid by a careful study of the Holy Scriptures for the last six years, together with prayer and meditation, I was able to rest my instructions.

But, on the 4th of September, Doeble was suddenly taken ill, after he had worshipped with us on the preceding day; and finding that, in spite of all medical aid, his illness was rapidly increasing, I thought it best to hasten the course of my instructions. And it pleased the Lord so to bless these hours, that, after an open and earnest acknowledgment of his former unbelief and exceeding sinfulness, he was enabled, with a prayerful and humble mind, to become acquainted with the grace of God in Christ, and faithfully and devoutly to turn unto him for ever.