convincing proof to every people, and tribe, and nation, and language, that indeed God has been in the midst of Christendom, and that Christ is the hope of man. The Right Hon. Lord GLENELG, in the course of his address, said: My Lord, when we look at this people, we look at a people for whom the harp of prophecy has been tuned in all ages. It produced their birth; it ushered in the commencement of their history; it has accompanied them through all their glorious march; it has not deserted them in their sorrow and in their degradation; it whispers to them notes of comfort even in their uttermost misery; it teaches future ages to resound with acclamations for that triumph to which they are destined; it tells them, even in their degraded state, that when all things are renewed, the names which they have loved and cherished-the names which have signalised their native land, are names recorded by the tongues of men and of angels; it tells them of Zion, and of the flowery brooks that washed their hallowed feet, and it tells of the great city with its proud battlements and towers, and its ever-open gates into which the redeemed shall throng under their auspices into the innermost sanctuary of God. Thus does it point them to the approach of a period-how nearly approaching it is not for us to say-perchance even now, Wide waving o'er the land, The mighty angel lifts his golden wand, The Hon. W. CowPER, M.P., said: The Reso lution that has been put into my hand, particularly calls upon the Meeting to rejoice in the blessing with which God has accompanied the Jerusalem Mission. We have heard in the Report that the building is now assuming a visible and complete form, and that that little band of faithful disciples who have hitherto met together in an upper chamber in Jerusalem, are now about to assemble in a decent and suitable edifice-one strictly in accordance with the character of our Church-and that, therefore, the Church of England will exhibit itself in the midst of the various communities that throng the capital of Syria, in its pure and scriptural character, so that its Christian articles, its solemn and devout and spiritual Liturgy may be heard upon Mount Zion, in a Church without images, without any of those superstitious practices which in Jerusalem so peculiarly excite the contempt of the Mussulman, the scorn of the sceptic, and grief and wonder in every devout inhabitant and visitor of the country. It is a satisfaction that, by the instrumentality of this Society, the Church of England has been exhibited in that very important part of the world— for the Mediterranean is still the centre of the civilized world-Syria is still the point where European knowledge and Asiatic intelligence meet together it is still the central point of the whole earth-and that place is no longer given up to such representations of Christianity as are afforded by the varieties of the Greek Church, by the different forms of the Latin Church; but we have there a pure, simple, primitive Christian, bearing the title of Bishop of the Church of England, who will exhibit, amongst these various opinions and these various creeds that pure scriptural religion which we in this country profess. The Rev. ED. BICKERSTETH thus spoke of the Bishop of Jerusalem: And, then, in the appointment of such a man as Bishop Gobat, how much have we to be thankful for. In the year 1825, just twenty-two years ago, I had the privilege of receiving Bishop Gobat, then a young man, as a missionary for the Church Missionary Society. Ever since that time, I have had an affectionate intercourse and communion with him, and I desire from my heart to bless God for the grace given to him. I think the little statement which he made shows at once the mind of the man-the statement which he made at the conclusion of his address, at Berlin, was this:-" It is not only my duty, but the first desire of my heart, to offer the right hand of fellowship to all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us learn ever more and more to say with the Apostle, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Let us be united in him in one spirit." This is the enlarged spirit of love to real Christians which fits a man for this post at Jerusalem. Now let us mark his love to the Saviour. When he was going to Jerusalem, he wrote thus::-"Let man be nothing: let the bishop be nothing: but let Christ be all in all, and all one in him." The Lord enable him to maintain that simplicity of faith and love, and give him the full blessing of all his labours! JOHN LABOUCHERE, Esq., the Treasurer of the Society, remarked: I think there are abundant reasons to induce us to come forward manfully in support of such an object, and that we should never forget the great obligations we are under to our Jewish brethren. But, if these motives are not sufficient to induce us to come forward on behalf of the lost sheep of Israel, let me urge you the motive so eloquently urged by the Right Rev. Prelate the Bishop of Oxford-let me remind of their present lost and wretched condition-let me remind you of the state of the unawakened Jew out of Christ. I know no object of greater sympathy than he. Look at his case. Banished from Judea, he is precluded from the sacrifices of God's holy law, which he still recognises to be in force, and cut off from the sacrifice which we acknowledge, Jesus Christ, the great High Priest of his people. I do not know any case so melancholy as that of the unawakened Jew out of Christ. Now, what is the object of this Society? Our object is to send missionaries to the Jews, to tell them of Him who was the Prince of Peace, who was the great Physician of souls,-of Him who can pour balm into their wounds, and give them that comfort which they never can find while in a state of unbelief. Such are the objects of this Society, and we are bound by many obligations to come forward cheerfully and liberally on its behalf. And, moreover, let us remember, that great as our obligations have been to the Jews, and rich as have been our blessings from the Jews, yet still greater blessings are in store through the instrumentality of the Jews. If," as St. Paul said-" If the casting away of the Jews be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" And if we have inherited rich promises and blessings through the instrumentality of the Jews, still richer blessings are in store for us when they shall be converted as a nation. 66 The Rev. THOMAS NOLAN, speaking of the state of the Jews, and of our duties towards them, said: The Jew stands in need of a Saviour as much as the Gentile; and though, in the oracles of God committed to him, he possesses "the testimony of Jesus," yet the vail is upon his heart when Moses is read: he cannot find Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write. He has light enough to aggravate fearfully his responsibility, but not enough to secure his salvation. He has the words of salvation in his hands, but, like the Ethiopian treasurer, he understands not what he reads, and with him may reply to us, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" Oh, dear brethren, here is a great claim upon us to send some Philip, to go near and speak unto him, " that through your mercy he obtain mercy." may This is truly the object of this Society, and a glorious object it is, to go out into the byways to seek the lost ones of the house of Judah, and to speak to them words whereby they may be saved; to take to them their own Scriptures, and out of those same Scriptures to preach unto them Jesus and the resurrection -exhorting them to repent, to be converted, and to be baptized, "calling upon the name of the Lord," the only name under heaven given among men whereby a sinner, be he Jew or Gentile (for there is no difference), can be saved. "Tis true that the national condition of Israel now is "cast off because of unbelief," enemies as concerning the Gospel for our sakes; but it is no less true, that he is notwithstanding, as touching the election beloved for the fathers' sakes." Suppose now, a father necessitated, in order to maintain the respect and authority due and necessary for him as the moral governor of his family to exclude from his home, a beloved, and once favoured son; in order to the benefit of 66 |
