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A JEWISH MORAL FABLE.

"THE body and soul may endeavour to bring blame on each other in judgment: but how? The body may say, It was the soul that sinned, for presently, when she is departed from me, I am thrown into the grave like an insensible stone. But the soul might answer, It was indeed the body that sinned, for as soon as I am released from that unhappy union, I fly through the air like a bird. This reasoning may be thus answered. A certain king appointed two watchmen to defend the fruits of his fertile and beautiful garden; one of whom was lame, and the other blind. They were equally tempted to pluck and eat. The lame man, therefore, proposed to the blind one, that if he would carry him on his shoulder, he would gather a sufficient quantity of fruit, and share it equally between them. The blind man consented, and thus the fruit was carried off. After a time, the king visited his garden, and demanded who had taken his fruit. The blind man said, it was impossible that he should have stolen it, as he had no eyes to find it. The lame man urged that the loss could not be imputed to him, as he had no power to stir a foot about the garden. But their lord discovered the truth of the matter, and commanded the lame man to be placed on the shoulders of his companion, and in that position both to be punished together.

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In like manner will God clothe the soul again with the body, and for mutual sin condemn them both together."-Miriam and Rosetta.

THE OLIVE TREES, IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE.*

"GETHSEMENE is an even spot of ground, enclosed by a rude stone fence, and quite bare, except that there are still to be seen eight fine old and gnarled Olive trees, on which the suns of many centuries have risen and set. These venerable trees are, no doubt, the descendants of those which stood here, when our Lord was wont to resort to this place. The roots would never have been dug up. Titus, it is true, cut down all the timber about the city, but the root of the Olive will again send forth shoots in great numbers, which intertwining with each other, form, in time, one compact trunk. And this is evidently the character of these fine trees at the present time. Their roots are immensely large, and rise very far above the surface of the ground Their trunks and branches are still vigorous, and give proof that they must have grown in this way...

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The position of the garden agrees most accurately with the Scripture account. It is just over the brook Kidron.' It is a place of great loveliness and seclusion, and must be quite in solitude, in the evening, when the gates of Jerusalem are shut. Here, then, the Son of God walked and wept; agonized and prayed; and said, Father, not my will, but thine, be done.' Who would not weep and be humbled here? 'Gethsemene, can we forget,

Or there thy conflict see;
Thine agony and bloody sweat,
And not remember thee?'

*From "The Bible in Palestine."

MISSIONS TO THE JEWS.

JERUSALEM.

THE missionary work in the "holy city" has been much interrupted by the illness of the missionaries. Mr. Ewald was for some time unable to visit the Jews, or to fulfil other missionary duties. We are now happy in learning that he has again commenced his visits to the Jewish quarter of the city, and is able to receive inquirers for instruction at his house. The following extracts from Mr. Ewald's journal will be read with interest :

It is a matter of great thankfulness to the Giver of all good and perfect gifts, that I was enabled to carry on my work in the Lord during this month without interruption from ill health, which was not the case during the three preceding months. I have been privileged to preach the Gospel of salvation to many of the descendants of Abraham in the holy city, in the month of October. That the God of Israel has been pleased to bless my feeble endeavours, you will perceive from the following communication.

When, on the 6th of October, I met a Jew in the streets, who I thought must be a stranger, as I had never seen him before, I accosted him, and found that I was not mistaken. He was from Thesalonica. As it was yet too early for the service, I entered into conversation about holy things, and then invited him to accompany me to our church, which invitation he readily accepted. After the service, I had some more conversation with him, and begged him to call on me. I saw him afterwards several times. The one thing needful was the theme of our conversation,

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which ended in his desiring a private interview with me. We fixed the time of it, and he came at the appointed hour. He opened his heart unto me in the following manner : Sir, I am not altogether a stranger to Christianity, though I do not profess to be quite clear on many points. About ten years ago, there came a missionary to my native place, who distributed tracts; some of them fell into my hands, which I read; but there were many things in them which I did not understand. I wished for some explanation, and inquired after the missionary, but he was gone. I read the books several times; I obtained some light, yet I desired more, and there were none to enlighten me. I had been a wealthy man, but a conflagration deprived me of all I had, and obliged me to seek assistance in a foreign land. I travelled through Italy, Germany, and England. I visited, in London, some of your people there; and my convictions that Christianity was true, grew stronger. I left England, and visited Gibraltar, where I heard of the mission at Jerusalem, and I resolved at once to visit the holy city, and inquire further into the truth. I am now here, and wish to be instructed. I wish to save my soul. Among the Jews, I am an honoured man, being a rabbi and a shochet, but my conscience does not allow me to profess a system which I know to be false."

He showed me his testimonials; amongst which there were also some from the chief rabbies of London, both from the German and Portuguese, and also from other chief rabbies, which speak highly both of his character and learning.

The Spanish Jews have had several discussions

with him, endeavouring to bring him back to Jewish darkness; the Lord has, however, given grace to him, to prove to them that his conviction was founded upon Scriptural truths.

Death of a Young Convert in the Hospital.

His

On the 12th, Peter Meir died at our hospital, at two o'clock in the morning, and was buried in the evening. He was the youth who, in October last year, came to me for Christian instruction. The Jews then raised a persecution against him, declaring that he was a Turkish subject, and, as such, under the jurisdiction of the Chief Rabbi. Peter Meir was imprisoned for more than two months. case was reported by the Pasha of Jerusalem to Constantinople, from whence we obtained the reply, that a Jew, who is a Turkish subject, may become a Christian, if of age; that is, 14 years old. He was then released from his prison; I took him under instruction, and he was one of the five who were baptized by our beloved Bishop last Good Friday. He wished to become a carpenter, and he had been placed with a master. His conduct was consistent with his high and glorious calling. On the 9th, his mother, for whom he always showed the greatest affection, called on me and stated that her son was ill, and wished to see me. I went immediately with her, and found Peter confined to his bed, suffering from fever and ague-a malady which, though painful, is not considered dangerous in this country. Mr. Sandford, who was attending him, was just present, and thought he would be more comfortable at the hospital, he was accordingly removed thither, and I promised to see him again

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