THE CHILDREN'S JEWISH ADVOCATE. OCTOBER, 1860. THE REPORT. WE continue in this number some extracts from "the Report." Our readers will see that there is much passing in the minds of the Jews, which we must pray may end in their conversion to Christ. We read as follows in the Report of the Berlin Mission: : that she was acquainted with a lame, but pious ChrisA Jewess informed Mr. Gans, at the Frankfurt fair, tian woman, in her native place, whom she visited once or twice every week to read the New Testament with her. Since that pious woman had read to her and with her, she had had totally different views of Christ. She had hated and detested His name, but now she knew her error, and the sin she had committed. She could not yet pray to Him as Christians did; but she loved Him, because He loved not only all men, but the Jews in particular. She also taught her children to honour Christ, and always took them along with her, them an opportunity of hearing of Christ, and learning all about Him. The Rev. Mr. Arndt has lately related the following history:-A Jewish missionary (belonging to our Society) on his mission tour visited a small town in the province of Westphalia, and amongst other Jews he called also on the rabbi, with whom he had a long discussion. When he took leave of him, he gave his friend a New Testament, and begged that he would read it carefully. The rabbi accepted the book, but no sooner had the missionary left the room, than in anger and displeasure, he threw it on to the top of one of his book-shelves, there to lie in the dust and never to see the light again. The New Testament was entirely forgotten by the rabbi. It happened, years after, that the reverend gentleman had to leave his house and to move into another. In the course of packing his books, the said New Testament fell down into his hand open. This circumstance made him thoughtful for a moment, and he then began to read just where the book was open: it was the genealogy of Christ. This made him curious; he read, and read on, until he had finished the Gospel of St. Matthew, and then all at once it was as if the scales were taken from his eyes, and he cried out: "Truly that was the Messiah that should come into the world." The next Sabbath he related in the Synagogue what he had found, and begged the Jews to leave everything else, and with him to purchase the pearl of great price. The congregation was amazed and astonished, and when they had recovered from their surprise, they cast him out of the synagogue. He went to Elberfeld to be instructed and baptized. But he was there advised to go to Berlin, which he did, with a letter of introduction to some one, who sent him to Pastor Arndt. The latter says that he was delighted and edified to see how this son of Abraham grew in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that he had an ardent love for his Lord and Maker. After his baptism, he went to the south of Russia, to learn a trade, in spite of his age, for he was then 62, that he might eat his bread by the labour of his own hands. Let us observe also the following, with regard to the Jewish children. The following anecdotes will illustrate the influence exercised over Jewish children by their attendance at Christian schools: In the course of conversation with some Jewish children, in a small town in Pomerania, on a Sabbathday, a Jewess related to the colporteur that, some little time ago, she had overheard a conversation, which her boy, nine years of age, had with his play-fellow, a Jewish boy of the same age. The latter was relating something to the former, which he instantly declared to be an untruth, asking whether he did not know that God was omnipresent, and heard every word that he had said, and that He would leave no lie unpunished, because He had forbidden lying in His Word? His young companion replied, "I know that; but God is merciful and gracious, and will have compassion on man; for He knows that there is not a man in the world who observes all His commandments, to do them." "That is very true," replied the little preacher, “God is long-suffering, and waits long_ere He punishes, to give man time for repentance. But He is also a righteous God, and fulfils His Word, and carries out the threatened judgment. He has said that He will surely visit transgression, though judgment does not always follow at once: but He has appointed a day of judgment, when all will have to appear before Him, and give an account of all the deeds done in the body, and of all the words spoken; and then He will award eternal life, or doom to eternal damnation." "If that be true," replied his little friend, "then no man can be saved; for there is no man living without sin.' "Quite true," said the former; "but God's mercy and compassion was so far extended to man, that He gave His only-begotten Son, who had done no sin, as a sacrifice for sinners. And those who expect and believe that Jesus is the true Messiah, and that He has shed His precious blood for them, receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Him." Here the mother added, " Although I was moved to tears by my child's speech, and felt the truth of it in my heart, yet I sprang from my seat and threatened him with punishment, if ever he dared to say such things again about then (the hanged one)." The teacher of an infant school relates, that, when first he took charge of the school in 1851, he scarcely knew what to teach these infants, when a favourite hymn occurred to his mind, "Weil ich Jesu Schäflein bin," (Seeing I am Jesu's lamb.) Most of the children had learnt it in thirteen days. Two months passed without any particular occurrence. One day, in the month of July, one of the children informed me that on the previous day a little Jewish boy, and one of my school, had fallen into the water and would have been drowned, had he not fortunately been saved. A few days later, the boy came to school again, but was very much cast down, and looking ill. I asked him whether it was true that he was nearly drowned a few days ago? He said, yes! and told me that he had advanced too far on a washing scaffolding, and so tumbled into the water. "Were you not very much frightened when you sank under the water?" I asked him. "No," said he. "But what were your thoughts when the water closed over your head?" "Well,' "said the little Israelite, with sparkling eyes, "I thought, Seeing I am Jesu's lamb." "Seeing I am Jesu's lamb, He, I know, will lose me, never: Take me, for Christ's lamb am I." The Rev. H. Lawrence, in writing about the mission at Danzig, says:— In one family, the younger members of which go to the Christian school, a daughter wished very much for a New Testament, but her father refused her request. She however persisted in her entreaties until at last he gave his consent, and she obtained the desired treasure. Another little girl repeatedly begged her parents to allow her to buy one, and cheerfully paid for it out of her own pocket-money. The Rev. E. M. Tartakover makes mention of the Jewish Schools in Poland thus: It is a matter of thankfulness that the Jewish Schools are undergoing a great change in Poland. The Hebrew |