vouchsafe to give you this knowledge, a knowledge which I would not exchange for all the riches of the world. And now, men of Israel, beloved brethren, I return my thanks for the affectionate kindness I have ever experienced from you all. I lament my inability to reward you for it; but this heart, which now is so deeply affected by various and contending emotions, will never cease to love and to pray for you, and the tears of sorrow which this parting scene draws forth, bear me witness how much and truly I love you. May the Lord God of Israel bless you, and bring you into the way-the way"-Here the voice of Joshua failed him, and overpowered by the intenseness of his feelings, he burst into a flood of tears.

It will be easily imagined, what amazement this unexpected declaration produced amongst the assembled Jews. Some wept, and others stood petrified. At length Dr. Rheinhard addressed Joshua before the assembly, and told him it was not yet too late, but that if he chose it, he might still remain with his people to enjoy that love and friendship, of which he had just received such affecting proofs. Then the Jews pressed around him and embraced him, and earnestly entreated him not to forsake his nation,

But

Joshua forced his way through the crowd, and taking Dr. Rheinhard by the hand, bade them a last farewell, and left the synagogue for ever.

From this time Dr. Rheinhard received Joshua into his house, that he might have a better opportunity of improving himself in the knowledge of the truth. And no man could be better qualified than Dr. R. to lead forward and to promote the spiritual interests of a Jew possessed

of learning and judgment. He was perfectly acquainted with the arguments and objections which the Jews were accustomed to advance, and had great skill in refuting them; but the love, meekness, and patience which he manifested, impressed the mind of Joshua more than all his arguments; and Christianity became every day more attractive to him, as he observed the fervent prayers and the holy conversation of the Doctor's family.

When Joshua had passed some weeks with his pious teacher, a remarkable incident occurred. The Jewish population of the neighbourhood invited him to a conference, which they appointed to be held at Dessau, undertaking to prove to him the errors of his new opinions, that he might be brought back into the right way.

The Rabbies first came forward, and in a long and studied harangue extolled the privileges and the sanctity of their religion; and then enlarged upon the grievous nature of that curse which awaits the apostate. Joshua in reply assured them, that were all the Rabbies in the world to unite in cursing him, he should neither be alarmed, nor offended, but should return their curses with his blessing. He reminded them that the question for their consideration was the fact of the coming of the Messiah, which it seemed they felt reluctant to enter upon: he proceeded to prove to them, from the works of the ancient Rabbies, that many among them held opinions as to the time of Messiah's coming, which, if true, made it evident that he must have come long ago. He reproached them for their neglect of the prophecies, and for the false interpretations which they gave to them, whereby they kept themselves in wilful

blindness. He boldly charged them with deluding their people with false hopes, and set before them their inconsistency and their impiety in presuming to denounce curses on those, who wished to enquire as to the time of the Messiah's advent, on the supposition that he had not yet appeared. He challenged them to tell him where the second temple was to be found, and where the town of Bethlehem existed, and where was the tribe of Judah, and how was the family of David to be discovered? He then referred them to the wellknown book Shalsheleth Hakabalah, in which it is distinctly shown, that the last person of the branch and lineage of David, was one Marsutra Ben Marsutra, who died long ago. As he was concluding his address, the Jews showed great uneasiness, and appeared to be utterly at a loss what to do, or what to say. Joshua therefore again addressed them, and related the circumstances by which he had been led to his present religious views, and assured them, that neither the want of the fullest consideration of the subject, nor the hope of temporal gain, had caused him to become a Christian; but that the love of truth, and that alone, had induced him to take the important step. After he had said this, some of the most respectable Jews took him aside, made him the most alluring promises, and entreated him, with the most earnest solicitations, not to forsake them. But Joshua, though deeply affected, and unable to restrain his tears, declared emphatically before them all, that if they could bring no better arguments against Christianity, he must follow the dictates and the conviction of his own judgment. One of his friends who had accompained him to the synagogue then addressed the assembly, and

:

asked, whether any one among them could charge Joshua with impropriety of conduct and they all answered, in the most decided terms, they could not. Upon this the same friend, turning to Joshua, enquired of him if he were willing to go back to his brethren, and to make them happy by remaining among them: to which Joshua replied with firmness, "I have found the Lord Christ Jesus, the Lord and Saviour of the World, and to him will I ever be faithful, even though I should be called upon to suffer death for his sake. I have now no other wish in my heart, than that these my brethren may see their error, and may follow my example.' He then addressed them again, at length, upon the truth of Christianity, and with such an impressive effect, that two of his hearers determined to become Christians ; and one of them was afterwards baptized at Ulm, and the other at Koslin in Pomerania. The general impression was so great, that many others would have adopted the like determination, had they not been kept back, partly by promises, and partly by threats.

(To be continued.)

THE EVE OF THE SABBATH.

THE Sabbath of the Jews commences at sunset on Friday, and continues till sunset on Saturday. On the eve of the Sabbath, that is on Friday evening, you may see the Jews, before the sun has gone down, closing their shops and putting away the signs and sound of labour, and proceeding with willing feet to their synagogues, where they have a public service which is called

the "Service for the reception of the Sabbath." At this they read several psalms, as from the xcv. to the xcix. and also xxix.; after which the following hymn-a welcome to the Sabbath. "Come my beloved to meet the bride: the Come presence of the Sabbath let us receive. my beloved, &c.

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Keep and remember (the Sabbath-day); both words did the one peculiar God cause us to hear, with one expression: the Eternal is a Unity, and his name is Unity: to him appertaineth renown, glory, and praise. Come my beloved to meet the bride, &c.

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Come, let us go to meet the Sabbath-day, for it is the fountain of blessing; in the beginning of old was it appointed: for though last in creation, yet it was first in the design of God. Come my beloved, &c.

"O thou sanctuary of the king! O royal city arise and come forth from thy subversion; thou hast dwelt long enough in the abode of calamity, for he will now pity thee with kindness. Come my beloved, &c.

"Shake off the dust: arise, O my people! and adorn thyself with thy beautiful attire; for by the hand of the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, redemption draweth nigh to my soul. Come my beloved, &c.

"Rouse thyself: rouse thyself! arise, shine, for thy light is come. Awake, awake, utter a song: for the glory of the Lord is revealed upon thee. Come my beloved, &c.

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O, be not ashamed, neither be thou confounded. O Jerusalem! why are thou cast down? Why art thou disquieted? In thee the poor of my people shall take refuge, and the