Olive-Press, LIST OF ENGRAVINGS. Ancient Synagogue, Bedouin, Agricultural Implements, Wallachian Post-cart, Ornamented Cross, Wallachian Postillion, Stone Cross in Wallachia, Jew with Fur-cap, Wallachian Peasant, Village of Buseo, Yoke for Oxen, Rabbi reading Prayers, A Veiled Bride, Rabbi Dance and Procession of the Law, Jewish Boy with Velvet Cap, Crown over a Grave, Cup over a Levite's Grave, Ship on her way to Palestine, A Polish Hartsmi, Polish Woman carrying Water, Page 269 270 304 308 376 377 381 383 389 397 398 403 408 417 438 451 454 455 455 460 463 496 CHAPTER I. FRANCE-ITALY-MALTA-GREECE. "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy, and I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease."-Zech. i. 14, 15. THE subject of the Jews had but recently begun to awaken attention among the faithful servants of God in the Church of Scotland. The plan of sending a Deputation to Palestine and other countries, to visit and inquire after the scattered Jews, was suggested by a series of striking providences in the case of some of the individuals concerned. The Rev. Robert S. Candlish, D. D., Minister of St. George's, Edinburgh, saw these providences, and seized on the idea. On the part of our Church, "the thing was done suddenly;" but it soon became evident that "God had prepared the people."* The Committee of our General Assembly, appointed to consider what might be done in the way of setting on foot Missionary operations among the Jews, were led unanimously to adopt this plan after prayerful and anxious deliberation. Our own anticipations of the result of our inquiries might be described by a reference to Nehemiah. We thought we could see that, if the Lord brought us home in safety, many people would ask us "concerning the Jews that had escaped and were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem;" and that our Report might lead not a few to "weep, and mourn, and fast, and pray, before the God of heaven," for Israel. We have good reason to believe that this has been the effect. In Scotland, at least, many more "watchmen have been set upon the walls of Jerusalem," men of Nehemiah's spirit, who keep their eye upon its ruins, favouring its very dust, and who "will never hold their + Neh. i. 2, 4. Isa. Ixii. 6, 7. 2 Chron. xxix. 36. DEPARTURE. peace, day nor night, till the Lord make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." It was a token for good at the very outset, that Dr. BLACK, Professor of Divinity in the Marischal College, Aberdeen, and Dr. KEITH, Minister of St. Cyrus, whose writings on the evidence from fulfilled prophecy have been so extensively read and blessed, were willing to give themselves to this work, along with two younger brethren, Rev. R. M. M'CHEYNE, Minister of St. Peter's, Dundee, and Rev. ANDREW A. BONAR, Assistant Minister of Collace, Perthshire. Mr. Robert Wodrow, an Elder of our Church, whose whole heart had yearned over Israel for many a year, was also appointed by the Committee, but ill health compelled him reluctantly to decline. Being all of one mind in regard to Israel, and eager to seek their good, a few weeks sufficed to have every preparation completed. Those of us who had Parishes to leave behind, felt that, in a case like this, we might act as did the shepherds at Bethlehem, leaving our flocks for a season under the care of the Shepherd of Israel, whose long lost sheep we were now going to seek. Nor have we had any cause to regret our confidence, and one at least of our number found this anticipation of the Good Shepherd's care more than realized on his return. As we went on our way through Glasgow, Greenock, and Liverpool, the members of our Church commended us to the Lord. On our arrival in London, the officebearers and members of the London Jewish Society, and many other Christian friends in the city, showed us no small kindness. The Religious Tract Society furnished us with their publications in various languages. What we saw of the Jews there, and of the operations of the London Society among them, was very useful to us. Provided with Lord Palmerston's passport, and letters to her Majesty's foreign Consuls, through the kindness of Sir George Grey and Lord Ashley, as well as with letters to friends and merchants in the various countries we expected to visit, we were commended to the Lord in Regent Square Church the night before we set out. Many prayers also followed us, and the prayers of our brethren have not been in vain. We sailed from Dover on the morning of 12th April, 1839. Soon its white cliffs-its chalky hills-were lea behind, and after three hours' sail over a boisterous sea BOULOGNE-POPERY-PROTESTANTS. 3 we landed in Boulogne. We felt, as the shores of Albion faded from our view, that we needed, in our circumstances, the faith of Abraham, when it was said to him, "Get thee unto a land that I will shew thee;"* for we knew not what was to be the result of our journeying among the seed of Israel. A pillar to the memory of Napoleon, upon a height near the shore, attracts the eye in approaching the harbour of Boulogne. No sooner had we landed, than the demand for our passports, the pacing of the gens d'armes along the shore, and the general aspect of the people, reminded us that we were in a less favoured land than we had left. We wished to press on to Paris that night, as we were afraid of not reaching Marseilles before the 21st, the day when the Alexandrian steamer was to sail, but we found that there was no diligence till next morning. In this there was a kind design of Providence, intended both to encourage and teach us, as we found before the evening had past. Boulogne is said to contain 25,000 inhabitants, of whom 5000 are English visitors. The Leanne, a small stream, flows through it. Popery is strong here, and to meet with so many ensigns of the " Man of Sin" on our first arrival, did not make France the more agreeable to us. In an elegant recess of the Cathedral, which is rebuilding in a splendid style, stands a statue of the Madonna and her Child, with the inscription, "Mater patrona singu laris;" the Son of God thrown into the shade, and the Virgin declared to be their "special Patroness." On the wall and on the roof is delineated the supposed miraculous cross seen in the air at Poictiers in 1827. In order to raise the sum required for rebuilding this cathedral, the expedient was adopted of levying an additional sou on every chair used in the churches of the town. A ship close by intimates that the Virgin Mary is patroness of seamen; and outside of the town, on a hill, stands a very large cross, with a full-length figure of the Saviour, erected by some fishermen who had narrowly escaped shipwreck. We learned that the sailors' wives often come from the town to this cross to pray for their absent husbands. In respect to education, the children of the town are under the special care of the priests, and there is a college where 300 students receive instruction. The English Protestants here are much divided among * Gen. xii. 1. themselves, and true religion does not seem to be in a healthy state; but we had not time to ascertain particulars regarding any native Protestants. In walking through the town, we began to notice the common continental fashion of hanging lamps over the middle of the street by ropes stretching from side to side. The old wall forms now a part of the fort, and the tower of the town-house is used for alarms in case of fire. There is an extensive view from the heights above the town. It was not till evening that we were able to ascertain any facts regarding the Jews here. We had been told that two Jews had lately come from Dover, who resided near our hotel, but that they were men of the world rather than devout Israelites. In the evening, however, we were visited by a very interesting Jew, a person of education and agreeable manners, who spoke English fluently. He told us his history.-Originally possessed of a small fortune, he had exhausted it in travelling for the sake of his brethren, having gone to North America, to investigate the question whether or not the Indians there are really the descendants of the ten tribes. He had lived a year among the Winebagoes and Micmacs, learned the Cherokee and Oneida languages, conformed to their manners, often living almost naked, all in order to ascertain that question, which he did not hesitate to decide in the negative. He was now spending his time in retirement, with the view of being able to recruit his resources, so as to undertake new journeys among his brethren in other parts, and especially in Palestine. The circumstance of our being on our way to Palestine had chiefly induced him to visit us. In the course of conversation, we stated the feeling of love to Israel which had led us to go forth on this journey; and Dr. Keith, with great fervour, pictured the outcast state of Israel, and how plainly it seemed to be on account of some sin lying at their door, urging him to consider what the sin could be. In reply, the Jew spoke of God's general love and mercy; and when we in return exhibited the way of pardon and acceptance, he became much affected,-" chiefly," he said, “because we manifested such interest in him, and such kindness." He added, 'he wished there were more of the Church of Scotland's Missionaries;" and then immediately explained himself, "that it was only in one sense he could express such a wish, for he could not desire our success in converting |