of our contempt rather than of our pity, renders caution in our measures peculiarly necessary, and should prepare us for frequent failures, even when our hopes begin to be sanguine. Nor must we forget that the change which has lately taken place, not in the friends of the Institution, but in the management of its concerns, must of necessity occasion a temporary inconvenience. If some of our early measures were less considerate than might have been desired, if debts were consequently contracted, and it was found that a perfect unity in the details of the arrangements could only be secured by an alteration in the constitution of the committee, surely this affords no ground whatever of despair as to the general design of converting the Jewish people. Rather may we consider it as a peculiar encouragement, when we recollect the perfect harmony which prevailed on the occasion, and the extraordinary munificence by which the debts were discharged. For my own part, though I was a member of it on its former plan, and should have continued so if no alteration had taken place, I must still say, that the present system of unity in all the measures of the Society, which could only be expected to arise in conscientious persons from an entire unity of judgment, does afford me a far more pleasing assurance of the divine favour and blessing. Nor do I find it an unusual circum stance, that in Societies of this nature seasons of depression should occur, calculated to humble the pride of man, to check our eager impatience, to correct any bad spirit which may have crept in amongst us, and to bring us in fervent prayer to the foot of the Cross. In proportion as human glory is abased and God alone exalted, may we hope for the blessing for which we wait. I am sure, in all religious societies with which I am connected, it has only been by dearly-bought experience that they have learnt what things to avoid and what to pursue; and it has usually occurred, that in quarters that we least expected, some encouragements have been afforded, to balance extraordinary depression in other branches of our efforts. I trust therefore the really unfounded prejudice, that the attempt to convert the Jews has been made and has failed, will not be allowed any longer to hang upon our minds, and to prevent the use of those very means by which alone any great success can be looked for. All I ask is, that serious and benevolent persons will calmly examine the whole question; and if they see the future steps of our Society to be honourable and prudent, to afford us that proportion of support which we may appear to deserve. To put the question on the very lowest footing, we are benefiting a very large mass of wretched and ignorant fellow-creatures, allied to us by many bonds of unusual and paramount obligation. This, as I at first stated, is of itself quite a sufficient ground of benevolent activity. But if, in addition to this, the Jews are still in covenant with God and beloved for their fathers' sake,if they are to be assuredly converted to the Christian faith,-if the use of means is to be employed in effecting this,-if no nation has been so honoured of God as our own, or so zealous in promoting every cause of piety and love, if the present period has been distin_ guished by the perfectly unprecedented success of various noble religious institutions,-if the whole of the Heathen and Mohammedan nations are waiting, as it were, for the salvation of God, and a spirit of inquiry is springing up in the furthest recesses of superstition,-if the most judicious divines conceive that the predicted termination of the reign of Antichristian corruption and darkness cannot on any calculation be very distant,-if even among the Jews themselves some symptoms of religious investigation begin to appear,-and if, above all, the full coming in of the Gentiles into the Church is to be dependant, as the Scriptures repeatedly assert, on the previous restoration of Israel; then I feel compelled to conclude, that no cause can be more deeply affecting than that in which we are engaged-no cause where the faith and patience of the Christian can be better employ ed, none where success will stand connected with such important consequences on the greatest designs of God and the highest interests of the whole family of man. It seems to me, therefore, that the circle of our charities would be materially defective, if the unhappy Jew were forgotten. I cannot but think, that the least return we can make to that people for the immense obligations under which we lie to their fathers, is to labour assiduously for their conversion; and that at length each Christian, awakening to his duty in this respect, should resolve with David, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Or rather should address himself to the Giver of all grace, and say, in accents of fervent supplication, and I am sure I may be permitted in this way to close these few remarks-Vouchsafe, O blessed Saviour, to prosper the work of our hands upon us! Vouchsafe to direct us in all our measures! Do Thou grant us such wisdom and tenderness and fidelity, that we may not disgrace the sacred cause in which we are engaged! And, O, that it might please Thee to enlighten the minds of thy Antient people; to "remove from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of |