earth even unto the other.” “And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest” (Deut. xxviii. 64, 65). No abstruse numerical calculations can for a moment ignore the fact of the literal fulfilment of this prophecy. For in all lands are the Jews a separate people, who, through the long ages from the time of their predicted dispersion, have steadily resisted the operation of those causes which in other instances have been found sufficient to melt down a vanquished horde into the habits and population of their masters; but here is an identity unmistakable and undenied. We cannot but exclaim, What an overwhelming proof, then, does the past and present state of the Jewish people afford, of the TRUTH AND DIVINE ORIGIN OF THE PENTATEUCH!. Be it, however, remembered, that the same voice from heaven which predicted their dispersion, has foretold their future ingathering with the fulness of the Gentiles, when there shall be “ one fold under one Shepherd;” and to keep alive our faith in that glorious consummation, God is even now, from time to time, bringing in one and another of these lost sheep of the house of Israel. The narrative here given furnishes an encouraging indication that “God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew.” Some years since, the writer was preaching in Ipswich, and hearing from the pious captain of a merchant vessel, then lying in that port, that during his late voyage he had been instrumental in the conversion of a Jew, he went on board, and, in the cabin with the captain, listened with emotions easier conceived than described, to the following relation. The subject of this narrative was a Jewish youth, residing with his parents in London, “ circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, an Hebrew of the Hebrews.” But as it is to be feared is the case with many of the descendants of Abraham, both here and on the Continent, he had imbibed the principles of the 80-called “ Rationalism.” Thus, while still observant of the rites of the synagogue, he added to his native hatred of Christianity a general scepticism, which led him to disregard in his heart both the testimony of the prophets and the evangelists—the law and the Gospel. He had received a liberal education, and was designed for the medical profession; but the symptoms of pulmonary consumption marked him as a victim of that fatal disease ; in consequence of which he was recommended, as a dernier resort, to try a sea voyage, and a temporary residence in the warmer climate of Italy. The youthful sufferer, however, carried with him the seeds of dissolution, and finding that he was hopelessly sinking, he resolved to avail himself of the first opportunity of returning, that his last moments might be soothed by domestic tenderness, and that he might die in the bosom of his family. Just at this time, in the all-wise arrangements of infinite wisdom and love, our good friend Captain E- put into the Bay of Naples, when the dying Jew applied for a passage to London. The Christian captain beheld his wan and withered form with feelings of deepest sympathy, and yielded to his earnest entreaties. For a few days only could the poor sufferer avail himself of the breeze and the air by ascending the deck. He was soon entirely confined to the narrow bed-berth of a merchant vessel; and there, with no gentle mother or sister to soothe his pains by their kind attention, with no minister of religion to point him to the sinner's Friend, Captain E- felt the awful responsibility of his position, and resolved to speak to him concerning the “ one thing needful,” the salvation of his soul. At first this Christian solicitude was repelled with haughty disdain. The dying Jew felt all the prejudices of his nation, and the pride of his intellect was roused to resentment. Still the Christian mariner took every opportunity of directing him to the Saviour, although at the mention of the name of Jesus he cursed the Nazarene. And there he lay in the darkness of his Judaism and infidelity, without a single gleam of hope to cheer his passage through the valley of the shadow of death. twithstanding this, Captain E- , knowing the efficacy of prayer, and relying on the omnipotence of the Spirit, kneeled and prayed in that very · cabin in which we were standing. It was the prayer of faith which never · returns empty-handed ; and as an evidence thereof, the poor invalid became milder, and at length gave permission for the reading of the Scripture, but with this proviso, that it should be some portion from the Jewish Prophets. This point gained, the captain read, from Isaiah liii., of Him who “ was wounded for our transgressions," and "bruised for our iniquities ;" who “bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Then was manifest the power of the Holy Spirit. The dying Jew wept like a child, and amid those penitential tears he was directed to “ Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.” Now he permitted the New Testament to be read to him, and from this time was never weary of hearing of the love of the once despised Nazarene. Now that blessed name was music to his ear, and balm to his broken, bleeding heart. Surely here was a display of sovereign grace! There was no earthly inducement for the inveterate Jew to avow his belief in Jesus as the promised Messiah, and, moreover, to fall at his feet and sue for mercy. The enmity of his heart had made a long and determined stand against the truth, till, subdued by invincible grace, he was led a willing captive to Immanuel's cross. Frequently after this, the happy convert would say, “ Come, dear captain, do read that sweet chapter again." Days and weeks passed on, and gradually his soul was nearing the haven of eternal rest. But the strength of his faith and the joy of his heart were so great, that, while confessing himself a very Saul of Tarsus as to his former enmity, he would exclaim, “By the grace of God I am what I am." The hour was now approaching when he must give his dying testimony to the genuineness of his conversion. The captain, sitting by his side, as his failing pulse beat slower and slower, weaker and weaker, continued to speak to him of the Crucified One. A mortal paleness overspread his countenance, but gleams of heavenly glory cheered his departing spirit; and having said, with a voice just audible, “I can rest all my hope on my dear Saviour now,” the power of articulation failed; but just before the silver cord was loosed, the captain said, “If Jesus is still precious, lift up your hand.” A sweet smile expressed the peace and joy within; while lifting up his hand and heaving a gentle sigh, attending angels doubtless bore his ransomed spirit into the bosom of Abraham, to join with the hundred and forty-four thousand of the tribes of Israel, and with the multitude which no man can number, to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb for ever. The captain during this narration showed the writer a valuable gold ring which the dying convert gave him, and enjoined him ever to wear as a memorial of grateful love which he said he could never repay. And there, in that cabin, which was the scene of this miracle of grace, we kneeled and adored the mercy shown to a son of Abraham. In the presence of the crew the captain read the service for burial at sea, committing the body to the deep till the sea shall give up its dead, and the ransomed of the Lord, both Jew and Gentile, shall “return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.” From this truthful narrative let us learn the duty and blessedness of seeking under all circumstances to direct sinners to the cross of Christ, and never to despair on account of our own weakness or the seeming impossibility of success. With the silver trumpet of the Gospel let us speak to mea, and then with the golden trumpet of prayer, speak to God, who “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.” Again and again Captain Esaid he was ready to sink under the feeling of his own weakness for such a work as the Lord had evidently laid upon him; yet this very consciousness of weakness, and of inaptitude for such a mission, was the secret of his strength: he “ Friend, is the question on thy heart engraved, Believe in him, and thou shalt never die." · Bury St. Edmunds. HOW TO INCREASE THE INTEREST AND EFFICIENCY OF OUR PRAYER-MEETINGS. BY THE REV. D. M. EVANS. THE subject proposed for our considera- | in interest. It need perhaps occasion no tion, namely, “How to Increase the In- surprise that multitudes should feel more terest and Efficiency of our Prayer-meet- | interest in a sermon than in a prayer, and ings," is surrounded with so many practical that therefore the disparity should be great difficulties, that it is not an easy matter to between the Sunday congregation and the offer upon it any really valuable suggestion. weekly prayer-meeting ; but it would seem The theory of a church and congregation natural that those who profess to live in! meeting together periodically for devotional communion with God should feel inclined purposes alone, to confess their sins and to join assemblies for devotion. It is a shortcomings, to utter their gratitude and fact, however, we believe, that this inclinapraise, and to prefer their requests, before tion is far from being general among the the throne of grace, for the highest bless members of our churches. We are perings, is in itself so beautiful, that it is im fectly aware that the proportion of mempossible to enforce it by any argument bers in attendance varies considerably, but urged in its favour. The experience of de- at best it is comparatively small. It is vout people pleads for the practice. Its only a certain class of the members upon solemn seasons are among the most che- whose presence we may calculate; and rished traditions of our piety. The prayer- should the number on any occasion exceed meeting has been regarded as the test of a well-known limit, it would seem extrathe spiritual condition of the churches ; ordinary. We are so accustomed to this and it has been observed that those who are state of things, that we have ceased to habitually present on such occasions are wonder at it, or to feel it to be any kind of the strength and the vitality of our con reproach. gregations. When the interest in these Now, the main difficulty in dealing with gatherings increases, it is a sure sign that | this state of things arises from the fact that the spiritual tone of the members is im | the evil is radical. We are not sanguine proving, and that Heaven is about to be that much good may be anticipated from stow a more abundant blessing. The solemn any improvements or alterations, short of an beauty and vast importance of such assem | infusion of a new spirit into the worblies are at once admitted by all who have shippers. A prayer-meeting does not, withany adequate sense of the realities of their | out changing its character and lowering its religion. tone, admit of many subsidiary elements of Yet, on the other hand, nothing is more attraction which may, legitimately enough, common than to bewail that our prayer be introduced into other services not so exmeetings are thinly attended and deficient | clusively devotional. Therefore, in the endeavour to suggest some means of in- | spirit of prayer would sweep away at once creasing its interest and efficiency, one is what is unreal and therefore felt to be arrested by the thought that what is mainly powerless. A new life would pulsate wanted is, that it should be more real, and through the assembly; formality would that whatever hints may be furnished that relax its cold gripe of the affections, the ring do not directly imply and conduce to this, of the true and the genuine would be heard, will, however excellent, fail of the intended and no “strange fire” would glow upon purpose. The sources of what we con- | the altar. This then is our difficulty, that stantly deplore lie, we fear, too deep for any in the absence of this vitality it is imposspecific and superficial measures to reach sible to suggest any means of essential them. It must be confessed that the real / improvement. secret of the failure must be found in the Bearing this in mind, it must at the fact that our meetings have in them too same time be conceded, that we are at best little of "the spirit of prayer and the grace so constituted that it is vain to expect the of supplication.” Genuine prayers are churches constantly to maintain a highperhaps far more rarely offered than we are wrought state of spiritual feeling. We accustomed to imagine. It is only now approach this condition but occasionally, and then that we rise beyond some faint and at distant intervals. It is therefore and indefinite desire to get some sort of with an average state of religious experience spiritual good. The spirit of earnest seeking we have to deal, and to it we must adapt in which we are so entirely absorbed our our measures. The realities of our faith selves, that it must inevitably take posses are too dimly apprehended constantly to sion of others, is not habitually present in stir our hearts and to sustain a steady glow our devotions. It is no exaggeration to of devotion, in meetings which are to be say, that when a man prays, it is an event regularly held, whatever the religious mood. in his own history of vital influence for may happen to be at the time. The spirit many after days, and that a prayer-meeting has its seasons, and these periodic ebbs and pervaded by the right spirit needs nothing flows of feelivg are simply inevitable. The else to move the beart of an assembly. It consequence is, ihat the forms of devotion will, we apprehend, remain a fact, that, as a are often observed when the spirit is absent. rule, prayers mighty with God will also be Thus looked at, the question how our powerful with men. The cry that reaches | prayer-meetings are to become real “seathe Father's heart will also affect all those sons of refreshment” is one of deep imwho have the child-spirit within them, and port and of many bearings, involving, in will serve to awaken it, in many instances, | fact, another question-to which we can where it has hitherto slumbered. Apart 1 only allude-how we can best maintain a altogether from all the rules and the pro high tone of spiritual feeling. It is obvious prieties, let a fervid spirit of devotion be kin- that the interest and usefulness of the dled in the heart of any religious commu prayer-meeting depend mainly upon its nity, however smalland insignificant, and the | reality; in other words, upon the devotional sacred contagion will spread over wider and | spirit of those who conduct it; for these wider circles. Hence we find that when | meetings, rightly understood, are not only ever the tide of religious feeling runs high, the means of stimulating and increasing multitudes flock to the house of prayer, this spirit, but are also its natural expresand that, with its ebb and flow, the num sion. It therefore follows that we must in bers vary. With a more earnest faith and the first place, and chiefly, endeavour in holy longing, much that now tends to every possible way to foster among us the make our prayer-meetings unattractive to | spirit of worship. If our devotional feelmany, would of necessiiy disappear. The ings be low and torpid, comparatively unprayers would be a great deal shorter than I cared for and little cherished elsewhere, they generally are, and much less indefi- | the consequence will be that the prayernite; the praise would not be quite so life | meeting will be attended by a few people, less and drawling; the tones of public mainly from a sense of duty, and seldom pleading with God would lose their mock-moved to exclaim, “ It is good for us to be solemnity, and become natural and unaf- | here ;" while, on the other hand, if these fected ; and if every one prayed only for be kept in due culture, if they be properly what he really felt was required, there trained on all other occasions, there will be would be much more feeling and variety in delight in their exercise when we meet, tothe petitions. Thus, one breath of the gether to pray. The whole of our life and especially all our religious services, should possible to shock the reverence becoming tend to make worship for us a necessity the occasion; that there should be apt and and a satisfaction. It is possible that various petition, and altogether a manner something more might be done towards the that does not fix the attention upon the cultivation of this spirit, at our other person who prays rather than upon the religious gatherings. While so little pro object of worship. This being the case, it minence is given to the element of worship may perhaps be doubted, in perfect charity on the Sunday, it is difficult to see how it and kindliness, whether we ought to expect can be expected to have so much attraction to find many in our churches who are for us during the week. Or at least, while qualified so to fill this place, as properly to 80 marked a preference is shown for the engage the devotions of others, without sermon on all other occasions, it is scarcely more preparation than it is customary to rational to expect, in other circumstances, bestow. In the absence of this, we have a that the interest should be at once trans series of petitions strung together at ran. ferred to the prayer. While it is so clearly dom, the utterance of no definite thought subordinate in the opinion of our larger or particular desire—a form of words as congregations, it is not likely to appear of truly as the most fixed formularies of an supreme importance when two or three are ecclesiastical ritual, with the additional disgathered together. It may therefore be advantage that, in respect of pertinence, worthy of consideration whether we foster comprehensiveness, and variety, it is im. adequately on the Lord's day the spirit measurably inferior. We generally profess which should inform and animate our a preference for free prayer, and stoutly weekly meetings for prayer—whether, at all protest against the use of liturgies in our our religious services, we sufficiently culti devotions, while, in fact, we too often only vate the sentiments of worship. We are substitute one form for another. It is perfectly sensible of the difficulties which difficult to see how, in our way of conductthe question implies; but it is certain that ing the meetings generally, we can expect if it be impossible to evoke more of the anything different from the majority of spirit of worship in our ordinary meetings those who pray among us in public. They for religious purposes, it will be found are compelled often to present such petidifficult to call it forth successfully at tions as they can at the time—not such as meetings specially devoted to prayer. they might desire-and eke them out with We may be allowed to suggest whether a very limited number of well-known scripthere ought not to be some special prepara tural quotations. The consequence is, that tion on the part of the brethren who offer our free prayers are wanting in the very public prayer, especially in the case of elements which are supposed to be their those who have not the gift of various main recommendations, namely, freshness petition and ready utterance. We shall and variety. The practical question, how not, we trust, be understood to encourage to ensure more previous thought on the any elaboration in prayer, than which part of the brethren who lead our devonothing could be more fatal to the spirit tions, it may not be easy to answer ; but of devotion. Prayers which seem to be we venture to submit that more preparalittle better than a digest of theological tion in a prayerful spirit would tend to indoctrine, or which are merely a subtle crease the interest of our prayer-meetings. form of spiritual display, are simply In some churches, the plan has been sucan abomination. So far from giving | cessfully adopted, of drawing up a list of the shadow of a sanction to pretence the members who are in the habit of offer. in any shape in the solemnities of ing prayer in public, assigning to each one, worship, we would have it be more and for a given period, his fixed time, and his more deeply impressed upon us, that prayer place in the order of the service. Due cannot be too simple in form or unpretend notice is given to each, by a secretary ing in spirit. But it should be borne in appointed for this purpose ; and in case mind, that he who offers prayer in public any brother is unable to fill his place in the is for the time being the organ of the as programme, he is expected to provide a sembly; it is therefore important that the substitute. There may, of course, be difdevotions of the people should be so ex ference of opinion as to any such prepressed, that no painful sympathy should arrangement as this ; but we mention this be excited towards the person that leads plan simply for suggestion. them; that there should be as little as It may perhaps be desirable in other |
