Ezra, whose son embraced Mahomedanism, Rabbi Abraham, the son of Maimonides, succeeded him in the esteem of all the synagogues, who conferred upon him the title of Nagid, or Prince of Spain, which was continued to the grandson of this great man, the son of Rabbi Abraham, named Rabbi David. This celebrated Egyptian Rabbi was buried at Tiberias, which he had visited with the intention of ending his days there. Among the Jews, the praise of Maimonides has passed into a proverb: "From Moses (the lawgiver), to Moses (the son of the judge), there arose not a Moses."

THE TRIALS OF FAITH ILLUSTRATED. MANY are the trials of the sincere convert. With our feelings and our education, we have great difficulty in exercising true sympathy with the peculiar people. The Jews are a people of strong feelings, of warm affections, of powerful impulses, and shut out from the sympathies of other men, they feel the more keenly the trials which they are called upon to endure.

The following brief history of a convert's trials illustrates the power of divine grace, and the affecting realities of rabbinical persecution where, as in the East, it is uncontrolled by the powerful influence and mild genius of Christian laws.

Mrs. Lauria was educated in all the prejudices which prevail among the strict rabbinical Jews. Her husband gives the following account of the manner in which she was led to become a devout believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, after having long lived in rebellion against him.

"It was about six years ago, that I had determined to confess openly my conviction of the truth as it is in Jesus, but I had not yet strength or courage enough to leave, for His sake, all that was near and dear to me. I therefore spent another year in endeavouring to convince my wife of the truth; but I found all my efforts were in vain; she would not even hear the name of Christ; and dreading she would betray me to the Jews, I desisted from that dilatory course, and began humbly to pray for heavenly assistance and encouragement to accomplish the good work He had graciously began in me; and I hoped yet to be able freely to speak to her, after I renounced Judaism. Accordingly, I was enabled openly to declare my belief in Christ. But to my great disappointment, I was obliged to leave my house in the Jewish quarter, and was suffered no more to see my wife and child.

"About three months after, the Russian ConsulGeneral of B. came hither on a pilgrimage, being before Easter; and the Jews petitioned him to force me to divorce my wife. He sent for me. I begged permission to have first some interviews with her, that I might state to her my reasons for embracing Christianity, in the hope that she would consent to remain with me. He promised to order my wife to have a conference with me for fifteen days, an hour each day. She accordingly came once to me, surrounded by many Jews, who had previously filled her mind with the most malignant prejudices against Christianity. No sooner did I begin to make her understand what true Christianity is, than her guards began to cry out, You are a liar, you are an apostate-away with your Thului' (crucified one). She repeatedly

begged me to return and remain a Jew, but would not listen to a word about Christianity. This was the first and last time she came to me.

"When the fifteen days were at an end, new troubles came. Early the next day, the Consul sent for me, and said, 'Now the time I have given you has passed, and your wife is unwilling to follow you; you must, therefore, divorce her.' She and the rabbies and scribes were immediately called; and they began to write the bill of divorce. I tried once more to speak to her in his presence, and assured her, if she would remain with me, I would permit her to be a Jewess. She was very much distressed, and did not know what to answer. She called to mind the happy years she had spent with me, and felt it very trying now to consent to separate from me; yet she would not make up her mind to live with a Christian, which name she bitterly hated. The Consul put an end to her wavering by saying to me, 'No; you are a Christian, and cannot have a wife a Jewess. I cannot permit that; she must either be baptized with you, or else be separated.' It was in vain that I appealed to the New Testament, to prove that she might remain my wife, although a Jewess. He, in great anger, asked,' Where is it written?' I pointed out to him 1 Cor. vii. He. That is Mr. Nicolayson's New Testament. Do not speak any more; no such thing is to be found in the New Testament. Divorce your wife immediately; else you must go to prison, and will, in a few days, be sent to Russia." He then ordered her not to answer me a single word, and commanded the scribes to finish the form of divorce.

"The Rabbi then began to question me according to their law, 'Dost thou give the divorce with

thy free will, and without compulsion?' I. I shall give it because it is the Consul's pleasure, but you know that it is not my choice.' The Jews then petitioned the Consul to compel me to say, that I gave it without compulsion. He ordered me to make no more difficulty, but to answer the Jews as required. I shall divorce her,' I said, ‘because it is your order, but cannot say I do it with my good will; I am a Christian, and cannot lie.' No sooner had I spoken these words, than I was taken to prison. I found myself confined in a dirty dark ruined stable. I was groping to find a place where to sit down, but was disappointed. Several friends brought me some refreshments, but they were not allowed to approach the stable. The Consul's janizary came once to see if I had not made my escape, for the stable had a door which I could have burst open with one push. I offered five piasters for a little water, but was not suffered to have either food or water. In such a miserable condition I remained nearly the whole day. A little before sunset, Mr. Nicolayson, and Dr. Macgowan went to the Consul, to use their influence on my behalf. He called me out of the stable, and told me in their presence, that he does nothing else than what the law compels him to do; that it was only for their sake that he brought me into his presence, to ask whether I had repented of my obstinacy; but that if I persisted in my disregard of the laws, though he would be exceedingly sorry to cause any unpleasantness to his friends (Mr. N. and Dr. M.), yet he must perform his duty, and send me back to prison. Seeing my helplessness, I thought it advisable to comply, on condition that before the divorce, the question respecting my child and property should be settled. He promised to take the

matter into consideration. The next day my property was adjudged to belong to my wife, and I was ordered besides, to pay her 2,000 piastres in ready money The Consul then held out to her 500 piastres, and said, 'I exceedingly commiserate you; what you took will not suffice to defray the expenses of half-a-year. Take this as a present from me.' Neither the 2,000 piastres, however, nor the 500, ever reached her pocket. The Jews, in acknowledgment of his generosity, purchased for him, with the 2,000 piastres, some silver vessels, in one of which he found a treasure (as one of Joseph's brethren found in their sacks) which amounted to 500 piastres, the very sum which out of charity he had just given to a poor stranger!

"Nor did my trials cease here. I claimed my child; but unfortunately the Russian Consul had now forgotten to whom, according to the laws of his country, the child belonged; he therefore informed me, he would consult the code of civil laws at home, and answer me when he next visited Jerusalem. He remembered, however, that I must pay my wife for nursing the child then at her breast, otherwise I should have no claim on it.

"I had, accordingly, paid her for fourteen months successively, when the Consul again made his appearance at Jerusalem. I visited him, but was told he was much occupied, and would be glad to see me the next day. That day, however, at sunrise, he left Jerusalem. A few days after, I found my wife and child had been sent secretly away to Russia. My wife arrived safely there, and went directly to my grandfather, with whom she left my child, and then proceeded to her native place, to visit her relations."

(To be continued.)