earnestly commend to the intercession of all believers.

"Our staff having been considerably strengthened, especially by the addition of a zealous clergyman, we are now better able to afford means of instruction and edification than formerly. Besides the daily morning prayers in Hebrew, we have two full services at Christ Church every Lord's-day; and every first (communion) Sunday of the month, prayers and a sermon in Arabic (by Mr. Nicolayson). Besides the services at Church, the Rev. Mr. Crawford has a more simple one, such as our people require, in his own house, in English. Every Wednesday evening we have a service at the school-room, which consists of singing, prayer, and a simple exposition of the Word of God. It is in German, which nearly all understand; except on the first Wednesday of the month, when there is a missionary meeting, both in English and German. Besides these public services, we endeavour to bring the Gospel to the hearts and consciences of the Jews, the natives, and the proselytes, according to opportunities.

Of the Hospital I have but little to say, except that it has continued to be a great blessing to many poor Jews and Jewesses during this year, which has been one of more than ordinary trials to the poor, on account of the high prices of eatables, the scarcity of water, and the consequent increase of sicknesses and diseases.

"The House of Industry has made some progress; and it continues to prove of great importance, both as a means of testing the character and the motives of inquirers, and of teaching such as are likely to be received into our Church

some trade, by which they may honourably earn their livelihood. They are moreover, instructed in the evening, whereby several have already acquired a good amount of knowledge in reading, writing, cyphering, and language, besides more or less of general knowledge.

"The above are the Institutions of the Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews, and exclusively for the Jews, except the Church."

LOOSING THE SHOE.

THE following account, furnished by Mr. Goldinger, one of the missionary agents of the Society, whilst it affords an illustration of the custom still kept up amongst the Jews, shows how every circumstance may be used as an instrument for opposing the truth :—

"Nor can I omit to mention a circumstance which induced one of these Jews, a teacher, to call on us. He has a daughter who was married to a Jewish soldier, of whom it is said that he died some years ago. In order to relieve his daughter from the painful suspense and doubt of her being a widow, and to procure for her the liberty of marrying again, the father endeavoured to obtain satisfactory evidence of the death of his son-in-law, and after much trouble he succeeded in getting authentic testimonials of the respective military authorities, in which the place and hour of the death of his son-in-law was minutely specified. He showed these testimonials to several rabbies, who acknowledged them to be sufficient, and therefore declared that his daughter could be married again. But the

brothers of the deceased prevent her from doing so, as they refuse to perform the ceremony of 'loosing the shoe.' It is well known that, according to Deut. xxv. 5, the surviving brother was obliged to marry the childless widow of the deceased; if, however, he refused to do so, he was summoned by the elders of his city, and the widow had to loose his shoe and spit in his face, to put him to shame for his refusal, and hence he was also called one that had his shoe loosed.'

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Now, as, by the law of Rabbi Gershon, polygamy and bigamy is prohibited among the Jews, (much later than among Christians,) the modern Jewish rabbies have entirely abrogated this law, that a surviving brother is to marry a childless widow of the deceased, even in case the living brother is not married at all. But in order that they may have the appearance of observing the law, that a surviving brother is asked in the synagogue, whether he is willing to marry the widow who is present, but he is obliged to answer in the negative, in a form of Hebrew words, which they had previously given him, after which the widow looses his shoe, which, according to rabbinic prescription, is made of parchment, and spits out before him. It is not till this ceremony is observed, that she is allowed to marry. Jews, not content to disgrace the Mosaic law in such a way, and to abuse in such a way the end it has in view, seek only their unlawful gain by it; inasmuch as the living brother generally refuses to submit to this ceremony till he has extorted from the widow as large a sum of money as he possibly can. It often occurs that the widows have thus to sacrifice all they have, in order to satisfy the avarice of their brother

The

in-law, and to obtain by this ceremony the permission of entering into a new marriage. The elders of the Jews, or rabbies, scarcely ever think of admonishing the covetous, for it is considered as a matter of course.

"The daughter of the said teacher was in the same situation; her brothers-in-law even attempted to raise doubts whether her husband was really dead, and all this for no other reason than to extort money. He therefore came to consult us in this matter, but we could give him no better advice than to tell him, that from all this he could see how deceitful and false the rabbinic system is, and that he would do well to search the Scriptures, in order to be convinced of the truth of Christianity, from which he and his daughter would derive the greatest blessing for time and eternity."

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

I.

OUR youthful correspondents have begun the year well, and we thank them very much, both for the answers and the questions which they have kindly sent to us. We hope none will think himself or herself slighted, if the questions sent do not appear, as we sometimes have so large a supply that it is impossible to print them half, without occupying a larger space than our little book can afford. We shall reserve the unprinted ones for a time of dearth, which we hope is far distant. Here are the answers to our questions of last month :

1. Because they forsook the Lord and served idols. (Jer. xxv. 8, 9; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 20, 21.) 2. It may be gathered from St. Paul's mentioning Samson as one who had gained a good report by faith, that that extraordinary personage was, notwithstanding his wicked and infatuated conduct, a true believer.

3. Our Saviour condescended to appear in human form, (before taking upon him our nature,) (1) To Abraham. Gen. xviii. 22.

(2) To Jacob.

Gen. xxxii. 24-30.

(3) To Moses. Ex. iii. Compare Hos. xii. 4. 5. (4) To Joshua. Josh. v. 13-15.

(5) To Gideon.

(6) To Manoah.

Judges vi.

Judges xiii.

This appearance, though it may at first sight appear an angelic one, yet must have been human, as we find Manoah mistaking him for a man of God or a prophet; verse 8.

1 Sam. iii. 10.

(7) To Samuel.
(8) To Elijah. 1 Kings xix. 7.

(9) To Daniel.

Dan. x. 5. In visions.
Zech. i. 8; compare 11

(10) To Zechariah.

and 13.

4. (1) In the reign of Saul the capital of the two kingdoms was Gilgal.

(2) During the reign of Ishbosheth the capital of Israel was Mahanaim.

(3) During the reigns of David and Solomon, when the two kingdoms were once more united, Jerusalem was the capital.

(4) After Solomon's death the capital of Israel was Pisgah.

(5) Till the death of Zimri, when it was burnt, and Samaria became the capital.

5. Jerusalem was built on four hills, viz.,