receive through your Minister some answers to questions. They tell us that you are led to search the Scriptures, and this under the Divine blessing will do you good.

A Friend of the Jews" has also sent us replies and a few questions, and "Kate," and "A Little Girl." We thank you all, young friends, and shall be glad of your continued favours by the 11th day of each month, addressed to 16, Lincoln's Inn Fields.

The following letter has been kindly addressed to us. We print it as an encouragement to others. Some of the questions which it contains, shall be inserted with those of other of our correspondents.

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DEAR SIR,-I am delighted with the new plan you have commenced in your valuable magazine, The Jewish Advocate,' and I can assure you from my own experience in instructing children, that no other method you could have proposed, is so likely to make them feel an interest in the Bible, and in the afflictions and hope of Israel. Finding the lamentable ignorance and want of interest in God's ancient people, amongst a class of little boys it is my privilege to instruct on Sabbath evenings, it is rather remarkable that a few months since I should have commenced your plan of questions and answers. I give them each a question or two written on paper, every Sunday morning, and the delight they take in searching out the answers, far exceeds my most sanguine expectations; and now they are aware that other schoolboys answer similar questions, it makes it doubly interesting. It has occurred to me that perhaps some of your young correspondents might like to answer some of their questions;

they are necessarily simple, as the children are young. I enclose a few, not knowing whether you may think any of them worth publishing. With many prayers that God's blessing may rest on your new plan. I remain, your's very sincerely, A CLERGYMAN'S SISTER."

II. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN OUR LAST NUMBER.

1. The earliest mention of Nineveh is in Genesis x. 11.

2. Numbers xxiii. 9. Isaiah lxi. 9.

3. Easter, Whitsuntide and Christmas.

4. Isaac and Jacob. Ishmael, though the eldest son, was cast out, that Isaac might inherit the blessing, "for in Isaac shall thy seed be

called."

Jacob came and by subtilty obtained his brother's blessing. Gen. xxvii.

5. Othniel. Judges continued "about the space of 450 years, until Samuel the prophet." Acts. xiii. 20.

6. God preserved Judah because of his promise to David. 2 Kings viii. 19.

7. Probably because they kept themselves separate from other nations, and would not eat or intermarry with them.

8. Psalm cxxxv. 4. Josh. xxxii. 38. Exodus xix. 5.

9. Romans xi. 26. Isaiah lx. Jeremiah xxxii. 39-41.

10. Isaiah lx. Jeremiah xxiii. 6-8; xxxi.; xxxii. Ezekiel xxxvii. Daniel ix. 25. Micah ii. Zephaniah iii. Joel iii.

11. Psalm cxxii. 6. Isaiah lxii. 6, 7. Jer. xxxi. 7.

III. QUESTIONS.

1. Whence was the Holy Land called "the Land of Canaan?" Whence 66 the Land of Israel?" Why "the Land of Promise?" Why "the Holy Land?" Whence the name Palestine?" How was it originally occupied?

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2. What was the ancient name of Hebron? Mention some persons with whose names it is associated?

3. By whom was the second temple built?

4. Which was the greater, the first or second temple? Why?

5. How long did Joseph live in Egypt, and what was his age when he died ?

6. What became of the descendants of Ishmael? 7. How often did God try Abraham's faith? 8. At what places did the Patriarchs build altars, and for what purpose?

9. How often did Jacob suffer for having deceived his father?

10. What remarkable instance of faith did Joseph give before his death?

THE PAST AND PRESENT POSITION OF THE FRENCH JEWS.*

HISTORY begins to notice the Jews in France in the sixth century. In 540, they established themselves at Paris and neighbouring towns. Childebert issued a decree, that no Jew was to appear in the streets of Paris, from the Holy Thursday till after Easter; fearing that the extra devotion of the people during that period might lead them

From the "Jewish Herald."

to avenge the death of the Saviour on the descendants of His crucifiers; or that whilst the streets were deserted, the people being in church, the Jews might form a conspiracy. In 540, the same decree was proclaimed in the Council of Orleans. A great number of Jews were found in the diocese of Bishop Uzes, who greatly encouraged them, and sought their conversion. He was called to Paris, to justify himself before the king, for his kind dealings towards the Jews. For fear of losing his bishopric, on his return he banished all that community from his diocese. Avitus, bishop of Clermont, also sought to convert the Jews, but by violence and persecution. The Jews became so irritated that on Ascension Day, when a new convert was led through the streets dressed in white, a Jew poured boiling oil on his head. The Christians in their turn fell on the Jews, massacred a great number, and burned their synagogues. The bishop wrote to the Jews, that he was opposed to violence, but, like a good shepherd, he cared for the sheep, and wished to seek out the strayed ones. He, therefore, exhorted them to believe as he did, or else to quit the town. Some, tired of fleeing from city to city, embraced Christianity; others did not send in their confession of faith till they were threatened to be put to death; whilst others fled to Marseilles. King Chileric also forced the Jews to be baptized, but privately they strictly adhered to Judaism.

In 675, Waub, king of the Goths, wished to banish the Jews, but the Bishop of Magamlome and the Count of Toulouse took them under their protection, put them under arms, and pillaged the country as far as Nismes. Count Paul was sent

by the king to put down the rebels, but, instead of fighting against them, he joined them, took Narbonne, and was crowned king. Paul was at last captured, and the Jews expelled from Narbonne.

St. Louis, very zealous for the Catholic religion, instituted the inquisition against the Jews; and on Good Friday, at Paris, and other towns, nearly 3,000 were put to death, under pretence that they used Christian blood on the feast of the Passover. The persecution rose to such a pitch, that the Pope at last interfered in their favour.

In the twelfth century, the famous Jewish academies were established at Lunel, noted not only for learning, but also for their charity, for they fed and clothed their scholars, as well as instructed them. Under the reign of Dagobert a decree was issued, that they should all be banished, unless they embraced Christianity. Some who had just fled from Spain, with the hope of finding refuge in France, preferred dissimulation to exile, whilst the greater number, refusing to be baptized, were banished. In 1272 they were recalled by Philip le Hardi.

The last persecution took place in 1327. During the reign of Charles VI., they were accused at Paris of having killed a Jew that had embraced Christianity; many were hanged, and, two years after, all the rest were banished.

In 1670 they were finally recalled by an order issued at the Council of St. Germain. Besides these frequent persecutions under the cloak of Christianity, a great many were put to death for the crime of usury, which they practised to an awful extent. The Council of Lyons was the first that instituted capital punishment against