landlord entered my room on Saturday morning, and finding me covered with the talith and at prayer, he started back affrighted. After prayer, he came and asked me who and what I was: I said, I am an Israelite. An Israelite, said he, What is an Israelite? I said, have you not read the Bible? or have you not read the history of the Israelites? how God led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea, by the hand of Moses, and brought them with Joshua into the land of Canaan? He said, when a schoolboy he had read about them, but thought they no longer existed. I said, we are now under another name; we are called by you "Jit." He exclaimed "Jit!" with a fearful voice, and said, I thought that a Jit must have horns similar to a Devil, for I understand they are a cursed people because they have crucified this our Lord (pointing to an image on the wall,) and from that time became accursed, and have the name of the Devil given to them. I replied, do you see? I am a man as you are: He then asked me whom I worshipped, I said, I worship the living God who created Heaven and earth. And where is your God? said he. I said, my God is every where, and is invisible. He then asked me if I were christened? I answered No: I am circumcised. He said, Now I see that you have no God, and you are accursed, for you are not christened. But do you see, continued he, this is my God, pointing to the pictures on the wall, and falling down he began to cross himself, and said, I shall have to do penance, for you are a pagana (a term signifying unclean) and have polluted my house. As I perceived it would be useless to reason further with him, and knowing that my life would be in danger if I should speak against his religion, I cut the matter short, and soothed his spirit by treating him and the company with "a stopke vin," or some whiskey. The next day being Sunday, almost the whole village came to see a Jit. You may well conceive, then, my dear children,* what an idea I formed of Christians and of Christianity. I indeed thought, that "a goi," or Gentile, knew nothing about the true God, till I came to blessed England-I say, blessed England, for it was made a blessing to me. Do not wonder then, at the prejudices of a Jew.' *The narrative is addressed to the Author's children. KING INA. Translation from the Saxon Laws of King INA, (A.D. 689.) I, Ina, by the grace of God, king of the West-Saxons, &c. &c. &c. Of working on Sunday. If a servant do any work on Sunday by command of his master, he shall be free, and the master shall pay thirty shillings: but if he went about the work without command from his master, he shall be beaten with stripes, or redeem the penalty of whipping with a price. AN INCIDENT OF REAL LIFE. IT was the hour of prayer, And in a temple made with hands, where God "Mine own arm brought salvation," were the words, But one the preacher marked, whose countenance, The rest seem'd blanks. It was a ragged boy; want; His dress was soiled and torn and on his face, None knew from whence he came, or where he went; But, Sabbath after Sabbath, for some weeks, He took his wonted place within the aisle. Weeks passed away, and he had been forgotten, To fulfil the work of love; and, with a guide, When, looking thro' the gloom, at farthest end, A dying son of earth, soon to be made A living light in heaven. The damp cold dew When, to its kindred dust, dust shall return, Then, with an effort almost superhuman, Sate himself up, and, looking round exclaimed, Go then, ye wise and learned-God hath chosen "THY KINGDOM COME." THE following remarks, extracted from the communication of a friend, so exactly express our own views on a subject of stirring importance, that we gladly lay them before our readers. No one can doubt that evils so great as those referred to are permitted for some wise purpose; and this solution appears to us a very rational and scriptural one. I have long felt confused and perplexed in looking at the aspect of our church, at the lamentable schisms which rend it, and the yet more to be dreaded efforts of those who, seeking primarily to build up her walls, have become so enamoured of the lovely fabric that they have forgotten the spirit which dwells within; to the influence of which all her real beauty and symmetry are owing: and having thus overlooked the substance in their zeal for the outward emblem or shadow, have fallen into the fearful error, of placing our pure and apostolic church on a level with the fallen and apostate church of Rome. And truly when they and their adherents shall have succeeded in turning the church of England (which God forbid) into a mere church-building and priest-ornamenting church, I see not wherein she will differ from that antichrist. I have seen this error like a upas tree spreading its baneful branches on all sides, perpetually increasing, notJANUARY, 1842. F |