2. The experience of David reminds us, that for the preservation of life, exalted individuals are as much dependant upon Providence as others.

We are familiar with the sentiment, that in God "we live and move, and have our being." So have we been constituted, and so are we situated, as to remind us of our constant dependance upon him for the "life we now live in the flesh." The evidences of the truth, numerous and plain, will not be overlooked, unless blindness of eye and hardness of heart have happened unto us. The mode by which life is continued, is by means of sustenance, but this is derived from those productions which have been created by the Most High, which are brought to maturity by his sun, and rain, and soil, and which are alone able to answer purposes serviceable to us by his will and blessing. Hence the Saviour connects "bread," with "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," in the maintenance of human life. We take bread in order to be held in life, but the bread is a powerless intrument in itself, and is only rendered efficacious to sustain life by the appointment of the Almighty, for there comes a period to every man, when, though bread may be given, and water be sure, life expires! So, when amid the ravages of disease, life is preserved, the care that has been taken of us, and the means of restoration that have been employed, are indebted for all their healing virtue and salutary effects, to the good pleasure of him who made, governs, restrains, baffles, or blesses finite agencies. So when life is protected from the attempts of violence to destroy it, who sees not the hand of Providence in the escape, when the individual assailed has been ignorant of the danger until its actual arrival?

There is great truth and beauty in many of the Scripture statements upon this point—as in the declaration of Caleb to Joshua," and now behold the Lord hath kept me alive as he said these forty and five years." The Lord had said it long before the acknowledgment in the passage was made; and when in the battle, death had often been the lot of his companions-when in the wilderness, the pestilence had come wafted on the wings of the wind-when in the camp, the young as well as the old had perished-when on the mountain, Moses himself had yielded up his spirit.-Rightly did Caleb refer the fact of his preservation in the midst of war, disaster, and disease, to the care of Providence, and testify that the "Lord had kept him alive." A similar testimony came from the lips of David, when reviewing his history in declining age. Monarch as he was, he felt that he had been as much dependant upon God, as his meanest subject. He acknowledged his hand in all his past escapes from danger. "It is he," he observes, "that giveth salvation unto kings, who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword." "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto," thus recognizing the sentiment, that it was not by might nor by power that his life had been "redeemed from destruction," but

by him in whose "hand is the spirit of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Happy would it be, if those who like him are exalted in station, were as religious in spirit: and if high and low recurred as devoutly as he did to the truth, that "God is our keeper." It would lead us to be "humble under his mighty hand," and enable us to be peaceful because encompassed with "the everlasting arms." It would abate that feeling of pride, and spirit of independence, so natural to us, and so strong within us. It would lead us to conceive ourselves to be, what in reality we are, creatures insufficient in themselves, and absolutely dependant upon God, whose best security from evil, is to have his favour as a shield.

3. The experience of David reminds us, that there are circumstances frequently connected with the preservation of exalted individuals, which call for special gratitude.

The removal of an individual who has formed no ties with the world, may excite the concern of a few immediate spectators, but cannot be a matter of public interest. The case is different with reference to the head of a household, for then the fact of life or death becomes an object of interest to a circle of dependants and relatives, and engrosses the sympathies of a family. The case becomes still more general in its interest, in relation to the head of a nation, for vitally may the temporal happiness of a whole people be affected by a change of sovereign. The preservation of David's life when it was sought by his rebellious subjects-the utter failure of the enterprise in which they engaged to hurl him from his throne-was connected with circumstances which made a large demand upon the gratitude of the people, for his death would have been a signal for civil war and social discord in Israel, in all probability not speedily to terminate. It would have let loose the elements of exasperation and strife through the length and breadth of the land. It would have sent abroad a tide of jarring emotion, dissolving the political fabric he had reared, and destroying the integrity of the empire. The very esteem in which he was held, and the affection with which he was regarded by most of his subjects, would have brought them into open conflict with the rebel band who assailed him, and without a leader, for the throne of Israel would have been vacant, there would have been the "beginning of sorrows," and no seeing the end thereof. And when we think of that gulf of trouble to the brink of which we as a nation have been brought, but from which we have been saved-when we conceive how dark a cloud would have gathered over the condition and prospects of our land, had meditated violence been successful in its attempt-when we call to mind the blessings, national and social, apparently hinging upon the preservation of that life which stands connected with our throne, and which was shielded from harm when exposed to it—there is a special demand made upon our gratitude to that providence who" prolonged the Queen's life," which ought to be

felt in our hearts, and expressed in our sanctuaries.* And as David prayed for himself, so let us pray for the exalted individual for whose deliverance we give thanks in the same words-"O prepare mercy and truth that may preserve her"—not only shield the sovereign from the violent hand, but afford that preservation with which the religion of the Bible invests all who receive it—a final redemption from the perils of this life in a divinely-appointed hour, and a peaceful entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

M.

REMARKS ON THE INQUIRY, WHY DO WE NEGLECT

THE JEWS?

WHILST I participate in the regret expressed by "W." in his paper which appeared in your February Magazine, that nothing is at present done by the Congregational churches, as such, for the conversion to Christ of our Jewish brethren, yet I feel that our present position is not the result of apathy, but of disappointed hope and of the loss of confidence in the character of many who were reckoned as converts. "Confidence," Lord Chatham once said, "is a plant of slow growth," and after it was so cruelly broken down by the facts to which I refer, it required at least the lapse of a quarter of a century to raise it again. In 1805, the London Missionary Society commenced the first organized attempts in England for the conversion of the children of Abraham, and at the succeeding anniversary the venerable Dr. Bogue preached "On the duty of Christians to seek the salvation of the Jews." Joseph Samuel Frey was employed as a missionary to his brethren, and the pen of the amiable and learned Greville Ewing was engaged to address the Jews in essays "On the Authority, the Scope, and the Consummation of the Law and the Prophets." Some of the most intelligent and experienced of the directors of that Society gave the subject their careful consideration, and I have read unpublished papers from the pen of a gentleman yet living, which shows with how much knowledge of human nature and of the mind of Christ their plans respecting that ancient people were formed. Unhappily, it is a characteristic feature of the religious public to be impatient of delay in their missionary enterprizes, and the want of immediate success induced Mr. Frey to suggest plans for multiplying converts, which led Dr. Bogue to say, "It is bribing people to become Christians. I do not believe the apostle Paul gave unconverted Jews forty shillings each to make them Christians." His "expensive pro

*"A form of prayer and thanksgiving," for the use of the clergy, has been issued, in obedience to an order of the Privy Council, by the Archbishop of Canterbury ; and we are happy to add that, without such order, the dissenting ministers have presented to Almighty God their own thanksgivings, for the merciful preservation of the Queen.

posals" not having been acceded to, Mr. Frey, in 1809, succeeded in forming "The London Society for the Conversion of the Jews," which continued till 1815, on a catholic basis, churchmen and dissenters being united therein. During that period £70,000 was expended, and with so little satisfaction, that the dissenters consented to retire from the institution, on the proposal of the Rev. Lewis Way, who paid off an enormous debt of £18,000, which had been contracted, and the enterprize was transferred to the hands of our Episcopalian brethren. As there is little probability at present of the Jews being converted en masse,* the vexatious question of church government need not hinder Congregational Christians from contributing to that society, did not the notions that are generally entertained of the kingdom of Christ by Episcopalians, in our judgment, interfere with bringing our Jewish brethren to correct views of Christianity. We must, therefore, seek to unite in the efforts of others to enlighten the minds and to rouse the inquiries of the Hebrew nation. Fully impressed with the conviction that our united churches are not called upon at this time to undertake a distinct mission to the Jewish people, allow me to suggest that there are efforts to do them good, which appear to me to be unexceptionable. I refer to the labours of a "Ladies' Society for Promoting the Mental Improvement and Religious Welfare of Jewish Females at Home and Abroad," which was established in 1840, and which has female schools that are conducted, not to effect proselytism, but only to awaken inquiry amongst the children by the reading of the Old Testament Scriptures. But the enterprize with which I most fully sympathize is the scheme of the General Assembly of the church of Scotland. That church sent out a deputation, in 1839, on "A Mission of Inquiry to the Jews," and the result of which is just published in " A Narrative” of very deep interest. To extend their labours, the Assembly, on the 20th May last, passed the following act :

"Further, the general assembly having considered the recommendation of the committee relative to the establishment of an institution or mission for the conversion of the Jews in London, together with the application to that effect of certain ministers and elders connected with this church and resident there reported to the assembly by the committee, do hereby request and authorize the said ministers and elders, together with such others in communion with the church as they may associate with themselves to act as a committee on behalf of this church, and in subordination to the acting committee before referred to, for the purpose of collecting funds as well as of managing and superintending such missionary operations among the Jews in London as it may be found desirable to institute; with instructions to the said committee in London to avail themselves as far as possible of the concurrence and co-operation of the Christians of other denominations who may be willing to give their aid in this good work of the Lord.

* The venerable Gossner, of Berlin, says, "This is the time for angling them out one by one, but not for a general haul."

Now I for one should like to help our Scottish brethren. One in our views of evangelical truth, and of the sufficiency of Holy Scriptures, one in our judgment about the parity of Christian ministers, and the acceptableness of free prayer-one in our abhorrence of patronage and zealous assertion of the independency of the churches of Christ of all state control, I could in such an enterprize forget that they are Presbyterians, and with my mite and my prayers seek to encourage them in their interesting work, and I would humbly recommend my brethren to do likewise.

B.

CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY JUBILEE AT KETTERING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL MAGAZINE.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-Reasons of a private, but more especially of a public nature, induce me to request, that the following correspondence may appear in the pages of the Congregational Magazine.

I am yours, &c.

Northampton, June 13th, 1842.

T. M.

Kettering, 17th May, 1842.

"DEAR SIR,-By desire of the Jubilee Committee, I beg to send you a notice of the services to be held here, and to request you will have the kindness to publish the same at your chapel.

"The Committee will be happy to see you here on the occasion, if your engagements would permit.

"I am, dear Sir, yours truly,

"J. DAVIS GOTCH, "For the Committee.

"The Rev. T. MILNER.

"On application at the Mission House, tickets will be given to ministers attending the meetings for their refreshments while here."

DEAR SIR,-I beg to acknowledge your letter of the 17th inst., and to apologize for the delay which has occurred in replying to it, occasioned by absence from home, and other circumstances not worth naming.

I thank you for the invitation forwarded from the Jubilee Committee, to attend commemoration services on behalf of the Baptist Mission, at Kettering, on the 31st. It will not be in my power to do so, owing to that being the day on which a regular meeting of Independent ministers is to be held in an opposite part of the county, which will probably prevent many of my brethren in South Northamptonshire from attending also.