and we have been led to the conclusion that the Holy Land presents the most important and interesting of all the fields of labour among the Jews. I. The Jews are in affliction in the land of their fathers, and this makes them more friendly there than in other lands. In other countries, where they are wealthy and comfortable, or deeply engaged in worldly business, we found that they care little to attend to the words of the Christian missionary. But, in Judea, the plague, poverty, the oppression of their rabbis, and the insults of the heathen, have so humbled them, that they cling to any one who offers to show them kindness, however averse to the doctrine which he teaches. II. They are strictly Rabbinical Jews, untainted by the infidelity of France or the neology of Germany. They hold the Old Testament to be indeed the Word of God. They have a real expectation of the coming of the Messiah; and this expectation is certainly greater now than it was formerly. The missionary has thus firm ground to stand upon, and, with the Hebrew Bible in his hand, may expound to them, with intelligence and power, all that is written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Jesus. III. Moreover, Judea must be regarded as the centre, of the Jewish world. Every Jew, in whatever country he sojourns, turns his face toward Jerusalem in prayer. It is the heart of the nation, and every impression made there is transmitted to all the scattered members. We afterwards met a poor Jew at Ibraila, a small town upon the Danube, who told us of conversions that had taken place at Jerusalem. In this way, whatever is done for the Jews in Palestine, will make a hundred-fold more impression than if it were done in any other land. IV. Another important consideration is, that in Palestine the Jews look upon the English as friends. Three months before our arrival in Jerusalem, an English Consul had been stationed there-a true and zealous friend of Israel, whose jurisdiction extended over the country once given to the twelve tribes, and whose instructions from the British Government were, that he should, to the utmost of his power, afford protection to the Jews. The recent changes in Syria have no doubt for a time interfered with these arrangements; but still, is not the hand of an overruling Providence visible in them? And is it not our duty to improve to the utmost 322 GENERAL REMARKS ON THE HOLY LAND the interest we have in the affections of the Jews, by being the friends of their never-dying souls? V. In addition to all this, there is no country under heaven to which Christians turn with such a lively interest as Immanuel's land. "God's servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof." But especially those who love Israel bear it upon their hearts, because its name is inwoven with the coming conversion of Israel. It is upon "the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem," that God has said he will pour his Spirit.* "On the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be;" and "they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; ' and God himself has said, “I will remember the land." On these grounds, we rest our conviction that the Holy Land presents not only the most attractive, but the most important field for missionary operations among the Jews. In the south of the Holy Land, the London Society for the Conversion of the Jews have maintained for several years an effective Mission. Jerusalem is their headquarters, so that the southern parts may be fairly regarded as pre-occupied. But the north of the land, the region of ancient Galilee, containing nearly half of the Jewish population of Palestine, still presents an open|| and uncultivated field. In that beautiful country, the town of Saphet at once commends itself as the most favourable point for the centre of a Jewish Mission. It is one of the four cities regarded as holy by the Jews, and therefore they cling to it in spite of the awful convulsions of nature and the ravages of war. Before the earthquake on 1st January 1837, it is said that there were 7000 Jews residing there. It has again gradually been raised out of its ruins, and there were at the time of our visit about 2000 Jewish inhabitants. A ride of six hours from Saphet brings you to Tiberias, on the margin of the Lake of Galilee, another of the holy cities, and containing 1500 Jews. Saphet is also within a few days' journey of Tyre, Sidon, Acre, Khaifa, Beyrout, and Damascus; in each of which there Zech. xii. 10. Mic. vii. 14. † Ezek. xxxiv. 14. Of course, as a Presbyterian Church, claiming equal apostolic authority with the Church of England, the Church of Scotland will not consider the appointment of a Bishop, which has taken place during this year (1812), as in any way debarring her from coming into the field. AS A MISSIONARY FIELD. 323 are many Jews-so that it forms the centre of a most interesting field. The climate of Saphet is peculiarly delightful, owing to its lofty situation. In one of the hottest days in July, the thermometer rose no higher in the shade than 76° F. In Tiberias, again, the winter's cold is scarcely felt at all. If the Church of Scotland were privileged to establish a Mission in Saphet, what an honour would it be to tread, as it were, in the very footsteps of the Saviour, to make the very rocks that re-echoed his "strong crying and tears," and the very hills where he said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," resound with the cries of believing prayer, and with the proclamation of the gospel of peace! And if God were to own and bless our efforts, would not the words of the prophet receive a second fulfilment, "The land of Zebulon and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness, saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up?"* *Matt. iv. 15, 16. CHAPTER VI. SMYRNA AND CONSTANTINOPLE. "And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them."-Lev. xxvi. 39. (JULY 29.) At seven in the morning we found ourselves approaching Cyprus. Here we anchored for some hours off Larnica, which is near the ancient Citium. There seemed at this point little to interest a traveller in the island itself; a ridge of bare limestone hills formed the prominent feature of the scene, while a dry, parching sun glowed over us like a furnace. The town itself, however, looks well, its mosque and white houses peering through tall and graceful palm-trees. At a former period, Cyprus must have been remarkably productive and well peopled. Mr. Thomson, from whom we so lately parted at Beyrout, had travelled through the interior of the island, and in his journey visited not fewer than sixty villages, which had remains of ancient churches now ruined and desolate; and everywhere he found wide plains left uncultivated, which might yield abundant harvests. It is an island which no Christian can gaze upon without remembering the days of the apostles. For this was the native country of Barnabas,* who sold his estates and brought the money to Jerusalem for the use of the infant Church, and who afterwards, in company with Paul, traversed its whole extent from Salamis to Paphos, preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. Here, too, Sergius Paulus had his residence, and Elymas the sorcerer; Mnason also, "the old disciple," spent his youth amidst its hills and plains. But, there is no Barnabas nor Mnason in Cyprus now; for no Jew dare plant his foot upon its shores because of the furious bigotry of the Greeks, who have persecuted without remorse every wanderer of that nation that has visit → Acts iv. 36. RHODES-COAST OF ASIA-CNIDOS-COOS. 325 ed or been cast upon their coast ever since the reign of Trajan. To ourselves Cyprus is associated with some of our severest trials. For it was here that Mr. M‘Cheyne's illness increased, the fever burning hot within his veins, while there was no medical help on board, nor any remedies that we could apply. A cooling drink or a fresh breeze were the only means of even momentary relief. Next day we were sailing off the coast of Pamphylia, and at six in the morning of the succeeding day (July 31) were anchored off Rhodes. On the left hand of the harbour is a range of very precipitous hills. The town is on the shore, with green hills rising gently behind, and many gardens on every side. All around the sandy edge in the vicinity of the town the shore is lined with windmills, which seem to be much in use throughout this region. It is said by recent travellers that, at the entrance of the ancient harbour, there are still remains of buttresses, the distance between which is twentyseven yards, a space sufficiently wide to have afforded room for the famed Colossus. We thought upon Paul sailing past Rhodes as he hasted to Jerusalem,* and we wished to land, for there are here about 1000 Jews; but this was impossible on account of Mr. M.'s illness. It was here the well-known commentator Aben Ezra died, commanding his bones to be carried to the Holy Land. After leaving the harbour in the afternoon, we found ourselves sailing close to the shore of Caria, the water apparently deep to the very edge, with steep rocks and hills lining the shore. Often it seemed as if we were sailing close under the base of some of our own Highland mountains, while the waves gently weltered round the base of the rocks. At a turn of the coast Cnidos was pointed out to us. A creek running up a considerable way into the land forms a complete harbour; but a ruined tower was all that we could distinctly discern of the ancient town. We now saw before us Stanchio, the ancient Coos, and felt pleasure in gazing on it, because Paul had once done the same. On reaching the harbour the vessel made a short stay, giving us opportunity to get a sight of its chief town, which is beautifully situated in the midst of gardens. The buildings are all of white stone, and the hills form a green acclivity behind. The physician Hippocrates gave this island its renown in ancient times. Acts xxi. 1. + Acts xxi. 1. |