3. Missions among the Jews. — For more than eighteen centuries the Jews have been a cosmopolitan people. The very first missions of the apostles were to the Jews " scattered abroad." In subsequent ages the once chosen but now dispersed race was in many countries made the object of cruel and wasting persecution. StiU as a pe- culiar people the Jews have continued " among all na- tions" to maintain their own beliefs and customs, and especially an inveterate prejudice against Christianity, See Jews ; Judaisji. As such they could not be reach- ed by missionarj- efforts of the usual type. Hence at an early period of the missionary movement of the cur- rent century it was deemed important to organize spe- cial missions to the Jews in the various countries where they resided in the greatest numbers. Indeed, some be- ginnings of this character were made in Holland and Germany during the preceding century', and not with- out good results. August Hermann Francke took a lively interest in this subject. One of the ablest work- ers raised up under him was professor Callenberg, who in 1728 founded an institute for the education of Chris- tian theologians in Hebrew antiquities and the Rab- binic theology. In 1809 the London Society for pro- moting Christianity among the Jews was organized. In 1820 the American Society for ameliorating the condi- tion of the. Jews was begun. In 1849 it was greatly en- larged in its scope. In 1842 the British Societj' for the propagation of the Gospel among the Jews was organ- ized by the Dissenting churches. In 1839 the Church of Scotland commenced missionary efforts in behalf of the Jews. In 1845 the Scottish Society for the conver- sion of Israel was organized. Besides these principal organizations, there have been various local societies for the same object both in Great Britain and on the con- tinent of Europe, and also various missionary societies, e. g. the American Board, the Presbyterian Board, and that of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, have main- tained special missions to Jewish populations. The aggregate result of these efforts is impossible of indi- cation by figures, and yet it is no small thing to be able to say that many thousands of copies of the Script- ures of both the Old and New Testaments have been circulated among the 5,000,000 of Jews accessible to Christian effort. The versions used have been Hebrew, Hebrew-Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and those of other European languages. The number of mission- ary stations established is over 120, missionaries em- ployed over 200, mostly converted Jews, and an aggre- gate of probably 40,000 professed converts. Mhny of these converts have given the best proofs of their sin- cerity and faithfulness by the endurance of bitter perse- cution from their kindred; and many who have not identified themselves with the Christian Church are be- lieved to have accepted the vital truths of Christianity, and to have received to their hearts Jesus as the true Messiah. An intelligent writer says, " If all things be taken into consideration, we have no doubt that the re- sults of these labors (missions to the Jews) exceed in proportion rather than fall short of those of other val- ued missionary societies."
MISSIONS
372
MISSIONS
Missions to Jews have been prosecuted in the follow- ing countries : (ireat IJritain, Holland, Poland, (Jennany, France, Italy, North Africa, Smyrna, Hungary, Molda- via, Wallacliia, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, Abys- sinia, and the United Status of America. While it must be admitted that the results of these efforts have not been as great as might have been hoped, yet they must not be undervalued in their past influence nor in their promise for the future. Creat changes are now taking place among the Jews, especially those inhabiting the more enlightened countries, and although certain forms of rationalism seem to be most po])ular with many who have relimiuished the faith of their ancestors, yet when tlie insufHcioncy of these shall have been proved they may be luinid to have served as stepping-stones to evangelical truth. Should this be the case, the begin- nings of missionary effort in behalf of Israel in so many lands may ere long prove to be of inestimable value in hastening the grand consummation of the world's con- version. See Stegcr, Die Ecunydhtche J udmmission, in ilinr Wichti(jknt u. ihreh geser/eneten Fortfjantjc (1847); Haiismeister, Die Jmknmission (Heidelb. 1852), an ad- dress read at the Paris meeting of the Evunrjdical Alli- ance ; id., I)ii' traiiiji I. Mix^iinn nnter Israel (1861) ; Ka- rens, Ui'Ikt .JiidiniJii.txioii (Alidua, 18(')2); Kalkar, /s?-«e; ?/. die Kirche (Hamburg, ISGD); Halsted, OiXr Missions (Lond. 1866); Anderson, Oriental Missions; Reports of societies.
4. Et/ypt. — A form of Christianity has long existed among the Copts of Egypt. But they, together with the followers of Mohanlmed, are sunk in a state of de- jih.raljlc ignorance and moral depravity. The United Bretliren were the first to form a mission in Egypt, but, meeting wiih little or no success, it was relintiuished in 17.s;>. The missionary societies now operating are the American As■^l. rial ion. I'nilcd Prcsltyteriaii Church, Kai- sersw'erth 1)( ■acou<s.-(^' Institute, and Jerusalem Union, at Berlin. The Bible versions in use are the Coptic and Ethiopic. The mission of the United Presbyterian Church of America has been particidarly successful. They have stations both in Cairo and Alexandria, to- gether with a number of minor stations. A Church has been organized with a large and increasing membership. The customs that doom women to a life of seclusion and degradation have been gradually invaded. The Sabbath is more and more sacredly revered, and the vicious and idle habits so common among the people arc somewhat abaiidoned. See Boaz, Egypt ; Lansing, Egypt's Pi-inces ; Thompson, Egypt, Past and Present ; Miss Whately, The II Ills of Egypt.