means for the salvation of their souls. They are not allowed even the contingent benefits of social inter- course with us : the wall of partition which God has broken down in his Gospel, is built up by us ; as if by general consent they were proscribed, and debarred all access to the light that we enjoy. Their fathers, in the apostolic age, laboured and died for us, when we were sunk in the depths of sin and misery : but we will not stretch out a hand for them, or point them to the rock, on which they may be saved from the overwhelming surge. Thus they are left to famish, whilst the heavenly manna lies around our tents ; and they are immured in darkness, whilst we are en- joying all the blessings of the noon-day sun. Say, then, whether this be not a formidable barrier in their way, so as to render their access to the true Messiah beyond measure difficult ?
But a yet further obstacle to their conversion arises from the efforts which they themselves use to pre- vent the introduction of Christianity among them. The Rulers of their Church exercise authority over them with a strong hand : and the first appearance among them of an inclination to embrace the Gospel of Christ is checked with great severity. Every species of threatening is used to intimidate those who have begun to ask the way to Zion, and to deter them from prosecuting their inquiries : and, if a person yield to his convictions, and embrace the Gospel, he is instantly loaded with all the odium that can be heaped upon him : every kind of employment is with- held from him ; and he would be left to perish with hunger, if he were not aided by those whose prin- ciples he has embraced. An apprehension of those evils deters vast multitudes from free inquiry ; and constrains not a few to stifle their convictions, be- cause they cannot prevail on themselves to sacrifice their all for Christ.
Such being the present state of the Jews, it may well be asked, " Can these bones live ? " Can it be hoped that the feeble efforts which we are using should succeed ? If, when in Babylon, they despaired,