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There is a new Society now forming, for assisting
poor Israelites on their way to Jerusalem, “with bread and water;”
this infant society has originated and is supported by a number of the
members of the Society of Friends of England (i.e. Quakers): they
have a worthy <<600>>and valuable agent, Mr. Manning, formerly belonging to the
English* Mission for promoting Christianity among the Jews, but who is
now located about half an hour’s walk from Jaffa, a sea-port town
belonging to the Holy Land. He has hired a good house, with several
spare rooms for the express purpose of accommodating poor Jews with
a night’s lodging, supper and breakfast; so, that they can have their
food prepared in a Casher manner, as their law directs.
The house is very pleasantly situated, in one of the most beautiful
gardens in the neighbourhood of Jaffa, filled with grape-vines, orange,
lemon trees, (full as ever they can hang,) and the magnificent
pomegranate with its crimson fruit.
The Society of Friends are certainly happy in
taking time by the forelock, in thus endeavouring to assist the poor
Jews with “bread and water,” and other articles for poor tradesmen, such
as iron and leather, &c., &c., at the same price as the society pays for
them at Beyrout, (which is about 130 miles from Jaffa,) thus saving the
amount of freight and passage to Jaffa.
The wise king says, “Give a portion to seven and
also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.”
(Eccle. 11:2.) Now it is well known, that by their sign, or by
the way they are signed, Israelites are known, because by the
sign of Sabbath, which is on the seventh day, and circumcision which is
performed on the eighth day;—they are therefore known by the noun
sign, as God declares they should be, see (Genesis 17:11, and Exod.
13:9-16, and 31:17.) We may well remember what became of Edom, Moab and.
Ammon, for refusing to supply Israel, with “bread and water,”
(see Deut. 23:3, 4, and 2:29, Num. 20:18, 20, and Obed. 1:15,) when
journeying on their way to the Holy Land, and so it will be in
their last restoration, to the land of their forefathers. We may
therefore wish the Society of Friends, prosperity and success, in this
their laudable undertaking, and wise selection and appropriation of
their money in “blessing” and doing good to Israel; for be it ever
remembered, that if any sect of people ever attempt to take only one
step farther, with the view and intention to endeavour to cause
Israel to deny the perpetuity of their ordinances and thus swerve
from their fealty to the God of their Fathers, and their most Holy Law,
and the <<601>>Covenant made with Abraham, and “his seed for ever
throughout their generations,” in order to embrace a corrupt Gospel of
the nineteenth century with its many contending sects, it will only
prove them, as it does, and has truly done to the present English
Mission at Jerusalem, “a burdensome stone* for all people, all
that burden themselves with it.” (See Zach. 12:3.)
The
Watchman.
M. C. B.
I.
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