Shall We Do Something for the Jews?
By F. C. GILBERT
According to the message in Rev. 14: 6-12 this truth is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. This most certainly includes the Jews. We should remember, however, that while, like Paul, we are debtors to everybody, it is especially true that we owe the Jews a great debt. Rom. 15: 27. God has not cast them away. Rom. 11: 2. Why should we? The Holy Spirit still says the gospel should go to them first. Then why should we not give them the gospel? Rom. 1: 16. The Spirit through God's servant still says there is heaviness and heart burdening for the Jews. Rom. 9: 12. Why should we not have it? To them were committed the oracles, the promises, the law, the covenants, the sanctuary, the service of God, and, in fact, everything. Rom. 3: 2; 9: 1-5. It is said they are a hard class to reach. Why should they not be when they have been told for centuries that in order to be a Christian they must renounce Moses and the prophets, the Sabbath, and indulge in swine's flesh? Can we blame them for that? In 1871 came the following statement concerning a young man whom God had raised up to prepare literature for the Jews: “His knowledge of Hebrew would have been a help to the Office in the preparation of publications through which access could be gained to a class that otherwise could not be reached.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. III, page 206. This certainly would strongly indicate that the way the work should be done for the Jews, or, to say the least, should begin among the Jews, is with literature. And many witnesses could be produced, who, having thus labored, would testify to the truthfulness of this statement. The first Jewish tract ever issued by our people was published last January; and since that time fifty thousand copies have already been circulated in this country, in England, in Australia, Africa, etc. Ten thousand more are being published, besides an edition of ten thousand copies which has been published by the Hamburg publishing house, for the Jews in Russia and Germany. God has signally blessed the effort with it. Many of the Jews have had their minds agitated, and much prejudice has been broken down. Some Jews have even written asking that they might have the privilege of circulating them among their brethren. With some, it has been the means of leading them to read the New Testament; with others, it has opened the way to know more about the Bible from our standpoint; and some have even been impressed to ask the way of life more clearly. The Spirit of the Lord has accompanied the work thus far. In this missionary campaign shall we not remember the Jews? They are found nearly everywhere, and shall we not hand them out a copy of this tract? It is written in two languages, parallel pages, and can be read by all Jews everywhere. The tract is given free, but the funds for the same are secured by voluntary offerings. So be sure to send for some tracts if you have not yet given them to the Jews in your community, and, while sending, enclose an offering to help on the good work. Address Jennie Thayer, secretary and treasurer of the Atlantic Union Conference, South Lancaster, Mass. F. C. GILBERT.