SOME nineteen hundred years ago the apostle Paul was inspired to write the following statement: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." Rom. 10:1. While the church has read it, while the Bible has contained it, and while thousands have thought upon it, comparatively few have ever made it a part of their own experience. This prayer is certainly as important as any other prayer of the Bible, and we feel sure it is time the church of God prayed this prayer, and worked with the end in view that they believed it would be answered.
We feel sure that the Holy Spirit is beginning to answer this prayer to-day, and we see signs and indications that there are Jews who are being saved, and we know from the word of God and the sure word of prophecy that there are hundreds, yes, even thousands, who will yet be saved, and help make up the true Israel of God.
It is doubtless true that the Jews are a hard class to reach with the Gospel, and for this reason there are few people who care to undertake the work. But Jesus did the work; the early church worked for them, and God said He had not cast them away. Then why should we? God designed the Jews to be the missionaries of the world; and if the children of God would but remember, they would recall that every blessing the church has had or enjoys to-day came to them thru the Jew. We certainly are debtors to them, and it is time we began to pay that debt.
We have seen the Lord at work among the Jews, breaking down their prejudices, and inclining their hearts to hear the pure truth of the Gospel. The work with the literature has been going steadily forward during the past three years, and we are glad to say we have distributed more than twelve tons of literature among them. No doubt some of this has been wasted, but we thank God most of it has been read, and a good deal of it has been received with joyfulness. Souls have accepted the truth and have been baptized, and are rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God that they have found their own Messiah, Jesus.
The work at the mission in Boston has been going along quite steadily, and there have been several who have taken their stand for Christ and His truth.
Several have been baptized, and others are awaiting baptism. A good work has already been going on with the children. This winter we have not been able to do so much as we desired on account of lack of funds, and also on account of other conditions, but we believe the time has come when we must put forth more diligent efforts.
It is doubtless known that the Jew has a fierce time when he accepts Christ. He is persecuted, cursed, starved, and at times buried in effigy; still he will love Jesus in spite of it all. The question arose as to what to do with these poor Jews when they take their stand for the truth? We felt impressed that we ought to secure for them a city of refuge where we could give them employment, and at the same time have a training school where we could give them a training to work for the Master. There is so much need for such workers.
Industrial Home for Converted Jews.
The Lord providentially opened the way for us to secure just such a place within twenty miles from our mission in Boston. It is a farm of eighty acres, with a twenty-five room house. It has two large barns, other buildings, fruit orchards, and some thirty acres of valuable wood and timber. The whole could be secured, stocked, and fitted up for a training school for the sum of ten thousand dollars. We are glad to say that we have more than half of the sum already secured, and many souls have become deeply interested in this enterprise. We need the sum of $3,500 to finish paying for the place, and to secure the necessary things to carry on the work. The accompanying cut shows something of the buildings. We assure our friends that whatever assistance they can render toward this noble enterprise will be greatly appreciated, and much blessed of God. We ought to have the balance of this money within a few weeks, and we trust the Holy Spirit will impress the hearts of His dear children to remember this work for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Any funds may be sent either to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, or to the Jewish Mission, 105 Stanford St., Boston, Mass.
