PRAYER.

OUR missionaries, Messrs. Brühl and Eppstein, are doing their Lord and Master's work in the ancient city of Bagdad. Early one morning, when they were at breakfast, some Jews came to see them.

The missionaries had not yet united in family prayer. Before, therefore, going to these Jews, they knelt together at the throne of grace, to ask the Lord's blessing upon the duties of the day.

This caused some delay, and when they came to their visitors, the Jews reproved them for keeping them so long waiting. Mr. Eppstein explained to them, that they had been having their family prayer, and that this was the reason of their delay.

The Jews.-What, have you not prayed before this hour?

Missionaries.-We are not bound to hours, places, and numbers, as you are. We are told to pray always; at the same time we are warned by our Saviour against vain repetitions.

The Jews seemed inclined to quarrel. One of them said, "So you pray as you like, when you like, and where you like, and God is to be at your pleasure!"

M.—If you knew what prayer was, you would

not talk in this way. Prayer is communion with God. Our Saviour has told us, that in the present dispensation, prayer is not to be confined to one particular spot. They that worship the Father will worship Him in spirit and in truth. With such worshippers He is pleased. Christian prayer may be divided into three parts—Private, Social, and Public. All these ought to be kept up. Unless we live near to God, and pray in private, public prayer is of little use. The Christian prays to God, as he rises from his bed, and as he lies down at night. He should have family prayer morning and evening. And he should join in public prayer, whenever he can do so. Besides, it ought to be in a language that all can understand, and not as with you, in Hebrew, which the greater part cannot understand. And besides this, I could prove to you, that it is only through our Messiah, the Lord Jesus, that prayer can be heard and accepted.

J.-How long do you pray? Do you put on the Talith and the Phylacteries? If you pray not in these, your prayers cannot be heard. We pray in them.

M.-You deceive yourselves. These idle ceremonies are a delusion. These are but the commandments of men, and not the commandments of God.

Mr. Eppstein then explained to them the true

meaning of Deut. xiii. 18, and Num. xv. 38, &c. The Jews left, expressing their wonder that such a spiritual meaning could be given to these commands.

PATIENT IN HOSPITAL AT JERUSALEM. OUR engraving represents one of the patients in our Hospital, and is drawn from a photograph. It is not necessary that anything should be said

about the particular case. We can only pray that in this, and in all, the cure for the body may be accompanied by the cure for the soul.

THE CONVERSION OF MULLAH ELIYAHU. AN interesting account is given by a missionary at Bushire, a seaport town in Persia, of the conversion of a Jewish rabbi, bearing the above name. He writes:-" During our stay we came into contact with many of the different creeds and sects which constitute the population of this town. Some, as might be expected, derided our object, others scorned the message of salvation, and only a few paid serious attention to the words of eternal truth. Amongst the latter I noticed several Jews, to whom the doctrines of the Gospel seemed indeed tidings of great joy. On one occasion I went into the synagogue and addressed the assembly. They were like most of their brethren in the East, very ignorant; all they knew was that they belonged to the family of Israel, and that all Israelites would finally go to heaven. Of a Messiah they knew nothing, the subject seemed to them incomprehensible. My discourse, however, astonished them. One individual, in particular, was struck with the beauty and glory of the new covenant: the scales, as it were, fell from his eyes, and a new light beamed on a darkened mind.

"This person was the teacher and rabbi of the Jewish community, a man of some learning, and highly respected by the people, over whose

spiritual welfare he watched. The enlivening spark which the grace of God once kindles in the beart is not so easily extinguished; and Mullah Eliyahu, though he endeavoured to lull his conscience asleep, was roused by the voice of truth from this dreadful self-delusion. Now, no longer undecided which path to tread, he eagerly reads the sacred writings; the divine plan of salvation is unfolded to his understanding. No longer are his lips sealed by silence. I have found the Messiah,' is his joyful exclamation, and neither the ridicule nor the violence of his relations, can chill his hope, or cause his heart to be less animated.

6

"Two years after he requested me to baptize him. Here a new obstacle arose to check his anxious desire. The governor, at the instigation of the Jews, was determined to defeat his plans; and the president hesitated to afford him that protection to which as his servant he was entitled.

"In this predicament he resolved to accompany me to Bagdad. The morning of our departure arrived. The Jews, in a melancholy procession, and with many tears, follow their respected spiritual guide to the place of embarkation. Our sail is unfurled to the breeze, and we cut through the surging waves, which every moment threaten to dash our boat in pieces.

"We had not been on the briny deep an hour when we were hailed, and soon surrounded by about a dozen police, when Mullah Eliyahu was seized and taken back to Bushire.

"I immediately wrote to the assistant president, who promptly remonstrated with the governor;