THE KING'S! BUSINESS T h e Wo r k A m o n g t h e J ew s Mrs. L. Mansonr Superintendent
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I F only we could see the sorrow and longing in the Jewish hearts, “Those that are sorrowful for the solemn assem bly, to whom the reproach of it is a bur den !” L et us tell you this month how one such hungry soul found peace and the fulfillment of his hopes in Jesus. This man is a Rus sian Jew, about thirty-five years of age, fairly well educated and a thinker. His father is an eminent Rabbi in the old coun try and he has a brother who is also a Rabbi in New York City. He himself is a good Hebrew scholar. I saw him first m the County Hospital, where he was visit ing his wife, then ill. He had no work and times were very hard for the little fam ily of seven. He had a reputation even in the hospital, where he was just a visitor, for being kind and religious, so that one of the patients wanted me to talk to him. First, I spoke to him about his people, Israel, and about God’s great plan for his nation. He told me that just recently he had heard a man who proved to him by figures that Daniel’s prophecy had actually ■been fulfilled. He had really not believed in the Bible until then, though he had al ways read it more or less. Then we talked about Messiah and I tried to show him that the prophecies concerning the Messiah had in view two advents—the first His coming to die, the second His coming to reign. The first was foreshadowed by the. temple and its sacrifices; the latter fulfilled those prom ises concerning the glorious Kingdom promised to David’s Son. He was very much interested and gave me has name and address, so that I went to his home. His wife had returned from the hospital and was caring for the five little children as best she could for he had gone to San Francisco. He had been an agent and had met trickery and crooked dealing on the part of ■an unscrupulous manager, like a true son of Jacob, by
crooked dealing on his part. With a sick wife and five hungry children he had taken matters into his own hands and kept money which should have been turned over to the company, though more than the amount kept rightfully belonged to him. He was not a thief nor afraid of a trial, but was afraid of arrest and being thrown into jail. Through friends we were able to help the family a little and our missionary nurse showed them no little kindness, so that when the man returned after a few weeks, disheartened and discouraged, he found tne missionary, the family’s friend and coun selor. Matters with the employer were sat isfactorily adjusted. Believing that first things ought to be put first he was moved to accept Jesus Christ. An appointment was made for the following day that his questions and difficulties might be satis factorily met when we felt assured he would accept the Lord Jesus. He was con vinced and said that Jesus was Messiah, but like Cornelius, he wanted to know the way of God more perfectly and had many questions to ask. He was so honest it was a great pleasure to open the Word to him, giving God’s answers to his questions, which answers always satisfied him. We must have talked for two hours. Finally I spoke to him about the claims of Jesus on his life; now since he believed He was Messiah would he not by faith accept Him as his sacrifice for sin, just as the Jew used to put his hand on the lamb that was to die in his stead in token of personal ap propriation. Imagine my surprise to hear him say that he did not think he was a sinner. But he was going to do the best he could to live a good life. It didn’t take long to hold up by the side of his life God’s rule, the ten commandments, and I had only to speak of one or two of them before he said, “ Then we are all sinners.” We knelt together and he received and con fessed Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Never can I forget the sense of God’s presence—
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