desirous to repair that omission, and to observe the law, to its extremest letter, in all the strictness of uncontaminated, undiluted Judaism. This, it seems, I cannot do, at present, through ignorance and inexperience, while associating, in domestic life, exclusively with Gentiles; therefore I am willing to make a sacrifice, which I can say from the depth of my heart, is not one that costs me nothing:' his voice faltered for a moment, but he went on with fresh spirit. I wish to be, in the sight of all men, wholly and openly a Jew; and as such I shall carefully compare the law and the prophets with what Christians assert is their fulfilment. I shall ask wisdom from the God of Israel, who alone can give it: then, if I find Christianity to be, as you say it is, the end of our law and the fulfilling of our prophets; if He, whom you assert to be King of the Jews, is really so, and not an impostor, I shall be found in the right path for the acceptation of that which as yet I cannot receive; and as I know Judaism to be of God, so if Christianity be of God also, they cannot clash-they must combine, and form but one. To you, dear sir, I owe more than I can speak ; and I do indeed regret that my father's tardy acknowledgment of what it seems was certainly obligatory on him, should have involved you in so much additional trouble on my account; should have deranged your plans, and embarrassed your movements, and perhaps have placed the beloved babe in danger. For your sake I most deeply regret it; for my own I cannot : selfishness prevails, and the benefits that I have derived, and may yet more derive, from our short intercourse.' He took Captain Ryan's hand, and pressed it to his lips; then joining it to Da Costa's, he added, 'In

whatever you may differ, you are one in affection for an unworthy youth, and one in honorable, generous feeling. Are you satisfied, Captain Ryan?'

• More than satisfied: I see the advantages of your future position; and so long as you abide by the resolve to study the scriptures with prayer for divine teaching, the absence of man's interpretations will be a positive gain. But beware of the Talmud!'

'The Talmud,' said Da Costa, 'is our oral law, and as binding on us as the New Testament is on you.'

'I never understood,' said Alick, that the Talmud was an inspired book.'

'I can tell you,' replied Captain Ryan, in the words of an established catechism of your nation, how this is regarded. It is asked, “In what manner did Moses transmit to us the laws? Answer, Partly by means of the written, and partly by the oral law, or tradition." Then again; "Have the Mishna and Gemara equal importance with the written law? Answer, Just the same. They are and must be just as important as Holy Scripture, for they contain no arbitrary or human ordinances :-but 1st, Divine traditions and declarations to Moses; 2ndly, Laws enforced by argumentation-i. e., according to the thirteen traditional rules of interpretation; and 3rdly, Ordinances of the prophets and subsequent wise men, which are, as it were, erected round the word of God as a wall of defence. All these, as having been received by the whole nation, have the same importance as Holy Scripture." This is from the Bavarian Catechism, word for word.'

'But,' rejoined Alick, I heard some things very lately stated on the authority of the Talmud, which

I should not like to consider myself bound to believe as of equal authority with the Bible.'

'And I confess,' said Da Costa, 'that there are some few things in it which I hope and believe are not now held by us as matters of faith.'

You must hold them so, on the authority of your Catechisms,' repeated Captain Ryan; for even in England, and within these two or three years, such have been re-published as this—after mentioning the five books of Moses-"We also, from the same source, receive, as sacred and authentic, a large number of traditions not committed to writing, but transmitted by word of mouth down to later times; without which many enactments in the Holy Bible could not have been understood and acted upon; these, termed traditional or oral laws, were collected and formed into a volume called the Mishna,' by Rabbi Jehuda Hakodesh A. M. 4150; in addition to this, we are guided by the explications of the later schools of pious and learned Rabbins, constituting what is now known by the name of the Talmud, or Gemara." These traditions, hiding as a dense cloud the brightness of God's word, made it of none effect; and under the darkness so produced, they to whom the Lord of glory came could not discern him, but here, even here, they denied, rejected, and crucified him. He was asked "Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your traditions?" And again he quoted the words of Isaiah, "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Beware of the Talmud, Cohen! beware of

the admixture of man's devices with the pure truth of God!'

You are making the most of your opportunity, Captain Ryan,' said Da Costa.

'Ay, and bitterly lamenting that I have not always done the same. I calculated on many a convenient season for talking to you both on the things that belong to your peace; and forgetful, or too little mindful of the commandment not to boast myself of the morrow, I have held back much that now I may not be able to say. The very circumstance that should have quickened me in the work has furnished a sort of pretext for being backward in it-my boy's danger: and the courtesy, the kindness, the hospitality that you, Da Costa, have shown me in this land, instead of rendering me more faithfully urgent with you in matters of salvation, have even fostered a false delicacy on my part; a reluctance to wound your feelings or to shock your prejudices by honest zeal for the conversion of your soul.'

You have not only shocked my prejudices,' said Da Costa, but sometimes you have so put them to the rout that I could hardly marshal them again: you have not only wounded, but well-nigh slain my feelings of religious intolerance, by the exhibition of Christianity as so very lovely a thing, in your own character and that of your dear wife, and angelic little boy, on whom be the blessing of the Lord!'

Hear, hear him!' cried Alick, in an ecstacy of delight, while Captain Ryan, much moved, bowed his head. Then resuming his animated, energetic manner, he said, Da Costa, you have blessed my boy, who, babe as he is, would this hour yield his throat to the knife in witness of the truth which he

holds, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of Israel, the hope of the Gentiles, the King of glory, God over all, blessed for ever. Now I challenge you on the ground of that blessing (which may the Lord confirm!) to reject the doctrines of the Talmud, which bid you, in lieu of blessing that Christian boy, to seek his life.'

No, no:' said Da Costa hastily; 'there are no such doctrines in the Gemara; and if any such thing have crept in, it is now obsolete—wholly exploded.'

'Obsolete! can any command of the living God be obsolete? You aver, in the catechisms which I have just quoted, that the oral is of EQUAL authority with the written law; and that this forms a part of your oral law, I will instantly prove to you.' He ran to his travelling valise, and drawing forth a volume, went on; Here is a book of which you will not deny the authority, as explaining and enforcing the precepts of this oral law, the Hilchoth M'lachim: read now this passage-"Moses our master did not give the law as an inheritance to any but Israel; as it is said, 'the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob;' and to those of the nations who might wish to become proselytes. Moses our master has also commanded us, by Divine appointment, to compel all that come into the world to embrace the commandments given to the children of Noah. And whosoever will not embrace them is to be put to death." Do you know what is meant by the children of Noah?'

Da Costa was silent; Alick said 'No.'

They are one of the four classes into which your Rabbins of the Gemara divide mankind. Israelites, Proselytes, children of Noah, and Idolaters. In the last class, we, who acknowledge Jesus as our Lord,