THE

Children's Jewish Advocate.

MAY, 1864.

THE SUGAR CANE.

THERE are but two places in the Bible where the sugar cane is mentioned. One is in Isa. xliii. 24, in which it is said, "Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money." The other is in Jer. vi. 20, in which it is written, "To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country ?"

There cannot be any doubt that these refer to the sugar cane. The question may be asked, whether the cane, or the sugar made from it, was produced in the Holy Land, or whether it was brought in those ships which traded from the land of Judea with foreign parts. The climate of many parts of the land is so suited to this culture, that it may have been grown there, as it could be easily grown now. At any rate, it appears clear from all this, that

sugar must have been known and used in those Bible times.

The illustration is drawn from a photograph taken in Jamaica. It describes a cane-field, in which these canes are seen growing in thin clumps, being nearly fit to be cut and made into sugar. Over this towers a group of fine cocoa-nut palms, which might be grown in the Holy Land as well as the date palm. The fences are made of long bamboos, which answer the purpose very well, but do not last long.

It would be easy to describe the cultivation of the sugar cane, and how the sugar is made, but it would take up too much space.

A SCENE IN JERUSALEM.

UPON Mount Zion stands our beautiful little Church, opposite the Castle of David. A large open space lies here, on one side of which is a shop we use as a depôt for books. To this the Jews are fond of coming, and here is offered to them the Word of Life.

It is a great opportunity for preaching to them the Gospel, and at times there are so many of them collected together, that no one can doubt that the Lord allows not the seed o be scattered in vain.

One day there were gathered together about a hundred Jews at this spot, to whom Mr. Shappira, one of our Scripture-readers, preached the Gospel in German and Hebrew. Mr. Coral also made known to them the glad tidings in Spanish and Arabic. Many were the questions which they asked, and great was the excitement which they showed.

Standing with the missionaries was a Jewish rabbi from Safed. He was an inquirer, one who was seeking to know what he must do to be saved. But he was still dressed as a Jew, and the others supposing him to be one of themselves, called out to him to come out from among the missionaries.

The Jews finding that he did not stir, seized hold of him, and were about to drag him away, when he said, "I am come to seek the truth. I wish to become a Christian." The rabbi then went inside the bookshop, to avoid a tumult among the Jews.

Upon this about forty young men rushed at the bookshop to seize the man, and to force him away. But another young man, who was also an inquirer, and who had been left to guard the door, stood before it to prevent the others from coming in. The angry Jews took hold of him, threw him on the ground, and stamped upon his face and forehead with their

heels. His face was covered with blood. So many were there, that he could not tell which hurt him most. But they rushed upon him all at once, crying aloud, "Let us murder him for the glory of God.”

Three of the most violent were taken off to prison. The Jews after this said that they were sorry for what had happened. They came to

Mr. Barclay, to ask him to get those men out of prison. They said, "It is your duty to do so, seeing that it is written, if one should smite you on the one cheek, you should turn to him the other also." They also said that Dr. Macgowan and Mr. Crawford, our former medical man and missionary, had been treated in a worse way before, and yet that nothing was done to them. What was done to these men we are not told. But how this case shows us, that the spirit is now as it has ever been, that men in their sinfulness would act as if they thought that whosoever killed the servants of the Saviour, would think that they were doing God service.

Strange, too, it is to hear them quoting the New Testament, when it answers their purpose. They know much of the letter of the Word of God, may the Lord lead them to know much of its spirit!