PALESTINE.

No. IX.

THE following graphic description of the desolations of the modern City of Jerusalem is from the pen of Dr. Macgowan.—“ Whole ranges of streets in the Turkish Quarter are in a state of utter dilapidation. All Jerusalem may be called a city of ruins-built upon ruins the ruins of forty centuries-the accumulated dust of countless generations; and yet there is a majesty and grandeur in this scene of desolation which have no parallel upon earth. The massive remains of ancient architecture, the huge blocks of stone in the walls and streets; the half-buried column and the broken arch, which neither time nor violence have been able utterly to destroy, still attest the magnificence of former days. But there is a living monument more striking than all the rest-An inhabitant of these ruins-One whose features, dress, and language bespeak the descendant of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, and who still cleaves, with prophetic hope, to the city of his fathers, though in desolation, and trodden down of the Gentiles. The very existence of the Jew within these walls, speaks not only of past but of future glory; when the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established on the top of the mountains, and Jerusalem again be the joy of the whole earth."

Surely the time, the long-wished time
To favour Zion, now is come!
Thy servants wept o'er her decline,
And mourned to see her dust consume:
Counted her stones like naked gold,
The temple of thine ancient fold.

The heathen, Lord, shall fear thy name
When thou o'er Zion shall arise.
The Kings of earth thy power proclaim,
And lift thy glory to the skies:
When thou in glory shalt appear,
To build up Zion's borders here!

An interesting account is given by the same writer, of a Sicilian, who has recently joined the little company of believers in Jerusalem. "The history of this individual, Pietro Angelo by name, is interesting in many respects. He is a Sicilian by birth; he has received a good education, and his scientific acquirements are very respectable. His occupation in his own country was that of engineer in the Sulphur works, and in addition to his own branch, he possesses a very competent knowledge of chemistry and mineralogy. His object in coming to Jerusalem was to make himself more fully acquainted with the principles of the Anglican Church; having heard of the arrival of an English Bishop in the Holy City, he hoped that he would be able to gain the instruction he is in search of. On his arrival he made himself known to Mr. Ewald, who presented him to the

Bishop. After having received Mr. Ewald's instructions, and given satisfaction both to Mr. E. and the Bishop, he joined our little flock, and is now a reguar attendant of the services of our Church on Mount Zion."

PSALM LXXXVII.

'Tis His foundation firm and sure
Which in the holy mountains lie,
Whose years for ever shall endure,
Who dwells in heaven eternally.

Than Jacob's dwelling all beside
More doth the God of Jacob love

The gates of Zion, sanctified

By his high presence from above.

God will himself establish her;

While of our Zion shall be said,

This man and that were heaven-born there,
Then joined by faith to Christ our Head.

The Lord, when numbering up his own,
Shall count, to Zion's endless praise;
That this and that man there were born
To GOD, to heaven, and holiness.

Thy vocal choirs, O Zion, thine,

Shall join with music's sweetest sound,

And shout, responsive to the lyre,
"In Zion all my springs abound."

"The various languages which are spoken here," observes Dr. M., "cause no small impediment to the missionary in the commencement of his labours. Jerusalem seems to be the seat of every religion as well as of every tongue. The Hebrew and Greek are here living languages, in addition to which there are the Arabic, Turkish, Coptic, Syriac, Abyssinian, Armenian, German, Spanish and Italian. The three latter are at present my principal medium of communication. To the above may be added the English, which in connexion with the Anglican Bishopric, and our own Mission, will henceforth, with God's blessing, be permanently established in the Holy City."

PSALM XCVI. 10, &c.

Say among the heathen nations,
That the Lord JEHOVAH reigns;
'Stablishing the world's foundations,
What He wills the Lord ordains.
(JESUS reigns, let earth adore him,

HE shall judge in righteousness;
Sin and guilt shall flee before him,
And a world admire His grace.)

Let the heavens rejoice with glory,
Let the earth for him be glad;
Let the sea proclaim the story,
And the fields with joy be clad!
Let the leafy groves with praises
Murmur their Creator's Name;
Nature all feel joy that raises

Life, his glory to proclaim.

For He comes to judge the nations ;
Every soul in righteousness-
Long forgotten generations

Shall appear before his face.
And, with truth divine, proclaiming
Will He judge a fallen world;
Some to endless life ordaining,
Some to endless ruin hurled!

The Bishop of Jerusalem writes, October 1, 1842. "It is not unlikely I may have to go to Alexandria, to hold a Confirmation. I hope to-morrow week, (D.V.) to hold my first confirmation here. May God enable us to see the greatness of apparently little things. And thus, in not despising the day of small things, may we be truly thankful for what He has done. What apparently insurmountable difficulties has he not removed during the short period of the present year? And I must say, that to my mind, it is a most extraordinary, and I must add, a most encouraging fact, that through the instrumentality of the Society, a Hebrew-Christian congregation, in its complete form, is now established on Mount Zion! And before the completion of one year, we shall (D.V.) have performed all the ordinances of the Church."

N.