of a

the room, and engaged in turning over the pages new edition of the Bible. 'See there,' said he, a fatal passage which we cannot easily wrest from the Christians: It was the very text! (Isaiah vii. 14.) My soul,' says M. Capadose, was deeply moved at this, and perceived in it, the hand of my God anew. And why,' I replied, 'is it that we will not own the truth?' At this moment his uncle appeared, and enquired what they were conversing about? the physician informed him, and knowing him to be a person deeply versed in Rabbinical learning, he enquired what the Rabbins said upon the passage in question. Alas,' he answered, as he passed into the diningroom, 'nothing but a heap of nonsense.' This confirmation of his faith, received from lips whence it was so little expected, made his heart rejoice, and he inwardly thanked God, for having permitted him to hear it.

́All these circumstances,' says M. Capadose, 'under the guiding wisdom and goodness of God, served to convince me more and more, that in Christianity alone was to be found the truth. But what had been at first the craving of my mind now became the desire of my heart. Knowledge did not satisfy me; I wanted something which I might love. I saw that love had led the Saviour to seek me; I began also to feel my sins, or rather let me say, my total misery. But this sentiment was absorbed, as it were, in a sense of the divine love. I had experienced it; I had found my life in Christ; He became the central point of all my affections and of all my thoughts, the only object capable of filling the immense void in my heart, the key of

all mysteries, the principle of all true philosophy, of all truth-the truth itself.' There is an intense pleasure to the believer, in the return of his soul to God, in the revival of life within; it is Samson feeling his strength come unto him; by faith he is able to take hold of the pillars upon which stands the edifice of sin within his soul, and bowing himself with might, in the strength of Christ, they shall yield, and his corrupt nature be buried beneath the ruins.

The open profession of his faith was, however, yet to cost M. Capadose many a bitter struggle; to exhibit the strength of grace in these trying scenes, will be the purport of the next chapter.

CHAPTER XIV.

CONVERSION OF M. CAPADOSE; CONTINUED.

THE NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH-M. CAPADOSE CONFESSES HIS FAITH VIOLENT DISPLEASURE OF HIS FAMILY-THEIR OPPOSITION HE IS BAPTIZED AT LEYDEN.

THE necessity of making an open profession of his faith, now began to weigh heavily upon the mind of M. Capadose; the loss of worldly advantages, and the dissolution of domestic bonds, caused him to hesitate; still the knowledge that the painful day must inevitably come, and the voice of conscience urging him to hasten it, worked so painfully upon his feelings, that his health became affected. More deeply tried in this respect, than the youthful Rabbi of Poland, no circumstances called upon, or even permitted him, to seek an asylum in a distant country, where among sympathizing friends he might, though burdened with afflictive recollections, avow his faith, and follow his christian course in peace. No; in that place where he had grown up from infancy, surrounded with endearing relatives, pleasant connexions, and all those agreeable circumstances of life which wait upon competency,

station, and character,-in that very place he must give up all, and encounter the daily, hourly trial, of anger, estrangement, and contempt, hated by some, pitied by others, and cast off almost by all.

His uncle perceived the change in his health, though without any suspicion of the cause, and recommended him to go and spend a few weeks in the country, with which advice he eagerly complied. His mother, whose tenderness for him was very great, insisted upon accompanying him. This arrangement presented to his mind, an opportunity of disclosing his altered views which he resolved not to lose. Accordingly, one day when they were walking together, he, though much agitated, addressed her upon the subject of religion. You perceive, my mother,' he said, that I am much occupied in reading the Scriptures; do you know that it is quite possible that the prophecies have been fulfilled, and that the christians are in the right, while we are in the wrong ?' 'He who does his duty as an honest man pleases God,' was his mother's reply; ' and you, my son,' she continued, beware how you are led away by your enthusiasm, and ardent imagination.' She then changed the subject of conversation, and carefully avoided any thing that might recal it. M. Capadose thought that she had not understood him; great uneasiness must however have been created in her mind by his words, as some time afterwards, she spoke to his brother in private, and mentioning what had passed between them, cautioned him against being led into error. She does not however seem to have taken any further notice of the subject.

M. Capadose thus returned again to the house of his uncle, burdened with his secret, restless, and distressed. It was not the loss of his inheritance, he solemnly declares, which thus withheld him, from an open profession of christianity; but he saw in his uncle an aged friend, who cherished him as a son, and childless himself, looked to him for all the duty and affection of one. Interest is a powerful motive, but love in some hearts is a more powerful still, and the faith of M. Capadose was not yet sufficiently strengthened to meet the trial which awaited him; he continued however during this time, with inward struggles and conflicts, to wait upon the Lord who had called him; and feeling his own weakness, he besought Him earnestly for help, and that He would make the way plain before him. The prayer was answered; and the following circumstance, afforded him the long-soughtfor, though long dreaded opportunity.

His uncle was accustomed after dinner to read the newspapers aloud. One day, when, as usual, M. Capadose was seated opposite to him in a state of extreme dejection, he read out, as news from Hamburgh, a paragraph to the following effect; We have witnessed a very interesting event. A rabbin, after having announced to his fellow-religionists in the synagogue, that an attentive examination of the prophecies had given him the profound conviction that the true Messiah had come, has publicly confessed his faith in Christ, and been lately baptized in our city, and received as a minister of the Gospel.' His uncle then commented upon this in the following manner;