OF HENRY JOHN MARKS, FORMERLY A JEW, NOW A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. PERPLEXED BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; 2 Cor, iv. 8, 9 WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THE REV. CHARLES B. TAYLER, M.A. LONDON: J. HATCHARD & SON, HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO. MDCCCXXXVIII. PREFACE A MANUSCRIPT was put into my hands, nearly two years ago, and a wish expressed that I should prepare it for publication; and thus endeavour to raise a small sum of money for the relief of the writer, a converted Jew. I read the manuscript with no little interest, but thought that its statements were, perhaps, of too general a character. It appeared to me, from what was already written, that the writer might have it in his power to enter into many details both of his trials and of his own personal experience of far deeper interest. He had evidently been under the powerful teaching of God the Holy Ghost, who was leading him to assurance and to peace, by taking away the vail from his heart, and shewing to him, in the person of Jesus, the crucified Nazarene-the Mighty God! the Everlasting Father! the Prince of Peace! I thought that a longer work from his hands would not only be more profitable to himself and to his destitute family, in a pecuniary point of view; but that such a work, under God's blessing, might be of incalculable use to his own brethren according to the flesh; while, at the same time, to Christian readers, the narrative would possess a double interest. He complied with my request; another and a longer manuscript was forwarded to me, and I found that I was not mistaken. This manuscript I now present to my readers. But few alterations have been made in the Narrative itself, though, perhaps, many in the construction of sentences, &c., but those only to make the style as plain and intelligible as possible. The writer is personally unknown to me, but his excellent and truly consistent character is well known to me, on the authority of many persons of high and acknowledged worth. I bear this testimony to the character of Mr JOHN HENRY MARKS, because I am told that an unworthy individual, bearing the same surname, has been mistaken for him. As for his Narrative, I leave him to speak for himself. I do not even make a comment upon any peculiar opinion which he may be said to hold. I I can only say, that any person of common feeling will be touched to the very heart by the history of his domestic sorrows, and the trials and persecutions which he has been called to undergo; and, I think, every person of Christian principle who is grateful for the knowledge of His own salvation in Christ Jesus, will know how to appreciate the deep, heart-felt gratitude of this poor suffering child of Israel, who has indeed been brought to enter into the kingdom of heaven through much tribulation. I am well aware that the very name of a Jew to many worldly and careless persons; yes, and to those of whom I will only say, that they ought to know better; is associated with what is vulgar and degraded, and contemptible. I am sorry to say I understand this; I thank God, with my whole soul, that I do not feel it. Alas, the fact that the Jewish name is commonly coupled with a reproach, with the idea of low cunning and sordid avarice, is, in itself, the proof that this extraordinary race are under the mysterious curse which |