By Rev. DONALD URQUHART.
WHEN Mr. Fraser and I arrived at Jaffa in September, 1928, we did not tarry there longer than was absolutely necessary, nor did we visit Tel-Aviv, the Jewish suburb of Jaffa which is now larger than Jaffa itself; but we went straight to Jerusalem. We felt impelled to “begin at Jerusalem,” and I may remark that I am still in touch with some Jewish lads I got to know while in Jerusalem. After my stay in Tiberias, I went as a complete stranger to Jaffa and Tel-Aviv a year ago, not knowing where I should stay or what lay before me. It was on a Friday I arrived, and I stayed in Jaffa for the week-end. The following week I was able to engage a room in the house of an English gentleman who with his family lived in Tel-Aviv near the Jaffa boundary. I had the use of this room only for a month, because the family with whom I stayed, were obliged to remove to Jerusalem. During the month, I assayed to bring the Gospel to numbers of Jews, and I had many conversations with Jews of different ages and circumstances. Some I met on the streets, some in shops, and others on the beach. I got some Hebrew New Testaments, Gospels and Epistles to make use of. I also found Russian, Polish, German and even French copies useful to give to Jews who had not been long enough in the country to know Hebrew very well. I had to live in Jaffa again after the family with whom I stayed gave up their home. While in Jaffa, I went into Tel-Aviv daily to seek and use opportunities of giving the Gospel to Jews, praying that the Lord would lead me to the ones He willed me to speak to. Often did I think of what the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” Long before the days of Isaiah, God said, “They are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end,” Deut. 32, 28-29. Yet God, in His sovereignty, chose to love them—”Yea, He loved the people” (Deut. 33, 3)—and that was why He pled with them so much, and that is why, although He has covered them with a cloud in His anger,” it is nevertheless written that “if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead.” But, meantime, we must go back to the words of Jeremiah, “Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time? Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us,” Lam. 5, 20-2.
As time passed, I realised more and more the need of having a place to which I could without scruple invite Jews. I thought it would be good to have a room with its own independent entrance, so that Jews might be able to come in without having to pass through other occupied rooms. But I could not find a suitable place, although there were rooms of sorts to let. Among others, a Jewish couple from Smyrna offered me a shop in the centre of Tel-Aviv for the equivalent of thirty shillings monthly. They knew my aim, and offered such help as they could give, but for their own safety required that I did no more than teach English. I had not come to Palestine to teach English (except as a means to an end), so I did not accept their offer on such terms. It was only several months after the disturbances of last summer that I secured the place I am in now. One day I asked a young business Jew of my acquaintance if he could find me a suitable room in Tel-Aviv. He at once agreed to take me to places where he knew there were rooms to let, and asked me to meet him next evening at a certain place. I did so, and we went together through Tel-Aviv. I really marvelled at the readiness of this Jew, who knew of my being a missionary, and who sought no personal gain, to take so much trouble on my account. We found no suitable room, but at last he took me to a house-agent’s office where I learned there was a flat to let in a very suitable part of the town for my purpose. I said I should have to go home and think about it. That night I did think and pray (I hope) about it. The rent asked for would be a strain on my resources, but I finally decided to go to the office next day to sign the contract, praying that if it were not the right place something should hinder my engaging it. But everything passed smoothly, and in two days time I was settled in my new place of abode. I had only intended to engage one room, as a meeting-place, but I was led, I trust, to take in hand several rooms.
One way of drawing the Jews here, especially the younger Jews is to give English lessons. I turned one of my rooms into a class-room, getting a poor Jew to make for me a blackboard, table and benches. Very soon I had some pupils, and before long I had as many as thirty. As they were not all at the same stage in knowledge of English, it was necessary to form several groups, one of the groups being composed entirely of beginners. To each class and at every lesson I introduced the New Testament. The pupils represented various countries and my medium of instruction was Hebrew. Eventually I started a Bible-class on Sabbath evenings, at which to speak to those present on Mission subjects. The Jews love arguing, and many a point of argument have they brought up at these classes. Some of my pupils had to leave Tel-Aviv, and now that we have the summer weather, most want to be out-doors as much as possible. But I still have the classes, and when autumn comes, they will again, d.v., swell in numbers. Some are so diligent that they continue to come even in hot weather. Among such are two young policemen whom it is pleasant to teach because of their keenness. When reading the New Testament, these lads give a Hebrew rendering of each verse for me to approve or correct. Besides the classes, I have visits from other Jews occasionally, and there are numbers who always speak to me when I meet them, even if only to say “Shalom!” I know some Jews who are, or at least profess to be, Atheists. Two such paid me a visit the other evening and we had a long discussion. A few of my pupils claimed, when they came first, to be Atheists, and I was glad when one of them began to take such an interest in Divine things that he asked me to sell him a Bible with both Old and New Testaments.
Now, this is a very brief report of what I have been trying to do. I wish I could report great awakenings, but I must just plod on scattering the Seed. As Dr. Duncan pointed out in one of his lectures, the Jews not only have the spiritual blindness which all have by nature, but they also have judicial blindness and the influence of the Talmud. I have more than one recollection of speaking about Christ to Jews whom I felt sure were mentally and in their conscience impressed by what I in weakness said to them, but were resisting; I even felt they were resisting the strivings of the Holy Spirit. When the former rains come here, I cannot but think that that is what the soul of a Jew needs spiritually after the long dry season of unbelief and fruitlessness—not ordinary showers, but heavy ones which soak; not the ordinary strivings of the Spirit but those spoken of as an outpouring of the Spirit. Some people out here have said to me that they could not see I had a message at all, if I did not look for and teach the pre-millennial advent of Christ. But it seems to me that if the Spirit of grace and of supplications were poured upon the Jewish people, they would not need that such as I should say to them, Lo, Christ is to appear visible to the bodily eye in such a place. No, the Kingdom of God would be within them, and all the world would know it. Let me just, in conclusion, ask for the prayers of lovers of Zion—”Let them prosper that love thee.”