Alick's breath was well nigh gone with astonishment at hearing his father speak thus: he began to fear Ben Melchor had been infecting him with his Talmudism. Captain Ryan looked doubtful and anxious. It is a point of universal interest and importance, Mr. Cohen, to know where truth may be found. Permit me to ask in what quarter do you seek it?'

In that, sir, I believe we are both agreed: unquestionably, all truth is contained in the word of God.'

And in the oral law,' added Ben Melchor, who remarked as he approached that the speaker raised his voice, and directed the words towards him.

'My old friend, how are you?' asked Captain Ryan, half laughing; while Ben Melchor looked the extreme reverse of any thing mirthful; 'you say that I haunt you through every land, and cross your path in every city; and I fear you will not acquit me of contriving this unexpected rencountre on the bosom of the waves.'

'Meet me where you will,' answered the Jew fiercely, you shall not contaminate my garment with the unclean doctrine of the Nazarenes.'

'Indeed, Josef, I hope I shall, with the Lord's blessing, convince you yet. But a heart of flesh must be given before the law of the Holy One can be engraven there,' pointing to the Jew's side, who shrank from him.

"You have spoken words of blasphemy against our holy religion,' said Ben Melchor, trembling with rage.

'I have not your holy religion is mine, except that where you grasp the unfolded bud of the blossom, I feast on the ripe fruit. I have denounced,

and I will denounce your Rabbinical absurdities, not one half of which do you believe, while you uphold them all; but your religion, Josef, as delineated by Moses and the prophets, is that whereon I rest my faith, my hope, my present consolation, and everlasting peace. When my blessed Master revealed himself as the risen Saviour, the promised Messiah of Israel, and Redeemer of the world, how did he instruct his eleven disciples? By opening their understandings that they might understand the scriptures. What scriptures? Yours, the only scriptures then in existence. I wish you were half as much devoted to Moses as I am!'

This very day,' said Ben Melchor, with bitter solemnity, and in this very vessel, there was worship paid to idols of wood and of stone, made and fashioned by men's hands; and a box was produced wherein was deposited a fragment of unleavened paste, turned by the magic of a Christian priest into the body of the crucified, whom you call Jesus: and unto this did the Christians address their prayers, kneeling prostrate, in supplication for the soul's safety of the slain man.'

'Then they committed an act of most detestable idolatry,' answered Captain Ryan; utterly to be abhorred of all Christian men. But, Ben Melchor, why do you talk thus to me? You perfectly know that the religion of these people is not my religion, but that it much more resembles your's; being an abuse and perversion of the truth-a counterfeit, of man's devising. Leave these pretended misapprehensions alone, Ben Melchor, and meet me on the common ground of God's inspired word, as contained in the Old Testament, but made void and of none

effect to you by your vain traditions, received from your fathers.'

'What a fine, straight-forward fellow!' whispered Mr. Cohen to Alick; but that old fox will never break cover, and come out into open day.'

Charley now came stealing along the deck; his cheeks were pale, and his eyes swollen, and he stole a timid glance towards the place where the fatal calamity had occurred. His father held out his arms and the boy climbed on his knee, and smiled.

'Poor fellow,' said the Captain, kissing his brow, 'you look sad: and well may we look sad, Charley, when a soul has passed into eternity unprepared for the Lord's summons. They have buried him in the deep, there to remain till the sea gives up her dead. We must not despair, for who knows what the Almighty may have wrought, even in a moment of time in the soul of that poor youth? but it is an awful thought, Charles, the day when the sea shall give up the dead that are in it. What will happen then?'

In a low solemn tone, the boy answered, They shall be judged, every man according to his works; and whosoever is not found written in the book of life, will be cast into the lake of fire.'

'Had you not a little bit of a battle with that gentleman, Charley?'

'Yes, Papa.'

· Have you shaken hands with him since?'

Charley went up to the Jew, and held out his hand; Ben Melchor looked at him with a sort of shrinking civility, and said, 'I bear thee no ill will, child.'

'But won't you shake hands, sir?'

Ben Melchor walked away; and Mr. Cohen indignantly said, 'If this were Judaism, I should blush to be a Jew.'

Happily, however, it is not Judaism, remarked Captain Ryan, nor any thing else but a crank of man's brain suggested by the Devil. Ben Melchor is not honest in his profession of these things: I know him well. I often meet with men sincerely in the wrong, holding the traditionary law as sacred as that of Moses, if not more so. With them I can usually discuss the points on which we differ; but this fellow is unmanageable. I took this method to drive him away in a civil manner, that we might resume the conversation he was determined to interrupt.'

They did resume it: Mr. Cohen spoke as a candid enquirer into things connected with his own religion, to which he had paid too little regard. Captain Ryan preached the gospel, fearlessly and judiciously; and whatever his father might feel, Alick was conscious that he was learning a lesson of incalculable value.

Before they reached Smyrna, Mr. Cohen had gently informed his son that he found his health was wholly unequal to any stay in that climate: it had been sensibly declining, he said, for some time; and he greatly wished to return home; but that he would not deprive him of the promised gratification of passing some time in the East. 'Dear father!' said Alick unaffectedly grieved, 'you must not go home alone. Let me attend you, and indeed I shall not feel the disappointment so much as I should feel see

ing you depart unaccompanied by any one you could look on with confidence.'

'No, my generous boy; I shall be better when I set my face homewards; and see yours set towards the Holy city; I wish you to visit it, Alick: and to kiss, for me, the very stones in the walls of Jerusalem, Peace be upon her! I have spoken to this excellent man, and he is perfectly willing to admit you into his party, and to be a parent and guide to you during your tour. I am also sure you will be delighted to shew every attention to his amiable wife, and that dear little boy. What say you to it, Alick?'

'Oh my dear, dear father, how shall I thank you for all this? leaving me in such hands, to visit such places, and-and-' then with one of his sudden bursts of honesty, he said, 'Father, I cannot deceive you if I go with them I shall certainly have a great deal of talk about their religion: I shall hear of Jesus of Nazareth-and-I shall try to find out whether or not it was of HIM that Moses in the law and the prophets did write.' He stood, half dreading the reply: but thankful to have spoken so candidly. 'Go, Alick, and enquire into whatever is presented to your mind as the truth. Find it, and having found it, hold it fast. You are farther advanced in the search than I am: your earnestness, boy, has shamed your father out of his indifference. God grant it be not too late!'

Alick burst into tears, and throwing himself on his knees implored forgiveness for all his waywardness and undutifulness, and a blessing. This was given with fervent affection: and Mr. Cohen said, 'Your parting gift to me must be a Bible: for be