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BRITANNIA ONE OF THE

brated and venerable divine of the Church of England, when pleading the cause of the "London Society for promoting Christianity amongst the Jews"-I mean the Rev. Dr. Marsh :-"The command is to declare the Lord's purpose concerning Israel 'in the isles afar off' (the expression always used by the Hebrews for these islands-known to them through the reports of the merchants of Tyre-Britannia, Scotia, and Hibernia). The proclamation is to be made here." This notion receives additional force from the command contained in the 7th verse of the same chapter. "For thus saith the Lord, sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

"Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattereth Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock."

The prophet seems to behold Britain in his vision. There can be no doubt that Bri

66 ISLES AFAR OFF."

39

tain is now the chief of the nations. Her monarch's territory is one upon which the sun never sets. The expression "The end of the world," mentioned in Isaiah lxii. 11, is also supposed to mean Britain, which was a common appellation for this island in remote ages. An expression which readily brings to our mind the phrase

I wish now to call your attention to another circumstance, which also gives colour to the idea, that the Jews visited this country earlier than is generally supposed.

There existed once a very amicable alliance between the Hebrews and the Romans. It is a well-known fact, that many Jews served as soldiers in the Roman army; they resided in great numbers at Rome and other western countries in the days of the Cæsars. Josephon ben Gorion informs us that when Julius became Cæsar, Hyrcanus sent messengers to Rome to renew the alliance, which had

40

THE TERMS OF THE ALLIANCE

just then expired. Now (B. c. 55) Cæsar invaded Britain twice, and defeated its gallant natives in several battles, and compelled them to give hostages, and ultimately planted the Roman standard in this country. Why should it be a thing unlikely that the Jews went with him as warriors into Gaul, and aided in his conquests, and from thence accompanied him into Britain, and remained here under the protection of the Roman banFor to assist each other in war was just in accordance with their original agreement, which is preserved in the 1st book of the Maccabees, viii. 22-29, and which is as follows:-"This is the copy of the epistle which the senate wrote back again, in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that there they might have by them a memorial of peace and confederacy :

ner.

"Good success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: the sword also and enemy be far from them. If there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates

BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE ROMANS. 41

throughout all their dominion, the people of the Jews shall help them, as the time shall be appointed, with all their heart. Neither shall they give any thing unto them that make war upon them, or aid them with victuals, weapons, money, or ships, as it hath seemed good unto the Romans, but they shall keep their covenant without taking any thing therefore. In the same manner also, if war come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall be appointed them. Neither shall victuals be given to them that take part against them, or weapons, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans, but they shall keep their covenants, and that without deceit. According to these articles did the Romans make a covenant with the people of the Jews."

A copy of a letter preserved in Josephon ben Gorion, which the Jews of Asia sent to Hyrcanus and to the nobles of Judah, contains the following passage :—

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AUGUSTUS' EDICT IN FAVOUR OF

"Be it known to you that Augustus Cæsar sent, by the advice of his ally, Antoninus, throughout all the countries of his dominion, as far as beyond the Indian Sea, and as far as beyond the British territory, and commanded that in whatever place there be man or woman of the Jewish race, servant or handmaiden, to set them free without any redemption money. By the command of Cæsar Augustus and his ally, Antoninus."

In the , or "Branch of David," a Jewish chronicle of some importance, written by Rabbi David Ganz, we have the following paragraph:

"A. M. 4915.-Cæsar Augustus was a pious and God-fearing man, and did execute judgment and justice, and was a lover of Israel. And as to that which is recorded in the beginning of the book, 'Sceptre of Judah,' that Cæsar Augustus caused a great slaughter amongst the Jews, his informant deceived him, for I have not met even with a hint res

*See Appendix H.