THE

JEWS, THE ENGLISH POOR,

AND THE

GYPSIES;

WITH A

PROPOSAL FOR AN IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT

IN THE

BRITISH CONSTITUTION.

BY

SAMUEL ROBERTS.

LONDON:

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.

1848.

DEDICATION

BY THE AUTHOR,

ΤΟ

ALL THE BRITISH PEOPLE

YOUNGER THAN HIMSELF.

THE writer of this, and the accompanying little work, is this day, April 21st, 1848, three days advanced into his eighty-fifth year. This day is that which Christians have appointed for the commemorating the Death of the Saviour of all mankind-of that Saviour who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

The foregoing are awful circumstances. At any rate they are such to the writer. How far it may be advisable to let the reader any further into his character, is, I think, at any rate doubtful. Two or three points shall suffice. Three-score years at least of his life have been spent more or less in an endeavour to

Better the Condition of the Poor-and in thinking upon, and he hopes in practising, what he has conceived to be pure Christianity. Though he has been a constant attendant at the National Church, yet his religious views -which have never changed-accord neither with those of that Church nor any other. He has always believed that the religion of Jesus Christ, as taught and practised by Him, was perfect. He believed, too, that it was in its nature so pure and simple that the most humble, illiterate, and truly sincere poor man, might, without danger of any fatal error, effectually practice it. To secure this, its Founder had thrown open the Fountain of Living Waters to all, without money and without price. Besides this, He appointed a gratuitous Divine Instructor to succeed him here on earth-an Instructor who cannot err, and who will not deceive-to lead sincere, but dubious Christians, right. Now, then, let the pure, simple hearted follower of Christ, take up his Cross-firm in FAITH and overflowing with LOVE-and the writer dare promise him that, if he perseveres, he will in the end be found right.

THE JEWS, THE ENGLISH POOR,

AND

THE GYPSIES.

THE very singular attempt now making to bring the Jews into Parliament has served to draw my attention to that most extraordinary people-a people which seem intended to connect in one unbroken line, the flood and the end of the postdeluvial world. The Jews are, in fact, a perpetually existing visible evidence of the truth of Scripture history, the fulfilment of prophecies, and of the continued exercise of miraculous power. Shem was the son of Noah, Terah was the son of Shem, and Abraham was the son of Terah Abraham, for his faith in, and obedience to, the Eternal Lord God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe, was decreed by Him to be the Father and Founder of the Jewish race.

B