Around the 1840s, the Evangelical Church of England began to accelerate their efforts in reaching the Jews in the Holy Land for Christ. Michael Alexander was appointed bishop of the Church of England in Jerusalem. At his investiture were the leaders of the Anglican Church, and the representatives of the king of Prussia, and the British ambassador to Constantinople, including William Gladstone. Queen Victoria issued a special royal decree allowing the Church to appoint a bishop whose influence would go beyond the borders of England, all the way to the Middle East and Jerusalem.
The British government assigned a large warship at the disposal of the entourage escorting Bishop Alexander to Jaffa. On January 21, 1842, the group reached Jerusalem and began the outreach for Christ among the Jews. Bishop Alexander was Jewish and the Jewish community in Jerusalem were pleased that one of their number had attained such a high rank in the English Church. One would expect the opposite.
The mission outreach had high hopes of reaching the Jews for the Lord. The British Christians had high hopes of seeing the prophecy of the return to Zion and as fulfillment of the prophetic promise that "kings shall be your foster-fathers" (Isa. 49:22). Bishop Alexander said his appointment was indeed the most important appointment in the history of the Christian church and that he was fortunate to return to the land of his ancestors." Isaiah 49:22-23 reads: "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and set up My flag to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. And kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses, and you will know that I am the Lord." - Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)
