Meyer when he was stationed at Prague.
BAHN, Martin August, a Berlin Jewish student, embraced Christianity when
he was under the teaching and influence of Schleiermacher, in 1837.
BAHRI, Rev. Joseph, convert of the British Society at Stuttgart;
laboured for several years as missionary of the L.J.S. at Vienna, and
then as curate to Bishop Billing in the Parish Church of Spitalfields,
and then curate of Hoby and Rotherby where he died at the age of 43. He
was a spiritually-minded man and a fervent preacher, and cherished
boundless love for his nation.
BALLIN, Josef, a well-known historical painter, a native of Weener,
Ostfriesland, was baptized by Pauli of the L.J.S. when stationed at
Berlin about 1843.
BARNETT, Henry. The following is his own account of himself:--
"For twenty years I lived with my parents in a small town in Poland,
called Konin. These years were entirely spent in the study of tradition
and religion, as it had been my father's desire to preserve 'law and
religion' for the youngest of his family, the other members following in
the pursuit of business. In those years I knew not the nature of sin.
The New Testament I never saw with my eyes; such words as the 'gospel'
and 'missionary' were not at all in my vocabulary. I was going on with
the religion of my fathers in pride and conceit, yet weeping over sin
and pleading for mercy and pardon, though I did not know how hideous sin
was in the sight of God, neither did it ever enter my mind to ask myself
whether I obtained those things I so earnestly sought for from God.
Satisfied with the religious duties of my life whilst sin was doing its
work, and priding myself in being engaged in a higher capacity than the
mere ordinary trade or business man of the Jewish community. When I was
about twenty-one years of age I left my home to avoid military
conscription. Before I left I prepared myself for occupying a position
among the Jews as a 'slaughterer' in connexion with the synagogue. I did
not succeed in this, not being a good singer for conducting public
prayers. Reaching London, there seemed only one thing to do, viz., to
learn a trade in order to maintain myself. Whilst learning a trade
amongst my Jewish brethren I also learned 'Sabbath-breaking,' gradually
gave up the morning and evening prayers, and went more and more into
sin.
"In a wonderful way the Lord brought me under the influence of the
Gospel. On the voyage from Hamburg to Hull I met with a Jew who
professed Christianity. I met him about six months later in London, and
made occasional calls upon him. While I was doing this my heart went
often up to God to deliver me from taking a wrong step. I only knew then
the opinion of Jews regarding the Jewish missionary and his enterprises.
I felt then that whatever the man himself might be, what he proclaims
was not to be despised, and I attended the Gospel meetings at spare
times with a kind of double feeling. I began to read the New Testament,
and 'faith came by hearing' before two years (1873) expired after my
being under the sound of the Gospel. I knew that I was a sinner,
according to Psalm li. I learned the meaning of Ezekiel xxxiii. 13. I
found the true Messiah of Isaiah liii., and understood that Christ died
_for me_. I 'believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved' (Acts xvi.
31). Since 1882 I have been enabled, like Saul of Tarsus, to cry, 'Lord
what wilt Thou have me to do?' (Acts ix. 6)."
BARON, Rev. David, was likewise for many years in the Mildmay Mission
and companion to Barnett in his travels. He is the founder of the
Mission under the title, "Hebrew Christian Testimony for Israel." He is
known as a good expositor of Scripture and is author of several books
relating to the Jews.
BARTHOLDY, Jacob Levi Salomo, was uncle on the mother's side to Felix
Mendelssohn born, in Berlin, 1779, died in Rome, 1826. He became a
member of the Protestant Church in 1805, and through his influence the
whole Mendelssohn family became Christians. He served as an officer in
the Prussian army, and in 1815 he was appointed consul-general in Rome.
He wrote treatises on modern Greek, a description of the Terolese war,
and "Traits from the life of Cardinal Consalvi." The Berlin Museum
possesses his collection of antiquities, comprising Etruscan vases,
bronzes, ivories, majolicas, etc., which are now displayed in the
National Gallery.
BASEVI, George Joshua, architect, followed the example of his
brother-in-law Isaac Disraeli, in leaving the synagogue in 1817. But it
must be stated that no writer expressly asserts that either of the two
were received into the Church by baptism. This is known, that Basevi
while inspecting the bell-tower of Ely Cathedral fell and was killed
instantly, and then received Christian burial in the chapel at the east
end of the Cathedral.
BASSIN, Eliezer, born about 1840 in the government of Moghilev, Russia.
In 1869 he went to Constantinople, and then after experiencing God's
wonderful dealings with him (so graphically described by Miss Stern in
her book "Eliezer") he made a public confession of his faith in Christ.
He was afterwards a student of the L.J.S. Training College at Palestine
Place, and was sent out as a missionary to Jassy, Roumania, by the same
Society. Later he laboured for some years in Edinburgh, under a Scotch
Society. He was the author of a work entitled, "The Modern Hebrew and
the Hebrew Christian," London, 1882, which contains an autobiography,
relating his experience after deserting from the Russian army, and
information about the Hasidim, especially the sect "Habad." Also "A
Finger-post to the Way of Salvation," 1882. In 1881 he published a
pamphlet entitled "Eintracht" (Harmony), in which he pleaded the cause of
the Jews against the Anti-Semitic agitation in Germany.
BECHAR, J., baptized at Constantinople in 1873, studied at St.
Chrischona, Basel, and was appointed later as City Missionary in
Neuchâtel.
BEHRENS, A. J., convert, student and missionary of L.J.S, was pioneer
Missionary in Safed in the forties of the 18th century and at Jassy in
1850.
BEHRENS, Rev. A. D., son of the former, esteemed of the L.J.S., whom the
writer learned to know and love in 1873 at Breslau, was appointed to the
charge of the Mission at Vienna in 1875. A daughter married the convert
Glück, a physician of high standing in Bucharest. Thus father and child
have made known God's truth in their respective spheres.
BEHRENS, S. J., another Jewish convert, was for twenty years accountant
and collector of the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, an
exemplary Christian, and well beloved by all who came in contact with
him. His life made a salutary impression upon his rich brothers in
Hamburg, who, although they yet remained members of the synagogue,
granted his wife a liberal pension for life.
BELLSON, Rev. R., born in the neighbourhood of Cassel, Germany, in 1805.
L.J.S. missionary from 1831, successor of Pauli in Berlin, 1844. He was
an excellent scholar and was much respected by the cultured Jews. In the
very first year of his activity there, he had the privilege of leading
twenty Jewish souls to the Saviour. One of his converts was the Rev. A.
D. Hefter, another Kappelin. He wrote in "Dibre Emeth," "Blätter für
Israel's Gegenwart und Zukunft."
BELMONTE, E., banker in New York, connected with Rothschild, joined the
Protestant Church, whilst a number of the same family joined the Roman
Church at different times. (See "Jewish Encyclopædia.")
BELMONTE, Hannah, a near relation of Da Costa, and later his wife,
became a Christian in 1822.
BENARY, Franz Ferdinand, born at Cassel in 1805, baptized between
1824-27. He became Professor of Theology in 1831, lectured in Berlin on
Oriental languages and exegesis, published the Old Indian Art poem,
"Naloduza" in 1830, a treatise under the title, "De Leviratu," Hebr.
1835.
BENARY, Karl Albert Agathan, a brother of the former, likewise became a
convert, was teacher at the Gymnasium in Berlin, wrote largely on
Classics, died in 1860.
BENASON, A., after his conversion wrote several Christian hymns. (See
"Saat auf Hoffnung, 1881.")
BENDER, Carl Theodor, born at Berlin in 1818, studied law, and was
baptized in 1837 by Pastor Jonas of the Nikolai Kirche there.
BENDERMAN, Edward, born in Berlin in 1811, son of a banker, embraced
Christianity about 1832. He became a celebrated artist and professor of
art in the Dresden Academy. Some of his pictures are: Boaz and Ruth, The
Jews in Babylon (Ps. cxxxvii.), Jeremiah amidst the ruins of Jerusalem,
The wandering of the Jews into captivity to Babylon, in the Natural
Gallery in Berlin. These pictures exhibit profound religious feeling on
the part of the artist, and sympathy with his Jewish brethren.
BENDIX, Paul, Dr., was born at Rummelsberg in Prussia, Aug. 29, 1823. He
was early sent to a Christian school, where he was often moved to tears
when hearing of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the age of
seventeen he went to Danzig for rabbinical study, and afterwards to the
Berlin University, where he gained the diploma of Ph.D. in 1850.
Subsequently he became rabbi, and worked at Berent and Grandenz. He
disapproved of many of the old Jewish customs, but his congregation
refused to allow the introduction of any reforms. The wardens of the
synagogue at Grandenz, where he officiated from 1854 to 1858, wrote of
him in a testimonial: "The sermons of Dr. Bendix were instructive and
edifying, and owing to his splendid delivery and great oratorical power
they never failed to make a deep impression on his hearers." While at
Grandenz he made the acquaintance of a Christian clergyman, through whom
he was led to study the New Testament. The reading of this deeply
affected him. Later on he went to live in the house of a converted Jew,
which caused many of his hearers to warn him not to hold intercourse
with him on Christianity. But he was now seeking for truth and peace,
and though he avoided conversation, he could not help noticing the
upright and serious life of his landlord, who closed his place of
business on the Lord's Day, held family worship morning and evening, and
took a keen interest in home and foreign missions. All this made an
impression on him, and made him say: "This man, surely, possesses the
peace I am seeking. He asked me one day what took the place of
sacrifices since the Temple was destroyed, what were the essential
contents of the Jewish Prayer Book. I could only say to myself, Where is
the atonement for sin? I began to read the Old Testament with a
terrified conscience, and soon I found that my religious system was
built on the sand." At last he felt that he must give up his position as
rabbi, and he retired, not without much opposition, to Berlin, where he
spent his whole time in the closest study of the Word of God. He became
convinced at last that the old covenant was merely a preparation for the
new one (Jer. xxxi. 31-34). One difficulty was the word "virgin" in Isa.
vii. 14, but when he saw that it was always used in opposition to
married women, he at once accepted Christ as his Saviour, and was
baptized with his wife and children in 1860, in St. Matthew's Church,
Berlin. With a recommendation from Queen Elizabeth of Prussia he came
over to England, and from 1883 worked in connexion with the L.J.S. in
London. He died March 5, 1901, deeply regretted by both Jews and
Christians.
BENFEY, Theodor, born at Nöster, near Göthingen, January 28, 1809,
became a convert to Christianity in 1848, died in 1881, at Göthingen. He
was author of numerous linguistic works on the Sanscrit, Bengali,
Hindustani, Persian, Egyptian, and Semitic languages. His two works in
English must be mentioned here: "A Practical Grammar of the Sanscrit
Language" (Berlin 1863, London 1868), and "A Sanscrit-English
Dictionary" (London 1868). He established a periodical, "Orient and
Occident," in 1862.
BENJAMIN, Selig, a native of Bunzlau, Bohemia, and surgeon by profession
about the middle of last century. Embraced Roman Catholicism, but found
no peace, so he relapsed into Judaism, but remained in the same
condition, wandering about to find satisfaction for his restless soul,
until he came to Weikersheim in Würtemberg, and attended the services of
the court preacher Kern, when he was converted. Whereupon he went to the
synagogue and publicly confessed his evangelical faith before the
congregation.
BENJAMIN, a Dutch Jewish convert. The story of his conversion is a
remarkable one and deserves a place here. Pauli and his assistant Bloch
visited once a Kabbalistic Jew on a very stormy night. The Jewish
neighbours, when hearing of their visit, watched for them outside the
house. They followed them on their way home, and when passing a bridge,
some called out, "Make an end of him (Pauli); throw him into the
water." Whereupon Benjamin, who accompanied his visitors, cried, "Away
with you!" and pushed the assailants aside. "He is a good man. He helped
me to keep the Sabbath properly." They then went away abashed. Benjamin
was afterwards baptized with his whole family in the presence of 3,000
Jews. This was the first entire family which Pauli baptized at
Amsterdam.
BENJAMIN, a Jewish convert in India, baptized by the Rev. ---- Laseron
in 1849.
BENNI, a Jew who first heard the Gospel from Wendt and Hoff in
Königsberg, became a Christian Pastor in Petrekow, later in Radorn, and
through his faithful testimony not a few Jews decided to acknowledge
Jesus as their personal Saviour.
BENOLY, Gabriel, M.D., baptized at Salem, Bromberg, in 1869, was
afterwards for many years medical missionary of the L.J.S., and did good
work in the East End of London.
BEN OLIEL, a well-known family in Oran, North Africa, has given to the
Church three sons about the middle of the eighteenth century, baptized
by the Wesleyans in Gibraltar.
BEN OLIEL, Rev. A., was for many years missionary in Rome, and then at
Jaffa and Jerusalem. He was a true man of God, an ardent lover of his
nation, whose spiritual welfare he endeavoured to promote by word and
pen all through a long life. He died in America towards the close of
last century.
BEN OLIEL, Rev. Maxwell Mochluff, after finishing his theological
course at St. Aidan's, was ordained in 1860, and was curate in several
churches; also domestic chaplain to the Dowager Duchess of
Northumberland, 1864-66; minister of St. Patrick and St. Saviour, South
Kensington, 1878-81; missionary at W. Berkeley, California, 1889-91;
Rector of San Bernadino, Cal., 1891-93. Returning to England, he
conducted a mission to the Jews at Kilburn, by writing and lectures. As
a good preacher and thoroughly conversant with Jewish and Christian
literature, he was gladly heard in the churches and cathedrals of
England. His writings on the Jewish subject are numerous.
BEN OLIEL, Moses, served for many years as Bible agent of the B. &
F.B.S. at Oran.
BEN ZION, Benedix (Baruch), born in Homoslaipolia in the government of
Kiev, Russia, in 1839, was led to become a Christian in a remarkable
manner. Once, when still a little boy in the Heder, he and his
fellow-pupils passed by a Russian Church when they observed the cross
and images. His companions at once repeated Deut. vii. 26, and spat on
the ground. Ben Zion did not like this behaviour, so he made figures and
a cross with his stick on the ground. This was reported to the teacher,
who locked him up and punished him severely for it. The fanaticism of
the Jews in the place was so great that Ben Zion's father lost his
position as Talmud teacher, because his boy had been reading
Mendelssohn's German translation of the Bible. At the age of 13 Ben Zion
began his wandering career, and passing a chapel in a forest, his eyes
met the image of the Madonna and Child. Without the least desire to
render homage to the figure, but only conscious that for its sake he had
already suffered, he took off his hat, knelt down, and in this posture
fell asleep, and was finally awakened by a peasant. These apparently
trifling circumstances caused him later on to think seriously of
Christianity, and to search the Scriptures. He was baptized in Berlin in
1863, then studied medicine and graduated at the University of Würzburg
in 1867. He went to England, and having entered the service of the
British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Jews, was
sent to Roumania in 1874 as medical missionary. In 1876 he was
transferred to Odessa, where he laboured successfully for ten years.
Then he was for a short time in Constantinople, and since about 1888 he
has been living in the United States and helping in missionary work. He
is the author of "Orah Zedakah," a collection of proverbs and parables
in the style of Ecclesiasticus (Odessa, 1876); "Kol Kore el Beth Israel"
(translated from the English by Dr. Ben Zion, London, 1868); a
translation into Judæo-German of Jos. H. Ingraham's "Prince of the House
of David," under the title of "Tiferet Yisrael" (Odessa, 1883-88), and a
translation into Judæo-German of Silvio Pelier's drama, "Ester
d'Engedé," under the title "Der Falsche Cohengodel."
BERDENBACH, born at Offenbach, in 1809, brother of the great lawyer of
that name in Darmstadt, was baptized by Pastor Schultz in Berlin, in
1839.
BERGER, Rev. S. D., convert and student of the L.J.S., was afterwards
ordained to the Ministry in the Lutheran Church U.S., and was appointed
missionary to the Jews in Chicago about 1885.
BERGHEIM, M., a noble Jewish convert, was sent out by the L.J.S. in 1837
to assist the Rev. Nicolayson in his work in Jerusalem. He was
afterwards a banker and died in 1896 as churchwarden of Christ Church,
Mount Zion. The Jewish traveller, Dr. Ludwig August Frankel, who
published a book on his visit to Jerusalem in 1860 (translated into
Hebrew by M. E. Stern), says he found there 131 Jewish Christians in the
Holy City, nine of whom were of the Bergheim family.
BERGMANN, Marcus S., convert of the L.J.S., is well-known as a
missionary of the L.C.M. and translator of the Bible into Yiddish. A
second edition, with improved translation into simple Jargon, was issued
by him in 1905. In an account of his conversion he thus writes:--
"I was born in Wieruszow, on the borders of Silesia, in the year 1846.
My father (who was of the sect of Chassidim, which is the strictest sect
of the Pharisees, and a great Talmudist) died when I was about a year
old. Of my dear mother I have only a very dim recollection, as she, too,
died when I was but six years old. I had one elder brother and one
sister. My brother was established in a large way of business in Luben,
a town near Breslau, and my sister was brought up in the house of the
Chief Rabbi of Breslau, Rabbi G'dalia Titkin (who was a relative of
ours), whilst I was brought up with my uncle, Woolf Bergmann, a Chassid
like my father, in Wieruszow, under whom I studied much of the Talmudic
and Rabbinical literature.
"When I was fourteen years of age I was sent to Breslau to study under
the chief Rabbi there. I did not like it at first, as I had to change my
Chassidic dress for the German style, but I soon became accustomed to
it. After a residence of three years in Breslau I went to one of my
uncles who was a Rabbi in Frankenstein, under whom I had ample
opportunity to practise for some time. I then went back to live with my
sister in Kalisch, and applied myself more than ever to the study of the
Talmud, believing it to be the most honourable of all employment and
most conducive to the glory of God, and the best mode of making amends
for my sins, which I found clung to me even when engaged in these
religious duties.
"The word of the LORD to Abraham (Gen. xii. 1), 'Get thee out of thy
country and from thy kindred ... unto a land that I will shew thee,'
seemed at that time to be constantly ringing in my ears, and made me so
restless that I could not put my mind to anything. I obeyed that voice,
and in 1866, I left my native country and came to England. Shortly after
my arrival in London I established a small synagogue at which I
gratuitously officiated as minister for nearly two years; my sister from
time to time sending me remittances, as I required, from the portion
which I inherited of my father's property.
"It pleased the Lord at this time to lay His hand upon me, and I was
laid aside for six weeks in the German hospital. When feeling a little
better I began to look into the Hebrew Bible, which was on the shelf in
the ward. As a reader in the synagogue I knew the letter of the whole of
the Pentateuch and other portions of the Old Testament by heart.
"The portion of Scripture that made a great impression on me at the time
of my illness was Daniel ix. Several verses of this chapter (the
confession of Daniel) are repeated each Monday and Thursday by every
Jew; but the latter part of the chapter, which so plainly prophesies the
suffering of the Messiah, is never read--in fact the Rabbis pronounce a
dreadful curse upon any one who investigates the prophecy of these
seventy weeks. They say: 'Their bones shall rot who compute the end of
the time.' Remembering this anathema, it was with fear and trembling
that I read the passage about the seventy weeks, and coming to verse 26,
'Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself'--though we Jews are most
careful not to let a Hebrew book drop to the ground--I threw that Hebrew
Bible out of my hand, thinking in my ignorance that it was one of the
missionaries' Bibles. But although I threw the Bible away, I could not
throw away the words I had just read: 'Messiah shall be cut off, but not
for Himself.' These words sank deeper and deeper into my soul, and
wherever I looked I seemed to see them in flaming Hebrew characters, and
I had no rest for some time. One morning I again took up the Bible, and
without thinking or looking for any particular passage, my eyes were
arrested by these words (also in a chapter which is never read by the
Jews): 'For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the
transgression of My people was He stricken.' (Isa. liii. 8.)
"This seemed to be the answer to the question I was constantly asking
myself during this time of soul-conflict--'Messiah shall be cut off, but
not for Himself.' For whom then? Here it was plainly revealed to me.
'For the transgression of My people;' and surely I belonged to His
people, therefore Messiah was cut off for me.
"Shortly after this I left the hospital and was again among my Jewish
friends, but I could not banish from my mind these two passages.
"One morning I put on my phylacteries and tallith in order to perform
the prescribed prayers, but I could not utter a single sentence out of
the prayer book before me. One passage (Psalm cxix. 18), 'Open Thou mine
eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law,' came into my
mind, and that I repeated over and over again, and for nearly two hours
that was the cry of my soul. After laying aside the phylacteries and
tallith I left the house without tasting food, and as I walked along the
streets I prayed again in the words of the Psalmist, 'Lead me in Thy
truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation, on Thee do I
wait all the day long.' My heart was burdened with a very great load,
and yet I dared not open my mind to any one. In this state I believe the
Spirit of God led me to Palestine Place. My heart failed me when I
reached the door of the late Rev. Dr. Ewald's house.
"After several vain attempts, I ventured to knock, and was admitted to
see that venerable servant of the Lord. To him I unburdened my soul and
told him all that was in my heart. He asked me whether I was willing to
come into his Home for enquirers in order to be instructed in the truth
as it is in the Lord Jesus. I told him that was just what I needed, and
at once accepted his kindness, and I did not return to my Jewish
friends. This was just one week before the Passover.
"On the first day of the feast several Jews of my congregation, who had
discovered where I was, came and entreated me to leave the missionaries
and go back with them. As I refused to do so, they said they would soon
get me away with disgrace. They left, but only for a short time, and
when they returned they brought a policeman with them and charged me
with being a thief, and as such I was taken to the nearest police
station and locked up. Whilst in the cell I was visited by several Jews
who implored me to return to them, and said that if I promised to do so
they would not appear against me on the morrow, and I would be
liberated. I answered in the words of David, when Gad, the seer, was
sent to give him the choice of his own punishment: 'Let me fall into the
hands of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but into the hands of man
let me not fall;' and I added, 'Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.' They left me disappointed. But I never spent a
happier night than in that prison cell, for I felt and fully realized
that the Lord was with me, and it was there that I for the first time
knelt down and prayed to God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Though up to this time I knew very little or nothing of the New
Testament, yet it seemed to me as if the Lord Jesus spoke to me in the
same manner as He did to His disciples. 'They shall put you out of the
synagogues, yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think
that he doeth God service; these things will they do unto you because
they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you,
that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I have told you of
them.' 'And when they bring you unto magistrates, and powers take ye no
thought how or what thing ye shall answer, for the Holy Ghost shall
teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.' Passage after passage
seemed to come before me, as if the Lord Jesus had spoken audibly to me
to encourage me to cling close to Him and not to fear what man could do
unto me.
"The night--though sleepless--I passed joyfully and peacefully. The
morning came, which brought other Jewish visitors with food from their
table, also entreating me to return to my Jewish friends. As I refused,
they told me that they had witnesses to prove the charge against me, and
I should be put into prison for at least three months; but I felt that
the Lord Jesus was my advocate, and that He would plead my cause.
"About 10 o'clock I was taken out of the police cell and led to the
Mansion House (followed by a large number of Jews) to appear before the
Lord Mayor of London. The whole judgment hall was filled with Jews. My
chief accuser swore that I had robbed him, and three others gave their
evidence on oath against me. The Lord Mayor asked me, through an
interpreter (for I could not then speak English), what I had to say in
my defence, and whether I had any witnesses to prove my innocence. I
replied, 'I stand here in this position on account of my faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. I am not only not guilty of the crime which is
imputed to me, but I have left all my valuable things at the house where
I lodged. It is only because I wish to become a Christian that I am
accused.' The Lord Mayor then ordered my chief accuser again into the
witness box, and asked him whether he knew that it was my intention to
become a Christian. The expression which flashed across his angry
countenance and was reflected by the face of the other Jews present,
sufficiently answered the question before he could speak a word.
"On cross-examination they so contradicted each other that they
themselves proved my innocence, and I was at once set at liberty. (I
wish it to be clearly understood that this persecution was not in enmity
to myself personally, but rather in friendship and mistaken zeal. They
wished to save me at any cost from becoming a Christian).
"On leaving the Mansion House I returned to Dr. Ewald, and after being
thoroughly instructed in the Scriptures, I was admitted into the visible
Church of Christ on the 7th of June, 1868, by the rite of baptism.
"After my baptism I was admitted into the Operative Jewish Converts'
Institution, where I stayed nearly two years. In May, 1870, I was
accepted as an agent of the London City Mission, to work among my poor
benighted people in the East of London. During the first few years of my
mission work I had naturally to undergo much persecution, and the work
was most arduous, but by the blessing of God this is in a great measure
changed.
"It is now fully thirty-one years since I became a follower of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and I can look back upon all these years and say that not
one good thing hath failed of all His gracious promises."
BERNAL, Jacob Israel, an English Jew, in the first half of the 19th
century, had his children baptized, only one son, Ralph, remained in
Judaism.
BERNAL, Osborn, M.P., the son of Ralph, embraced Christianity, and his
daughter married the Duke of St. Albans.
BERNARD, D., baptized in Wilna with his wife and daughter in 1818, by
Pastor Nichlous, of the Lutheran Church, is recorded as having lived an
exemplary Christian life. He was first baptized in the Roman Church,
came then in contact with Luther, who had won him for the Evangelical
Truth, and wrote to him a letter with a view to strengthen him in the
faith, and that he should make it known to his brethren.
BERNARD, Herman, born in Southern Russia in 1785, baptized in his youth,
settled in Cambridge as a private teacher in 1830, and was appointed
"Preceptor Linguæ Sacræ" in the University, October 18, 1837. Bernard
published the following works--"The Creed and Ethics of the Jews" in
selections from the "Yad Hahazakah" of Maimonides (1832), and
"Hamenahel" (the Guide of the Hebrew Student), 1839. The "Me Menichoth"
(Still Waters), an easy, practical Hebrew grammar, in two volumes,
appeared during his blindness. His lectures on the book of Job appeared
in one volume in 1864.
BERNARD, Rudolf, a Swiss Jewish convert, published an Epistle to the
Jews in 1705, under the title "Lekah Tob" (good doctrine), in which he
tried to influence them in favour of Christianity.
BERNAYS, Michael, was baptized in the 19th century, date not known. In
1872 and 1873 he taught at the University of Leipzig, and in 1874 he was
appointed extraordinary Professor of Modern German, English and French
Literature, at the University of Munich. He wrote on the poetry of
Goethe, under the title, "Der junge Goethe," Leipzig, 1875.
BERNHARD, a Polish Rabbi, who was baptized by Pastor Storr, in the 18th
century, in Heilbronn, assumed the name of Christoph. David Bernhard. He
was afterwards Reader of Hebrew at Jena, and later at Tübingen. (Wolf,
B. ii. 3, 4.)
BERNHARDY, Dr. Gottfried, born in Landsburg, 1860, died 1875, embraced
Christianity when studying in Berlin. He was a great classical scholar,
and wrote as Professor, "Syntax of the Greek Language," Berlin, 1829.
"Grundriss der Romischen Literatur," 1830. "Grundlinien der Encyclopædia
der Philologie," 1832, &c.
BERNHEIM. We have only his memorial preserved as having been an
associate of Rev. J. Neander, and of another proselyte, Bonhome, in the
evangelization of the Jews in New York, about 1845.
BERNSTEIN, Rev. Aaron, born in Skalat, Galicia, in 1841, received, as an
only son, a good and pious early education, and was when quite young
brought under the influence of the wonder Rabbi of the town, with whose
grandson he learned Talmud at school. At the age of 17 he was assistant
teacher in a town in Moldavia, when the Rev. W. Mayer, L.J.S. missionary
at Jassy, appeared one day in the Synagogue and had a discussion with
the Jews, on which occasion he received a German tract, entitled "The
Righteous shall live by his Faith." This made some impression upon him,
but it passed away, as he was too young to understand it all. A few
years later he went to Jassy, when he met Mr. Mayer again, who gave him
a Hebrew New Testament and the "Old Paths." These were the means under
God of leading him eventually to acknowledge the Saviour. He was
baptized by Dr. Ewald, together with nine other Jews, on November 22,
1863. After being for a short time in the Operative Jewish Converts'
Institution, he went to the United States, and after a year or so of
teaching in a school and privately, he entered a missionary college
which was established by a German missionary, known later as Bishop Auer
of Cape Palmas. He then studied Theology in the General Seminary, New
York, was ordained Deacon in Philadelphia in July 1870, and appointed by
Bishop Stevens as Rector of St. Paul's, Manheim, Pa. In June, 1871, the
L.J.S. sent him as missionary to Jerusalem, where he laboured only
about a year and a-half, as he could not stand the climate. Subsequently
he laboured in Bucharest, Paris, Liverpool, and Frankfort, but the
greater part of his missionary career was in London, with the exception
of an interval of three years, in which he was curate in Hertfordshire.
Bernstein had the honorary degree of M.A. conferred upon him by Columbia
College, New York, in 1873, owing to his taking the Greek Prize at the
Seminary in 1870, and later the Faculty of the Seminary gave him B.D. He
wrote "Sefer Roshey Hatayvoth," "Anglo-Israel Theory," translated
Professor Cassel's "Commentary on the Book of Esther" into English,
together with the "Targum Sheni" from the Original and Appendices (T. &
T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1888). He published "The City of David," "The Book
and the People," and contributed articles to the "Hebrew Christian
Witness," "The Scattered Nation," "The Everlasting Nation," "Jews and
Christians," "The Jewish Missionary Intelligence," and wrote about a
dozen tracts in English, Hebrew and Yiddish, and revised a new edition
of the Hebrew Bible in 1895. Editor of the "Kol M'Bhasser" since 1907.
_Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini Tuo da honorem._
BERNSTEIN, Rev. ----, a congregational minister in North London.
BERNSTEIN, Theodor. Though brief, the information of this convert is
very interesting. He was baptized by the Rev. H. Stewart, in Liverpool,
on the same day that his spiritual teacher, the missionary H. J.
Joseph, was ordained to the ministry of the Church of England, in 1836.
BIESENTHAL, Dr. Joiachim Heinrich--or, to give him his birth-name,
Raphael Hirsch--was born at Lobsens, in the Grand Duchy of Posen, on
December 24th, 1804, of pious and strict Jewish parents. His early
education was chiefly confined to the study of the national law and
tradition; and through much self-denial and sacrifice on the part of his
parents, who intended him for the rabbinate, he was able to have lessons
from the best teachers and most learned Talmudist scholars of the day.
He was what is called a _Bachur_ (_lit_. "young man"), a student of the
Beth Hamidrash, who is intended for the study of the law. The Talmudical
principle, "Know well what to answer an infidel," particularly moved his
father to insist that he should join with the study of Talmud that of
the Holy Scriptures and Jewish poetry. He soon found, however, that as
regards his study of the Bible he was left to his own diligence and
perseverance, for his teachers knew nothing at all about it; and, being
imbued with the Talmudical warning--"Keep your children from the study
of Holy Scripture," they were of opinion that it was not only a useless
study and waste of time, but also a danger to one's piety.
In 1819, when Raphael was fifteen years of age, the town of Lobsens was
destroyed by fire, by which his parents were ruined. His education,
however, had to be completed, and so he entered the famous Jewish school
of Rawitsch, where he received instruction from rabbis, and principally
from Rabbi Herzfeld, of European renown. Deprived of every assistance
from home, young Raphael had to struggle hard during his four year's
residence there. On leaving Rawitsch he went to Mainz, where he received
most kind care and support from the Rabbi of that city, Löb Ellinger,
brother of the renowned Nathan Ellinger, or Nathan Bar Yospa, rabbi of
Bingen, several of whose manuscripts are in the Bodleian.
The celebrated Heidenheim (Wolf Ben Samson) of Rödelheim, the greatest
Jewish critic and grammarian after Ibn-Ezra and David Kimchi, helped him
to the treasures of Jewish literature, lending him the best grammars in
the Hebrew language, so that he was able to acquire, with great
application on his part, a complete mastery of grammatical Hebrew. He
next gave himself up to the study of German history, and Latin and
Greek. His studies threw him into contact with the Rev. Dr. Klee, Roman
Catholic Professor at Bonn, who gave him lessons in Hebrew, and
introduced him to the Duchess of Coburg, the wife of General de
Mensdorff, Governor of the fortress of Mainz. From her, and all the
family, Raphael received many substantial proofs of kindness, and when
he was about to leave Mainz, which he did in 1828, she gave him a
considerable sum of money, and a letter written by herself to Baron de
Rothschild, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and graciously intimated that she
would be glad to hear how he was getting on in life. Raphael found the
Baron not inclined to assist him when he heard that he meant to finish
his studies at Berlin, because he considered that a dangerous city,
where _all young Jewish students were being converted to Christianity_.
That there was great truth in this statement will appear lower down.
"Keep away from a city where thousands become apostates!" were his
parting words. Baron de Rothschild, however, sent him a letter of
recommendation to Baron de Hägemann, the Chancellor. When Raphael
delivered the letter, the not unnatural remark was, "What is the use of
a recommendation for assistance from Rothschild! Why did he not help you
himself?" So he was obliged to shift for himself at Berlin, and to earn
his living by giving lessons. He employed his leisure time in study. In
the year 1830 he resided for four weeks with a Christian family at
Havelberg, where he learnt for the first time what true Christianity
was, and he determined, as he said, to "search for Christian truth." In
this purpose his intercourse with Christian divines greatly helped him.
He studied theology and philology in the University of Berlin from 1828,
taking his doctor's degree in 1835. He studied under the Oriental
scholar, William Vatke, and his knowledge of the Hebrew grammar was
greatly increased by personal friendly intercourse with Dr. Gesenius,
the distinguished Hebrew scholar, at Halle. Raphael was baptized in 1836
by the Rev. Dr. Kuntze, taking the Christian names of Joiachim Heinrich
and the surname of Biesenthal.
That there was a considerable truth in Baron de Rothschild's observation
given above, is seen from the statistics of Jewish baptisms in those
days.
Dr. Kuntze, who was a resident clergyman at Berlin, was instrumental in
leading many young Jews to Christ. He baptized eighty in eight years
(1829-36), whilst the Society's missionary, the Rev. W. Ayerst, baptized
forty-two adult Jews in three years (1834-7). Altogether, 326 Jewish
baptisms were registered in the Consistory at Berlin during the years
1830-37. A few years later (1844) the Rev. C. W. H. Pauli, the Society's
missionary, reported that there were above 1,000 converts resident in
Berlin; and in 1850, as many as 2,500. They filled all ranks and
stations, and were to be found in all the ministerial departments, and
in the university.
In 1844, Biesenthal placed his services at the disposal of the Society,
and in doing so, wrote: "My Biblical studies led me, after much
searching and wandering for a long time, to find Him of whom Moses and
the Prophets did write. This result, this light which God caused to
shine in my darkness, I deem it my unrelenting duty to communicate to
others yet living in darkness, because the Lord Himself says that we
should not put our light under a bushel. The Apostles, as well as all
the Fathers, were furthered by the same disposition of mind. 'For where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also,' says the Lord. If
Christ be our treasure, our heart must be entirely and undividedly His
own, and all our talents devoted to the glory of His kingdom. Becoming a
missionary seems to me the surest way to fulfil Christ's commands. I
have long considered it both a duty and a privilege to communicate to my
brethren after the flesh the message of salvation, and to employ those
talents which God has given me for their welfare. My predilection for
the above has often seemed to be a token of God's will that I should
shew my brethren from their very literature, as well as from the Bible,
that the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ, and that
we can only know the Father through Him. During the last three years I
have acted upon this conviction, and embraced every opportunity to prove
to my brethren that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto
salvation, and my anxious desire now is to be enabled to devote all my
time to this pursuit."
These earnest words are an echo of St. Paul's, "My heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom. x. 1). With
this spirit and aim, Biesenthal entered upon his long missionary career
of 37 years in connexion with this Society--active laborious years spent
in Berlin (1844-1868) and Leipzig (1868-1881). Eloquent in the
Scriptures, with a perfect command of Hebrew and wide knowledge of
Talmud and rabbinical literature, he was thoroughly furnished for his
life's work. Those who knew him well believed that he had intellectual,
literary and biblical qualifications in a most eminent degree, and that
he was the best Hebrew scholar of their acquaintance. His knowledge of
languages embraced--in addition to his native Polish--Hebrew, Latin,
Greek, Syriac, Chaldee, Arabic, Ethiopic, Samaritan, French, German,
Spanish, Italian and English. Never was missionary more highly gifted
with "tongues"--his equal in this respect is not to be found in the
ranks of the London Jews' Society; whilst with his pen he did even
better service than with his lips in proclaiming "Jesus Christ and Him
crucified" to his brethren after the flesh.
Biesenthal's missionary life commenced on April 1st, 1844, as an
assistant missionary in this Society's mission at Berlin, under the Rev.
C. W. H. Pauli, where he also undertook the editorship of "Records of
Israel's State and Prospects," a monthly periodical designed to promote
the Society's work, to give treatises on Messianic passages of the Old
Testament, to discuss Christian and Jewish doctrines, and to give
attention to Jewish history and literature; he also wrote many articles
for the "Dibre Emeth." He continued to work in this humble capacity
under the Rev. R. Bellson until 1868, when his great abilities found a
recognition, even though tardy, by his appointment to the charge of a
new mission station of the Society at Leipzig. This important city, the
second in Saxony, and the seat of a university, had for many years been
visited by the Society's missionaries from Berlin at the time of the
great fairs, when Jews assembled from all parts, and to whom large
numbers of Old and New Testaments were sold. Biesenthal found some
seventy or eighty Hebrew Christians living there, and subsequently gave
it as his opinion that they might be "numbered by hundreds." There was a
small Jewish community of about 500, who, since 1849, had enjoyed the
rights of citizenship. This may seem to have been but a small field of
work for a man of such attainments, but he was the only missionary to
the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Saxony; and, moreover, Leipzig
was the resort of many foreign Jews from Poland, Russia, Turkey, Greece,
Persia, and even from America, and thus altogether an important
missionary centre. Apart from the visible results in the form of
baptisms from Biesenthal's labours, the indirect results were great and
far-reaching. As a scholar his name was, for many years, a household
word in Germany, and especially in those circles where the Jewish
mission exerted its influence. His Commentaries on the Gospels and the
Epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews, so eminently useful in mission
work, obtained well-deserved eminence.
The mission field, as time went on, became less promising and fruitful,
the Jews becoming infected with the socialism and rationalism in
Germany, as taught in the universities, churches, schools, and other
institutions. Zeal for missions almost died out; the Jews became the
subject of much Anti-Semitism. The long pent-up enmity against them
burst forth with great virulence. In Leipzig, as in other places,
petitions were sent to the Government urging the withdrawal of their
political rights and privileges. In return, the Jews paid back hatred by
hatred.
This state of things led Dr. Biesenthal to take a gloomy view of the
general position. In his last report but one he said: "Hurricanes of
trouble are blowing from the four quarters of the earth against the
Church and against the Gospel," and added that in such circumstances
his report could not be a joyous one.
Dr. Biesenthal doubtless obtained more satisfaction from his literary
than from his missionary labours; although, in his case, one was the
complement of the other. A scholar he was emphatically, and a brilliant
one withal, as his works abundantly and substantially testify; and as
such he will be principally remembered.
His published works contained the following: "Auszüge aus dem Buche
Sohar, mit Deutscher Uebersetzung" (1837), a proof from Jewish sources
of the doctrine of the Trinity and other Christian verities;
"Hebräisches und Chaldäisches Schulwörterbuch über das A.T." (1836-7);
"David Kimchi's [Hebrew: sefer hashorashim] or Liber Radicum" (1838-48),
in collaboration with F. S. Lebrecht; "The Thirty-nine Articles of the
Church of England" (1840); "The Book of Psalms," Hebrew text and
Commentary (1841); "The Book of Isaiah," Hebrew Text and Commentary
(1841); "Chrestomathia Rabbinica Sive Libri Quatuor, etc." (1844);
"Menachem ben Serug's Hebrew Lexicon" (1847); "Theologisch-Historische
Studien" (1847); "Zur Geschichte der Christlichen Kirche," etc. (1850);
"Das Trostschreiben des Apostels Paulus an die Hebraer" (1878); and a
Hebrew Translation of the Epistles to the "Hebrews and the Romans," with
Commentary (1857-8). He also wrote Commentaries on "St. Matthew's
Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles," an Essay on "The Atonement"; and the
"Life of Gerson."
In 1877, the University of Giessen conferred upon him the degree of
Doctor of Divinity.
In his greatest work, the "History of the Christian Church," intended
for the special use of the Jews, he proved that they stood in close
connexion with the early Church, by bringing prominently forward the
history of Jewish believers who loved their Saviour devotedly and
laboured successfully for the spread of the Gospel at the time of its
first promulgation.
Dr. Isaac Jost (1793-1860), the learned Jewish historian of Frankfort,
in reviewing Dr. Biesenthal's "Commentary on the Epistle to the
Hebrews," referred to it as a masterly composition, and also to the
author's extraordinary command of the Hebrew language, and said it
excelled everything which had ever been written before in the endeavour
to prove, not only that Christianity is to be found in the writings of
almost all the ancient prophets, and that Christ's coming fulfilled the
law, but that the rabbis of almost every age agree with the writers of
the New Testament as to the general character of the Messiah promised,
although they do not admit that Jesus was that Messiah.
Dr. Julius Fürst (1805-1873), another eminent Jewish author, referring
to Biesenthal's Commentaries generally, and the extensive erudition and
thorough knowledge displayed of Jewish literature before and after the
Christian era, bore still higher testimony, and stated that all previous
attempts to translate the New Testament, or parts of it, were exceeded
by the distinguished labours of Dr. Biesenthal, not only on account of
the richness and fulness of matter, extracted with much taste from the
Talmud, Midrash, and Sohar, but also on account of the clearness of
thought with which he penetrated and exhibited the doctrinal teaching of
the Apostles.
It is a matter for deep regret that these valuable Commentaries are out
of print, and consequently out of circulation.
It is an interesting circumstance that Biesenthal also wrote, 1840,
under the pseudonym "Karl Ignaz Corvé," a work entitled "Ueber den
Ursprung die Juden Erhobenen Beschuldigung bei der Feier Ihrer Ostern
sich des Blutes zu bedienen, etc.," in which he defended the Jews from
the Blood Accusation at Damascus.
Dr. Biesenthal retired from active service in 1881, and died at Berlin
on June 25th, 1886, at the advanced age of 82 years.
BINION, Dr. Samuel A., son of Joshua, born in Suwalki, Poland, where he
received a good Hebrew and Talmudic education, and then studied at
Wilna, Breslau and Padua, under great Jewish savants. He then went to
England, about 1864-5, where, like Philip, he found Jesus to be the
Messiah, and he was baptized by the Rev. Dr. Ewald in Palestine Place.
He then attended lectures at King's College, and, probably through the
influence of Dr. Schwarz, he was sent to labour in the Protestant cause
in Spain, where he became superintendent of schools in Seville and in
the Balearic Islands. Thence he went to the United States, where his
linguistic attainments and great learning found free scope and due
acknowledgment. There he largely contributed to current encyclopædias.
He was one of the revisers of the "Century Dictionary of Names," and
wrote the article on the Kabbalah in "Charles Warner's Cyclopædia of the
World's Best Literature." Dr. Binion's master work is "Ancient Egypt,"
two elaborate folio volumes on the art and archæology of Egypt. He is
also the translator of "'Quo Vadis,' with Fire and Sword," Dan Michael,
published in Holiday de Luxe editions, Philadelphia.
BLEIBTREU, Philip Johann, born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the middle
of the seventeenth century, died in 1702. He published a work in German,
entitled "Meir Naor" (the enlightened Meir from his Jewish name Meir),
Frankfort, 1787, giving an account of his conversion, notes on the
Jewish festivals, and on some Jewish prayers. The last words he uttered
when dying were, "Ich bleibe treu" ("I remain faithful"), in allusion to
his name, which is equivalent to the English name "Faithful."
BLOCH, Edward, born in 1810. While holding the office of first master in
a Jewish school, was convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and then
baptized by Pastor Kunze, in Breslau, in 1836.
BLOCH, Julius Paul, was born April 16th, 1816 at Jutroschin, in Prussia.
His parents, Simon and Zipporah, brought him up to be, like themselves,
strictly orthodox. Being clever, before he was 13 years old, when he
became "Bar Mitzvah," he had gained a thorough Talmudical education. He
grew up a very strict pious Jew, never missing synagogue either morning
or evening. In his fourteenth year he was apprenticed to a furrier.
Whilst thus earning his living, two missionaries came to Jutroschin.
Their advent caused a great commotion, as the city was then renowned as
one of the strongholds of Judaism. The Jews determined to oppose their
work, and Julius Bloch was one of the foremost to stone them. A year or
two later he had to travel as a journeyman in his trade. This eventually
brought him to Greifswalde, where he found employment with a Mr. Albert,
who, at last, made him foreman in his factory. This man and his wife
were true Christians, and often talked to him about Christ. He noticed,
too, the peace they enjoyed in hours of the greatest adversity, and his
faith in Judaism, as a religion of comfort, was shaken. At last he tried
to turn a deaf ear to all they said, but the seeds of eternal life had
been sown in his heart. He began to feel lonely and unhappy; he could no
longer say the Hebrew prayers, Jewish ceremonies began to lose their
hold, as having no solace for his disturbed mind. Of this time he says:
"I got a Bible, and began to read it. My conscience was awakened, and I
became my accuser. I put the Bible away and determined to remain a good
Jew, but the wounds of my conscience and heart became putrifying sores.
I tried to comfort myself that I had always lived a moral and blameless
life; but it was all in vain." At last his despair nearly drove him to
suicide, from which he was only saved by throwing himself on his knees
in prayer. That night he was "born again," and the next day, May 16,
1839, he openly confessed his newly found faith. The change became known
to the Jews. Arguments and threats, and even the offer from a brother to
establish him in business--all was in vain. The next year he went to
Berlin, and after preparation was received into the Church of Christ, by
Pastor Kuntze, on June 6, 1841. Further trials from his family awaited
him, until he fled to Amsterdam, where Mr. Pauli, the Society's
missionary, asked him to assist in the mission. From that time, 1843,
until May, 1900, when he died, his work was signally blessed, many Jews
through his influence being baptized. He thus passed away "as a shock of
corn cometh in in his season."
BLOCH, Moritz (in Hungarian, Ballage Mór), born in Timova, 1816,
received a Talmudic education, then studied at the University of Pesth,
then Orientalia at Paris. In 1841 he sent a petition to the Hungarian
Parliament, asking for the emancipation of the Jews. He translated the
Pentateuch and Joshua into Hungarian, adding exegetical notes. In 1843
he was baptized in Germany in a Lutheran Church. The next year he was
appointed Professor at the Lyceum in Syarvas, Hungary. He was an author
of several works on educational and theological topics, and edited, in
1840, the "Protestantische Kirchen und Schulbatt."
BOCK, Wilhelm Isaac, a Jewish rabbi, after embracing Christianity,
taught Hebrew in Frankfort on the Oder, and published "Abraham Jugels
Lekah Tob, or Catechism for Jews in German," Leipzig, 1694.
BONAVENTURA, Meyer, a Jewish convert, wrote "Das Judenthum in seinen
Gebeten, Gebrauchen, Gesetzen und Ceremonien," Regensburg, 1843.
BONN, first master in a school, baptized at Königsberg in 19th century,
is recorded to have been very zealous in the work of the German Home
Mission, and preached the Gospel.
BORG, Ernest Maximilian, a Jew who held a similar position to Bock, was
baptized much earlier in Breslau (de le Roi, I. 212).
BÖRLING, Pastor J. Jacob, born in 1802, in Slavito, Russia, five times
experienced as a child God's mercy when he was in danger of being
drowned. He devoted himself diligently to the study of rabbinic and
Kabbalistic lore, until this whole system surfeited him with disgust
when he found that its votaries were far from being the saints they
pretended to be. In 1821, the missionaries Saltet and Betzner visited
Berditscheff, where the family then resided. Börling received a tract
from them, but his mother tore it in pieces. Later the missionary Moritz
arrived there, and as a born Jew he made a great impression upon
Börling, so that he began to search the Scriptures, and at length was
baptized by Saltet, his first missionary acquaintance, in 1823. In 1825
he accompanied Joseph Wolff to Schuster on the Persian border. In 1828
he went alone to Persia, to rescue German subjects who were sold into
slavery, in which self-denying mission he eventually succeeded. He then
studied in the mission house at Basel, and in 1834 he was appointed by
the Berlin Society as their missionary in that city. There he worked
zealously till 1840, when he accepted the call to become pastor of a
Church in Bellowesch, in the government of Tschernigoff. Börling was the
son-in-law of the missionary Goldberg, the brother-in-law of
Hausmeister. The latter wrote, "Leben und Wirken des Pastors J. J.
Börling." (Basel, 1852).
BÖRNE, Karl Ludwig (Loeb Baruch), German political and literary writer,
born 1786 at Frankfort-on-the-Main, died in Paris, 1837. He was baptized
in the Lutheran Church at Rödelheim, by Pastor Bertuah, on June 5th,
1818. In 1819 he became editor of the "Zeitung der Freien Stadt
Frankfurt." Börne was a prolific writer. A complete edition of his
works, in 12 vols., was published at Hamburg in 1862.
BRAHAM, John (Abraham), born in 1774, died 1856, a well-known musician
in London, where he was as a Jew leader of the choir of the Great
Synagogue, and became afterwards, as a Christian, especially popular for
his song, entitled "The Death of Nelson." Of his children, a daughter
became Countess Waldegrave, and later she married Lord Carlingford.
BRANDON, a convert, educated at St. Chrischona, Basel, was sent by the
Scotch Church as missionary to Alexandria, in 1859. In 1862 he went to
Khartum, and after receiving permission from King Theodore, he entered
Abyssinia, and was partner with Flad and Stern in their labours and in
their captivity. After the release of the captives, he was actively
engaged in good work at Beyrout, Syria.
BRANIS, a daughter of Rabbi Kempner, was baptized in 1826, out of pure
conviction. Her old father was also inclined towards Christianity, but
died before he could come to a decision.
BRANISS, Christlieb Julius, born in Breslau, 1792, died 1873. He became
Professor of Philosophy at Breslau in 1833. He was the author of several
works on philosophy and metaphysics. One only requires mentioning here,
"De Notione Philosophiae Christianae."
BRENZ, Victorin Christophorus, was baptized in 1601, together with his
parents and the whole family. His father, Samuel Frederick Brenz, is
known as the author of the "Jüdischer Abgestreifter Schlangenbalg" ("The
Jewish Serpent's Skin Stripped") against which Solomon Zebi Hirsch, of
Aufhausen, wrote "Der Jüdische Theriak" ("The Jewish Theriak or
Antidote") Hanau, 1615. Brenz, junior, after finishing his theological
studies, quietly and patiently, served in 1624 as minister at
Untermichelbach, receiving a stipend of 150 thaler, with which he had to
support his wife and four children. Later he had the care of two
churches, and yet he had to work in the fields as a labourer to earn his
living. Then he had the care of seven parishes, in which he exhausted
his strength, and died at the age of 47, in 1642.
BRILLIANT, a convert, laboured as an Evangelist among the Jews in the
service of the Free Church of Scotland at Amsterdam, in 1866.
BROMET, M. S., a Dutch Jew, baptized in 1855, was very much persecuted
by his brethren. He wrote several tracts, amongst which were--"De
Wederkomst en de regeering van den Heere Jesus Christus," "Kort
Oversicht van eenige gelijkenissen des Heeren," "De erste opstonding in
verband met de Wederkomst des Heeren," "Het National herstel en de
bekeering van Israel," "Elischoa God is miyn heil," Amst. Doct.,
1874-76.
BRONKHORST, S. H. convert, student and missionary of the L.J.S., in
Abyssinia 1859-1862, when he and Flad laboured together in Djenda.
BRÜHL, John Henry, was born in 1823 at Schmiegel (Posen). He was sent to
school at a very early age, and, before he was five years old, was able
to translate the greater part of the Hebrew Pentateuch into German. A
short account of the life of Christ about this time influenced him
greatly. Later on he used, with his father, to visit a Christian family,
and through looking at the pictures in it he became interested in the
Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, though he found the Epistles
beyond his youthful grasp. When about ten years old he was studying
Isaiah, and was struck by the 53rd chapter; that which hitherto had been
a lurking suspicion became an absolute certainty, and the more so as he
saw how the principal Jewish commentators laboured in vain to prove that
this prophecy could not apply to Jesus of Nazareth. His growing
convictions of the truth of Christianity prevented his becoming a rabbi,
which his parents earnestly desired, so he resolved to be a
schoolmaster. During his course at the seminary, owing to the words of
Dr. Zahn, the director, he was convinced of the truth. Through the
London Jews' Society's missionaries at Amsterdam, where he then went,
he decided to be a Christian. He came to London, where he entered the
Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, and eventually was baptized in
1846. Later on he passed through the Society's Missionary College, and
in 1851 went to Baghdad, where he laboured successfully. In 1853 he was
ordained in Jerusalem. On his way back to Baghdad he preached to Jews,
Mohammedans and fire-worshippers, many of whom had never heard the
Gospel before. Many missionary journeys were made by him between 1854
and 1864 through Persia and Kurdistan, leaving large numbers of
believers in almost every place. After visiting England in 1856, when he
received priest's orders and was married, he returned with the Rev. J.
M. Eppstein to Baghdad, where they remained until 1866, when the mission
was given up, but not until there were numerous converts from both Jews
and Mohammedans. The following year he was appointed to Lemberg, and in
1871 to Vienna, and in spite of immense difficulties gained many
faithful believers in both these cities. In 1875 he became Principal of
the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, where he remained for twelve
years, when he retired from active work. During this time 160 Jews
passed through the Institution, 70 of whom he baptized. By his death, in
1893, the Church and the world lost a great linguist, a good historian
and mathematician, but, above all, a thorough and devoted Christian
missionary.
BRUNNER, W., born in Brody, Galicia, in 1822. His parents were in good
circumstances. After the death of his father at the age of 90, he came
to England, where he was converted and baptized by the Rev. Dr. Bailey,
Principal of St. Aidan's College. He was afterwards prepared for
missionary work by the British Society, and laboured at Marseilles and
in Switzerland. He had the privilege of bringing two brothers to the
Saviour. He died in 1890.
BUZIN, Rev. Paul Theodor Ludwig, born in Clecko (Posen), was baptized in
Sagord (Isle of Rügen), by Pastor Ockel. He then studied at Basel, and
eventually became Pastor of a Lutheran Church in the United States.
CACHET, Rev. Lion, a Dutch Jewish merchant, embraced Christianity in
1849, then studied theology and went to South Africa in 1858. He
officiated as pastor in different churches at the Cape and in Natal, and
founded eight new congregations. In 1876 he became pastor of the
Netherland Reformed Church at Velliersdorf. He took a great interest in
missionary work among the Jews, which he promoted through the newspaper,
"Zuid Afrikaanische Stem voor en tot Israel."
CALMAN, Erasmus Scott, born in Lithuania, became a convert to
Christianity early in the nineteenth century. In 1839 he assisted
Nicolayson in his work in Jerusalem, travelling with him all over
Palestine, and being well received by the Jews. Later in life he took up
his residence in London. A friend having left him a large legacy to
enable him to work independently, he availed himself of just so much of
it as would meet the wants of the poorest pauper. He left the money
given him for his own comforts, probably with a large increase through
his savings, to trustees for the support of aged poor Hebrew Christians.
Calman was a learned as well as a good man, and published a treatise
entitled: "Some of the Errors of Modern Judaism contrasted with the Word
of God," and another entitled, "The Morrow of the Sabbath."
CANTONI, Giuseppi (Jacob), a Jew from Trieste, won for Christ by the
Rev. Lewis Way, was baptized in the Chapel of the Dutch Consul at
Smyrna, before a large congregation, in 1832.
CAPADOSE, Dr. Abraham, born at Amsterdam, 1795, of a Portuguese family,
died there December 16th, 1874. Here is his autobiography, which he sent
to his friend, Ridley Herschell, in London:--"I will no longer delay,
dear friends, to comply with your request that I would communicate in
writing the mode in which it pleased God to bring me to the knowledge of
Himself, and to lead me out of darkness into His marvellous light.
"Being deeply sensible that it was not of myself I sought after God, but
that my compassionate Lord came to seek me when I was lost, it would be
false modesty if I were now to withhold an account which, when verbally
communicated, interested and edified many dear friends, who therein
traced the great love of the Saviour towards a poor sinner like me, and
thus were led to ascribe all the glory to Him whose name is blessed for
evermore. May this glory be the only object I shall keep in view in this
account! Such is the sincere desire of my heart; and I ask of God to
guide my pen in truth and sincerity, that I may be kept from all
self-seeking, into which the necessity of speaking of myself might
betray me.
"Although I was by birth a Portuguese Israelite, I was by no means
zealous for the religion of my fathers. My education was rather moral
than religious; and though taught to hate vice, and to love what the
world calls virtue, I owe it entirely to the grace of God that at an
after period I was preserved from open impiety.
"At an early age I was captivated by science and literature. I was fond
of balls, plays, and every worldly amusement; but study afforded me
still greater satisfaction. I became acquainted with the works of
Voltaire and Rousseau at an early period of my life; but their false
principles, and still more, the frightful consequences of their system,
as exhibited before my eyes in the history of the French revolution,
preserved me, by the divine mercy, from their hurtful influence. My
parents having destined me for the medical profession, I considered it
my duty to acquire the knowledge requisite for this calling; but I felt
more inclination for the study of the theoretical sciences, and for
philosophic research.
"My friends were nearly all young men who made an outward profession of
Christianity; but the Lord had given me one friend among my near
relatives.[8] As we were both Israelites, and had been intimate from
childhood, our views on all subjects were very similar. (Dr. Capadose
here proceeds to state their intercourse with Bilderdyk, which is the
same as the account given by Da Costa, see page 172). The religious
element, if I may call it so, had not as yet entered into my soul. In my
early childhood, it is true, I had often felt an undefined need of
prayer; and when about nine years' old, had asked my parents to give me
a book of prayers, either in the French or Dutch language, that I might
understand them better.[9] I strongly urged my younger brothers and
sisters to the same practice; and this was the more remarkable as I had
very seldom seen any one engaged in prayer in my father's house. From
that time, amid all the changes of my outward life, I never omitted the
performance of this duty; and until my conversion to Christianity, it
constituted all my religious worship. The prayer I used ended with these
remarkable words:--'I wait for Thy salvation, O Lord!' I have preserved
the book containing it, and never look upon it without adoring the
goodness of that 'God of my salvation,' who has condescended to bestow
upon me, at a matured age, the blessing that the child of nine years'
old, hardly knowing what he asked, failed not to solicit from Him every
night before he lay down to rest.
[8] M. Da Costa.
[9] It is the general custom of the Jews to use the Hebrew language in
private as well as public prayer.
"During the period in which I was engaged in my studies, I occasionally
experienced very peculiar emotions. A poor woman used to sing psalms in
the street on Saturday evenings, to excite the compassion of the
passengers; and more than once have I left my books to listen to her,
overpowered by emotions which I could neither comprehend nor describe.
At the theatre also, when _Joseph in Egypt_ was represented, my tears
flowed at the sound of the morning prayer, which was imitated from the
Hebrew. At the synagogue, however, which, for the sake of decorum, I
still frequented, nothing had the least power to interest me. On the
contrary, the unmeaning ceremonies which appealed not to the heart, the
want of reverence, the bawling noise, the discordant singing, and
lastly, the employment of a language of which three-fourths of the
congregation did not understand a word, disgusted me so much, that I
ceased to attend it regularly, having always a great aversion to
hypocrisy.
"In the mean time, as if the tempter had foreseen what was afterwards to
take place, he induced my friend and myself to change our mode of life.
We disliked half measures, and could not endure the modern Judaism which
chooses at its pleasure to dispense with the requirements of the Mosaic
law; we therefore resolved to become Israelites indeed, rigidly
observing all the prescriptions of the law, and thus compelling
Christians to entertain a higher respect for the Jewish religion.
National pride was now our ruling motive. In this spirit, and with these
views, we began assiduously to read the Bible. But, oh! the shame and
wretchedness of the unconverted heart! We could not get beyond Genesis.
Constant ridicule and jesting, and oftentimes even blasphemy (Lord,
enter not into judgment with us!) were upon our lips instead of prayer;
so that I at length told my friend it was better to abandon our reading
altogether than to engage in it in such a manner.
"Thus our proposed plan vanished like smoke. My term of study was nearly
completed. This was in 1818. I took my degrees in medicine, left the
university, and returned to my native city Amsterdam, full of bright
prospects for the future. I had an uncle there, one of the first
physicians in Holland, a learned man, and highly esteemed by the
principal families. Having no children, he took me into his house and
adopted me as his son and successor. I was thus introduced at once to an
extensive circle of acquaintance; kind and respectable, it is true, but
with whom Christianity was a mere outward profession accompanied by an
entirely worldly life. None of these ever spoke to me on the subject of
Christianity. I have even heard some of my young friends make a boast of
their infidelity, and speak without reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I once expressed my astonishment at this, and said, that though I did
not believe in Jesus, I thought that those who worshipped Him, and did
not consider Him to be God, were mere idolaters. A young physician who
was of the party, who was afterwards savingly converted to God, told me
some years after, how much ashamed he felt at the time, when receiving
such a reproof from an Israelite.
"In the midst of constant occupation, in the diligent pursuit of
scientific knowledge, I yet felt an aching void within. I had been
subject from childhood to an oppression of the chest, which made me pass
many sleepless nights; and in these hours of wakefulness I often
thought, 'Why am I upon the earth? Why was I created a man? Should I not
be a thousand times happier if I were one of the lower animals? I should
not then endure what I now suffer in my body and in my soul.' Often did
I cry out, 'O that this day were my last!' Yet I was not disquieted on
account of my sins, else I should have shuddered at the thought of
death; I was under the burden and curse of sin, without knowing it, or
seeking for the remedy.
"One day I went to pay a visit to my friend who had been lately married.
He had just received a letter from the celebrated professor already
mentioned. 'Would you like me to read it to you,' said he, 'together
with some beautiful verses he has addressed to me?' I gladly assented to
the proposal. The verses, in which he described, with power and feeling,
the glorious hopes of Israel, concluded with the words, 'Friend, be a
Christian, and I die content.' At these words, which he pronounced in an
under tone, my indignation was roused; my friend, it appeared to me, was
less shocked than he ought to have been. 'Take care,' said I, 'there is
a plan laid to seduce us.' I left him immediately.
"This occupied my thoughts all the rest of the day. I could not imagine
how a man of such profound learning could believe the Christian
religion. From that day, however, both my friend and myself began
attentively to examine the Word of God; and when we walked together we
conversed on those passages that had struck us most. Having begun with
the Gospel of Matthew, it was striking to me to perceive, that so far
from seeking to subvert the authority of the Old Testament, he made it
the basis whereon to build the Gospel of Christ.
"My friend and I spent several months in this way, becoming daily more
interested in our researches. At length, with thoughts and feelings very
different from those which formerly possessed us, we again determined to
read the Scriptures together. For this purpose we retired to a room in
my father's house; and I can never think without emotion on these
hallowed hours which we spent together, as in the presence of the God of
our fathers. Our interest increased as we proceeded. My mind, wearied
with vain speculations, now saw a new and boundless field open before
it, towards which it was irresistibly attracted; and thus before I had
ever heard of the electing love of God, I had experienced the power by
which He draws to Christ those souls whom He designs to bless. This
study of the word of God became at length the most urgent desire of my
soul. Merely to know the truth did not satisfy me: I felt that I must
really possess it, and live on its substance. I understood not then the
work that was going on within me; but I occasionally experienced moments
of delight arising from the conviction that divine assistance and
protection accompanied the course I was pursuing.
"One night, when reading the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, I was so
much struck with its resemblance to the account of the sufferings of
Christ which I had read in the Gospels, that I was almost convinced I
had got another Bible instead of my own; being scarcely able to believe
that this chapter, which may be truly entitled an abstract of the
Gospel, was really in the Old Testament. 'How,' thought I, 'can any Jew,
after reading this chapter, doubt that Jesus Christ is the promised
Messiah!' Whence could this strong conviction arise? I had often read
this chapter before; but now I read it with the light of the Spirit of
God. From this moment I recognized Christ as the promised Messiah, and
this gave an entirely new character to our meditations on the Word of
God. It was the dawn of a glorious day to our souls, the light of which
increased more and more, enlightening our minds, warming our hearts, and
even then bestowing upon us unspeakable consolation. Many of the enigmas
of life, which had hitherto puzzled and distressed me, were now
explained; everything seemed to revive around me, and the object and
interest of my life were entirely changed. Happy days, thus gladdened by
a sense of the Master's presence! Never can I forget them!
"I believe it was by divine direction that my friend and I did not
disclose to any one what was passing in our minds; and that we confined
ourselves to the study of God's Word, laying aside all other books
except Heydeck's 'Defence of the Christian Faith.' This learned man had
been a Rabbi in Germany, and having embraced the Romish religion, was
made Professor of Oriental languages at Madrid. This book, written with
great talent, and much knowledge of Scripture, is a defence of
Christianity against Rationalism. Its perusal was useful to us in two
ways; we found that the powerful logic with which he combated the
reasonings of Voltaire and Rousseau, entirely deserted him when he
attempted to defend Popery against the doctrines of the Reformation.
"Whenever I had any leisure in the morning, I used to shut myself up to
read the Word of God, as I dared not peruse it in my uncle's presence.
One day I had been particularly considering the following passage in
Isa. vii. 14, 'Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall
call his name Immanuel.' On going down stairs I found a Jewish
physician, a friend of my uncle's, waiting for him in the ante-room. He
was turning over the leaves of a new edition of the Bible. 'There,' said
he, 'is a fatal passage we cannot easily wrest from the Christians.' It
was the very passage I had been meditating upon. My soul was deeply
moved, and I again perceived the guiding hand of my God. 'Why, then,' I
replied, 'should we not confess the truth?' My uncle now entered, and
enquired what subject we were discussing. The physician informed him;
and knowing my uncle to be deeply versed in the rabbinical writings,
asked him what the Rabbis say on the passage. 'Alas!' said my uncle,
'only a mass of nonsense.' With a beating heart I listened to this
admission; and inwardly thanked God for having permitted me to hear
these words from the lips of one whose rabbinical learning made him to
be considered as an authority by the Jews.
"All these various circumstances convinced me more and more that truth
is to be found in Christianity alone. I could not now be satisfied with
mere knowledge, I longed for love. Then it was that the sun of
righteousness shed abroad in our hearts, not only the light that
illuminates, but the quickening warmth that enables the soul to live the
life of God. I saw that love had led the Saviour to seek me. I perceived
also my own sinful and miserable condition; but this feeling seemed
absorbed in a sense of the divine love. In Christ I found my life,--the
centre of all my thoughts and affections,--the sole object that could
fill the void in my heart,--the key of all mysteries,--the principal of
all true philosophy, yea the _truth_ itself.
"I daily felt more and more the necessity of openly avowing my
sentiments. I can record, to the glory of God, that the certainty of
losing a considerable property, if I declared myself a Christian (which
the event has confirmed), never for a moment entered into the scruples
which made me hesitate. I dreaded the effect of the disclosures on the
kind relative who had treated me as his son; on whose choleric
temperament it might produce an impression that, at his advanced age,
might be fatal. Doubtless, had my faith been stronger, I should have
broken through every obstacle; but I could only suffer in silence, at
the same time earnestly praying to God to come to my aid, and open a way
before me.
"And the God of mercy attended to the voice of my supplication. It was
my uncle's custom to read the newspaper aloud after dinner. One day when
I was sitting opposite to him in a state of great dejection, he read
out the following news from Hamburg:--'We have just witnessed a very
interesting event. A Rabbi, after having announced to his
co-religionists in the synagogue, that an attentive examination of the
prophecies had convinced him that Messiah has already come, and having
made a confession of the Christian faith, was baptized a few days since
in this city, and received as a minister of the gospel.' On reading
this, my uncle said the following words, which the position I was then
in rendered so remarkable: 'If this man has acted from self-interest, he
is worthy of contempt: but if from conviction, he ought to be
respected.' Oh, Christians! You who can sympathize in the feelings of
those like-minded with you, need I describe to you what passed in my
mind at this solemn moment? In a transport of joy I fell on the neck of
the venerable old man, saying, 'Yes, uncle, and it is God who makes you
feel thus; know that he whom you love with the tenderness of a father,
is in the same case with this Rabbi!' I pronounced these words in such
violent agitation, and in a tone so unusual, that my poor uncle thought
I was out of my senses. He left the room for a few minutes, as if to
allow me to recover myself; and at his return began to speak on a
different subject.
"I could see that although my uncle was annoyed at what had passed, he
did not attach to my words the importance they deserved. I therefore
resolved, after having strengthened myself in God, to make the same
declaration to him the following day. He could no longer shut his eyes
to what had taken place; and a heart-rending scene followed. He beat his
breast, lamented that ever he was born, and exclaimed, in the bitterness
of his soul, that I was about to bring his grey hairs with sorrow to the
grave. His reproaches went to my heart; but the Lord strengthened and
comforted me, and enabled me to shew the dear old man such marks of
tenderness as at length somewhat soothed him.
"When the change became known to my family, they first used gentle means
with me, in the hope that these new notions might pass away; but finding
I grew bold, and ventured to preach the gospel to them, they resorted to
harsh treatment. It was a season of deep trial to my soul. This state of
things increased the ardent desire I felt publicly to confess Christ. My
family wished me to go into Germany, or some other country, for this
purpose; but to this I objected, lest it should appear as if I were
ashamed of the step I was about to take. My friend and I at length
decided on Leyden as the place where we should receive the rite of
baptism. The 20th of October, 1822, was the day so ardently desired, on
which we were admitted members of the Church of Christ. Kneeling in the
presence of the congregation, before the God of our fathers, who is the
true God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--we had the unspeakable joy,
unworthy sinners as we were, to confess before the Christian Church, the
blessed name of that great God and Saviour who had come to seek and save
us when we were lost. Glory be to God."
Among Capadose's writings, the most noteworthy are: (1) "Aan mijne
geloofsgenooten in de Ned. Heb. Gem.," The Hague, 1843. (2)
"Overdenkingen over Israel's Roeping en Toekomst," Amsterdam, 1843. (3)
"Rome en Jerusalem," Utrecht, 1851.
CAPLAN, Rev. W. H., was a native of the Baltic provinces. He was
converted to Christianity through the reading of the New Testament,
which he received from a friend at home. He then went to London for the
purpose of being able the more easily to make a public profession of his
faith, and was baptized there about 1876. In 1877 he became assistant to
the Rev. Theodore Meyer, of the Presbyterian Mission in Whitechapel.
After a few years he studied at King's College, and was ordained to the
ministry of the Church of England in 1885. Then he became curate in
several churches in England, and finally emigrated to Canada, where he
is doing good work in the Canadian Church.
CARLTON, Rev. S. J., a native of Silesia, baptized in the Irish
Presbyterian Mission at Hamburg, about 1892. Subsequently he joined the
Church of England, studied at Ayerst Hall, Cambridge, was L.J.S.
missionary curate at St. Benet's, Stepney, then curate at St. Jude's,
Mildmay, 1901-4; St. Peter's, Cricklewood, 1904-6; St. Mary Magdalene,
Peckham, 1906-8; and vicar of All Saints, Camberwell, from 1908.
CARRET, Ludwig, a convert who lived at the beginning of the seventeenth
century, wrote a Hebrew letter giving an account of the history of his
conversion. This letter appeared in the Appendix in Buxtorf's Synagogue
Judaica (de le Roi), but not in all editions.
CARO, Pastor F., convert and missionary of the Berlin Society in 1845-8,
had the privilege of baptizing a Jewish lady in her ninetieth year, in
the presence of all her children, one of whom was the above-named
Branis.
CARO, Regierungsrath in Merseburg, is recorded as having rendered the
Government good service, especially in the educational department, in
the 19th century, and that he was a devoted Christian.
CASPARI, Carl Paul. Norway during the nineteenth century found her most
pre-eminent witness for Christ and defender of Christianity in that son
of Israel whose name is mentioned above. Carl Paul Caspari was born at
Dessau 1814. His parents were orthodox Jews, and his father was a
merchant there. In this city, which through Moses Mendelssohn has become
so celebrated, the Jewish community influenced many of its citizens in a
remarkable manner, on account of their ability and intelligence. They
established a Jewish seminary, which was called after Prince Francis,
"The Francis School." It gained a great reputation, and even attracted
Christian pupils. German services were held in the synagogue, at that
period an unheard-of innovation. The religious instruction in the school
was given in an enlightened spirit. Caspari imbibed this influence, and
when he attended the Gymnasium it obtained complete control over him. In
1834 he went to Leipsig, in order to study Oriental languages. Here he
read the Old Testament diligently, but he found in it only the teaching
he had formerly received. The New Testament he could not accept.
However, he was animated by a strong sense of duty, and he inscribed on
his desk the motto, "Thou canst, therefore thou oughtest." Yet he soon
became convinced that his will was a very feeble instrument. At this
period, Granel, who had formerly been his schoolmate at Dessau, and who
afterwards was so well known as the Superintendent of the Saxon Foreign
Missions, became Caspari's faithful friend and wise counsellor. Granel
persuaded him to carefully read the New Testament. He opened the book at
the Acts of the Apostles and read of Paul's persecution by the Jews. He
was impressed with the truthfulness of the narrative, and so he
concluded to continue his reading. When he reached the Gospels, the
words of Christ and the accounts of His wonderful miracles greatly
affected him. The thought came to him. "Perhaps Jesus can also help me
out of all this misery which I find in my soul," and, as he a year
before his death said, "I came to Him as to my living Saviour--just as
in the days of His flesh men sought comfort from Him." Pastor Wolf, of
Leipsig, and the young theologian, Franz Delitzsch, afterwards the
celebrated professor, together with Granel, dealt with him faithfully in
this time of struggle, and because the young man was sincere the
conflict ended in his victory. At Pentecost, in 1838, he received from
the same Pastor Zehme, in Leipsig, who had previously baptized Freidrich
Adolph Philippi, Holy Baptism. He now discontinued his former studies
and devoted himself to the study of theology, giving especial attention
to the Old Testament. After leaving the university he was at first a
private scholar, and as such wrote an exposition of the prophecy of
Obadiah, and also the first volume of an Arabic grammar, which was
translated into several languages, and is in use to-day. He declined a
call to the Königsberg university, because he wished to work only in a
Lutheran institution. He received a call to such an one in 1847, namely,
to the Norwegian university at Christiania, where he displayed his great
powers as a theologian. He wrote expositions of many books of the Old
Testament, and performed especial service in editing the newly revised
Bible in Norwegian, which is now used in the churches of that country.
The question of the signification of the Apostles' Creed, which through
Grundtvig, had greatly agitated the Northern Evangelical churches, led
him in 1858 to a thorough investigation of this ancient Confession of
Faith. He decided that the Creed undoubtedly had its formation in the
times of the Apostles, that it had become part of the life of the
Church, but that the Holy Scriptures alone had been and must remain the
standard of belief, and to which all the teachers of the Church from its
foundation until Grundtvig had adhered. The Apostles' Creed had not
always had this authority, nor is it the direct word of Jesus Christ,
but it stands for an expression of the primitive faith, and he who
disputes its truth should not be considered a Christian. Caspari
received abundant thanks for his labours. The city of Erlangen bestowed
upon him the title of "Doctor of Theology." Many philosophical societies
elected him to their membership, and Swedish and Norwegian Orders gave
him honors. He ever retained true affection for his own Jewish people,
and often spoke eloquently in behalf of Jewish missions. In 1865 he
became President of the Norwegian Central Committee for Jewish missions,
and later a Director of the Lutheran Central Societies at Leipsic. He
served with especial diligence at the Students' Missionary Association
at Christiania, where a conference was held over Jewish missions. He
divided his discourse into four points, including the following
questions and answers:
I.--Is Jewish mission work necessary? Yes; because without it the
majority of the Jews would never be reached by the preaching of the
Gospel.
II.--How shall they be converted? By establishing in every Church
societies of earnest Christians, who shall support proselytes from
Judaism as missionaries among their own people.
III.--How shall these missionaries carry on their work? Not by dispute
and argument, which create only intellectual knowledge, but through the
promulgation of the way of salvation, must the Jews embrace the truths
of Christianity, through which Christians also are converted.
IV.--How are the converts to be treated? Possibly they might primarily
be organized into circles, in order to serve as leaven among their
friends, but much depends upon their various former environments.
The idea of a Jewish national existence greatly impressed him, and he
clung firmly to this hope for Israel's future. In 1891 he had the
pleasure of appointing the first Norwegian Jewish missionary. After a
remarkable, important and richly blessed activity for the Church of
Christ, he fell asleep in 1892. Professor Bang called him "the Teacher
of all Scandinavia," and testified that his death should be considered
as an historical Church calamity. Caspari himself cherished but one
ambition, to live and die in favour with Christ Jesus, and depended to
the last on the Saviour's word, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no
wise cast out."
Some of Caspari's works are as follows:
(1) "Commentar über Obadja," Leipzig, 1842, followed by (2) "Beiträge
zur Einleitung in das Buch Jesaia." (3) "Untersuchungen über den Syrisch
Ephraimitischen Krieg unter Jotham und Ahas," Christiania, 1849. (4)
"Commentar zu Micha," ib., 1852. (5) "Theile des Jesaia seit 1853." (6)
"Zur Einführung in das Buch Daniel," Leipzig, 1869. (7) "Quellen der
Geschichte des Taufsymbols und der Glaubensregel," Christiania, 1868-9.
(8) "Grammatica Arabica," Leipzig, 1842-48; a second edition appeared in
1866.
CASSEL, Paulus (Selig), was one of the most distinguished Hebrew
Christians whom Germany produced during the 19th century, and one of the
most remarkable missionaries ever in the Society's ranks.
Speaking of the necessity of writing a history of converted Jews, the
"Jewish Chronicle" said that the most important chapter of it would be
that which, concerning Germany, contained the lives of such men as
Benfey, Bernhardy, Lehrs, Neander and Veith; and after them should be
mentioned Cassel, who became a pillar of the Reformed Church, and
acknowledged that "a genius like Cassel is always an honour to his
former brethren in the faith," whilst wondering that one who observed
for so many years the Jewish ceremonial laws, ate at the table of Jacob
Joseph Ettinger, the rabbi of Berlin, who was the admirer of Michael
Sachs, and the author of the article, "History of the Jews," in Ersch
and Grüber's great "Encyclopædia of Science," could have embraced the
Christian faith.[10] It was indeed a strange spectacle, and a sorrowful
one withal, for every Jew with any feeling whatever, to see Paulus
Cassel teaching Christianity in the same city of Berlin, where his
brother, David, was a well-known rabbi, training young men for the
Jewish ministry.
[10] "Jewish Chronicle," January 9, 1880.
We must, however, first speak of his early years. Selig Cassel, to give
him his Jewish name, was born at Glogau, in Silesia, on February 27th,
1821, of Jewish parents. He was educated at the Gymnasia of Glogau and
Schweidnitz, and subsequently at the university of Berlin, where he made
a special study of history as a pupil of the famous historian, Dr.
Ranke.
Cassel took his degree at Berlin and Licentiatus Theologiæ in due
course, and received the faculty for headmaster for all classes of the
gymnasium in Latin, Greek, theology, history, geography and German
literature. He then, for a time, was on the journalistic staff of the
"Constitutionelle Zeitung" in Berlin. Afterwards, in 1850, Cassel went
to Erfurt, where he was the editor of the "Erfurter Zeitung" from 1850
to 1856.
His Christian friends, and especially, according to his own statement,
his study of the history of Israel, led him to Christianity, which he
embraced in 1855, being baptized at Büssleben, a village near Erfurt, on
May 28, and receiving the names "Paulus Stephanus." Every year
subsequently he was wont to celebrate this "second birthday," as he
called it, amidst his friends and congregation.
We now come to the second period of Cassel's life, as a renowned
Christian writer, preacher and orator. For a few years Cassel remained
in the town, where the great change in his life had taken place, and
became custodian of the public library and secretary of the "Erfurt
Academy." He was then called to Berlin by the Prime Minister, who
entrusted him with the editorship of the official "Deutsche Reform." He
resigned this post in six months' time to return to his beloved books
and studies at Erfurt.
At this time honours were showered upon him. King Frederick William IV.
of Prussia honoured him with the title of "Professor." The University of
Erlangen conferred on him the degree of "Licentiatus Theologiæ."
Afterwards, in Vienna, Cassel obtained that of "Doctor Theologiæ"
(Doctor of Divinity). In 1859 he returned to Berlin and delivered
public lectures, which were more and more largely attended and
appreciated by both Jews and Gentiles. These lectures made him known
throughout the capital and the country.
Dr. Cassel was elected a member of the "Landtag," the Prussian
Parliament, in 1866, and became a prominent member of the Conservative
party. As this took him too much from his literary work, he soon laid
this mandate down.
In 1868, the third and most famous portion of Cassel's life commenced,
when the Society appointed him their missionary in Berlin and minister
of Christ Church, a stately Gothic building, with over a thousand
sittings, erected by the Society in the Wilhelmstrasse, in 1864.
For twenty-three years many children of Israel heard the Gospel from Dr.
Cassel's lips both in Berlin and other places of Germany, and indeed of
Europe. The good done by means of his sermons and lectures can never be
fully estimated; and, in addition to this, numbers of Jews were
influenced in a Christian direction by his numerous publications.
It would be impossible for us to follow the indefatigable missionary in
his multifarious activities in Berlin and in Germany generally during
these busy years; but we may be allowed to quote from a published letter
which he addressed in 1887 to English friends, entitled, "Thoughts on
the Jewish Mission":
"Invitations came to give lectures in places at a distance. A dear
friend of mine shewed me in 1860 a map of Germany, on which he marked
all the towns in which I have lectured. Since then I have delivered
over a thousand original lectures in Berlin and elsewhere. God's hand
has guided me everywhere. My journeys have extended from Amsterdam to
Buda-Pesth. I always had an attentive audience, and the poorer people in
both large and small towns heard the Word with gladness--nay, even with
enthusiasm.
"During the anti-Semitic agitation, such journeys for the purpose of
delivering lectures were more extensive. I had then become known through
my defence of Gospel charity, even in circles which were not outwardly
known as Christian. The meetings which were held at the period resembled
more nearly the ideal at which I aimed. A considerable number of persons
listened to the lectures, who had completely turned their backs on the
Church."
Speaking of his ministerial and missionary work in Christ Church, the
doctor said:
"The special blessing of the Church consisted in the regular exposition
of the _Old_ Testament. It has been my custom to expound the Old
Testament every Sunday evening, from the first Sunday I came into office
(Jan. 5th, 1868) up to the present time. It was the first time in Berlin
that this was made a practice. There were, therefore, from the very
beginning hearers, consisting of Jews and earnest Christians. Those
expository sermons have been the greatest blessing, and have specially
united me to the congregation."
Professor Cassel baptized 262 Jews in Christ Church; amongst them
doctors, authors, merchants, nearly all educated persons. But, as he
said, "I am not fond of statistics. I sow the seed, but do not stop to
ask how much may be the fruit."
Dr. Cassel was an ardent lover of his own people. "Though he has left
us, he was by no means our enemy. He still fights against those who hate
the Jews," said the "Jewish Chronicle." It was he who raised his voice
against Stöcker in Berlin, and endeavoured by voice and pen to soften
down the excitement and anger of German Protestants, and to secure the
peace of his former brethren in the faith.
In the spring of 1891, when he retired from his duties, Dr. Cassel did
not cease to preach, wherever an occasion offered, and he continued to
write. So great was his love and zeal that he could not forego
instructing and baptizing Jews who wished to become members of the
Church of Christ through his instrumentality. The number of his converts
must exceed some hundreds. Many of them were in high positions, and
residing in various parts of the world.
Dr. Cassel's death took place, after great sufferings, on December 23rd,
1893, his last words being, "Wo ist denn das Himmelreich?" His funeral
was held on December 27th in the afternoon. In Christ Church, where the
coffin had been placed before the communion-table, a funeral sermon was
preached by the Rev. Pastor Weser from St. John i. 12. The Rev. Dr.
Dryander, the General Superintendent of the Lutheran community, also
addressed the congregation. After the service within the sacred edifice
the obsequies were completed, in the presence of a large concourse of
friends, at the old Jerusalem Cemetery, where Dr. Cassel's mortal
remains lie in their last resting-place.
We append a few testimonies to the life, example, and powerful influence
of Dr. Cassel:
Mr. C. Urbschat, of Königsberg, who for several years worked under Dr.
Cassel in Berlin, wrote of his labours:--
"Professer Cassel was a highly educated missionary, and showed
extraordinary ability in influencing the higher classes of Jews in
favour of Christianity by his lectures and by his pleadings on their
behalf. He was a man of profound learning, of great diligence, and of
restless zeal in propagating the Gospel of his Master amongst Jews and
Christians."
The "Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums" said:--"When the anti-Semites
began to show themselves, Cassel remembered his origin, and opposed the
leaders, Stöcker, Wagner, and others with great decision and manliness.
It was this manly action that gives us some satisfaction for his
desertion of the parental religion. We have to judge this apostasy very
differently from that of many others in former and present times, as he
did not forsake his old creed for any worldly reason, or to get honours
and position, but rather because he followed a mystical line of thought.
God alone can judge the veracity and purity of his life; we dare not.
'Peace be to his ashes!'"
Of the two brothers who, though divided in life, died about the same
time, the _Jewish Chronicle_ remarked:--"The deaths of David and Paulus
(formerly Selig) Cassel remove two brothers, both of whom had won a
place for themselves among the honoured names of Jewish scholarship....
Paulus was the greater man of the two, a scholar and writer of a higher
type, and his works will live. He took a worthy part in the struggle
against anti-Semitism. Paulus Cassel was perhaps the first man to
recognise what was really meant by writing a history of the Jews."
One of Dr. Cassel's numerous converts, baptized by him in 1870, sent the
following most touching tribute to his memory:--"There was no way of his
life in which he failed to shine. Study and knowledge sealed in his
heart the great truths of religion. His was the faith which is clothed
in wisdom; his the wisdom which is hallowed by faith. His faith was to
him, as it should be to all of us, an armed angel. His affectionate
heart not only throbbed with love for his own kindred, but was alive to
sympathy with those who needed it. I always found him benevolent and
singularly gentle. He taught the world that the Jew, hitherto despised,
must be despised no more; he conquered a place in society, in the
highest society--the intellectual circle--for the people of his faith.
And this victory he won, not by dint of clamour, or falseness, or
obstrusive self-assertion, but by the force of his own intellectual
powers, his unsullied integrity, his admirable character. Dr. Cassel
gave mankind a useful lesson, a touching example, a glorious spectacle:
he showed how a Christian Jew lives! His knowledge was the altar on
which he stood to worship the great God-man! History confirms the truth,
which the Psalmist, whose music he loved, taught mankind ages ago--that,
'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.'"
The industry of Dr. Cassel was truly prodigious, and was especially
evidenced by the large number and character of his writings.
A complete list of all his books and pamphlets would fill a large space,
so mention can be made only of his more important writings,
namely:--"Juden Geschichte" in Ersch and Grüber (1847), "Magyarische
Altertumer" (1848), "Von Warschau bis Olmutz" (1851), "Thüringische
Ortsnamen" (1856-58), "Eddische Studien" (1856), "Rose und Nachtigall"
(1860), "Weihnachten, Ursprünge, Bräuche und Aberglauben" (1862), "Die
Schwalbe" (1869), "Drachenkämpfe" (1869), "Vom Wege nach Damascus"
(1872), "Name und Beruf" (1874), "Löwenkämpfe von Nemea bis Golgotha"
(1875), "Das Buch Esther" (1878), translated by the Rev. A. Bernstein
into English and published by T. and T. Clark of Edinburgh (1888), "Vom
Nil zum Ganges" (1879), "Christliche Sittenlehre" (1880), "Aus literatur
und Symbolik" (1884), "Sabbatarche Errinerungen," "Die Hochzeit von
Cana" (1884), "Aus Literatur und Geschichte" (1885), "Aus dem Lande des
Sonnenaufgangs" (1885), "Kritische Sendschreiben über die Probebibel"
(1885), "Wie ich über Judenmission denke" (1886), "Das 900 jährige
Jubiläum der russischen Kirche" (1888), "Aletheia, Vorträge" (1890),
"Das 1000 jährige Reich" (1890). For Lange's Bible-Commentary he wrote
the expositions on the books of Judges and Ruth. His works against
anti-Semitism were "Wider Heinrich von Treitschke für die Juden" (1880),
"Die Antisemiten und die Evangelische Kirche" (1881), "Ahasverus"
(1885), and "Der Judengott und Richard Wagner." Dr. Cassel composed many
poems under the title, "Hallelujah," containing 188 hymns, and also some
dramas (Vom Könige, Das neue Schauspiel, Der Weiner Congress, Paulus at
Damascus, Paulus at Cyprus, &c.)
From 1875-91 Dr. Cassel edited and published a weekly paper, "For
Christian life and knowledge," entitled "Sunem."
Such, in conclusion, was this truly wonderful son of Israel, and
follower of Christ. His gigantic intellect, marvellous ability,
persuasive oratory, brilliant pen, were alike consecrated to the service
of his Lord and Master, and to the spiritual welfare of his brethren.
Sage, philosopher, scholar, author, preacher and missionary, he was a
king amongst his fellow-men. His name will live immortal in the annals
of Jewish and Jewish missionary literature.
CERF, Karl Friedrich, born in 1782, died 1845, embraced Christianity.
Friedrich Wilhelm IV. conferred upon him the title of Royal
Commissionsrath for services rendered.
CERF, Friedrich Rudolf, with his wife, Angelica Henrietta, _née_ Israel,
belonging to Mendelssohn's circle, were baptized at Schöneback in 1818,
and their daughter in 1822.
CHERSKIER, a convert in Warsaw, translated the Book of Common Prayer
into Hebrew in 1836, since when 26,000 copies have been issued by the
L.J.S.
CHERSKI, Reuben, a native of Thorn, was brought up in Leipzig. When
quite a youth he entered a Christian Church, for which offence he was
locked up by his father in a cupboard. Sometime after he heard
Biesenthal and Poper speak to the Jews about Christ at the Leipzig book
fair. Then he found a New Testament among his father's books, and read
St. John iii., and was punished by him for doing so, forbidding him to
read it again. After this he received another New Testament from a
colporteur of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and read it with a
pricked conscience for disobeying his father. Then, after he and his
father were saved by Christians from a fire at Eisenach, he, being now
seventeen years of age, left for Frankfort to seek a livelihood there.
Through a paternal friend he got employment in the office of the "Freund
Zeitung." The chief editor, Israel Harsch, one day in a walk pointed out
to him a man in clerical costume, wearing gold spectacles, with a
countenance of great gentleness, by saying, "He is a Meshummad, a
missionary to the Jews." Cherski now recollected that he had seen him
once at Leipzig, and was warned to keep aloof from him. However, from
that time he began to attend Dr. Poper's meetings, at one of which he
met Dr. Biesenthal too, listened to their lectures, and left for Paris
apparently unimpressed. Then he met Poper again, received from him the
tract "Messiah, the Son of David, is also the Son of God," became a
changed man, wrote to his father a confession of his faith in Christ,
returned to Frankfort, where he found that his fiancée, Lydia, had in
the meanwhile also been converted.
CHRISTIAN, Gustav Christopher, baptized at Nüremberg 1719, and died
there about 1735. He was the author of two Judæo-German works--"Yesod
Emunath Yeshua" (The basis of the Faith of Jesus), Berlin, 1712; and
"Die Bekehrung's Israel," Schwabach, 1722.
CHRISTIANI, Friedrich Albrecht, was born in the middle of the
seventeenth century, died at Prostnitz at the beginning of the
eighteenth century. He was baptized in 1674 at Strassburg, having
formerly been the Chazzan (Precentor) at Bruchsal. After having occupied
for twenty years the chair of Semitics at the university of Leipzig, he
retired to Prostnitz. Christiani's works comprise the following, all
published at Leipzig. (1) "Zebah Pesah" (The sacrifice of Easter), an
account of the Jewish celebration of Easter in the time of Jesus, and at
the present. (2) "Seudath Purim" (The meal of Purim), 1677, a
description of Jewish fasting and feasting. (3) "Zahakan Melumad
Umethareth" (The Scholarly Gambler repenting) 1683, a German translation
of the work of Leon of Modena on gambling. (4) "Abravanel's Commentary
on the first prophets, with a Latin index," 1686. (5) "The text of Jonah
with the Targum Massorah and the commentaries of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Kimchi
and Abravanel, and a Hebrew Latin Vocabulary," 1683. (6) "Iggereth"
(Letter) 1676, The Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews, translated from
the Greek into Hebrew. (7) "Traktat von dem Glauben und Unglauben der
Juden," 1713.
CHRISTIANI, Moritz Wilhelm, born at Altorf at the end of the seventeenth
century, died at Prague, 1740, probably a member of the Keyser family of
Schleusingen, Bavaria. He claimed to have been a rabbi at Schleusingen
before his baptism in 1715. Christiani wrote: (1) "Kurze Beschreibung
einer Jüdischen Synagogue und eine Beschreibung der Synagogalen
Gebraüche," Regensburg, 1723. (2) "Die Schlacht und Visiterkunst, _ib._,
1724." (3) "Ausgang von dem verstockten Judenthum und Eingang zum wahren
Christenthum," an account of his conversion, his profession of faith,
and several orations, Erfurt, 1720. (4) "Rede zur Einladung für
Rabbinische Studien," written in Hebrew and German, inserted in "Johann
David Köhler's Program," Altorf, 1785. (5) "A German translation of the
Sefer ha Minhagim of Jacob Levi (Matta Ril)," published at Bremen, 1733.
CHRISTIAN, Friedrich Ernest (as a Jewish teacher called Abraham Saul),
was baptized with his wife and two grown-up sons by Pastor Stemnitz in
1772.
CHRISTMANN was baptized in 1775.
CHRISTLIEB, Wilhelm, declared that it was a sermon which he heard
preached to the Jews by Pastor Dekan Soldanus in the town hall of Cassel
which convinced him of the truth of the Gospel. He was baptized in 1785.