RESTORATION SCHEMES
Dr. John Jortin――Thomas Newton, Bishop of Bristol――Edward King
――Samuel Horsley, Bishop of Rochester and St. Asaph――Jewish
Colonies in South America――Marshal de Saxe’s scheme――Anecdote
by Margravine of Anspach――Earl of Egmont’s project――Proposed
settlement of German Jews in Pennsylvania――Viscount
Kingsborough’s Mexican colony――John Adams, President of the
United States.
THE books and pamphlets, consisting largely of interpretations of
the Bible, naturally contain many ideas open to serious criticism on
the part of a modern reader. Inevitably also (seeing that the writers
were theologians) they exhibit a persistent tendency to conversionism.
But one thing that continually impresses one is the earnestness
and sincerity revealed throughout. The readmission of the Jews into
England was likewise connected in some quarters with conversionist
tendencies, but on the whole it was an act of justice, and the Jews
profited by it.
The writers with whom we have been dealing were men trained from
childhood to read the Holy Scriptures, to reflect upon what they read,
and to consider every question from the standpoint of their religious
convictions. A certain weakness will no doubt be found in the
one-sided exegetical tendency shown in the numberless explanations of
the seventh chapter of the Book of _Daniel_, and various Apocalyptic
prophecies. But have not all the different denominations done the
same? Has not each one made use of some part of the Bible in order
to support its ideas? Does not every sect explain the word of God
according to its own way of thinking? Do not the opinions of one sect
conflict with and contradict those of another? It must be remembered
that this method of Scriptural interpretation was in keeping with
the spirit of the time, and that the entire question was still in
its infancy. Be that as it may, one cannot but be grateful for the
devotion of these Christian champions, in spite of the peculiarity of
some of their notions. Although as Jews we often differ from them as
regards the interpretation and application of certain verses, still
we cannot withhold our admiration for the sincere enthusiasm which is
evinced in most of their writings.
Dr. John Jortin (1698‒1770), an ecclesiastical historian and critic,
the author of _The Life of Erasmus_ ... London ... 1758‒1760, and of
many books dealing with the problem of the Jewish people, developed
the idea that the preservation of this people, “under such long,
such signal and such unexampled persecutions and calamities inclines
one to think that they are reserved for some illustrious purpose of
Providence.”
Thomas Newton (1704‒1782), Bishop of Bristol (1761), a divine of great
authority, defended the idea of the Restoration of _Israel_ in words
which no Jewish national enthusiast could excel. The Jews, he believes,
will be restored to their native city and country. At the same time,
he emphasizes the dignity and the necessity of Jewish distinctiveness
all over the world, and condemns anti-Jewish prejudice:――
“We see that the great empires, which in their turns subdued
and oppressed the people of God, are all come to ruin;
because, tho’ they executed the purposes of God, yet that
was more than they understood; all that they intended was to
satiate their own pride and ambition, their own cruelty and
revenge. And if such hath been the fatal end of the enemies
and oppressors of the Jews, let it serve as a warning to all
those, who at any time or upon any occasion are for raising a
clamor and persecution against them”¹ (Appendix xxxvi).
¹ Dissertations on the Prophecies, ... vol. i. ... MDCCLIV.
_pp._ 241‒242.
Edward King (1725‒1807), a miscellaneous writer and essayist, was
a zealous champion of more enlightened theological views than were
approved in his day by the orthodox believers. In one of his books,¹
which is written with intense faith and enthusiasm, and abounds in
beautiful passages that appeal to the imagination and heart, the one
point in which he is particularly emphatic is the return of the Jews
as Jews to the Holy Land.
¹ Remarks on The Signs of the Times; By Edward King, Esq.,
F.R.S.A.S.... London: ... 1798. (_4to._ 40 _pp._ [B. M.])
Samuel Horsley (1733‒1806), Bishop of Rochester (1793‒1802), Bishop
of St. Asaph (1802‒1806), considered King’s book of sufficient
importance to publish another¹ in reply, from which one gathers, that
the opinions expressed by King were not entirely rejected. “I agree
with you,” wrote the Bishop, “that some passages in _Zechariah_ (_fl._
3408 _a.m._) in particular, make strongly for this idea of a previous
settlement ... and so far I can admit....”
¹ Critical Disquisitions on the Eighteenth Chapter of Isaiah,
in A Letter to Edward King, Esq., F.R.S.A.S. By Samuel,
Lord Bishop of Rochester, F.R.S.A.S. London: ... M.DCC.XCIX.
(_4to._ v. + 109 _pp._ [B. M.])
This declaration must have made a profound impression. It was the
declaration of a man who was, as a contemporary biographer says, “an
ornament to the Senate, an honour to the Church of England, and one of
the first characters of the age in which he lived.”
In some tracts written at the beginning of the nineteenth century a
semi-political note is already sounded, as, for instance, in the tract
_A Call to the Christians and the Hebrews, by Theætetus_ (Appendix
xxxvii). This call did not find an immediate response; nevertheless,
the political idea of the Restoration of _Israel_ reappeared at
various epochs in England as well as in the other English-speaking
countries and elsewhere.
The various efforts to establish autonomous Jewish Colonies in America
during the early history of that country are not strictly Zionism, but
are not without interest from the Zionist point of view. “Under the
authority of the Dutch West India Company.... In 1652, a tract of land
... was granted in the island of Curaçao to Joseph Nunez _da_ Fonseca,
and others, to found a colony of Jews in that island ... but it was
not successful....”¹
¹ _The Settlement of the Jews in North America._ By Charles P.
Daly, LL.D. ... New York ... 1893. _p._ 9.
About 1654 a project was formed for a settlement in Surinam, then
a British colony, with Jewish fugitives from Brazil. The scheme is
referred to as “Privileges Granted to the People of the Hebrew Nation
that are to goe to the Wilde Cust” (_Egerton MSS._, _vol._ 2395,
No. 8. [B. M.]).
A grant was made by the French West India Company to David Nasi, a
Portuguese Jew, in 1659, by a charter which authorized him to found a
Jewish colony in Cayenne.
Some of the later projects are even more interesting. About the year
1749 Marshal _de_ Saxe¹ contemplated erecting a Jewish state in South
America of which he would be King. “... We have only meagre accounts
of this scheme; I am unable even to say whether he had abandoned it
prior to his death....”²
¹ Hermann-Maurice (1696‒1750) [Moritz _von_ Sachsen], Comte
_de_ Saxe, Marshal of France, was the illegitimate son of
Friedrich August (1670‒1733) the First, Elector of Saxony
(1694‒1733), who reigned over Poland (1697‒1733) as August
the Second [the Strong]; and Maria Aurora (1668‒1728)
Gräfin _von_ Königsmark. His father’s legitimate son
(1696‒1763), who succeeded to both dignities as Friedrich
August the Second, Elector of Saxony, and as August the
Third, King of Poland (1733‒1763), was the father of Maria
Josepha, the wife of the Dauphin Louis (1729‒1765), and
mother of that unfortunate Monarch, Louis XVI. ♦(1774‒1792)
of France.
♦ “(1774‒1792)” should be “(1754‒1792)”
² _Early American Zionist Projects_, by Max. J. Kohler, A.M.,
LL.B., in Publications of the American Jewish Historical
Society, 1900, No. 8 _pp._ 76‒79.
The Margravine of Anspach¹ tells us in her anecdotes about him, that
“He took a fancy to become a king: and on looking around..., as he
found all the thrones occupied, he cast his eyes upon that nation
which for seventeen hundred years had neither sovereign nor country;
which was everywhere dispersed, and everywhere a stranger.... This
extraordinary project occupied his attention for a considerable time.
It is not known how far the Jews co-operated with him, nor to what
point their negotiations were carried; nor was his plan ever developed:
but the project was well known to the world, and his friends sometimes
even joked with him on the subject.”²
¹ Elizabeth (1750‒1828), youngest daughter of the fourth
Earl of Berkeley, K.T. (1715(6)‒1755), who in 1767 married
William Craven (1738‒1791), afterwards the sixth Baron
Craven. In the month following his death, she espoused the
Margrave of Anspach (_ob._ 1806).
² _Memoirs of the Margravine of Anspach._ Written by Herself
... London: ... 1826. Vol. ii., _pp._ 132‒133.
John Perceval (1711‒1770), the second Earl of Egmont, when scarce a
man, had a scheme of assembling the Jews, and making himself their
King.¹
¹ Note by Lord Holland (1773‒1840) in _Memoirs of the Reign of
King George II._ (1683‒1760), by Horace Walpole (1717‒1797)
... London ... 1847. Vol. i., second edition, _p._ 35.
Hardly was the constitution of Pennsylvania of September 28th, 1776,
adopted.... A German Jew, whose name and domicile are not mentioned,
forwarded a letter to the President of the Continental Congress
... that a number of German Jews had the intention of settling in
America.... Let the conditions be stated to us, gracious President....¹
¹ _A Memorial sent by German Jews to the President of the
Continental Congress._ By Dr. M. Kayserling. (Publications
of the American Jewish Historical Society, No. 6, 1897,
_pp._ 5‒6.)
Edward King (1795‒1837), Viscount Kingsborough, eldest son of George,
third Earl of Kingston (1771‒1839), promoted and edited with copious
notes a magnificent work, entitled _Antiquities of Mexico_ ... 9 vols.
Imperial Folio and 60 _pp._ of a tenth volume. London, 1830‒1848.
The drift of King’s speculations was to establish the colonization of
Mexico by the Israelites.¹
¹ Gordon Goodwin in the _Dictionary of National Biography_.
In this connection special mention should be made of a great American
who was undoubtedly inspired by English Puritanism and displayed
the same broad-mindedness as the Puritans in relation to the Jewish
problem. This was John Adams (1735‒1826), the second President
of the United States of America (1797‒1801), and one of the most
distinguished patriots of the Revolution. He was one of the most
enthusiastic supporters of the Zionist idea. In a letter addressed to
Major Mordecai Manuel Noah (1785‒1851), he says: “I really wish the
Jews again in Judea, an independent nation, for, as I believe, the
most enlightened men of it have participated in the amelioration of
the philosophy of the age; once restored to an independent government,
and no longer persecuted, they would soon wear away some of the
asperities and peculiarities of their character,...” But, anticipating
that he might be wrongly supposed to desire the return of the Jews
to Palestine for the purpose of getting them away from America or
limiting their rights in that country, he continues: “I wish your
nation may be admitted to all the privileges of citizens in every
part of the world. This country (America) has done much; I wish it
may do more, and annul every narrow idea in religion, government and
commerce.”¹
¹ Discourse on The Restoration of the Jews: Delivered at the
Tabernacle, Oct. 28 and Dec. 2, 1844. By M. M. Noah. With a
Map of the Land of _Israel_. New York: ... 1845. (8º. viii.
+ 55 _pp._ + folded map.) _p._ vi.: “I find similar and
stronger sentiments in a letter from President John Adams,
written to me when nearly in his ninetieth year, with all
the fervour, sincerity and zeal he exhibited in the early
scenes of our Revolution,” _etc._