1883.
SIR MOSES CONGRATULATES THE CZAR ALEXANDER III. ON
HIS CORONATION--HE APPEALS TO THE HUNGARIAN
PARLIAMENT--ACQUITTAL OF THE ACCUSED AT TISZA-ESZLAR--REJOICINGS
ON SIR MOSES COMPLETING HIS
NINETY-NINTH YEAR.
The coronation of the Czar Alexander III., at Moscow, afforded to Sir
Moses an opportunity of writing a letter of congratulation on behalf of
himself and his co-religionists, to one who was the son and grandson of
two monarchs who had nobly responded to his appeals in days gone by, on
behalf of the Jews in their vast Empire. The following is Sir Moses'
letter:
"To His Imperial Majesty ALEXANDER THE THIRD, Emperor of all the
Russias.
"May it please your Imperial Majesty,--Among the many millions of
your Imperial Majesty's faithful subjects,--numerous representatives
of States and Kingdoms of the world,--and a multitude of admirers
of your Imperial Majesty's rule of justice, blended with mercy and
benevolence, who this day, the great and glorious day of all the
Russias, offer their congratulations to you, Sire, on the most
auspicious event of your Imperial Majesty's coronation, your most
humble servant, prompted by an ardent desire to join that host of
well-wishers, very respectfully approaches your Imperial Majesty, to
lay at the foot of your Imperial Majesty's throne his most sincere
and heartfelt felicitations.
"Having had the distinguished honour of hearing, in the year 1846,
from the lips of his late Imperial Majesty, the Emperor Nicholas,
and subsequently in the year 1872, from his late Imperial Majesty,
the Emperor Alexander the Second, your Imperial Majesty's august
father, the noble sentiments of their paternal love towards all true
and loyal subjects, irrespective of creed and nationality, it is an
especial cause of great felicity to me to have been permitted, by
the mercy of God, to attain the advanced age of nearly one hundred
years, to hear of the exalted and ever memorable event of your
Imperial Majesty's coronation, and to read with my own eyes the
glorious manifesto, in which you, Sire, bend your merciful glances
upon all your subjects, and, in accordance with the inmost dictates
of your Imperial heart, turn towards all who are specially in want
or oppressed: preserving the rights and privileges of all men, and
shedding the radiant light of your Imperial Majesty's great wisdom,
justice, and humanity over myriads of people under your Imperial
Majesty's sway.
"Conjointly with the latter, including several millions of my
brethren, your Imperial Majesty's Hebrew subjects, I invoke Him, who
is the Eternal Ruler of the Universe, the King of Kings, to cause His
most choice blessings to alight on the crowned head of your Imperial
Majesty, likewise on the crowned head of Her Imperial Majesty the
Empress, and on your Imperial Majesty's most illustrious family.
"May your days, Sire, be prolonged; May you rule for many years
in refulgent glory over your vast Empire; May you, Sire, have the
happiness of seeing all your fervent wishes for peace and lasting
tranquillity among the nations realized, so that your Imperial name
may for ever be indelibly inscribed on the tablets of the heart of
your Imperial Majesty's faithful subjects, and on those of every
friend of justice and humanity.
"Deign, Oh Sire! graciously to receive the fervent and most sincere
felicitations expressed by your Imperial Majesty's most humble and
obedient servant,
"MOSES MONTEFIORE."
"EAST CLIFF LODGE, RAMSGATE, _28th May, 1883._"
In reply to the above letter, His Excellency, Monsieur de Giers,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, by order of the Emperor, addressed Sir
Moses as follows:--
"ST PETERSBOURG, _le 2 Juin, 1883._
"MONSIEUR,--J'ai placé sous les yeux de mon Auguste Maître la lettre
destinée à Sa Majesté que vous m'avez transmise.
"Sa Majesté me charge de vous assurer qu' Elle apprécie les
sentiments que vous temoignez à la memoire de Son Auguste Pere et de
Son Grand-Pere, ainsi que les vœux de felicitations que vous Lui
addressez à l'occasion de Son couronnement.
"J'ai l'ordre de vous en remercier en Son Nom, et en m'acquittant de
cette volonté Suprème, je vous prie, Monsieur de recevoir en même
temps l'assurance de ma consideration la plus distinguée.
"GIERS."
_Translation._
"ST PETERSBURG, _2nd June 1883._
"SIR,--I have placed before my august master the letter which you
have transmitted to me for His Majesty.
"His Majesty charges me to assure you that he appreciates the
sentiments which you entertain for the memory of his august father
and grandfather, likewise the felicitations which you offer him on
the occasion of his coronation.
"I am commanded to thank you for the same in his name, and in
acquitting myself of this supreme will, I have the honour to remain,
&c., &c.
"GIERS."
Sir Moses was much pleased with the gracious reply given to his letter,
and expressed the hope that the condition of his brethren under His
Majesty's sway might soon improve.
_June 19th._--The Tisza-Eszlar trial having commenced at Nyiregyhaza,
Sir Moses deemed it his duty to send to each member of the Hungarian
House of Representatives a copy of the Damascus paper translated into
the Hungarian language, accompanied by a copy of the following letter:
"EAST CLIFF LODGE, RAMSGATE, _21st June 1883_.
"SIR,--Prompted by an ardent desire to serve the cause of justice and
humanity, I beg to transmit to you, for your perusal, a copy of the
Firman Khát-Shereef, issued by His late Imperial Majesty the Sultan
Abd-ool-Medjid to the Chief Judge at Constantinople in the year 1840,
and the address which I delivered to His Majesty on that occasion at
the Palace of Beshik-Tash.
"With fervent prayers to our Heavenly Father that the light of truth
may ever illumine our paths, and speedily dispel the dark clouds of
calumny and fanaticism, I have the honour to be, sir, with great
respect, your very obedient servant,
(Signed) "MOSES MONTEFIORE."
This letter brought him warm acknowledgments from many members for
having enlightened them, as they said, on subjects which hitherto had
not been quite clear to them.
The Anti-Semites, however, would not rest, and one of their leaders,
Professor Rohling of the University of Prague, accused Sir Moses of
having had a book printed under his auspices, referring to the charge
of ritual murder among the Jews as being true.
The reader may well imagine the indignation of Sir Moses on hearing so
false a charge, and I did not lose a moment in addressing the following
letter to the Editor of the _Daily Telegraph_, in which it appeared
on Thursday, July 12th, 1883, under the heading of "The Tisza-Eszlar
Mystery."
"SIR,--I have been requested by many readers of your journal to lift,
if possible, the veil of an apparent mystery in a letter written by
Dr Rohling, Professor of Theology in the University of Prague, on
the 19th ult., and addressed to Herr Géza von Onody, Deputy of the
Hungarian Diet. It is published in the _Westungarischer Grenzbote_,
Presburg, of the 24th ult., and in other papers in Hungary and
Germany. For the sake of the vindication of truth, I beg you will
kindly give publicity to the following statement. Dr Rohling writes:
"'Having said in my "Antwort an die Rabbiner" (Reply to the Rabbins)
that I did not find in the Talmud, as far as we know it by printed
copies, any proof of ritual murder among the Jews, the Rabbins
maintained that such proofs are generally not to be found in their
literature. But, as there is now such a case before the Court, I
deem it my duty to give you to understand that, after having written
the above "Reply," I came into possession of a Hebrew work, which
has been printed under the auspices of Sir Moses Montefiore so late
as 1868, in which it is written (page 156a) "that the shedding of
the blood of non-Jewish maidens is considered among the Jews a very
sacred act; the shedding of such blood is most agreeable to Heaven,
and obtains mercy for them." This is but a short extract of the
passage, which I shall shortly give to the public in its entirety.
The truth of what I have said I am, in case of need, ready to confirm
by oath before the court.'
"This is signed by Dr Rohling as Professor in the Imperial and Royal
University of Prague.
"It makes my heart shudder, and will, I have no doubt, outrage many
who read the above letter, that the character of the man whose
name, whether mentioned in the house of Jew, Christian, or Moslem,
is always received with the deepest respect and veneration, should
be defiled by the foul breath of so terrible a slander at the very
moment when it is a question of life or death.
"With an evil ingenuity the professor gives the page but not the name
of the book, to puzzle the mind of the reader, depending for his
success more upon the ignorant people of Nyiregyhaza, before whom the
Deputy will most probably read his letter, than upon the judgment of
those who are far away from that place.
"Now, all the Jews in the world, including even those who became
apostates from their religion, as well as the high dignitaries of
the Church, nay, bishops and professors of theology, have declared,
and will again solemnly declare, if necessary, that there is no such
statement, there can be no such statement, in existence. Neither in
the Bible nor in the Talmud, nor in any book treating of the Kabbala,
could be seen even the shadow of the tracing of such a rite to which
the Professor alludes; but his great object is, as he gives it to be
understood in his letter, to guide the Court in their judgment.
"To clear up the mystery in question I will simply give the words
of Dr Franz Delitzsch, Professor of Theology in the University of
Leipzig, published in the _Pester Lloyd_, March 16, which, as the
reader will see, have reference to the very book of which Professor
Rohling, in his letter, concealed the title:--
"'The 'Paderborner Judenspiegel" (second edition, 1883), forming
a part of the "Bonifazius-Broschüren" [of which Dr Rohling, in
his "Reply to the Rabbins," page 52, says: "the texts which Dr
Justus"--this is the name by which the masked author goes--"offers
are taken directly from original sources"] concludes with three
quotations from cabalistic works, on which he bases the blood
accusations. One of these works appeared, as stated before, in
Jerusalem, the other in Bagdad. Professor Rohling had undoubtedly
these books in his mind when he said, p. 53: "If the high authorities
were to make it possible for me to spend several years in the East, I
think I could also find texts of the same kind." The passage of the
Jerusalem book which bears the title of "Halikutim," by Chajim ben
Joseph Vital of Calabria,[8] refers to an observation made therein
on verses 18 and 19 of chapter xxx. in the Book of Proverbs: "There
be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which
I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent
upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way
of a man with a maid." By this he seeks to establish the right of
accusing the Jews of ritual murder; that the shedding of the blood
of a non-Israelite maid is deemed by the Jews a sacrifice agreeable
to the Deity. If an observation from which such inferences could
be drawn were really to exist, it would certainly prove an awful
prejudice against the Jews at the Tisza-Eszlar trial. It might be
said, "Why should such a passage not exist in that book?" Does not
Dr Justus give the name, page, and place of printing? Thousands
of people will believe him--because who can easily procure a book
printed in Jerusalem? And, if they do procure it, how very few
would be able to read it, or be sure to have a correct translation
of it. But because I am one of those few who have that book, and,
as a Christian, consider, in the words of my Lord (St Matthew xv.
10), as false witness all that which defiles man before God, the
holy and true one, I herewith declare before all the world that the
rendering of the passage in question which Dr Justus gives is not
a translation, but a bungling work of infernal falsehood. Into the
sacred text of Deuteronomy, chapter xxii., v. 17, which treats on
a subject of chastity and purity, the falsifier, in the spirit of
the before-mentioned incendiary paper, "Paderborner Judenspiegel,"
introduces his own idea--the invention that the words in question
were meant to recommend the murder of a maid for ritual purposes. Who
is that Dr Justus by whom the "Bonifazius Verein" allowed itself to
be made a dupe? Does it behove a Christian association to cast the
dragon-seed of such falsehood into the heart of a Christian people?
The "Judenspiegel" concludes with the wish that God may open the
heart of the Jews to the truth of Christianity. This is also my wish;
but, for the same reason, I abhor a controversy which, blinded by
the hatred of races, unites itself with ignorance and malice, and
does the work of hawking about false witness as a matter of business
Philologists professing the Catholic religion, such as Professor
Birkoll of Innsbruck, Professor Scholz of Wurzburg, the Priest
Knabenbauer, and others of my colleagues, will confirm what I say
regarding the disgraceful falsification made by Dr Justus.'
"So far the words of a Christian scholar of great eminence, Dr
Delitzsch.
"With regard to the statement of Dr Rohling that the mysterious book
had been printed under the auspices of Sir Moses, I have to explain
that, nearly forty years ago, with a view of encouraging industry
in the Holy Land, he presented a person of the name of Israel Back
with an English printing press, and the recipient in token of deep
gratitude to the donor named it 'Mássát Moshe Ve Yehoodit'--a present
from 'Moses and Judith;' since that time all the books printed by the
use of that press bear that name on the title-page. Sir Moses himself
has not the remotest idea of the printing of that book, nor has he
ever heard of the existence of it, but it pleased Dr Rohling, and he
thought it would answer his purpose exceedingly well, to interpret
these words by 'Under the auspices of Sir Moses Montefiore.'
"The name of Sir Moses sheds too bright a lustre over all his acts
to require any further explanation on my part; but my object in
writing this letter is to rouse the indignation of all friends of
truth and justice, and point out to them the cruel means of slander
which are used to influence this trial. Sir Moses has sent a letter
to every one of the deputies of the Imperial and Royal Hungarian
Diet, enclosing for their immediate perusal a copy of the Firman Khát
Shereef issued by his late Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abd-ool-Medjid
to the Chief Judge at Constantinople in the year 1840, and the
address which he delivered to his Majesty on that occasion at the
Palace of Beshik-Tash, translated into the Hungarian language, at
the conclusion of which he uttered a fervent prayer 'that the light
of truth may ever illumine our paths, and speedily dispel the dark
clouds of calumny and fanaticism.' In this prayer you, Sir, every
Englishman, every friend of humanity all over the world, will most
assuredly cordially join him.--I have the honour to be, Sir, your
obedient servant,
"L. LOEWE,
"One of the members of the Mission to Damascus and Constantinople,
under Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart., in the year 1840.
"1 OSCAR VILLAS, BROADSTAIRS, KENT, _July 10_."
_August 3rd._--The Tisza-Eszlar trial, after thirty-two days pleading
in open court, terminated this day, "all the accused being declared
innocent of the accusation brought against them." The accusation of
murder the court declared to be entirely without foundation; "as for
ritual murder in general," it declared, "such does not exist."
"The trial terminated," the _Chronik der Zeit_ says, "as we expected.
We strongly relied upon the idea that there were still true judges in
Hungary; judges whose calling it is to uphold the law, who in spite
of agitation, creed, hatred, and prejudice, would not at the decisive
moment allow themselves to be blinded to the truth."
Sir Moses, a few hours after the decision of the court had been given,
received a telegram informing him of the result of the trial. He was
greatly rejoiced, and immediately addressed letters of congratulation
to all the liberated prisoners, enclosing to each of them a handsome
present, on account of the sufferings they had undergone. A few days
later he had the satisfaction of receiving their acknowledgments,
couched in terms of deep gratitude, for the sympathy he had evinced
towards them, from the beginning to the end of the sorrowful days
during which the trial lasted.
Although nearly three months had still to elapse before the dawn of the
day on which he was to celebrate the ninety-ninth anniversary of his
birthday, poems, books, works of art, and numerous letters from distant
parts of the world had already reached London; the authors and donors
requesting their friends to present the gifts to Sir Moses when the day
should arrive. The state of Sir Moses' health varied. It depended to
some extent upon the weather, but there was seldom a case of serious
illness. He complained of weakness, but was still able to go out for a
drive now and then, and was cheerful in conversation with his friends
and general visitors. He had all his letters read to him, and signed as
many replies as were required. He himself wrote the principal part of
the cheques he drew on his bankers, and signed them in his usual style.
The weeks and days were now counted impatiently by his friends for
the advent of his ninety-ninth birthday, which was to be publicly
celebrated on the 8th November (8th Heshván, Hebrew date), but the
celebration already began on the 24th October, the last day of the
Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. For upwards of fifty years Sir Moses
had every year on this festival held the office of Hattan Thora
(Bridegroom of the Law) in his own Synagogue, and in honour of the
occasion received a large number of friends and relatives to luncheon
at East Cliff, after the morning service in the Synagogue. On this
particular day the company was more numerous than ever, many having
come from London to congratulate Sir Moses. After the luncheon most
of the visitors were admitted, a few at a time, to Sir Moses' room,
to offer him their good wishes, and were delighted to find him so
cheerful, happy, and grateful to Heaven for the mercy bestowed upon
him. In the London Synagogues the preachers from the pulpit spoke of
the auspicious event, holding out the high aim of Sir Moses' life
as a noble example of virtue. Immense numbers of telegrams began to
arrive from all parts of the world, in many different languages, some
of them containing hundreds of words. The post-office officials had
a heavy task in transmitting them. Large packages containing choice
flowers and costly fruit were continually being sent by friends and
admirers far and near, some even from perfect strangers. Visitors also
began to call day after day, and, although numerous, formed, with the
apparently endless arrival of letters, telegrams, and bouquets, only
the vanguard of what was intended for the 8th of November. Early in
the morning Sir Moses was serenaded by a party of sixty ladies and
gentlemen stationed on the lawn, under his bedroom window, who sang
hymns and songs composed in honour of the day. Sir Moses was greatly
pleased by this attention, and had his window thrown open in order to
hear the singing better. While sitting there listening, he had the
honour of receiving a special telegram from Her Majesty the Queen,
which was couched in the most gracious terms, congratulating him on the
happy day, while complimenting him on his noble and useful career. As
soon as Sir Moses had read it, he requested the ladies and gentlemen
to sing "God save the Queen," which they did, following it up by
hearty cheers for Her Majesty. Soon afterwards equally kind telegrams
arrived from their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duke of
Edinburgh. So many deputations from various towns, corporate bodies,
and religious, charitable, scientific, and mercantile institutions were
waiting to present addresses to Sir Moses, that it was quite impossible
for him to see them all, although all were hospitably entertained at
his house, and received every attention from Mr Sebag and Mr Guedalla,
the relatives of Sir Moses, who, together with their wives, assisted
him to receive the numerous visitors during the day. Whole vans full of
boxes were brought to the house from the railway, containing works of
art, choice flowers, costly fruit, and other presents. The telegrams
arrived by hundreds, so that they could not even be opened, much less
read, on that day. The post-office and railway companies had to engage
a large number of extra officials to cope with the work. There were
extra trains run, not only from towns in Kent, but even from London, to
bring down the crowds anxious to witness the proceedings, or to take
part in them. Ramsgate and all the neighbouring towns made the day a
general holiday. All the shops and schools were closed; the streets
were tastefully decorated with flags and garlands; handsome triumphal
arches had been erected, with inscriptions containing good wishes for
Sir Moses, and fervent blessings for all the good he had done in his
long and noble life; the ships in the harbour were dressed with flags,
and salutes were fired. Even the street lamps had been ornamented with
the initials of Sir Moses' name in English and Hebrew letters of gold.
Many thousands of visitors had arrived by train, and the authorities
of the town had requisitioned one hundred extra constables to keep
order in the crush that was expected. The streets of Ramsgate were
filled with people, and the immense fields between the house of Sir
Moses and the Synagogue soon became so crowded that when the hour came
for the special service in the Synagogue, which was to be attended by
the friends of Sir Moses and the heads of the deputations, it seemed
impossible for them to get through the crowd. By the help of mounted
constables a way was cleared, and the building was soon filled to its
utmost capacity. Handsomely printed copies of the order of service were
handed to the visitors. After the usual afternoon service, the Rev. Dr.
Herman Adler, the Delegate Chief Rabbi, opened the ark, and offered
up a fervent prayer composed by him for the occasion. As soon as the
service was concluded the visitors had to hurry back to East Cliff
Lodge to witness a grand procession, which was one of the principal
features of the day, and which had been arranged most successfully
by Messrs Ben Twyman, of Ramsgate, and Mr Hodgman, the Chief of the
Post-Office of the town. The procession was two miles in length, and
took nearly an hour in passing through the grounds of Sir Moses'
estate. It was composed of military bands, detachments of firemen and
police, mayors and members of town councils, lifeboat men, Foresters,
Oddfellows, Druids, allegorical groups, and members of deputations from
Jewish communities in different parts of England and the Continent.
The rear of the procession was brought up by several thousand school
children from nearly all the schools in the neighbourhood. Sir Moses
stood on the balcony of his drawing-room, overlooking the garden, to
witness the procession. It was a touching sight to see each separate
part of the procession, as they came to the balcony, make a halt,
lower their flags before the venerable hero of the day, and send up
ringing cheers for him. Sir Moses lifted his cap and waved his hand
in response. He several times attempted to address a few words to
them, but was too deeply moved to give them utterance. The scene made
an indelible impression on the heart and mind of the writer of this
memoir, and few of the many hundreds of friends who surrounded Sir
Moses on that day are ever likely to forget it. After the procession
more deputations were received by Sir Moses, and in the evening a
lecture was delivered at the Montefiore College by the Principal on
the words of the Psalms, "With long life will I satisfy him, and show
him my salvation," and of the prophet Isaiah, "He gives power to the
faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the
youths shall faint and be weary, but they that wait upon the Eternal
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up as with the wings of
eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be
faint." The Hall was brilliantly illuminated, and filled to its utmost
extent, many being unable to find room. A grand banquet was given in
honour of the day at the Granville Hotel by Mr Vale, the Chairman of
the Ramsgate Improvement Committee. The poor also had their share in
the festivities. The proprietor of the Granville Hall gave a dinner
to 300 sick and poor people, and the Rev. J. C. Collins entertained a
like number of poor children at tea. The Commemoration Committee also
gave a large number of dinners to the poor; at Grave's Hotel nearly 400
were entertained, besides 150 at Christ Church Parish Hall. St Luke's
Parish gave a dinner to 120, and a still larger number sat down at St
Lawrence. The Congregationalists, the Baptists, the Wesleyans, and the
Primitive Methodists all did honour to Sir Moses in this way, knowing
that it was the way he would most approve. Naturally, the Jewish poor
were not forgotten on this occasion. In the evening the whole town
of Ramsgate and the harbour were splendidly illuminated, and large
bonfires were lighted. The rejoicings were brought to a close with a
grand display of fireworks in the vicinity of Sir Moses' residence.
Anything so grand had never before been witnessed in Ramsgate, and it
was unanimously conceded that the inhabitants of the Isle of Thanet had
done honour to themselves by sparing neither trouble nor expense in
showing honour to him who for upwards of half a century had been one
of their most respected fellow-citizens, and during all this time had
never allowed an opportunity to pass without giving substantial proofs
of his goodwill, wherever required, without distinction of creed or
nationality.
It was a source of great thankfulness to all the friends of Sir Moses
that he bore the extraordinary excitement and fatigue of this ever
memorable but trying day so well. He received one deputation after
another until mid-day, saying something pleasant to each, and thanking
them all most heartily. From two o'clock until three he stood on the
balcony to view the procession, and after it had passed, continued
receiving deputations until five o'clock. So many visitors were anxious
to shake hands with him that all the rooms of his house, with the
stairs and passages, did not suffice to contain them; many had to
remain in the garden for hours until there was room for them upstairs.
No one seemed to mind waiting. The costly and beautiful presents were
spread out in every room; the lovely flowers and choice fruit turned
the house into a veritable paradise, although only those could be
displayed which had arrived before the day, upwards of a hundred boxes
not having been opened for want of time. The addresses from all parts
of the world are too numerous to be named singly. Many of them were
splendidly mounted. One was from America, an album of immense size,
mounted in velvet, with silver ornaments; another, from Warsaw, in
ivory, most artistically carved. Several contained lovely pictures by
noted artists; others in exquisite needlework covers. They are all
kept in large glass cases at Judith College, and are the admiration
of all who see them. In every synagogue throughout the world special
services were held in honour of Sir Moses, and large benevolent
institutions were founded in his memory on the Continent, in America,
and in Australia. It was universally acknowledged that before this time
no such honour had been shown to any private individual, but that Sir
Moses had received no more than his just reward.
[Footnote 8: Born 1543, died 1620. He resided at Safed, Palestine,
and was a disciple of Isaac Luria. The book in question, which
forms part of the book Etz Chajim, was printed in Zolkiew, Wilna,
and Jerusalem.]