Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ Part 6

ANGEL, Rev. B., convert and missionary to the Jews in New York.

ANTON, Carl (Moses Gershon Cohen), a descendant of Bartenora Hayim Vital, born in Mitau (Curland), in 1722, of a family called "the Golden Chains." After studying for seven years at Prague, under Jonathan Eibenschutz, he travelled in the East and became very ill at Constantinople. It was there when reading Dan. ix. that he began to think seriously as to the state of his soul. On his return to Germany he was baptized at Wolfenb.u.t.tel by Pastor Meyers in 1748. The Duke of Brunswick appointed him Professor of Hebrew at Helmstadt. He wrote a Latin tract, "The Wandering Jew," ent.i.tled "Commentatio Historica de Judaeo Immortali in qua haec Fabula examinatur et confutatur," Helmstadt, 1756; translated Abraham Jaegel's Catechism, "Lekah Tob" (Good Instruction), Brunswick, 1756; and gave a description of a rare copy of "Shulhan Aruk Eben haezer," to be found in ma.n.u.script in the City Library, Hamburg. He also wrote "Fabulae Antiquitatum Ebraic.u.m Veterum,"

&c., Brunswick, 1756. Also "Sammlung Einiger Rabbinischer Oden Nebst Einer Frayen Uebersetzung, Kurzer entworf Judescher Gebrauche Akademischer Vorlesungen entworfen," three parts, Brunswick, 1752-1754.

In the preface to his book, "Wahre Grunde, welche Einen Juden Zur wahren Bekehrung, oder zum Heilande der welt Jesu Christo fuhren Konnen," he utters the following fervent prayer:

"At the conclusion of my work, I humbly invoke the righteous and merciful Father, that He may enlighten all Israel with the light from on high, that they may with a pure heart acknowledge Jesus as the only means of their future life. O that they might see in the stem of Jesse the tree of life, and be inflamed with love to Him by the Omnipotent Spirit! O that they might at last acknowledge the Son of Mary as the fountain of salvation out of which they can draw grace for grace! O that they might seek a refuge in the long ago appeared Lion out of the tribe of Judah, who has destroyed the dominion of Satan and restored eternal peace! O that they might kiss with lips and heart the glorified Son whom their fathers so carelessly rejected, but who has become the precious Cornerstone, who after achieving His triumph ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father and praised by the whole host of heaven. O triune G.o.d, open thou their eyes, that they may see." ("A Furst.

Christen und Juden," 163).

Pastor de le Roi mentions a rumour that Anton at last relapsed into Judaism, but this must have arisen because he defended Jacob Emden and his former teacher Eibenschutz in their dispute with Waggenseil. Dr. S.

A. Hirsch, Professor in Jews' College, London, who wrote the article in the "Jewish Encyclopaedia" and referred to Gratz, does not give a syllable about Anton's relapse.

ARGAWI, M., convert and leading missionary of the L.J.S. in Abyssinia.

He has laboured there for many years amidst great hards.h.i.+ps and even amidst martyrdoms of his believing brethren. (See the little tract, "Martyrs of Jesus.")

ARIAS, E. P., missionary of the L.J.S. at Rome for many years.

ARNHOLD, Siegfried Heinrich, D.Ph., embraced Christianity at Berlin in 1854. He was Professor of the Polytechnic in that city, and died as such in 1884.

a.s.sING, David a.s.sur, born at Konigsberg, 1787, died 1842, was baptized in 1815. He was physician and poet; served first in the Russian and then in the Prussian army. He wrote a treatise ent.i.tled, "Materiae Alimentariae Leneamenta ad leges Chemico-Dynamicas Adumbrata" ("Food and their Relation to Chemical-Dynamical Laws.") This was published at Gottingen in 1809.

a.s.sER, M. E., a convert, councillor at the Ministry of Justice in Holland.

AUGSBURGER, Emmanuel, baptized by Gottheil at Stuttgart in 1852, a first-fruit of the mission there. Though only a working weaver by trade, he accomplished much good by his voluntary testimony and by his exemplary life. (See _Jewish Herald_, 1853 and 1886).

AUGUST, Jacob Michael, baptized with his wife and children in Greifswald, Germany, about 1723. He became Lector (reader) of Oriental languages at the University of Leipzig.

AUGUSTI, Friedrich Albert (Joshua), was born at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1691. He was the son of Joshua ben Abraham Eschel and Rebecca Pinto, descendants of a Venetian family. When he was only seven years old he shewed already great talents for learning, and delivered a sermonette at a wedding, so that a savant present remarked: "This boy will be a teacher in Israel." But as a precocious child he had to be guarded against mischief. Once he nearly lost his life while bathing. After the death of his father, Augusti, having read a book which described the glory of Jerusalem, felt a great desire to go there, and it soon so happened that a Jerusalem delegate, Aron Bar Jekutiel, arrived at Frankfort, and offered to take him with him. The mother, after some resistance to the boy's entreaties, finally gave her consent and parted with him in sorrow. The two travellers went first to Russia, intending to go by the Black Sea to Constantinople and then to Jerusalem. In the Crimea a band of robbers overtook them at a lonely spot, and Augusti was taken captive, while his companion managed to escape. The robbers brought him to a town and sold him as a slave for three and a-half dollars. After severe trials on board a s.h.i.+p, where he was tempted to embrace Mohammedanism, the slave dealer sold him to a Mohammedan Jew by the name of Ismael Bathmag, who brought him to Smyrna. Here the Jewish community purchased his freedom from slavery for 100 dollars, and after six months sent him home. On his homeward journey he stopped at Kaminice, where he was dangerously ill with cholera. After his recovery he eventually came to Cracow, where he remained four years studying languages. From thence he went to Prague and devoted himself to the study of Jewish theology under Rabbi Gabriel, who conferred upon him the t.i.tle of Morenu, D.D. He then interpreted the famous grammarian, Binyan Shelomo. Returning to Frankfort, he saw his mother, who desired him to get married and settle down, but he felt impelled to go to Italy in order to study Kabbalistic lore there. While living in Sonderhasen, in 1720, he was maltreated by a gang of robbers, who broke into the house in which he resided, and robbed him and his landlord to the amount of 20,000 dollars. It then so happened that a member of the princely family of Schwarzburg died, when the Court Jew Wallich, in expressing his condolence with the reigning prince, used the expression "der hochselige Prinz" with reference to the deceased. Whereupon the prince charged him with flattery, as he did not think that the Jews believed that a Christian could be saved. Wallich then brought Augusti, who proved from the "Sefer Hasidim" that a pious Christian who keeps the seven Noachian Commandments has a share in the world to come. This incident was in the providence of G.o.d the first means in Augusti's conversion. On that occasion Dr. Reinhardt, an evangelical pastor, was present, and they became acquainted with each other. This led later to discussions about the interpretation of Isaiah liii. Augusti, after much searching in Jewish commentaries, was convinced that this chapter speaks of a person and that Jesus is the one in whom it was fulfilled. Before his baptism he made an open confession in the synagogue of his faith in Christ, and he was baptized on Christmas Day, 1722, in the presence of Prince Gunther and the whole court officials. After his baptism he delivered an address on Ps. ix. 2, in which he expressed his thanksgiving for G.o.d's wonderful dealing with him. Soon after he began to study theology at the Seminary of Gotha. In 1727, he went to Jena, and afterward to Leipzig. He was appointed a.s.sistant Professor of the Gymnasium at Gotha, in 1729, and in 1734 became minister of the parish of Eschberge, in which position he remained until his death. The famous theologian, Johann Christi Wilhelm Augusti, was his grandson. Augusti published several works in Latin and German, notably "Das Geheimnis des Sambathian." ("The Mystery of the Sambathian," a fabulous river mentioned in the Talmud, which casts stones during six days in the week and rests on the Sabbath.) He also published a work on the Karaites.

BABA, M. D. M., a convert of the L.J.S. in Persia.

BACH, Daniel Friedrich, born in Potsdam, 1756, died in 1830, studied in the Art Academy of Berlin. The year of his embracing Christianity is not mentioned. He became a famous painter. (Brockhaus Conv. Lex. I. 99).

BACHERT, Rev. S. T., A.K.C., convert and missionary of the L.J.S. After his ordination he was curate of St. Matthew's, Marylebone, St. John's, Kilburn, and St. Michael's and All Angel's, South Hackney, London. He was appointed as head of the mission in Hamburg in 1874, where he laboured with evident divine approval for about a quarter of a century.

He was the founder of a home for enquirers, with a workshop, as well as of a chapel attached to it, where the inmates studied, worked, lodged, wors.h.i.+pped, and were under a well-organized Christian training. A very large number found eternal peace there, and quite a considerable number became ministers and evangelists of the Gospel. Bachert was afterwards promoted to be the Head of the Missionary Training College in London, and when this was given up, he was sent to take charge of the mission in the north of England. The story of his conversion is a very pathetic one.

BAFFRAL, James, a prolific statistical writer, baptized at Strasburg on Christmas Day, 1859; his wife (_nee Levy_) and five children two years later. The relations, after the death of the father, tried their utmost to bring the children back to Judaism, and they appealed to the law of the land, but failed. One of the daughters afterward became superintendent of the Deaconesses' Inst.i.tution.

BALAGHI, F., Professor of Theology in Hungary, was a pupil of Theodor 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 G.o.d, neither did it ever enter my mind to ask myself whether I obtained those things I so earnestly sought for from G.o.d.

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 G.o.d 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 x.x.xiii. 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 t.i.tle, "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 a.s.serts 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.

Ba.s.sIN, Eliezer, born about 1840 in the government of Moghilev, Russia.

In 1869 he went to Constantinople, and then after experiencing G.o.d'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 Ja.s.sy, Roumania, by the same Society. Later he laboured for some years in Edinburgh, under a Scotch Society. He was the author of a work ent.i.tled, "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 ent.i.tled "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 Neuchatel.

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 Ja.s.sy 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 Gluck, a physician of high standing in Bucharest. Thus father and child have made known G.o.d's truth in their respective spheres.

BEHRENS, S. J., another Jewish convert, was for twenty years accountant and collector of the Operative Jewish Converts' Inst.i.tution, 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 Ca.s.sel, 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," "Blatter fur 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 Encyclopaedia.")

BELMONTE, Hannah, a near relation of Da Costa, and later his wife, became a Christian in 1822.

BENARY, Franz Ferdinand, born at Ca.s.sel 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 t.i.tle, "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 Cla.s.sics, 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. cx.x.xvii.), 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 wors.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d. He became convinced at last that the old covenant was merely a preparation for the new one (Jer. x.x.xi. 31-34). One difficulty was the word "virgin" in Isa.