Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ

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.

Christlieb, Friedrich Wilhelm, another convert, made himself particularly obnoxious to the Jews by attacking the Talmud in a bitter spirit. He wrote: "Greuel der Verwüstung des heiligen Jerusalem durch den jüdischen Talmud," Cassel, 1681. "Lästerungen der Juden gegen Christum," ib., 1682. A theological treatise: "Jesus Christ und Sohn Gottes nach Kabbalistischer Art erwiesen," Rinteln, 1697.

Christhold, Christian Albert, born in 1687, was baptized when young with his mother. He had great talents, so that at the age of 23, in 1700, he was appointed Rector of the Gymnasium in Oettingen, when he wrote a Latin treatise advocating toleration and liberty to the Jews. He was afterwards a faithful minister of the Gospel till his death in 1772. Schulze said of him, "I have hitherto not found anyone like him."

Christhold, Christiane Sophie Magdalene (Judith), a relative of the above, followed his example.

Christfels, Philipp Ernst (Mordecai), born at Neuhaus, 1671, son of Moses Shemaja, received a good rabbinic and German education. Being of a disputatious disposition, he very often in his wanderings disputed with Christians on religious subjects, amongst whom was the well-known Wagenseil. A learned rabbi, by the name of Hirsch Froman, once advised him to read the New Testament. Another Rabbi, Abraham Reviga, Kabbalist, with whom he studied, intimated to him that under the attribute called Binah is to be understood the Son of God. This made him restless, but at the same time enquiring. He was finally, after nine months' instruction, baptized in 1701. Christfels was the author, before his baptism, of a book in Hebrew, entitled "Rephuah Hanephesh," "Soul-Medicine," and after he became a Christian, the Pentateuch with the Targum's and Rashi's commentaries were printed under his supervision.

Christian, Gottlob Meyer (Abraham Meyer), baptized by Schulze (the celebrated missionary of Callenberg Inst.), in 1769. He afterwards studied Theology.

Christianus, Paulus, embraced Christianity about the beginning of the eighteenth century, together with his son. The latter suffered martyrdom (de le Roi, i. 131).

Christlieb, Johann Ludwig Karl Friedrich (Aaron Mendel), was baptized by the Court preacher Kern, in the eighteenth century.

Cohen, Dr. Medicinalrath, a convert, at Posen, between 1830-40, took a lively interest in the evangelization of his brethren, and encouraged the missionaries Händler and Bellson in their labours.

Cohen, Esther, baptized at Constantinople in 1873, was a deaconess at Mildmay, and was sent in 1885 to Jaffa as a missionary.

Cohen, Rev. James, was all his life an ardent supporter of missions to the Jews, and for many years a member of the L.J.S. Committee. As far back as 1849 he delivered an address to the students in the Hebrew College. He was for many years Rector of Whitechapel, where he eloquently preached both by word and pen. Later he was Vicar of Heston.

Cohen, Joseph Philipp, born in Prussia, was converted at Swansea, a narrative of which he gave in a little tract, entitled "The Sweetness of Christianity," London, 1845. It was chiefly owing to his being of a serious turn of mind that he felt the need of redemption from his sins, and that made him study diligently the Old Testament. Afterward a lady gave him a New Testament, and the first passage that met his eye was, "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He was later a missionary of the British Society until 1873. After that time he continued his calling independently.

Cohen, J. John Baptist, after much suffering on account of his conversion to Christianity, was employed by Lewis Way as an evangelist in Smyrna, and remained there when Lewis Way left the station in 1837.

Coral, J. N., a native of Rhodes, embraced Christianity in Jerusalem some time between 1860 and 1870. He was a very earnest and loving man, an acceptable preacher of the Gospel in Judæo-Spanish and in Hebrew to his Sephardic brethren. He did excellent work when he used to visit with the writer the towns of Palestine in 1871-2.

Coresh, Daniel, a convert, mentioned in Wolff, Bibliotheca Hebraica 3. N, published at Amsterdam a Latin treatise in 1727, under the title "Quinque aperti flores collecti ex horto malogranatorum et in fascicula digesti." He states there that he had then lived in Amsterdam as a Christian for fifteen years, so that he must have been baptized in 1712.

Da Costa, Isaac. Much has been written about this great son of Abraham, and the following is a short account of his conversion from his own pen: —

"You request of me, dear brother, some account of my conversion to the Christian religion, and to the faith in Jesus Christ; and I cannot refuse to tell the things which the God of our fathers has wrought in my soul. I will cheerfully join my testimony with that of my brethren, both by nature and in grace, who endeavour to instruct others and to teach their hearts by retracing the ways of God towards them in His providence and His grace.

"To set His dispensations towards me in a clearer light, I must refer to many long past events. A son of Israel is constantly reminded that his personal history is closely linked with that of his fathers. I must then crave indulgence for prefacing my account with some particulars respecting my parentage, which I derive from one of the Jewish families that have for several ages dwelt in the Spanish peninsula. Some of my ancestors in that country professed Catholicism, first by compulsion; and afterwards (a case by no means uncommon in the history of our people in Spain and Portugal) from conviction, or, at least, in sincerity. Humanly speaking, we might still have inhabited that country, and professed the Romish faith; but one of the members of our family, Canon Tresonis, of the collegiate church of Oporto, gave up, in consequence of his doubts on religion, his office and his country to return to the Synagogue of his ancestors.

"We learn from various biographical works[11 - "Exemplar Vitæ Humanæ," printed at the end of the "Colloquy of Limborch with Prabio"; Bayle, "Dict. Historique," art. A. Costa; Wolff, "Bib. Rabbin," &c.] the history of Gabriel (Judaic Uriel) da Costa (Latin,'a Costa') who with his younger brothers, was circumcised at Amsterdam, where, after falling into complete infidelity, he ended his life very unhappily. It is from one of these younger brothers, Joseph da Costa, that I take my descent, by the direct male line. My family belonged, during two centuries, to the Spanish and Portuguese synagogue in Amsterdam, where it enjoyed all the privileges which Holland then presented to my nation in its exile and tribulation. My father, who shared in the sentiment of devotedness to the house of Orange, so common amongst the Jews, and who was therefore very inimical to the revolution, educated me in the same principles. He was a very upright man, and gifted with a large share of good sense; and my education was to him an object of the most affectionate care and solicitude. His religious principles were by no means those of a strict Jew, although he maintained a decorous respect for the outward ordinances of religion. My mother was much more inclined to the religious observances of modern Judaism.

"From childhood my mind had been partially influenced by a sort of religious instinct, a vague desire to know and to serve God, whilst I was, at the same time, involved in doubt and uncertainty, both as to Revelation itself, and with regard to the ordinances, and the oral traditions of the rabbis. At times I strenuously addicted myself to the devotional use of the prayers, the rites and commandments of my religion; at others, I relapsed into doubt, and gave way to a distaste for all these outward observances. The scoffing and irreligious philosophy of the eighteenth century inspired me with horror; and my attention was earnestly directed to the acquiring of an intelligent conviction respecting the existence and government of God, and the immortality of the soul. But the books I consulted in my search into these high interests failed to afford me satisfaction. Their arguments were not of sufficient weight fully to convince me of their truth, nor did their reasonings fix me in complete incredulity. Materialism alarmed, distressed, and shocked me. But the subtleties of Plato, of Mendelssohn, and others, could not reach my heart, nor warm it. My mind was at that time far from being convinced of the historical fact of Revelation, or of the veracity of the Old Testament, of Moses, and the Prophets. And although in the midst of this uncertainty, I still clung to the great recollections of my nation from a feeling of natural pride, my commerce with unbelievers, and my study of philosophers, had wrought in my mind so far as to exclude the idea of an immediate and positive revelation. I had formed a sort of deistical system, in which were mingled rabbinical and Mosaic principles. I looked upon Jesus Christ as a light proceeding from Israel for the illumination of the Gentiles: meanwhile the vanities of the world and sin ruled in my daily life. Such was the state of my mind when in the providence of God two events occurred which had a marked influence on my future course.

"My father, perceiving my inclination for study, destined me to the career of jurisprudence, a pursuit which, though formerly closed to the Jews, had been partially opened to them since the revolution of 1795. From the age of thirteen to fifteen years (1811-1813), having attended regularly the Latin classes in my native city of Amsterdam, I began a course of lessons with the Professor of Antiquities and Literature, a man of learning, and possessed of a highly refined taste. His historical lectures gave him ample opportunity for asserting and setting in a conspicuous light the truth and high authority of the writings of Moses, and he earnestly vindicated those records from the sophisms and fallacies of Voltaire, and the other sceptics of the age. The idea of a positive revelation was now awakened in my mind; I began to believe in the divinity of the Old Testament, and this great truth gradually developed, was to me as a beacon amidst doubt and obscurity. Revealed religion, the divine authority of the Bible, is an historical fact.

"My study of the Bible history was soon followed by enquiries which originated partly, I must own, from national pride. In the midst of the contempt and dislike of the world for the name of Jew, I had ever gloried in it. I began, therefore, to study the history of our families, and of our nation, in Spain and Portugal, in respect to its theology – its poetry – its attainments in science – its political and diplomatic position, taking a general review of its prosperity and of its astonishing calamities. Throughout their history, both ancient and modern, I perceived something so extraordinary as to be quite inexplicable, unless we view the Jews as the subjects of remarkable privileges, and of as remarkable a downfall; of a special election of God, and of an enormous crime on the part of the elect people. It was thus that the consideration of Judaism prepared me for the knowledge of that religion, which alone is the solution and the fulfilment of the pure and divine Judaism of the Old Testament.