Chapter VI: Converts in the Protestant Churches (3)

"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.

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] 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.

[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.

"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.