Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ
Asseso, laboured there with great fidelity, and bore testimony for
Christ before all classes. God owned and crowned his labours, for on one
Sunday ten Falashas were baptized, amongst whom were some of his
relations.
ALAMY, or Alomy Debtera, another Abyssinian convert of the L.J.S., had
his sphere of labour at Dagusu.
ALEXANDER, John, an English Jewish convert in the seventeenth century,
wrote after his baptism a book entitled, "Covenant Displayed," in which
he shewed his brethren that the covenant of God with Israel is only
realized in Christ Jesus.
ALEXANDER, John, was for many years an agent of the Bible Society at the
Crystal Palace, and did good work there. He laboured also with the
writer and the late Mr. Mamlock at the Paris Exhibition in 1879. He
accompanied the Rev. Frederick Smith to St Petersburg in 1874, when they
obtained permission to reopen the Mission in Poland. Alexander wrote a
number of articles for the "Scattered Nation" and for "Good Words," and
a book entitled "The Jews, their Past, Present, and Future" (London,
1870).
ALEXANDER, Michael Solomon, first Protestant Bishop in Jerusalem,[5]
was born of Jewish parents in Schönlanke, a small manufacturing town in
the grand duchy of Posen in May 1799. He was trained in the strictest
and straitest principles of rabbinical and orthodox Judaism. At the age
of sixteen he became a teacher of the Talmud and of the German language.
In 1820, when in his twenty-first year, he came to England to engage in
a similar pursuit, and also to perform the duties of a shochet. At that
time, as he said, he had not the slightest acquaintance with
Christianity, and did not even know of the existence of the New
Testament. His knowledge of Christ was limited to strong impressions of
prejudice against the Holy Name. Disappointed of a situation in London,
he settled down as a tutor at Colchester. There the sight of a handbill
of the London Jews' Society, notifying its Annual Meeting, aroused his
curiosity, and he obtained and read the New Testament. Shortly
afterwards he accepted the post of rabbi at Norwich, and subsequently at
Plymouth, and in 1821 he married Miss Levy of that town. He there, in
the providence of God, became acquainted with the Rev. B. B. Golding,
curate of Stonehouse, to whom he gave lessons in Hebrew, and from the
conversations which ensued from time to time, Alexander, after much
inward conflict, almost came to the conviction of the truth of
Christianity. The struggle was now almost heart-rending. He used to
steal silently down to Stonehouse Church on Sunday evenings, and, under
the shadow of its walls, would stand riveted to the spot, while he
listened to the songs of Christian praise, in which he dared not as yet
take part. His congregation, however, soon got to hear of his leanings
to Christianity, and he was suspended from his duties as rabbi. He now
regularly attended Mr. Golding's ministry, and was eventually baptized,
on June 22, 1825, in St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth, in the presence of
1,000 people. His wife, who had been a secret enquirer, unknown to her
husband, was baptized six months later in Exeter. Owing to Alexander's
position, his conversion aroused much interest, and proved a great
encouragement to all workers in the cause. He was ordained deacon in
Dublin, in 1827, by Archbishop Magee, at a time when the ordination of a
Hebrew Christian was of very rare occurrence indeed, and appointed to a
small charge in that city. In December of the same year he was ordained
priest by the Bishop of Kildare, and joined the London Jews' Society,
which he served as missionary, in Danzig, from 1827 to 1830, and in
London from 1830 to 1841.
[5] This and following eleven pages are taken from _Biographies of
Eminent Hebrew Christians_.
One of the most interesting incidents in his work in Prussia was a visit
to his birthplace, and the meeting with his brother, a rabbi to a large
congregation near Posen. We quote the future Bishop's own words, as
shewing his humbleness of mind, and how fully he had left Judaism
behind, and entered into the joys of his new faith.
"I cannot describe my feelings on finding myself now in Posen, my native
country, when I reflect on the wonderful dealings of the Lord with me
since I left this place nine years ago. I was then a wandering sheep
from my Saviour's fold, walking in darkness, and in the shades of death,
ignorant of the Lord that bought me. How did He lead me? the blind by a
way that I knew not. My soul doth magnify the Lord, because my spirit
rejoiceth in my God, as my Saviour, especially when I consider I am now
engaged as an humble, but unworthy, instrument to preach the glad
tidings of salvation, and to declare to my brethren, what the Lord hath
done for my soul. When my prospects of usefulness are dark, I look to my
Lord, and say, 'Thy grace is sufficient for me; Thy strength is made
perfect in my weakness.'
"The Lord gave me another gracious token of His mercy at Posen. I wrote
to my brother, who is rabbi to the large Jewish congregation twelve
miles from Posen, informing him of my arrival, and requesting that we
might have a meeting. I had very faint hopes of his compliance, as he
had been most bitter against me since my baptism. His letter, however,
expressed a wish to meet me half way from Posen. I immediately set off,
and had the unspeakable satisfaction of embracing my brother, not as an
enemy, even for the Gospel's sake, but full of brotherly love and
affection, and even giving me credit for sincerity. I stated to him the
Gospel, and declared also to him an account of the hope that was in me.
He acknowledged that he had not given the subject due consideration, but
he promised he would. He told me what is very important, viz., _that it
is generally expected among the Jews, that the coming generation will
embrace Christianity, and that Judaism is fast dying away_. Time would
not allow him to be much with us, and we parted, praying together that
the Lord would open his eyes to behold His glory, as it shines in the
face of Jesus, and that we may both be united in His love, and become
brothers in Christ."[6]
[6] _Jewish Expositor_, July, 1828, p. 260.
In his work in London, Alexander frequently preached to Jews, and took
an active part in the revision of the New Testament in Hebrew and the
translation of the Liturgy into the same language. He held the post of
Professor of Hebrew and Rabbinical Literature in King's College, London,
from 1832 to 1841. In 1840 Professor Alexander's name appeared at the
head of some sixty names of leading converts from Judaism, who had
subscribed to a formal "protest of Christian Jews in England" against
the Blood Accusation, or charge against the Jews of using Christian
blood in their passover rites. This was a remarkable document, emanating
as it did from so many who were by nationality Jews, and who had lived
to maturity in the faith and practice of modern Judaism.
Just at this juncture an event took place which then and since aroused
considerable commotion in the religious world at home, the establishment
of the Anglican Bishopric at Jerusalem.
Dr. McCaul, to whom the Bishopric was first offered, declined it on the
ground that a Hebrew Christian ought to occupy the position.
Consequently, Alexander was selected and consecrated, as first Bishop
of the new See, on Sunday, November 7, 1841, in Lambeth Palace, by Dr.
Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by Dr. Blomfield, Bishop of
London, Dr. Murray, Bishop of Rochester, and Dr. Selwyn, Bishop of New
Zealand. A distinguished company was present, including his Excellency
the Chevalier Bunsen, as representing the King of Prussia; Sir Stratford
Canning, Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary to the Porte; Baron
Schleinitz, Prussian Chargé d'Affaires; the Prussian Consul-General
Hebeler; Lord Ashley; the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone; the Right Hon. Dr.
Nicholl; Sir Robert H. Inglis; Sir Claudius Hunter, and the Rev. Dr.
Abeken, Chaplain to the King of Prussia. The sermon was preached by Dr.
McCaul from the appropriate text of Isa. lii. 7, "How beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that
publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"
The next morning the Holy Communion was celebrated in the Episcopal
Jews' Chapel by the new Bishop, who preached his last sermon before his
departure from England, in the evening, from the appropriate, and, as
subsequent circumstances proved, pathetic words, "And now, behold, I go
bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall
befall me there," &c. (Acts xx. 22-24). On the 13th a farewell meeting
was held, and an address presented to the Bishop, who with Mrs.
Alexander, the Rev. G. Williams, his private chaplain, the Rev. F. C.
and Mrs. Ewald, and Dr. E. Macgowan, sailed from Portsmouth, on December
7. H.M. Steam Frigate "Devastation" was granted for the purpose by the
Government. The party arrived off Beyrout on January 14, 1842, and
reached Jerusalem on January 21.
The entry of the Bishop into Jerusalem was a unique event in the history
of the Holy City, and was thus described by himself:--"On Friday evening
we arrived in the city of our forefathers under circumstances of
peculiar respect and honour.... We formed quite a large body--the
Consul-General (Colonel Rose), with seven or eight of his escort;
Captain Gordon, and six or seven of the officers of the 'Devastation';
Mr. Nicolayson and Mr. Bergheim, who met us at Jaffa, and accompanied
us; Mr. Johns and the American missionaries, with escorts, who came to
meet us about three miles from Jerusalem; and, at last, the chief
officers sent by the Pasha, who had himself come to meet us in the
afternoon, but was obliged to return, as night came on, and it was damp
(we arrived about six o'clock), and a troop of soldiers, headed by Arab
music, which is something like the beating of a tin kettle. Thus we
entered through the Jaffa gate, under the firing of salutes, &c., into
Jerusalem, and were conducted to Mr. Nicolayson's house, where we were
most kindly and hospitably received, and all felt overwhelmed with
gratitude and adoration.... We had service in the temporary chapel on
Sunday last. I preached my first sermon from Isaiah lx. 15; Mr. Williams
preached in the afternoon, and Mr. Nicolayson conducted a German
service in the evening. We had a very good congregation, all our
friends, the Consul-General, Captain Gordon, and the officers, being
present. Our feelings on the occasion can be better imagined than
expressed, as you may easily suppose. We also had the Sacrament, and it
will be pleasing to the ladies of Reading to know, that the handsome
communion-service which they presented to the church was made use of for
the first time by the Bishop of Jerusalem."[7]
[7] _Jewish Intelligence_, 1842, p. 127.
_The Times_ contained a full account of the Bishop's entry, and
concluded with these words:--"The Mission is sure of the firm support of
the British Government and the British Ambassador at the Porte. As
regards Syria, the Consul-General has lent all the force of his official
authority, personal influence, and popularity, to set the undertaking
afloat, while the mild and benevolent character of the Bishop, and the
sound practical sense and valuable local experience of his coadjutor,
Mr. Nicolayson, are sure guarantees that caution, charity, and
conciliation will preside at all their efforts."
In conformity with instructions received from Constantinople,
proclamation was made in the mosques, that "he who touches the Anglican
Bishop will be regarded as touching the apple of the Pasha's eye."
The presence of the Bishop was soon felt in work amongst the Jews in