Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ
nominated by the King Friedrich of Prussia as Inspector of the
Synagogue. He had to suffer martyrdom.
HIRSCH, Rev. David Jacoby, was born in 1820 at Sandersleben, in the
Duchy of Anhalt. His parents were strict Jews. He received his early
education at a school in Dessau. When he was a young man he came over to
England, and in 1844 got to know the late Dr. Marsh, who first spoke to
him of Christ. This led him to study the Word of God, and to enquire how
he, a sinner, could be saved. Subsequently, Dr. Baylee, of Birkenhead,
took a great interest in him, as he taught his boys German, French,
Latin, and Hebrew. From him he received instruction in the Christian
faith, and at the end of 1845 was baptized by him, and married his
daughter. Later on he was ordained by Bishop Sumner for the German
pastorhood at Liverpool, a post he filled until 1852, when he added to
his pastoral duties missionary work among the Jews, receiving a grant
from the Society for twelve years. He then retired until his death, in
1898, greatly missed by all who knew him.
HIRSCH, Paul Wilhelm, was baptized in 1692, taught Hebrew, and issued a
pamphlet in Berlin, 1717, under the title "Entdeckung der Tekuphath," in
which he exposes the superstition held by rabbinic Jews, and then
published in the calendar, that at the entrance of each of the four
seasons of the year the fluid of the vessels containing water is turned
into blood. This superstition has probably done them much harm.
HIRSCH, Siegfried, born in 1816, studied history under the celebrated
historian Ranke. Through the influence of Neander he became a devoted
Christian. In 1844 he was appointed professor of history in the
University of Berlin, where he was esteemed and beloved by the students.
He was one of the founders of the conservative paper "Kreuz Zeitung." He
died in 1860.
HIRSCH, Theodor, born 1806 in Altschottland, near Danzig, embraced
Christianity through the influence of Schleiermacher. He too became
professor of history, first at Danzig, and later, in 1865, at
Greifswald. In spite of his great learning, it is recorded that he was a
very quiet and humble man. He died in 1881.
HOGA, Stanislaus, a native of Casimir, Russia, was, after embracing
Christianity, a missionary of L.J.S. in London. He was mostly engaged in
literary work, and translated "Songs of Zion," a selection of English
and German Hymns, into Hebrew (1834--with additions, 1842); a
translation of McCaul's "Old Paths" into Hebrew; "Nethivoth Olam," 1851;
a Hebrew grammar of the English language, 1840; "The Controversy of
Zion," a meditation on Judaism and Christianity, 1845; "Halichoth Orah,"
which is a translation of Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress"; "Eldad and
Medad," which is a dialogue contrasting the New Testament and the
Talmud; "Malakh Haberith," a translation of the tract "Angel of the
Covenant." He also, together with Reichardt, revised the old edition of
the Hebrew New Testament.
ILIEWITZ, Alexander, a medical missionary long connected with the
Society's work in Jerusalem. It would not be easy to mention a
missionary who, throughout a long career of labour, had shown more
loving sympathy for his brethren, or more patience and self-denial in
labouring for their good, than he did. He was not a theologian, or a
Talmudical scholar, and was not fitted for carrying on learned
disputations with highly educated Jews. But he had a simple, trustful
faith, which made him never tired of proclaiming the way of salvation. A
learned rabbi, widely celebrated for his profound knowledge of the
Cabbala, complained that he had dared to preach Christ to _him_. "I did
not send for him," said the rabbi indignantly, "to tell me that the
Messiah has come. I sent for him to prescribe for my bad feet." He was
in a special way the friend and helper of the poor and unlearned. He
used to tell a sad story about a young Jew of this kind who died of
cholera in 1865. When dying, this poor lad whispered to Mr. Iliewitz as
he stood by his bedside, "You have often told me to 'kiss the Son lest
He be angry.' He _is_ angry! He _is_ angry!" and so passed away.
His early life was one of continuous trial and struggle. His father died
before he was born. At an early age he left home and became apprentice
in a surgeon's shop at Berditcheff, where he remained three years. He
then removed to Odessa, and afterwards to Galicia, where he stayed eight
years with a surgeon. He entered the college at Lemberg, passed the
examinations, and received his medical diplomas.
The crisis of his life was now approaching. He was taken ill, and this
made him think about his soul. "I knew the Almighty God," he wrote at a
subsequent period, "only from nature. I saw how gracious and merciful He
was towards me, and therefore I lifted up my hands and eyes to Him, and
prayed in my ignorance: O Lord, Thou hast made me so that I could learn
many scientific and useful things, grant me now also opportunity to be
better informed of Thy Holy Name. In this also the Shepherd of Israel
heard me." After his recovery he removed to Pesth, where he met
missionaries; he was taught the way of salvation. In 1845 he was
baptized, and in 1856 he was sent to Bucharest. Two years later he was
transferred to Jerusalem as assistant medical missionary, in which
capacity he laboured until within a year or two of his death. He passed
away on June, 1895, aged 80. Many will rise hereafter and call him
blessed, having received the first seeds of eternal life through him.
IMMANUEL, Siegmund (Salomon Jacob), born in Hamburg, 1792, died at
Minden, 1847. Seeking for true religion, he found it in the Gospel, and
embraced Christianity in 1809. When still a student at the Gymnasium of
Altona he wrote a treatise entitled, "Animadversiones ad Coluthe carmen
de rapta Helena cum specimine Versionis Germanicæ." He then studied
theology at Helmstadt, Göttingen and Leipzig till 1813. After being a
private teacher at the house of the Russian General Berdiageff he, in
1814, became state teacher at Hirschberg, in Silesia, and in 1821 was
appointed Principal of the Gymnasium at Minden, which position he held
until his death. He was the first principal to introduce gymnastics into
the school curriculum (1831), and to divide the Gymnasium into
departments of arts and sciences (1840). Among Immanuel's works may be
mentioned: "Die Anfänge der Reformation und die Gründung des Gymnasium
in Minden" (Minden, 1822), "Declamation Unterricht auf Schulen" (_ib._
1824), "Historischer Unterricht auf Gymnasium" (_ib._ 1827), "Gutachten
über Herrn Lorinser's Schrift zum Schutze der Gesundheit auf Schulen"
(Bieldfeld, 1836).
ISAACS, Rev. Albert Augustus. The cause of missions to Jews possessed a
very intelligent and warm-hearted advocate in the Rev. Albert Augustus
Isaacs, who was himself, as his name indicates, of Jewish parentage, and
who throughout his long life, identified himself with every movement for
the welfare of his brethren according to the flesh.
Mr. Isaacs was born in the island of Jamaica, on January 24th, 1826, at
Berry Hill, a coffee plantation, of which his father was the owner.
Jamaica was at that time one of the most prosperous colonies of Great
Britain. His father, Isaac Isaacs, had become a convert to Christianity
some years previously. We have no authentic particulars of his father's
life, although we have an idea that in the story of "The Star of Peace,"
by "Ben Abram," which ran through the first two volumes of "The
Everlasting Nation," the adventures of Isaac Da Costa, in Jamaica and in
England, were those of his own father.
Albert was his second son, and was sent to England for his education,
which was received at Maze Hill, Greenwich, under Dr. Smithers. The
religious instruction in the school, and preparation for confirmation,
though slight in themselves, led him to serious reflection, and were the
means of deciding him to give his heart to Christ at the age of
fourteen, and they influenced his future career. When he left school
Albert returned to Jamaica for four years, at the expiration of which
time, on the recommendation of Canon Carus, he entered Corpus Christi
College, Cambridge, being a contemporary of one who afterwards became
master, Dr. Perowne, and of Bishop Moule, of Mid-China. Young Isaacs'
residence at Cambridge was marked by a strict adherence to his
collegiate studies, which he commenced daily at five o'clock in the
morning. His religious life was very fruitful, he being a teacher in the
Jesus Lane Sunday School, the founder of the Cambridge University Prayer
Union, and the organizer in his college of successful efforts on behalf
of the Bible Society and the Church Missionary Society. He himself
ardently desired to become a missionary, his sympathies being especially
drawn towards East Africa. The door, however, was not open in that
direction, and so after taking his degree in 1850, he was ordained in
the same year by Dr. Davys, Bishop of Peterborough, and licensed to the
curacy of the parish church in that city, of which the Bishop's son, a
well known evangelical of those days, was the vicar. If our supposition
about "Ben Abram's" story is true, the following information from the
last chapter but one of the "Star of Peace" is interesting. We read
there that Isaac Da Costa (his father) had so arranged his movements as
to be present on an occasion of great interest to himself and others,
and with no little pleasure was looking forward to the opportunity of
witnessing his son's ordination. He had been unable to say what might be
the day of his arrival, as the voyage from Jamaica to New York was made
at irregular intervals, and it would appear that he arrived too late to
witness that rite, for we read, "All was silent as the night in the
little cathedral town in which Da Costa's son had begun his ministerial
work. It was late when the last train arrived from the west, and a cab
containing the father drove to the lodgings of the son. The sound of a
bell vibrated upon the ears of those who were slumbering; but it was not
so loud as to arouse them to consciousness. But early in the morning a
messenger arrived from the chief hotel to announce the arrival of Mr. Da
Costa. Telegrams were not so far available in those days as to enable
him to communicate the fact of his arrival. It was Saturday night, and
Da Costa had calculated on the enjoyment of the services of the Lord's
Day amidst the scenes of his son's labours. As these consisted of four
separate services--in whole or in part--he had the evidence that his lot
was not cast in idle, although it was in pleasant, places."
Mr. Isaacs remained in the curacy at Peterborough for two years,
discharging his ministerial duties with zeal and ability. In 1852 he
became an association secretary of the L.J.S., having charge of the
counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincoln. The following year he was
appointed assistant clerical and association secretary for the north
metropolitan district. Mr. Isaacs had married the eldest daughter of the
Rev. J. M. Johnson, rector of Scoulton, Norfolk, and a niece of Lord
Berners. She was a remarkably clever linguist and a student of Hebrew.
She died in 1856, after a very brief married life. After her death Mr.
Isaacs visited Palestine in the winter of 1856-7, and found the
particulars gleaned during that visit of much subsequent use in his
advocacy of the cause. He gathered the materials for subsequent books,
took numerous views of the country, and bought a property near Jaffa
called "The Model Farm," which, under an edict of the Sublime Porte,
was made over to him as a British subject. He visited Palestine again in
1869, and was a traveller also in various parts of the world.
Mr. Isaacs married, secondly, in 1861, the eldest daughter of the Rev.