Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ
was a teacher in several congregations, and naturally gave him a good
Jewish education. At the Jewish school, he learned from the Talmud the
old tradition that the Messiah was to come after 4,000 years had elapsed
since the Creation. This led him to enquire, and eventually he was
instructed by Dr. J. Alex. Neuspitzer, pastor of the Reformed Church at
Cleves, in 1671. In 1672 he entered the University of Leyden, and in
1677 he became pastor at Assenen; and then in 1680 at Spyk, in South
Holland, where he officiated till he died. Ragstatt was the author of
the following works:--(1) "Jefeh Maréh" (Amsterdam, 1671), written in
Latin, in which he endeavoured to prove, as against the Jewish
controversialists, especially Lipman of Mülhausen, the Messianic mission
of Jesus. A Dutch translation of this work, which contains also an
account of Shabbathai Zebi, was published at Amsterdam, in 1683. (2)
"Viytmunden--de Liefde Jesu tot de zeelen," _ib._ 1678. (3) "Van het
gnaden Verbond," _ib._ 1613. (4) "Two homilies on Gen. xlix. 10, and
Mal. iii.," The Hague, 1684. (5) "Noach's prophetie van Bekeering der
Heyden," Amsterdam, 1688. (6) "An Address delivered on the occasion of
the baptism of the Portuguese Jew, Abraham Gabai Faro," _ib._ 1688. (7)
"Brostwepen des Geloofs," _ib._ 1689. (8) "Jesus Nazerenus Sions König
on Ps. ii. 6," Amsterdam, 1688.
RAPOPORT, the well-known banker in Paris, was baptized with his wife,
two sons and four daughters, by Pastor Abric at Passy in 1879.
RICARDO, David, was born in London 1772, of a Portuguese family, and
died in 1823, at Gatcomb Park, Gloucestershire. He embraced Christianity
in his youth (see Brockhaus, 12, 523) and was therefore forsaken by his
father. He entered the Stock Exchange with little means and amassed a
fortune. He was the author of "Principles of Political Economy and
Taxation," 1817. In 1819 Ricardo entered the House of Commons for
Portarlington. Nearly all his brothers became Christians. To his memory
there is a professorship at the London University by the name of
Ricardo.
RICIO, Peter, son of a Jewish jeweller, was born at Berlin in 1809, and
died in 1879; he distinguished himself as a Christian in his
investigations in physical science. Amongst other works, his "Lehre von
der Rechnungs elementale," became epoch-making and secured for him the
membership of the academies at Petersburg, Göttingen and Munich, and the
degree of Doctor from Paris.
ROHOLD, S. B. The story of his conversion is thus told by himself:--
"It was in the well-beloved city of Jerusalem that I was born, and there
also my early days were spent. More than half the inhabitants of
Jerusalem are Jews, and mostly very pious, having come from all parts
of the world to be buried in the Holy City when they die. The belief
amongst these Jews is that when Messiah comes there will be the
resurrection, and the bodies of those who were buried beyond Jerusalem
will have to suffer much rolling until they reach the city. Thus to
prevent this they have their burying place in the ancient city, being
zealous for their religion, without enquiring as to whether they are
really right in doing so. My father's family was very well known,
belonging to one of the most pious sects of Jews in Jerusalem. It was
the great delight of my father to speak of his ancestors, who were great
rabbis; and for half a century he occupied an honoured rabbinical
position himself in Jerusalem (Rosh Hashochatim). My dear mother also,
whose ancestors were leading Jews amongst the rabbis, was fond of
telling us wonderful stories of her grandfather, who was a famous
disciple of the great Geonim of Wilna. Needless to say, both my parents
were careful to train their children in the religion of their
forefathers. Being the youngest son of the family, I was much petted,
and they did their utmost to bring me up in the fear of God, and in all
the customs, rites, and rabbinical traditions, whilst they taught me to
look upon Christianity as idolatry. Truly my parents loved me very much,
and did all in their power to educate me in what they believed to be
right, and their one desire was that I might occupy the seat of my dear
father, to which all my teachers gave them full hope. Thus the early
part of my life was spent in study within the home circle. It was in
the year 1893 that I had conversation for the first time with
Christians.
"In that beautiful spot, the so-called Garden of Gethsemane, I one
evening met two servants of God, who began speaking to me. At the time
it seemed that I had gone into the Garden merely by accident, but now,
as one looks back over the past, it can be clearly seen that a loving
unseen hand was guiding me. These two Christians explained to me from
the Scriptures how that Jesus of Nazareth is in very deed the promised
Messiah, Israel's greatest hope. As they reasoned with me, there was one
passage of Scripture which I could not get over, that 'the sceptre shall
not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until
Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.'
"With this new light upon the Word of God I was given to understand that
the promises regarding the coming One told not only of His glory and
majesty, but also of His suffering and death (Isaiah liii. and Psalm
xxii.).
"Slowly I began to see how great and true Jehovah is, and how that His
divine word regarding the Messiah has been literally fulfilled in Jesus
Christ. I saw my helpless condition, and realized as never before that
my own righteousness was as filthy rags. And oh, what joy came to me,
when the gracious promise of God was fulfilled, a promise which came to
me now with such a new meaning. 'A new heart also will I give you, and a
new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart
out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put
My spirit within you.' (Ezekiel xxxvi. 26, 27).
"Having then accepted Jesus Christ as my own personal Saviour, I began
to wish that my own loved ones might know Him, whom to know is life
eternal. But I feared to tell them of my new-found treasure, and it is
impossible for me to describe the unrest and agony of soul that I passed
through in consequence. It was only at the Throne of Grace that comfort
could be found, and there I sought the strength and help I so much
needed. After this it seemed very clear that the Lord was speaking to me
through His Word, and was thus answering my prayer for guidance. The
word which came to me was that given to Abram of old--'Get thee out of
thy country, and from thy kindred and from thy father's house, unto the
land that I will shew thee.' (Genesis xii. 1).
"To leave those who are dear to one, the relations and friends, yes,
even to leave all for Christ's sake, is not easy; yet I knew it would be
best to do what appeared to be the only right thing. It was a hard
command to obey, but still I had the Lord's promises to take with
me,--'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world' (St.
Matthew xxviii. 20). 'If ye shall ask anything of the Father in My name,
He will give it you' (St. John xvi. 23). Trusting therefore in God
alone, and persuading myself that He would be faithful in fulfilling His
promises, I started on my journey. And by the help of Almighty God I
came to England, arriving here as a perfect stranger, not knowing the
language, and without an earthly friend. It was a time of great
temptation, but the God of my fathers kept me. Letters came from my
friends and relations in Jerusalem, trying to persuade me to go back,
and my dear father said it would bring down his grey hairs in sorrow to
the grave if I did not return. Truly I felt the presence of my Redeemer,
and realized that He had called me. This joy filled my heart, and the
peace which passeth understanding was my portion. I praise God for those
Christians who have learned to sympathize with His ancient people. The
Lord raised up kind friends who helped me through my difficulties, and
daily I learned more of my Saviour's love, and found that 'His goodness
faileth never.' His word says, 'They who put their trust in Him will
never be put to shame,' and as I trusted, so I proved the truth of it.
After spending some time in England, the way opened for me to enter the
Bible Training Institute, Glasgow.
"Here I had opportunity of studying the Word of God, for which I was
very thankful. At length a call came for me to enter active service in
the vineyard of the Lord at the Bonar Memorial Mission to the Jews of
Glasgow. On this work the Lord was pleased to set His seal, sending
friends to encourage me, and in other ways blessing me abundantly."
ROMANN, Nathaniel, was born at Kobylin, Posen, in 1819, and was educated
in the rabbinic schools of Lissa and Breslau, attending also at the
latter place lectures at the University. From the reformed rabbi, Dr.
Geiger, he learned to reject the Talmud, and from the missionaries
Teichler, Caro, and Cerf, he learned to accept the Gospel, and to become
a whole-hearted Christian. He then became a teacher in a Christian
school at Zieginhals. In 1851 he was accepted by the L.J.S. as a
candidate for missionary work, and after preparing himself in their
college, he was sent to labour in Breslau and Berlin, where he
discharged his duties faithfully, becoming a blessing to many Jews, till
his death in Berlin in 1871.
RONKEL, Philipp Samuel Van, was born at Groningen, Holland, in 1819. His
father was a teacher in a Jewish school, and when Pauli visited him, he
shewed him a New Testament, which he often read, but concealed it from
his son. Pauli said to him, "You may hide the New Testament from your
son, but you cannot thereby frustrate the counsel of God." Philipp was
well educated in rabbinic law, but he found no pleasure therein, nor did
the services in the synagogue attract him. He was brooding upon
something which his parents could not find out. At the age of nineteen
he entered the academy of Groningen, and studied classics. A professor
there drew his attention to the influence which Jesus exercises upon
thinking humanity. From that time the personality of the Saviour
occupied his mind, and he began to read with delight the poems of Da
Costa. Just then he was requested by the Jewish congregation at Leerdam
to deliver a sermon at the dedication of a new synagogue, and he took
for his text Haggai ii. 10, and manifested in his sermon that he was
inclined towards Christianity. It then happened that a Christian pastor
visited a poor sick woman, but she refused to have his services. Ronkel
then tried to see what he could do with her, and succeeded in getting an
attentive hearing from her to his stories about good women of the Old
Testament. She then asked him to read the Bible, but he had not one with
him, and her own Bible she had torn to pieces when the pastor visited
her. Then she asked him to pray, but he had never offered up an
extempore prayer. In this perplexity he thought he could repeat the
Lord's prayer in Dutch, which he had learned in Greek. He then repeated
it with such fervour that the woman shed tears. This was the turning
point in Ronkel's life. He took now the decisive step, and was baptized
on Christmas Day, 1856, Da Costa being one of the witnesses. He became a
true Christian, according to the testimony of his own father. Later he
became one of the most eloquent preachers in Holland, and the Lord
prospered the work which He had committed to his hands.
ROSENBERG, Rev. L., wrote the following brief sketch of himself shortly
before he died:--"My parents were by birth Austrian Jews. By occupation
my father was a landed proprietor and my mother carried on a drapery
business. There were four children of the marriage, three boys and one