The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-04-23

jews IN CHMA.-The existence of fragment
of the family Of Abraham in the interior Of China
has been certainly known for upwards of two
hundred years, and surn.ised much longer. The
Jesuit Rcci, during his residence at Picking in
the beginning OF the seventeenth century, was
the means Of exciting the attention Of foreigners
to the Jews of Kai-fung-fu, the ancient capital of
Ho-nan province. In 1913 they were visited by
Aleni, follower Of Rcci; and hundred years
later, between 1704 and 1923, fathers Gozani, Do
nenge, and Gaubil were enabled from personal
investigation on the spot, to give minute descrip-
tons of the people, their synagogues and sacred
books, the latter of which few could even then
read, while the former was, with the peculiar in
stitutons of Moses, fast falling to decay. Beyond
few feeble and Ineffective efforts on the part OF
Biblical critics, nothing was subsequently at
tempted to maintain communication with this
handful OF Jews, until in 1915, some brethren in
London addressed letter to them in Hebrew,
and offered large reward if any one would bring
an answer in the same language The letter was
entrusted to Chinese bookseller, native of the
province, who is reported to have delivered it,
which was doubted, as he brought no written an
swer.
Recently the Jews society in London, encour-
aged by the munifcence OF Miss Cook, who
placed ample funds at their disposal, instituted in
quirics on the subject, and sought the co-opera-
ton Of the Bishop Of Victoria, who having prev
iously opened correspondence with DR.. Med
hurst on the subject, during his lordshp's recent
visit to Shanghai, the plan OF operation was
agreed upon. This despatch two Chinese
Christians, one of them literary graduate, the
other young man with competent knowledge
of English, acquired at the London missionary
school. The North China Herald of the 18th
of January contains interesting account Of their
mission, from which we gather the following par
tculars
The tive emissaries started on the 18th of No
vember last, ard after absence of6fty five days
returned TO Shanghai, the distance between the
two cities being about 600 miles. Arrived at their
destination, they found in the decayed city OF
Kai-fung-fu both Mahommedans and Jews the
latter poverty stricken and degraded, their syna-
gogue in a state Of diIapidaton, and the dstin-
euished symbols Of their religion nearly extinct.
The book Of the law, written in a small square
character on sheepskin, are however, still pre-
served, although it would seem for many years
they have been seen by no one able to read them
The Jesuts mention the existence Of the sacred
books. but were not suffered to copy or even n-
spect them; hut the Chinese Christians encount-
cred no such scruples; 30 that, besides taking
copies Of inscriptions on the stone tablets, they
enabled to bring away eight Hebrew manu-
scripts, six Of them containing portions of the
Old Testament, and two Of the Hebrew liturgy
The correspondent Of the North China Herald
says that
The portions Of Scripture are from the lst to
9Th chapter Of Exodus, from the 3sh to the 4Oth
chapters of the same book, Leviicus 10Th and
Goth chapters, numbers 18th, Ilth and 18th zap
ters, Deuteronomy from he | lfh to the 10th chap
ters, with the god chapter of That book Vari-
Gus portions of the Pennteuch, Psalms and Ha-
geographic occur in the books Of prayers, which
have not yet been definitely fixed. The character
in which these portions ore written is an antique
form of The Hebrew, with points. They are writ
ten on thick paper, evidently by means Of a style,
and the material employed, as well as the silk in
which the books are bound, exhibit marks OF a
foreign origin. Two Israelilish gentlemen, to
who m they have been shown in Shanghai, say
that they have such books in Alden, and the
| occurrence here and there Of Persian words writ
ten with Hebrew letters in the notes appended
seem 10 indicate that the books in question came
originally from the Western part fAsia, perhaps
Persia or Arabia There ia no trace whatever Of
the Chinese character about them, and they must
have been manufactured entirely by foreigners re-
siding in China, or who have come from for
eign country. Regarding their age, it would be
difficult to hazard even conjecture.
The result Of this mission has been such that
il cannot be doubted another will be sent, and we
trust the attempt at least will be made by some
discreet foreigner--e Jew. or at all events He
brew scholar--to penetrate TO Kai-fung-fu, for
although the proofs brought away on the present
occasion so fhr satisfactory, yet in tho account
given, on the authority ofthe Chinese emissaries,
we presume, there are several things that nigh,
otherwise excite incredibly. - Overland China
! Mail, Jan, 29M.