The republic., 1851-04-17
From al4 Hong Kong (Ctina) Overland Mad.
Jews In China. ~

CHARLk4TOHs -. VI, Apru ., Aool.
From At4 Hong Kong China) Overland Mad.
Jews In Chlna.
The existence Of fragment Of the family of
Abraham in the interior Of China has been certain
lv known for upwards Of two hundred years, and
surmised much longer. The Jesuit Ricci, during
his rssidsnce at Pekng in the beginning of the sew
cnteenth century, was the means Of exciting the
attention Of foreigners to the Jews of Kai-fungfu
the ancient capital of Ho-nan province. In 1918
they were visited by Aeni, follower of Ricci; and
hundred years later, between l70l and l723, Fa-
thers Goxani, Domenge. and Gaubil, were enabled,
from personal investigation on the spot, to give
minute descriptions of the people, their synagogue,
and sacred books, the latter Of which few could
even then read, while the former was, with the
peculiar institutions of Moses, fast falling to decay
Beyond few feeble and ineffective efforts on The
part of biblical critics, nothing was subsequently,
attempted to maintain q communication with this
handful Of Jews, until in 1915 some brethren in
London addressed q letter to them in Hebrew, and
offered = large reward if any one would bring an
answer in the Same language. The lctter was en-
trusted 70 Chinese bookseller, native Of the pro-
vince, who 10 reported to have delivered it. which
was doubted, a. he brought no written answer.
Recently tho Jews Society in London. encour-
aged By tho muniHcence of Mss Cook, who placed
ON tina subject, and sought the cooperation of the
bishop Of Victoria, who, having previously opened
a correspondence with DR.. Medhurst on the sub
iect during his lordship's recent visit to 6hanghw,
the plan Of operations was agreed upon. This was
to despatch two Chinese christians, 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 January. contains an interest
ing account OF their mission, from which we gather
the following particulars:
Tha two emissaries started on the 18th Novem-
ber hst, and aiaer absence Of fifty.ve days,
tIvned 70 Shangha, the distance between the two
cities being about SIX hundred mics.s Arrived At
their ds~inaon. they found in the decayed city Of
Ksi.funx. "a both Mohamedans and Jews, the lat
ter erty-ctsicken and degraded, their syna-
oorue "a I ststc- Of dilspidation. and the distin-
euishinx symbols Of their religion nearly extinct.
Tho books of the law, written in . email square
character on shespskin, are, however, still pre-
served. although it would seem for many years
they have been seen by no one able 70 read them.
The Jesui4s mention the existence Of the sacred
books. but wsre not suffered to copy or oven to in.
spect them; but the Csiasss christians encountered
no such scruples; 70 that besides taking copies of
inscriptions ON the stone tablets. they were enabled
70 bring away eight Hebrew manuscripts. six Of
them containing portions of the Old Testament,
and two Of the Hebrew liturgy. The correspond
ssnt Of the North China Herald states that
IsThe portions Of Scripture are from the Let to
the 9th chapters Of Exodus, from tho 38th to the
40th chapters Of the same book, Levitcus 18th and
2Oth chapters, Numbers 18th, 14th and 18th chap
ters, Deuteronomy from the 1lth 70 the 10th chap
tess. with the sd chapter Of that book. Various
portions Of the Pentafeuch, Psalms, and Hegio-
Not sIl yet BEEN BEEN desnitsiy azsd The character II
which these portions arc written IL antique form
of the Hebrew, with points.t They are written on
ss sn y N the .t z .h
the bo0ks are bound, exhibit marks Of . foreign
origin. Two Israelitish gentlemen, to whom they
have y asn: y ns
and there Of Persian words. written with Hebrew
letters, In the notes appended, seem 70 indicate
that the books in question came originally from
shs western part Of Asia, perhaps Persa or Arabia
There u no trace whatever Of the Chinese charac-
ter about them, and they must have been manu-
factured entirely by foreigners residing in China
sarding thsir age ii would Be difacuit to hazard
even conjecture" fsAs s ain.a
Tho result of this miaaion has been such that it
cannot be doubted another will be sent, and we
trust the attempt At least will be made by some
discreet foreigner Jew, or at all events He
brew scholar-to penetrate to Kai-fung-f1; for al
though the proofs brought away on tho present oc-
casion are 20 far satisfactory yet in tho account
given. ON the authority Of the Chinese cmissarics,
we presume there are several things that might
otherwise excite incrcdulity.
KAi-fnng- hi, according 10 Williams's map. is
situated about league from the southern bank of
the Hwang-ho, or Yellow river, in 34.5o north lati
tude, and ll4.40 east longitude. Y 81 ~
THE Jesuits slate expressly that the Hebrow was
without points. .sI oNb
Nsw HisroRv.--Albert J. Pickett, Of Mont
gomery. Alabama, has been for good many years
engaged in preparing history Of the State Of Ala