The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-01
wonderful Conversion of a Rabbi.

Czas,p the former Rabbi of Wischnitz Abraham
Finger was baptised in the Dominican Church
at Cracow, General Kraczawski and Countess
Marcella Krasiexa acting as sponsors The
conversion of this Rabbi is a very remarkable
one. The intense hatred which he always
bore towards Sisb aS bs npe
remind one forcibly of the conversion of Saul.
We. extract the following from tho f'ys,
religious paper published Mt Cracow:
am the Gallician town of Wischinc, there
lived a Rabbi who was very strict observer
of his religion, al a very advanced age he made
his will, in which he expressed the desire that hat
Office of Rabbi, and, following the custom of
his forefathers, he undertook pilgrimage to
Jerusalem that he might die there. This son
was duly installed as bis successor, and proved
by his subsequent conduct that, like his
father, his Hebrew convictions were very strong
indeed, and his hatred of everything Catholic
was such, that on the last day of the year 1868,
as he was leaving the synagogue surrounded
by other Jews, q Catholic priest happened to
pass; the sight of him produced the greatest
excitement in the mind of the Rabbi, the fear
of the law alone prevented him from commit
ting an assault on the priest. Turning to bis
companions he said: teOur meeting with this
unbeliever is q bad omen, rendering our suppli
cations fruitiess; let us return to the Synagogue
and repeat our prayers"
During n subsequent sermon, he remarked
and proved that the Messiah would soon appear
in this world, because nearly all the prophecies
had been accomplished and he spoke with
such violence that he tainted, and had to be
carried out 1t was near dark ~nen, suddenly
looking up to the sky he beheld n figure on q
cross, its head crowned with thorns, the whole
surrounded with luminous rays. He look ed at
this apparition for more than half an hour,
until he became chilled that he had to- enter
tho house to warm himself. After he had done
so, he retugnel to the Same spot, but found
that the apParition had changed its place, and
was then suspended over the Catholic Church.
He also saw n hand holding rod, after which
the vision disappeared. The Rabbi became
very thoughtful, and did not know how to
.
that the Messiah of the Catholics, as he had
often seen him on crosses, had appeared to him,
Init his deep-rooted preiRdice against Christi
aniAy would not allow him for a moment to
think of ever becoming Catholic. Neyerthe-
| less, he could find no rest; the question in
1 cessantIy required ''What does this apparition
mean - He visited the synagogue repeatedly,
and prayed that God might remove the i'm
! pressi0n left on his mind by what he had seen.
| But his prayers were 30 dry cold and distract
/ ed that he was not able to continue thena.-He
now visited the graves of his forefatbers TO find
| comfort, but here, too, lie was disappointed,
and it seemed to him as if his prayers would
! be in vain. At last he dreamed one night that
he was in Jerusalem; here he saw Moses, Isaac
and Jacob, with his own father but
near the three patriaRehs stood a, beautiful
| figure clothed in dazzling white. with a crown
4 on her head. ENow," said he to himself, 81 can
ask the patriarehs. what am TODD" There
j upon his father said .Read the 2lst Psalu,
] there you will lind what you have to do;H and
pointing with his finger towards the " hite
! figure he added "She will teach you what
I You should know" and then voice was heard
saying: "Hail Mary, full of grace" etc. He
| awoke soon afterwards and saw white cross
with his own name written mt the bottom of It,
The apparition was very distinct, bat vanish.
! ed in a few moments. The Rabbi rose inn
! medlately and looked for the 2Ist Psalm, where
the sufferings of our Saviour are described
Although he had frequently road this Psalm
| the thought had never struck him that it had
! reference TO the Saviour: bat now he discovered
clearly the scourged, the afflicted, the crncifed
| Saviour, and not shadow of doubt remained
I in hismind as TO what he should do The above
! cited paper gives further details Of the Journey
which Abraham Finger, under the sPe2ia
] guidance of Providence, now undertook % the
I Bishop of Cracow, who directed him to tho
Dominican Convent. We will only add, thai
the Jews of Wischuic sought diligent lS
4 after their lost Rabbi that they finally dis
covered his hiding-place- But their desolatiot
4 was very great at the thought that their rabbi
should become Catholic. "A petition wal
forthwith signed and sent to the Ministry a
4 Vienna, in which it was asserted that the Rabb
had been foTcibly carried off by Catholi'
priests. A committee was appointed to in
Il vesti gate the matter. in the presence of til,
y Judge and of five select men OF the Jewisl
I congregation, Abraham Finger replied I" tina
it was God himself, in His unbonhded mercy
II and not Catholic priests, who had, torn hin
from the Synagogue; that he was Catholic
and that no humans power could bring hin
back to Judnism.---ff ccRaR's Journal.
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