The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-16
JEWISH CoNyERsIONIsTs.


LOCAL CHRISTIAN MISSIONS TO THE JEws-THE
ANCIENT CHURCH TRoUBLED-A CONVENTION
OF IsRAELITEs TO BE HELD HERR NEXT
MoNrH--KIGHT CONVERTS LAST YEAR.
There Is no subject that Jewish minds carries with
It SO much weight and Importance efforts Of church
missionaries to reach the Jews OF this city and bring
them under gospel innucnccsthat IS TO convert them
to Christianity Efforts in this direction have been
put forth quietly for many years by local churches
and are included also in the minstratons OF the city
missionaries and the benevolent associations. But the
success has hardly equaed tho cost in timo and mouoy
and Christians have settled down to tho conviction
that "the times OF the Gentilesn are not yet full
filed, so that there is very little hope OF success
In converting tho jews for the present But
all such efforts based upon the assumption
that for purposes Of salvation the Old Test
ament is oflittle or value There time, many
centuries ago, when 1t believed and declared that
avaton is Of the Jews but that article of faith has
been changed TO substitute Christians for Jews.
and the conversionsts butt their heads to speak,
against religion that counts its years by thousands
instead Of hundreds which has the pnrcst code OF
morals that has obtained among men. Very
pertinently, therefore, did Dr. Gostho. few weeks
ago ask what had the Christian to offer tho Israete in
exchange for Judaism Are its morals purcr, its
doctrines clearer its adherents honest truthful
and consistent ivcrs or it's teachers purer lives
or moro faultless character And, in previous
address, the Doctor emphasized this thought when hc
declared without fear OF contradiction, that his people
would not be found in prisons and peneniiarlcs In
rum shops and gambling saloons. They may be poor,
but they are honest; they may be idle but they arc
JEWISH NUMBERS AND CONVERSIONS
There arc about ITO 900 Israees In this city, accord
ing the latest estimate OF tho missionaries operating
among them and of this number, II Is said, 200 are
converts 70 Christianity The aim Of tho Protestant
Entcr Churrh
Of tho 1926 that remain unconverted How shall
this be donef 1t has established the Jews with hcad
quarters NJ No 352 West Thirty street, where
preaching service Ia held every Sunday forenoon In
Hebrew and German, ara Sunday school session in
the afternoon. The missionary charge 10 Mr. J. 3.
Nathans who personally or by his friends PROCESSES
be u converted rabbi. But tho learned and liberal
minister Of the Temple Emanuel repudates his rabbn
ca assumption and offers $25 to the conversonsis IL
they will bring to him jewish rabbi converted TO
Christianity. Bishop Potter, OF New York, has issued
circular TO the recos and churches OF this city ask
ing them TO help Mr. Nathans and his work financially
and spiritually Mr. Nathans himself adds that the Jews
arc ready to embrace Christianity and that MS homo
and his mission are daily crowded with jewish in.
qirers after the truth as Is IN the Episcopal Church
THIS circular and correspondence = what has caused
tho present ripple the calm sea OF Judaism. And the
ventilation oil the subject matter Jewish and Epsco
pasn pupils and press shows that cannot be treated
with indifference any longer But suggests also that
tho rabbi Natbans may have been moved by sordd
motives in bis acceptance OF Christianity The facts
developed By tho controversy show that nc obtained
Jeshurunn In Philadelphia forged papers purportiDg
TO be signed by he rabbi OF Pressburg. Hungary and
this fact discovered ho left Philadelphia
and Judaism about the time His next public
appearance was as liccniiatc In Baptist church
s nr Ordination eIU He was sound " on The
denomnational doctrines, believed In immersion
as the only scrip.ura mode OF baptism, and had no
faith whacvc In baptismal regeneration So far the
Council satisfied for the Baptsts like tho Epsco
paans, had begun to consider how they should reach
the rabbis" that the Council did not like, AMI
they could not get at tho bottom iacts they post
p months has exnred Mr. Nshans has repua,ea I'M
morsion and close communion and accepted baptsmal
regeneration and apostolic succession and all the other
pigments OF belief OF bis new church love, and has
been duly licensed, and by and by doubtless Will be
ordained by Bishop Potter. The
SOCIETY PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG TIKI JEWS,
with which Mr. Nathans Is at present connected, cx-
poets great results from his labors One or two public
meetings have been already hoa here TO arouse &
pages or tracts In tho German English aud
Hebrew languages, thrty-eght German Bibles,
mcnts In German and three in Hebrew
havc been distributed among the Israclites Of New
the argumen, OF .aho Church. and ITO nothing would
he turn quickly 10 tho Book or Common Prayer,
the use Of has o%' New o. we hro roaas
held consultations this subject and also on the pro-
jects Of Christians to get Jewish chiIden into Protcs.
tant mission schools, and tho 24th OF next month
convention OF Israe,itcs will meet here TO discuss and
take action the matter The call for this conven-
ton has boon made by the leading rabbis and wealthy
Jewish laymen OF this city. correspondent Of tho
Jewish Times analyses the last report Of the society
fcrred to above and shows that Jewish adults and
two children embraced Christianity last year. and the
cost OF tho operation was &2177 A. There is dan.
ger OF any such schemes being set foot
BY the israches OF New York; nor, at this rate, 10
there much Ground for hope Of many defcctions from
the ancient faith Of Abraham
Tho following letter on this subject from the editor
Of the Jewish Messenger will BE- read with INTEREST,":
To rns EplroR OF fnE HKRALD:-
Bishop Potter, Of the Episcopal Church, has seen rs
IN n
who claims to have been q Jewish rabbi, pud
who Is anxious 10 convert tho 110 900 Jews O. New
York" church IN fashionable locality has been
engaged for tho services Of this unique rcvivaIiaL
Bsshop Potter In circular indorsing the project bcgs
for the usual GOOD Friday contributions for the
ornizcd BY the Bishop man Of experience 10 his
department. and have the solemn assurance OF this
evangelist that no has confidence the conversion
NJ Jews 10 Cbrstlanity The history Of most CONVEX
sons or tho sort unhappy suggestive Of msrccnary
motives and peculiar mental obouity u y Oily