Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-08-06
SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE.
Sketch of the Famous Hebrew Phil
anthropfst.

Sketch of the Famous Hebrew Phil
anthropist.
The following rs Il brief sketch of
Sir Moses Mentefore, the celebrated
Hebrew philanthropist, who died at
Ramsgate, England, last Thursday,
and whose centenary birthday ami
versary was so widely celebrated last
October:
His father was an English merchant,
and traced his ancestry back to Spain,
from the time when his forefathers
were driven by persecution to flee in
to Italy, where the earliest Montefiores
amassed great wealth. The baronet's
earlier years were passed in Italy,
where be received his education and
began his business career. In 1912
he married sister-in-law of Nathan
Meyer Rothschild, the founder of the
London branch of the greatest bank
ing house in the world. He made his
first trip to Palestine in 1872, its pur-
pose being to make a personal investi-
CATION Of the causes of the abject state
of the Hebrews residing in that coun-
try A result of his inquiries was that
the Palestine fund was established for
their relief, of which Sir Moses Monte
fore has since been administrators.
He was appointed Sheriff of London
and Middlesex in 1887, and during
the sane year was knighted by the
Queen at Guildhall, on her first visit
to that city after her accession to the
throne, and in 1916, as a recognition
of his services IN behalf of his race,
both at home and abroad, he was Gre
ated q baronet. His influence with
the Pasha of Egypt and the Sulan Of
Turkey in 1910; after the massacre at
Damascus; his untiring efforts with
|fthe Gar Nicholas in behalf of the
Russian Jews in 1876; his able and
successful labors with Louis PHILIPPE,
King of France, in reference to the
prosecutions of 1917, and his pleadings
with the Spanish authorities in 1853,
are all remembered with gratitude
and thanksgiving by the down-trodden
of his race who have been benefited
through his exertions. The dream of
this philanthropist has been to see Pa
estine the seat of Jewish empire and
Jerusalem its capital, and he has Civ
Ell the best labors of his life to the ac-
complishment of these objects. In
1858 Sir Moses went to Rome to- per-
sonally intercede with the Pope for a
child of Jewish parents named Morta-
ra, who was immured in a convent,
but his visit was unsuccessful Lady
Montefiore died in 1862.
Sir Moses Montefore's charitable
works of various sorts have been many,
especially for the relief of his own peo-
pie. In 1861 he paid his final visit to
Palestine when he had fondly hoped
to see the new Jewish empire establish
ed. This was his dearest wish, as his
coat of arms bears witness in its ban
ner inscribed "Jerusalem." His mot
to was think and thank"
Sir Moses health was remarkable
for his age, though his weight has pre-
vented active movement. The cele-
bration of his one hundredth birthday
in October last, was made the occasion
of marks of esteem and respect in
many lands. Among these was the
dedicotion of the Rabbinical College
at Rome named after the aged baro-
net, and endowed with Montefore
fund, and the founding of q professor
ship in Leghorn, Italy, the native city
of the Montefores.