The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-17
MISS FLORENCE E. BEN-oLIEL.
Interesting Daughter OF a Kemarka
BILE Father.

BILE Father.
She is Here With the Christian Workers
| She Made Four Addresses Yesterday
| A Jewish Missionary to the Jews.
Yesterday was as beautiful Sabbath day
| as heart could wish. 1t was bright and
warm, and there was very little mud. The
churches were more largely attended than
usual, on this account and because OF the
unusual interest due to the presence of
the Christian Workers and the fact that SO
many of them oficiated in our pulpits.
One of the most interesting visitors to our
| city among the Christian Woi kers. at the
present time, is Miss Florence E. Ben-Oliel.
| She is the daughter of the Rev. Abraham
Ben-Oliel, who is conducting the Christian
Union Mission at Jerusalem, and who
founded it four years ago. She Is IN this
country in the interests of this mission and
is endeavoring to raise money therefor. She
| spoke at four different churches In this city
| yesterday, at 1890 a. m. in the Chestnut
street Methodist; at p. m. in the Congr ess
street Methodist; at $50 p. M, In the Willis
ton church, Congregationalist, and at 1880 p.
m. in the Free street Baptist church.
Miss Ben-Oliel's father is one OF the most
prominent and remarkable Hebrews in the
world. He was born at Tangier, in Morocco.
In 1926, ard according to custom. attended
the Rabbinic schools, learning Spanish at
home. Arabic in the streets. and Hebrew
and Chaldee at school. He read the New
| Testament for the first time at the age Of
| eighteen years, it falling into his hands by
accident. His unusual mind grasped the
| significance of it, and two years later,
| through the study of Pilgrims Progress"
and Keith on Prophecy" he became con-
verified to Christianity and resolved to
preach the gospel to his own people. He
went to England and was baptized, and
while pursuing his theological studies, in
| 1S4S. was sent out by the British Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel Among
the jews" to Gibraltar and North Africa.
| His family, after fruitless efforts to pre-
vent his heresy, disowned bin, and even
went into mourning as if he had been
| dead
In November 10, 1852 he was ordained to
| the ministry at Orange street chapel, Lon
| don, by twelve minister's, representing the
| Prest yterian, Congregational, Wesleyan,
| Baptist and Lutheran churches. In 1859 b 9
| was recognized by the Presbytery of Edin-
burg as a member and ordained missionary
of the United Presbyterian church of Scot
| land.
after his ordination he renewed his mis-
| sionary labors in Morocco. Algeria and
| Tunis. He planted the Church of Scotland S
| Missions at Salonica and Smyrna, and
| worked under the United Presbyterian
church of Scotland in Spain and among the
Jews and Spaniards in Oran, Algeria. He
| organized churches at Cadiz and San Fer
| nando and assisted in the organization Of
| the Jerez church. In 1883 he was appointed
| to labor among the Jews in Rome, and
thence was sent to Jafra. In 1891 he removed
| to Jerusalem, where he is assisted by his
wife and eldest daughter. who is now one of
| Portland's guests.
| Not the least of his successes was the con-
vertion of his own family. who had mourned
| him as dead, and now his seven brothers
| have taken up missionary work among their
| people.
! Miss Ben-Oliel said yesterday that Jeru-
salem is the centre Of the Jewish Orthodox
religion and the mother Of the chief Rabbis.
| In the whole country of Palestine there is
not one Jewish scholar engaged in
| Christian work except her father.
When he first came the Rabbis resolved to
defeat and discourage this man who was to
| attack their religion. A leading Rabbi
| came to her fathers house and with him
was crowd of Jews. His purpose WAS to
| talk my father down. and when Jew in
| tends to do that, ii means pretty tough
discussion" He talked five hours and went
| away without success. He came again and
| talked almost as long. third time he
| came and from the most ardent talker she
| ever heard he became as weak as a kitten.
| He soon after became missionary in the
| Christian cause. Saturday her father hard
| ly ever gets his breakfast till 10 O'Clock at
night. SO much discussion does he engaged
| in, and when Jew talks religion he forgets
everything, not even excepting time.
| Amongst the Jewish women, Mrs. Ben
| Oliel and her daughters have held mothers
meetings, where some of the poorest of the
poverty stricken women have gathered to
| make garments for their large families of
| little ones. The materials are given them
| and as they sew, texts and hymns are
taught them and the sweet old story Of
| Jesus love is told.
| Miss Florence Ben-Oliel, besides visiting
Jewish houses two or three times a week.
has had classes of small girls to teach them
sewing. She returns from this country to
her work as Rev. A. j. Gordon's Watch
word missionary. The Watchword. a
monthly, edited by him, at 2ss Washington
street, Boston, will contain monthly letter
from the mission.
Miss Ben-Oliel is a very prepossessing
young woman, with a remarkable nuency OF
| speech and energy of manner.
|