The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-27
MANY FALSE MESSIAHS.
Record of Twenty-Five impoS-
tors Who Claimed the
Title.
The First Appeared A. D. $50 and
the Last, Not Counting SchWeln-
furth and Teed, in 1872.

TWENTY-FIVE false Messiahs, translated from
"Danskeren, " Copenhagen, appears in the
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
j. Simeon. surnamed Bar-cochba, "son
of star" appeared in the reign of Had
rian "a. D. 1907 and claimed to fulfill the
prophecy of Balaam. He took Jerusalem
in 49,, and was slain in 135. His enemies
changed his surname TO Bar-cozeba, ''son
of lie"
,. Moses Cretensis arose in the reign of
Theodosius the Younger "A. D. 434), and
pretended to be a second Moses, sent 10
deliver the Jews of Crete. He was soon
unmasked but disappeared before he could
be punished.
5. Dunaan appeared in the reign of JUS
tinian { \. D. 800, and called himself
son of Moses. He was captured and put
TO death by the Ethiopian General Eles-
ban.
4. One Julian was set up as king by the
Jews and Samaritans, and looked upon as
the Messiah. This was during the rebel
lion under Justinian IA. D. 529). He was
captured and beheaded.
5. Serenus arose in Spain about 721. He
had a large following.
6-7-S The twelfth century produced very
many false MeSsiahs. We have report
of one in France about 1877; one in Persia,
113S, and one in SPAIN 1857. The Jews
followed them in great numbers.
g. In Fee arose (1167) David Alrul AL
ray). He prosecuted the Jews and ended
miserably Disraei has taken the plot
for his "Alroy' from the life of this pre-
tender.
10. In this year there arose also false
Messiah in Arabia. He claimed to work
miracles. A king demanded proof of the
miracles. The prophet said that they
might cut off his head and he would come
TO life again. 1t was done, but no revival
took place.
Il. About ITO false Messiah arose
among the Jews beyond Euphrates. He
claimed as proof of his messiahship that
he had been cured in one night from lep-
rosy.
-. In IVA Persia again saw a false Mes
siah, who also brought great tribulations
upon his followers.
Is. The Cabalist, Davie Almasser, arose
in Moravia in 1176. He pretended that he
could make himself invisible. He was
killed, and the Jews had 10 pay heavy
taxes for his sake.
IA. Persia was again, in 1899, afflicted
with a pretended savior. David-el-David, a
magician and a man of great learning,
arose against the King. He was captured
and beheaded, and great mum bers of Jews
were punished as his followers.
10. Ismael Sophus was a Spanish Mes
siah. In the thirteenth and fourteenth
centuries the Messiah craze seemed to have
died out. Yet the learned Saadia, Ibn
Chija, NaChman and Gerson calculated
that the time for the real Messiah to ar
rive was in 1853. No pretender seems to
have arisen. Later, Abraham Abrabanel
fixed 1902 as the date.
16. With the opening of the sixteenth
century the false Messiahs begin again to
appear. The German rabbi Asher Lamm-
- ! /.
and converted many Jews and Christians
to the belief that he was the Messiah. He
promised to lead them under the banner of
the Messiah. the King of the Jews" to
the Holy Land. He died suddenly, and his
followers were scattered.
Il. During the eventful reign of Charles
Y, David Reuben appeared and claimed TO
be sent TO lead the Jews to Palestine He
gained favor at court and was even received
with distinction by the Pope, Clement VIII
He was joined by Solomon Molchofia, a
Portuguese apostate Christian, who became
the prophet OF the movement. When later
these two attempted to convert the EN-
peror they were taken prisoners. David
escaped with his life. Solomon was burned
at the stake.
IS. In 1915 the first false Messiah in the
West Indies appeared. He was successful
among the Portuguese Jews. He promised
to destroy Rome and overthrow Antichrist
and the Turkish empire.
49, In the Low Countries a false Messiah
arose in 1924 and made great commotion.
His name is not known.
20. The most successful of all the false
Messlahs was Sabbathai Zebi, who took ad-
vantage OF the peculiar expectations which
in 1866 seemed to possess mankind like an
epidemic. Rumor from the East told of
great multitudes who from unknown parts
marched to Arabia. They were supposed
to be the ten lost tribes From Arabia
they were said to have sailed for Scotland
with sails and cordage of silk" The
sailors were reported speaking Hebrew,
and on the sails was the motto, THE
Twelve Tribes of Israel" Zebi claimed TO
be king of kings Of the earth, and said
that these events were signs of his coming.
The Turkish Government seized him as a
dangerous agitator To save his life as he
thought, he turned Mohammedan He
was finally beheaded. Zebi's influence
lasts to this day. 1t is hard to account for
it, but it is fact.
81. Rabbi Mordecai, German Jew, ap-
peared in 1852 and succeeded in imposing
upon many. When proved to be an i'm
poster he fled from Italy to Poland.
y. The most remarkable among all
these impostors was Frank, afterward
called Baron Frank, and said to be a
relative of the Russian Emperor. He arose
in the middle of the eighteenth century,
and propagated new creed. A sect which
originated with him still exists in Poland.
He was largely influenced by Zebi. His
daughter led his followers after his death.
1924. Jakutbiel, King OF Israel, vul-
carly called Moses ChaYim LuzZatto. an
peared in Amsterdam about 1744, and Ari
Shocher appeared in Siena. The both
claimed TO work miracles. The first was a
learned man. The latter was waylaid and
murdered.
%. The lastimpostor heard of in Europe
was called Jakuthiel, King of Israel. like
one of the former frauds. He appeared in
1872 and addressed the Jewish congrega-
ton of Berlin, and gave out as his motto.
Not with power, nor with force, but with
my spirit, says the Lord Zebaoth" His
"diplomatic note" to the Porte demanding
peaceful cession of Palestine was laughed
at, and he did not pour out the threatened
''vials" because he was not obeved. He
appears to have disappeared as silently as
he came.