The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12


matted black hair. His face was hatchet-
shaped and not unlike an Aztecs, The eyes
were informed by an eager brilliance. He had
heap OF paper-covered books in his hand and
an extinct cigar in the other.
-Chtldren Of the Ghetto
In Israel Zangwill's Children of the
Ghetto" this describes the Hebrew
poet Melchitsedek Pinchas. 1t is one of
the most interesting and picturesque
characters in the book. He is the dreamer
and the agitator of the great movement
for the return of the chosen people to the
holy city; with his own hands he is to re-
light the fires upon the hills OF Zion In
the arrogant conceit of his great learning
he moves in poverty among the people
ooasting Of occult powers of his own and
with a sneer ever on his lips for those
about him-English, Gentle and Jew
In the London Hebrew colony it is
greed that the character is drawn from
the llfei iand that in the life Mechitsedek
Plnchas IS Professor Naphtaly Herr Imber,
Hebrew poet, mystic, expounder of the
Cabbala, who the other day arrived in this
City and gives 1t out that he intends to
remain.
Certainly the description of his personal
appearance fits to him as do the comings
and goings of Melchitsedek Pinchas
through the now famous book. Looking
confidently in his glass Professor Imber
Will deny the likeness.
How can it be?" he will say. ibid 1 not
SIT before the Boston School of Art for
them TO paint picture of Noltaire? They
paid me $50 for the sitting. They called
me the Jewish Noltalre. The English
Jews call me the Jewish Carlyle, and so it
goes. 1t is impossible that 1 should be
the clown Pinchas, for am l not referred
in ha fTrSf vol. or +ha
Children OF the Ghetto, referred to by
this same MelChitsedek as the national
poet OF Israeli One of nv songs is there
called the Hebrew 'Wacht Am Rhe in "
This Professor Imber thinks is conclu-
slve that Pinchas is not Imber
Professor I'm Der has come into the West
to found a new cult. After 1000 years of
silence and mystery concerning it, the
Cabbala Is to be expounded. 1t is the year
set by the Patriarch Abraham in which
the people shall receive the light. The
thirty-six Cabbalists-there are but thirty
SIX, and have ever been in the world but
rty-six-have chosen him to go forth
and preach the real truth. This is his
word for it. Last Tuesday. in the Temple
Emanu-EI, he, made his initial announce
ment of the truth-and netted $50. Had
the price been but 25 instead of 90 cents
he would have made 500. But the money
IS TO be spent not on himself but in further
spreading knowledge of the truth.
He is to continue here the publication of
his magazine Uriel, the first number of
which has been published in Boston, He
has already begun the formation of class
for the teaching of his doctrines. His
hand is against the theosophists and every
other theorlst, as 1t Is against orthodoxy,
Jewish or Christian theology and ali
other ologies; for his teachings are those
OF absolute truth-the only teachings that
may not be controverted and thrown
down. That is why all tho Sc at which he
sneers still follow him; that is why the
Rabbi Noorsanger permits him to lecture
in the Temple Emanu-El; that is why the
theosophists themselves publish his writ
ings, and why Rabbi Voorsanger's own
paper, the Jewish Messenger, prints
in its last issue something from his pen,
although the writing brands the rabbis
and preachers and professors of religion as
hypocrites. This, mind you, is the pro-
fessors own word for it.
The professor comes to San Francisco as
a poor man. His trousers are somewhat
stained with weather and wear and hang
high upon his coarse boots. The pro-
fessor does not care. He places his
finger upon his forehead, and YOU un-
derstand-for 1t is the seat of the mind
1t is a rather remarkable face with its
halo of black hair 1t is swarthy, and
~ runs from tip OF chin to top of crown out
ward TO a central point at the nose. The
eyes are black and keen, and smiling and
mellow, and convincing. The mouth is
most self-satished. II is wide and straight,
and when smiling which is after each
annunciatio is closed, the corners rising
and falling, self-convinced and self-satis.
fed with its own wisdom while awaiting
the listeners expected assent. His mouth
looks best when 1t is closed, for mis- teeth
are dlscoIored and some of them are miss
ing.
The professor is short and slight of figure
and makes his best appearance in his best
garment which is an all-enyeloping over
coat: He is occupying modest lodgings in
private mouse on upper Bush street.
Should you call upon him, which you are
quite welcome to do, you will catch first
and somewhat startling glimpse of him
his swarthy face aud bright black eyes
and spreading shagky name of hair-as he
croucbes down behind the railing on the
upper landing 10 catch sight of YOU as YOU
enter. For he has heard the door-bell and
realizes that the people who ring the bell
at this house must be coming to see him.
If he has other guests in the little back
room he has excused himself from them
that he might not lose what is going on at
the door. be will receive you with effusive
courtesy. If there be not chairs enough
he Will himself sit upon the edge of the
bed.
On stand there is row of books and
another in the corner. There are con-
fused heaps of newspapers, with marked
articles either referring to or written by
the professor. The books are all in the
Hebrew except few pamphlets and a
couple OF little English dictionaries
"I ou wish TO know my mission2 1t is
TO expound the truth. They ask me why
/ have opposed theosophy. Because it is
not truth. Nine. Blavatsky was misled.
she did not reach the truth. For 2OOO
years the Cabbala has remained hidden
revealed only to The chosen. The thirty
SIX CAPITALISTS are scattered throughout
the world. They are to be found in the
army, among Statesmen amnnp the
rch and among the very lowly. They are
not known except to the true believer.
Inc man saving wood in your back yard
may be one of them. In every station of
lie they have their mission to perform.
Their number has never been greater
Its secrets are to be found in no books
men one OF the thlrtvsix finds that his
mission is at an end, he communicates to
some other who has been chosen, and who
is ripe to receive them. The candidate
must pe over 40 years OF age. am not
Cabbalist for l am not that age Rnt
have been chosen by the thirtv-six to ex-