The San Francisco call., 1896-04-08
METHODIST VS.. HEBREW.
The Rev. Mr.. Goodwin's Piquant
Rejoinder to Rabbi
Voorsanger.
Methodists Will Receive Converts
From the Synagogue if They
Wish to Come.

Ihe following communication in relation
to the Rev. DR.. Voorsangers attitude
toward the Christian Jewish mission has
been received:
To the Editor of the San Francisco Catl-SIR
In this mornings issue of THE CALL my name
is menti oned in connection with "Voorsanger's
Reproof' and the Christian-Jewish mission.
Rabbi Voorsanger appeared among the Metto-
dist ministers yesterday morning unannounced
and unlimited, SO far appears and proved
his courage, if not his courtesy, by making d
number of suggestions" that proved his direct
ineal descent from those who made some
similar but more violent suggestions" to the
converted Jews, Paul and Silas, in Philippi
several years ago.
That prominent Methodist divine who
told your reporter that 1--WE none of us know
how to act' was in error. Ii Miss Anthony
had not been promised the f1oor-thus pre-
clud1ng any discussion-there would have been
some prompt and lively action. Methodist
preachers are not noted for turning the other
cheek when slapped by vainglorious and
self-important censor.
The fact is that there some Jews in this CITY
who have discarded Judaism and embraced
Christanity-though they are not many nor
wealthy-and these ask Christians of all de-
nominations to encourage and strengthen
them. Some of the converted Jews are of as
good blood as the rabbi, and of as good char
acter, though not of the same social or inan-
cial standing.
1t is the blessed privilege and bounden duty
OF Methodist preachers to aid these, and no
suggestions from the worthy rabbi will affect
them. When Jew comes to know that the
Jewish religion is merely for the Jewish race,
While Christianity is for all races, he is at lib
erty TO come out of his shell into new and
larger world.
Jew who had not "lost his character among
his own peoples man nearly equal to Rabbi
Voorsanger in scholarship wealth and social
standing, and whom it did not take $50, 900 to
convert-once wrote 81 am not ashamed Of
the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that belleyeth-to
the Jew first, also to the Greek" Our bellicose
brother ought not to complain OF Christianity,
since the Jew gets the first chance at it.
That the Jews are intelligent industrious,
shrewd in business, loyal and good citizens Is
not in dispute, but that there are 100000 of
Israel in the United States may be questioned.
The United States census for 1890 gives 533
congregations of Orthodox and Reformed Jews
with 40, 496 members, and these statistics
were given by Philip Cowen OF the American
Hebrew and are supposed to be reliable.
1t is true that only the head OF the family is
counted in Jewish congregations. 1t is hardly
thlnkable, however that each head OF family
represents fifteen persons--albe1t the Jews gen.
orally adhere closely to the injunction gwen
to Adam as to posterity
But this bit OF statistics on the part OF the
rabbi cuts no figure, though the same census
puts call MethOdists at 4,5S9, 2S4 communl-
cants. We wish TO assure our bold, brave and
eloquent brother that if any of his people see
the error OF their ways, forsake their sins. pro-
fess Christ and want to lead good lives, we, as
Methodists, will do what we can for them,
ieave"; and Il any IN Methodists prefer Moses
to Christ We hope the rabbi will tenderly care
for them, and we will pray for them and for
him, and help him to start and conduct mis-
w R. GOODWIN.
Pastor California-street NJ. E. Church.
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