The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-30
rnE ooNTrnsrox or Jrra.
Deceptive. and Never Thorough, says
Distinguished Rabbi.

To THE EDITOR OF The S~uN.-Sir: The Wars
zawiak exposure recalls n letter written by my
late father, the Rev. A. +. Mendes, In 1884, upon
the publication of n paragraph, saying that II
cost RS5, 427 to run tho Conversion Society, and
only four Jews were converted" In this let
ter he snid that "thc faith Of the Jews render,
them hostile TO proselytism OF any kind. Their
consistent doctrine Is lot all the nations walk
each In the nnmc OF his God, we will walk In the
nlmn OF our God forever Hence they never
seek to influence the religious opinions Of thciI
fellow men, but extend the widest tolerance to
all men Of every belief. They deny salvation to
no man, and even when they were burning under
Gentle persecution they consistently taught
that the pious OF all crecds have their share In
the world to come
This he went on, Twill account for the
small number OF converts secured by the mis-
sionaries. And those few who do figure In the
reports OF the societies. those few who arc pur
chased at such an enormous cost, who and what
aro they Only n few fricndiess, starving for
eignors who in the depths OF penury and want
discover that food and raiment and possible cn.
ploymont are TO be obtained from the missiona.
ries. They feel that they are selling their birth.
right for a mess of pottage, but, like Esau, they
are weary and hungering, and they seek to still
their conscience with the old words, i am at
the point Of death, what profit TO me is a birth.
right = This is not mere speculation. My OWE
personal experience once brought me in commu.
~nication with a poor beguilcd German, who haA
sought refuge in Palestine place, tho locale q
the London conversionist society, impcllcd by
want. When he discovered that help could DO
had among his own people he was not slow in
turning his back upon the tempters and in ro-
turning to the fold he had left. Generally. how.
ever. the charitable organizations which abound
In every Jewish community are found accessi-
BILE, and prompt measures are taken for the re-
lief Of all cases Of distress. As a consequence,
SO that a whole years achievements consist Oh
four Jews converted!
And even these fourf Are they honest men,
their new faith II we, could follow them
tIyS disco Sar' that sIot they. Instead nses W OF f beinF t Rre Ge
luded, were really deluders. During my ministra-
i I19m in a a po large ,os AND LAMP important TT nj community com z. Eyt q J Eng;
tale Of distress. 1 visited his lodgings, made due
inquiry "s into his condition, and being thus salts.
friends the sum of fifty dollars, wherewith 10
give him a little start in business. Before my
happened then to be in b.. informed me that
the man was an apostate; that he had been no.
W. I Immediately sent for the man, intend.
ing. II he denied. the fact, to confront him with
DID Il indor attempt a 4 denial mKI la'f He Ss seoms eneItan he
b At f h.ga quite , true that !. was converted az
do so ten times, For a sprinkiinE of water / got
q q sui OF ClOln6b ana q decent stock OF lew
to start me-, OF course, he was a thorough
scamp, but he is a sample of the Christians
manufactured by the Society for the Conversion
Of Jews.
Il am prepared to hear this conclusion denied
and to be overwhelmed with evidence relating
to converts who have given proof of their sin.
certify by becoming jealous adherents of their
church. Some have entered the minis-
verting their former CO. religionists. Such men
here are: but even for their continued detection
can easily account They were ignorant of their
mont n raith h Whe n. they dSG forso9k il; They were
sternly depressed all inquiries into the
Of the forms and ceremonies they saw
performed. They knew nothing of the history,
he hopes. the destiny Of their race. and in the
material. They remain faithful to their new re-
iGlon, and that fidelity is strengthened by the
that they have secured for them.
'elves what is known as a good thing They
rave risen to the dignity of pastors and teachers.
ct even to these exalted ones comes the momeno
repentance. In the last hour of their lives,
when earth and its associations are fast fading
way from their vision, they hunger for the
'ShemanR Israel with which the faith
ul Israelite goes TO his death. their dying lips
nurmuring the Jews confession. long neglected,
ur God..thc Eternal Is One In 1876 the Rev.
Or. Il. OF London, England, told me of his having
cen summoned to the deathbed of an apostate.
vho clamored for his wife, a Christian woman,
ours with 'ShemanG Israeli"
l have nothing to add to the above except my
wn experience with a convert" who tri.
assured me that he wore a tsikith "a
ocular garment worn by obseryant Jewsl and
arr1ed his conversion papers in his pocket at the
anne time. 30 that when he died he would bo
ure to have friends to bury him
Il. PERE1RA MENpA
NEW YORK, March 25.