The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-15
THE CHINESE JEWS.
A Synagogue In Kae-Fung-Foo-Mys-
tcry Of the Origin Of the People.

A Synagogue In Kae-FunG-FoO-Mys
tcvy Of the Origin Of the People.
Among the most remote colonies are the
Jews of China, who have aroused interest
ing inquiry and been the theme Of many
French writer's, Early In the seventeenth
century aud shortly after the Italian mis-
slonaries had come to Picking one Of them,
Matthew Rieci, received q morning call.
His visitor wore the gorgeous Chinese
dress, including the cue, at the figure
md face were not Monaghan, and the
smiling copntenance was not in keeping
with the dignifled; solemnity of China.
man. Tho gentleman's name was Ngai,
and he had heard Of the arrival Of some
foreigners who worslnped one Lord of
heaven and earth and who yet:were not
Mohammedans. He belonged to the same
religion, he explained, and had called to
make their acquaintance. Now, Master
Ngai made 1t clear that he was an Israel
tie, q native OF Kae .Fung- Foo, the capital
Of Honan. He had come to Picking to pass
an examination for mandarin degree,
and had been led by curiosity and brother
ly feeling to call at tho mission house.
In his native city, he said, there were 10
or 10 families of Israelites, and syna-
gogue which they had recently restored at
the expense Of 10000 crowns, and they
had a roll of the law 400 or 800 years old.
The missionarys letters described this
synagogue. 1t occupied a space between
300 or 400 feet In length by about 100 In
breadth, and was divided into four courts.
1t had borrowed some decorative splendor
from China. The inscription In Hebrew,
"Hear, o Israel! The Lord our God Is
ore Lord, blessed be the name Of the glory
of his kingdom forever and ever, and tho
Ten Commandments were emblazoned in
gold. Silkon curtains inclosed the
Bethel" which enshrined the sacred books
ard which only the rabbi might enter dur
ing the time of prayer. Every detail of
this place, with its incense, its furniture
and all its types of good things yet to
come, is interesting. There in the last
century the children of Israel at ae-Fung.
Foo worshiped the God of their fathers
with the rites that pointed to tho Messiah,
of whose advent, as far us it can be ascor-
tanned, they never heard until tho arrival
of the italian missionaries.
Learned men have entered into discus
sions rs to whether these people were Jews
or Israelites, whether they came to China
from the Assyrian captivity or tho Roman
dispersion. They themselves say that
their forefathers came from the west, and
it Is probable that the settlers arrived by
way Of khorassan and Samarkand. They
must have been numerous In tho ninth
century, for two Mohammedan travellers
of that period describe rebel named Bae-
Choo taking Canton by storm in A. d. s77
and Strengthening 1900 Jews, Moham-
medans, Christians and Parsees. More
than one Jew of Kae-Fung- Foo is known
to have gained tho right to wear the little
round button on the top of hts cap SO dear
to the ambition of Chinaman The
TAPPING rebellion dispersed the settlement,
and the remnant which remains faithful
to the memory of old traditions Is chiefly
poor and distressed. London Culver.