New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04
MAKING JEWS CHRISTIANS.
METHODS OF THE MISSIONARIES ON THE
EAST SIDE.

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES NOT TO BLAME
The methods Of the Hebrew Christian workers
among the jewellers Of the East Side, the men
who have renowned Judaism and are devoting
their time to the conversion of their former
coreligionists have received much attention in
the last few weeks because OF the sensational re-
ports which have been printed on that subject
Missionaries have been pelted with stones and
other missiles by Jewish men and boys, their
meetings have been broken up. and the police
have been called in TO restore order. On the
other hand the Jews have complained OF the
actions of the converted missionaries some Of
whom. they said. had gone so far as to cause
religious devices to be tattooed on the arms OF
little boys
Men who are connected with the missions on
the East Side deny Indignantly the reports
about marking the children. and investigation
has shown that if these outrages commit
ted they were neither inspired nor carried into
execution by them. but by the who s-~
known TO the East Side Jews as meschumit
or apostates. "The Christian missionary in this
part OF the city" said A. H. Fromenson. asSo-
ciate editor OF The Jewish Daily News" lis
not an Objectionable person to us. We have
been accustomed to his presence among us, and
we have complaint TO make about him. any
more than densely populated Christian dis
trict would make against Jew who would es
tablish headquarters among them for the pur-
pose of making converts TO Judaism and do his
work In a quiet and orderly way or course.
the comparison is purely hypothetical, because
Jews do not work in that direction-we never
try 10 make converts
CHRISTIANS NOT ACCUSED.
"The Rev Mr. Brine and other men OF his
stamp who come here thinking that they may
convert some of people are not the men to
whom We object, and they are not the men who
are accused of injurng the children or abusing
their rights as missionaries. We object to the
meschumiths their methods and the false light
in which they place the whole Jewish commu-
nifty
'These are Christians for money only and
they induce many miserable wretches TO go
through the ceremony of conversion, make them
relate their experience and then make a show
OF souls saved so that they may be continued in
the service. The men who supply the funds.
the ministers who give their support to the mis-
sions and the community at large. are entirely
ignorant of the true state Of affairs. and there
are thousands Of good people who think that
many Jews are converted to Christianity every
year. while in fact there are no converts"
Several missions for the Jews maintained
on the East Side. Among them the one over
which Herman Warszawiak presdes. at Grand
and Attorney SITS. is the best known. It's rooms
are frequently crowded, and the exercises are
similar to those in any mission meeting hail. ex-
cept that they are conducted in part in the
language which is spoken by the uneducated
Russian and Rumanian Jews. The regular at
tendants at the meetings which are held at the
Warsza WAX place are called the presbyterian
,ov,e and while some Of their neighbors remon-
..ro.o With ,bnrn for leaving their faith the ma
iorjtv of the community refuse to consider them
seriously and smile when they speak Of their
PRESBYTERIAN Jewish neighbors The meetings
are usually well attended, and the leaders ana
their helpers work ndustriously to secure good
houses.
MFRCENARY MOTIVES ALLEGED.
..ro tho visitor at these meetings" said Mr..
sarason. of THE Jewish Daily News III ap-
-,oars az though there were hundreds Of Jewish
christians: but those who know the people VINO
,,oke nm the congregation know that all those
who are not attracted by curiosity are there for
,-,oroararv motive l live right in the heart
NJ the community. know the people. and nave
,,ore than ordinary opportunities for receiving
in<ornation. but have yet to see man woman
=, child who was converted by one Of the apos-
tito missionaries whose conversion could not be
traced to some material reward.
Ono ~ the small missions is at No. 40 Pitt
g. This Is the place which has received more
tban ordinary notice. because II was said that
:. no. there that the little boys had crosses
tattooed their arms
The Sunday school room is dingy apart
rnent on the second floor of a small building
The lower floor is occupied bya tailor shop and
the basement by a dealer in East Side hard
ware When Tribune representative called