Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-23

undertaken 1t will be quite
unlike other religious missions
In that its purpose will not be
to convert, but to restore. By
reason of misfortune for which they
were not IN any way accountable the
caiuase Jews who colonzed IN Koifeng-
IA, capital OF the interior province Of
Honan, 1000 years ago, becam impov-
rlshed and declmated. The sect has been
for many years without synagogue
rs records have been destroyed or have
drlfted away; 1t has forgotten the ritual
OF It's faith; from o rich and powerful
elan 10 has degenerated into handful
Of people wretched IN material posses
sons, but IN an thai time II has wor-
shipped only the God Of Abraham ard
ID has held itself scmpulously apart In
religious sense from the multitudes
that occupy that part OF China.
The project now In hand II UNDER
taken by the Society for the Rescue OF
the Chinese Jews an organization local
10 Shanghai, which has worked so FAR
almost unalded Il was formed about
three years ago. when Il addressed notes
60 Kaifengfu, distant three weeks
travel from here. for the purpose OF IN
ducIng some Of the colony to visit
Shanghai for a conference at which
might be laid the foundations for prac-
tloal re-establishment The first mes
sage fell into the hands of Boxers and
never reached It's intended destination,
but a second message was properly de-
liyered IL led to a visit about two
years ago by a member OF the colony
and his son. Since about one year ago
members OF the colony have been mere
continuously. The personnel has shifted
by reason OF occasion for individuals to
return home. eight members OF the
colony are now here at Shanghai, MAIN
tained by the Rescue sOci ~, engaged
In the study of Hebrew and In fitting
themselves otherwise 10 rev i've and sus-
tain the worship OF their ancestors on
the historic site. Two or hree of them
viii return TO Kaifengfu shortly TO in
troduce TO their people there Nohom
Sllas, a Hebrew scholar who Is coming
from HongkOng. A. May a Jewish resi-
dent Of Tientsln, and General VIII
liam Mesny, editor OF Chinese Miscel-
lany, who will serve as Interpreter.
These visitors will station az Kaifengfu
a Jewish mission whose Office shall be
not merely TO reorganize the congrega-
tion and direct worship into the former
channels, but also 10 make arrange |
menis for the reconstruction Of the |
temple and TO become the agency on |
the ground for such operations there as |
may become feasible through the means |
10 be furnished by the Rescue society,
Funds In considerable amount win be |
needed to carry through this undertake |
ing. The Jewish congregation In Shang- |
hal Is small In numbers and 1t can |
hardly accomplish alone all that Ia |
planned. 1t issued last year general |
appeal 10 the Jews Of the world asking |
for $4,000 with which 70 prosecute the |
work deemed necessary. The appeal
does not seem TO have been well direct
ed. for returns IN nine months have
amounted to less than el00. That cir
cumstance has not deferred the Rescue
society from its purpose, however, with
which Il proceeds In full confidence that
with actual occasion to use large sum
OF money the work will not halt on
that account.
Although this appeal was issued by
authority, II IL little to be wondered
that 81 passed almost unheeded. because
for years publications which have now
and then appeared In regard 10 Chinese
Jews have unfortunately had little J
foundation, except IN the essential fact
that such persons existed. The topic
has proved an alluring one TO those who
see Gina by stopping over for meal or
a night az port and straightway pro-
coed TO put in print what they hear or
read, embelished with what they i'm
aglne. Such writer's have conversed
with them at the ports where the
ocean liners call and have amused the
reading world with accounts Of Jews
with pigtais.'
There are traditions, but nothing
more. that in earlier centuries Jewish
settlements fiourished az Hangchow,
reached from here by trip Of $50 miles
20 the southern terminus Of the Grand
canal. They may have settled also at
Ningpo, a port thriving enough but all
ways reserved for coasting trade, and
IN the days OF any possible Jewish set
Element that trade must have been car
ried on In junks SuppositiOn that they
have settled at these two places rests
merely on vague native report which
never carried them into the south,
where they have been the subject OF
AntltIH lnAfiNltMs NfllltN AT Althib |
chow nor at Ningpo, indeed, has there
been found tablet or other record TO
uphold argument that promises OF trade
may over have lured them to either
place In sufficient numbers 10 found a
colony or exercise their religion. The
only evidences at all appealing concern
ing them come from Kaifengfu, and
there the only tangible token at pres
"a aVNf ira If as o. 1
norQnt, squalid company Of people. 10
single stone post or tablet standing
on land 80 long since given over 10
waste that good part OF It has become
pond.
Authentic reports Of travellers, from
the ninth century, show that the sect
was then fourlshing and the writings
OF Jesuits as recently as the eighteenth
century testify to It's Importance at that
time In that century the great over
flow OF the Yellow river known as
Chna's sorrow carried away the taber-
nacle and synagogue all except the
foundations ard destroyed many Of the
holy books and records A few me-
meatos Of this kind, however, were
afterward collected and preserved In
different places, These mementos, the
writings OF travellers, the existing tablet
on the spot and the recognition BY the
Chinese authorities OF the title Of the
colony to the property by the issue Of
a Coniirmatory deed 10 replace the one
lost In the food. make out the present
case. IL evidence relied on living Wit
nesses II would be OF the fimsiest, for
the sect has been in decay for 200 years
and only strong help now can save II
from extinction. There are no Chinese
excepting those who belong in Kali
fengfu for whom the Rescue society
puts forth claim Of Jewish origin. and
those resident at that place number
onl yabout $40 adults.
Inscriptions on one Of the tablets OBJ
served by the early travellers lead TO the
belief that Jews first entered China in
Inc Han dynasty, which extended from
&. c. 200 10 A. D. 226. The Jesuits fx-
ihier advent IN the reign Of MIngti.from
4. ID. IS TO A. y. Is, and they conclud-
d, from the ritual which was employ
d. that they must have come from
Persia by way OF Khorosan and sa-
narcand. There were Persian words IN
heir language and literature and their |