The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-16

dalism. and theft. the priceless coIlec
tion OF books and manuscripts that
comprise the library Or Hebrew Union
College nj Cincinnati This huge sum.
just made public. however does NOT
fnlly cover the value of many n tho
literary Treasures In this Theological
seminary library, or give an inklinr Of
the monetary importance or n collcc.
tion. which has been slowly gathered
together from all corners of the earth.
and concentrated Mt Cincinnati To mako
this institution one of the worlds great
ccntcrs Of Hehraic literature and cuI-
ture.
The Hebrew Union College library
long known TO scholars and priced by
them, lcapcd into public prominence IL
few months ago. when Adolph s. Oko.
the librarian, returned from Europe
and announced that he had purchased
prayer books, scrolls and records NJ n
now extinct Hebrew colony that had
hourishet centuries ago ia the Chimes.
city of kai-Fung- Foo. With the nm.
nounceInent of the purchase of the
Chinese treasures came other reports
of the acquisition of MANUSCRIPTS. books
ceremonial objects. costing SEVENTH five
thousand dollars In all, hut historically
OF inestimablc Svaule. The librarians
purchases view with one another for
the layman's and the scholars inter
est. Ben Selling Of Portland. Oregon
celebrated his birthday by contributing
fifty thousand dollars to pay for these
treasures, and Joseph Scllonthnl of
Columbus. Ohio, gave five thousand
with other leading Jews making up the
remainder.
In the new collection there were ex-
quisltely hand illuminated texts of the
middle ages. and fnttering scraps OF
manuscript, stained by fire and flood.
or bearing the delicate careful chiro-
graphy of famous hands. long dead.
There were fine I.ycnese bindings. gold
and silver clasps. lligree castings. Jewel
organisations; n collection to dazzle the
layrhan and delight the scholar.
CHIEF in historic importance of all the
librnry's treasures is the Chinese col.
lection. Seventy-live written works.
are all. except for two or three tomb.
stones in the middle of China. that re-
mains of the Jewish community that
once worshipped in -Fung- Foo.
Twelve of these are scrolls Of The law.
and the remainder prayer books and
communal records. They are ali. with
the exception Of few that were stolen
from an exhibition in LondCn, many
years ago, now in the possession Of the
Hebrew Union College. and no copy Of
any of the Chinese records exists in any
library In Europe or America. They
are for all historical purposes, there
fore, priceless. To these has just been
added the holy ark of the Jewish Com
munity Of Kai-Fung- Foo purchased by
Mr.. Oko in this country.
BY strange freak of circumstances.
these manuscripts We're recovered
through the London Society for Conver-
sion of the Jews TO Christianity. which
sent mission into China in 1872. The
Chinese books are printed upon rice
paper. wadded together into consist
ency, strong enough TO bear the scratch
ing of pen Of split bamboo and home.
made inks. Some are bound in silk.
Others have ben written and folded so
that their pages open like accordons.
The traces of the floods that inundated
Kai-Fung- Foo when the Chinese river
ago are still apparent on the stained
paper and blurred ink. In Hebrew.
with occasional bits of Persian. and the
appcndage of names in Chinese. one
finds the familiar portions of the Pen
tateuch that are read in Hebrew Con-
gregatlons the world over on the Sab
pain. ana Ine nllnu lS StrnneelN stirred
by the thought that these universal
words of prayer are all that remains of
this lost tribe of wondering Jews whose
glory lies buried in the mysterious
heart of the Orient.
To complete the tales of the long lost
city. Mr. Oko bought the original man
uscript OF Alexander Wyl,e of a letter
which this gentleman wrote In 1870 and
sent by messenger to the Jews Of v'hosc
sojourn In Kai-Fung Foo he had heard.
He asked them many questions about
their religious beliefs and their com,
munIty life, and waited hopefully for a
reply that never came. The strange
story is further made interesting by the
acquisition Of the narrative of the Rev