Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ

Landsman, Daniel, was living in Jerusalem about 1870, maintaining himself by his handiwork as a strict, pious Jew. Whenever the L.J.S. missionary Stern met him he used to preach Christ crucified to him, so that at last he, in a passion, assaulted Stern violently, but at length was conquered by the Gospel, and then became his best friend. After his baptism in the Holy City he witnessed for Christ there before the Jews for some time. Then a position as assistant missionary was offered him in the Scotch Presbyterian mission at Constantinople, where he zealously laboured for seventeen years, and Bassin, afterward a missionary was one of those in whose conversion he was instrumental. He then emigrated to the United States, and was appointed by the Lutheran Synod at Missouri as missionary in New York about 1883, where he was blessed in his efforts to win souls for the Kingdom of God. He wrote the following tracts, partly in Hebrew and Yiddish, "Jeshua Sar ha Panim"; "Jeshua ha Nozri ist der Messiah Emeth," "Memra," "Shabbath Feiertage und Beschneidung"; "Was sagen die Rabbinere über Maschiah"; "Was sagt die Kabbalah, &c., über die Dreieinigkeit Gottes," 1888.

Laseron, Dr. Michael Maximilian August Heinrich, born in Königsberg, 1819, died in London, 1894. His father was a rabbi, but died on the same day, as his mother, when he was only seven years old. Laseron was then brought up by bigoted relations, who were not very kind to him. Owing to this he had no great love for the Jews, but rather sought after Christians, from whom he learned to know the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. He did not conceal his convictions, but told his relatives that he had a desire to become a Christian. Thereupon they so illtreated him that his life was in danger; so when he was seventeen, he escaped on foot to Frankfort, enduring great hardship on the way. Then he was instructed and baptized by Pastor Keimers, but he could not remain in Frankfort on account of persecution by the Jews, so he went to Basel. Scarcely had he arrived there, when he got very ill, and the wife of the missionary, a lady by the name of Haslen, nursed him till he recovered. Friends in Switzerland recommended him to the L.J.S., and he was for a time in the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, Palestine Place. Then he entered as a student the newly-founded Missionary Training College of the British Jews' Society, and remained there over two years. However, though he was interested in the Jewish mission, and took practical part in the same, yet he felt that he was called to be a medical man, and the Committee allowed him to leave in 1849. Thereupon he went to Erlangen and studied medicine, and at the same time practised homœopathy privately. Laseron then returned to London, and was a successful practitioner. Settling at Edmonton in 1854, he there lost his eldest child. This was the occasion for a call to a great enterprise of faith which bore glorious fruit. The bereaved parents noticing in the street poor, half-starved children, resorted to prayer and then resolved to establish an asylum for poor children where they could receive a good education. An Irish lady hearing of it, sent him £3; with this encouragement he hired a house, appointed a teacher, and opened the school in 1856, having sixteen scholars on the fore-noon of the first day and more in the afternoon. He also built a chapel. In a few months the school was so full that he could not admit any more children. Then he opened evening classes and services on Sunday, which were attended by 150 persons, who seldom went to a place of worship. In answer to earnest prayer Dr. Laseron received small and large, and even very large, gifts of money for his work in a most remarkable manner, often from people who were entire strangers to him, notably the brothers Samuel and John Morley supported him very generously, so that he was enabled to establish the Evangelical Protestant Deaconesses' Training Institution at Tottenham, now called The Prince of Wales's General Hospital. Dr. Laseron reached the age of 75, and before his departure he asked a friend to write to his children in Australia – "I thank God that I am surrounded by such as love me and Him."

Laseron, Rev. David, came to Edinburgh from Germany, and maintained himself there by giving lessons in German and in Hebrew. He had also Christian pupils who visited him when he was sick and from whose young lips he first heard of the great Physician of souls. After his baptism in 1844 he was sent as a missionary to Cochin, where he established schools for heathen and Jewish children. In 1852, these schools were attended by 16 white Jewish boys, 112 black Jewish boys and 24 girls. Laseron baptized one Jew there by the name of Jehil Benjamin, in 1849. He was recalled home in 1855, owing to some disagreement with his colleague.

Lasson, Adolf, born in Alt Strelitz, 1859, embraced Christianity while he was tutor of Philosophy in the University of Berlin. He wrote the following works: "Fichte über das Verhältniss von Staat und Kirche," Berlin, 1863; "Meister Eckhardt der Mystiker," 1878; "Das Cultur ideal und der Krieg," 1868; "Principien der Zukunft des Volkesrechts," 1871. In reference to religion, he belonged to the evangelical party in the German Church. The year of his baptism is not known.

Laub, P. B., born in the Bukowina, Austria, and received a strictly orthodox Jewish education. Receiving a New Testament from some one, he became convinced of the truth of Christianity, and then went to London, where he came in contact with the writer, who recommended him to the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, but he soon left for Stuttgart, and was baptized by Gottheil there. He then studied at Basel, but wishing to devote his life to the Jewish Mission, he went to the Institutum Delitzschianum, in Leipzig, to prepare himself for future work. In 1889, he went to assist Mr. Flad in Tunis, and then was called by the French, and afterwards by the Swiss Missionary Society to be their missionary in Alsace.

Lauria, Rabbi Elieser, was one of several Rabbis who became Christians in Jerusalem in the first half of the nineteenth century. He was baptized by Bishop Alexander in 1843, whereupon he was forced by the Jewish authorities to divorce his wife, who was sent by them back to Russia. She, however, returned to him in 1846, and in the next year she too made a public confession of her faith in our Saviour. Henceforth she assisted her husband in winning souls, and they laboured together at Cairo, until her death of cholera in 1849. Lauria opened a mission school there in 1850. He was much esteemed, even by the rabbis, and he circulated the Scriptures as far as Arabia, and the mission was not without results.

Lazarus, Joshua George, was baptized with his wife and two children in Liverpool, under the ministry of Rev. H. S. Joseph. In 1842, he became his assistant there and in Manchester. In 1851, Lazarus reported that sixty-eight Jews had been baptized since he entered upon his labours in the two cities. He retired on account of feeble health in 1853, and died in 1869.

Lebert, Herman, M.D. (Levy), born 1813, died 1878. He as a Christian doctor was very distinguished. Friedrich Wilhelm IV. bestowed upon him the gold medal for Art and Science. He became Professor of Medicine in Breslau, 1859. His literary works are: "Anatomie Pathologique générale et speciale," 2 vols., 1854-62, for which the Parisian Academy gave him the prize. "Handbuch der Practischen Medicin," 2 vols., 1859.

Lebrecht, Abraham (Herz), born at Gross-Glogau Germany, 1706. At the age of seventeen both his parents died, and his relatives sent him to a Jewish high school at Prague. In 1739, he was a teacher at Belgrade, and when the Turks captured the city, they sold him and Newman, son of a Lutheran pastor, with many others, as slaves. The master tempted Newman to sin, but he resisted, and was cruelly beaten. The master then tried to make him yield through the medium of Herz, but Newman said to him: "I cannot offend my Lord Jesus, and would rather die than commit sin." This made a strong impression upon the young Jew, and henceforth he became very anxious about the state of his soul, and the other preached to him the good tidings of salvation through Christ. Newman died from the stripes he had received, and Herz was sold to Hadshi Mustapha, who brought him to Smyrna in 1741. There the Jewish community bought his release, presented him with sixteen ducats, and sent him to Constantinople, whence he made his way back to Germany, where in various ways he experienced the lovingkindness of God. Twice when he was in great despair, and was about to commit suicide, he was providentially saved and brought to his senses by Christians, who had come to him at the right moment. In his wanderings he visited Friedrich Augusti, the well-known convert, who had had similar trials. Finally, he was baptized on Whitsunday, 1744, when he assumed the name of Lebrecht (Live right), and refused to receive a present from his sponsors, which it was the custom to give. He then lived as a consistent Christian to the age of 70, and died in 1776. This extract is taken by Pastor de le Roi from Lebrecht's autobiography, which closes with a prayer for the conversion of Israel.

Lederer, Gideon R., born in 1804. As the son of a rabbi he was educated in strict rabbinical orthodoxy, and for a time was a rabbi himself. He and his wife were converted under the ministry of the early Scotch missionaries, and afterwards assisted them to spread the Gospel in Hungary. In 1853, he came to London, but soon after went to New York, where he laboured for the rest of his days, as a humble city missionary, with much blessing. He edited a periodical entitled, "The Israelite Indeed," and the writer knew him as such an one himself.

Leener, de Louis, a Dutch convert of the nineteenth century, was a respected author. Among his works are these – (1) "Ben Onie, Tafereelen uit het dagboek van een tot het Christendom bekeerden Israelit," (2) "De waarde vrouw in Israel," (3) "De Nederlandsche jood," (4) "Ons Pascha," Amsterdam, 1865-70.

Lehrs, Karl, was born in Königsberg in 1802, and died 1878. It is recorded that while studying in Berlin he became a Christian from conviction, and was baptized in 1822. A number of his relatives were influenced by him for Christianity. He was a classical teacher in several schools, and then Professor at the University of Königsberg. He published a book of considerable merit under the title, "De Aristarchi Studiis Homericis," 1833; "Questiones Epicae," 1837; "Pindars-scholien," 1873.

Leibnisth, Samuel, born 1823, was a Jewish teacher, and after his conversion, about 1868, devoted his leisure to voluntary missionary work among the Jews in Germany. In 1874, he was appointed missionary at Elberfeld, where he died in 1882.

Leitner, H. C., was won for the Master by the Rev. C. A. Schönberger. He laboured at Constantinople as a very able teacher in the Scotch mission schools for many years.

Leitner, Dr. M., born at Pesth in 1800, studied medicine and settled as a practitioner at Broussa in Turkey. Having come into possession of a New Testament, he read it carefully, and was converted and baptized in 1844. He then gave up his lucrative position and devoted his life to missionary work. He was the L.J.S. medical missionary at Constantinople from 1853 to 1861, when he died of fever.

Leo, Dr., a physician in Warsaw, after having had intercourse with the L.J.S. missionaries for eight years, became fully convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and was baptized with his family in 1831.

Leonhard, Friedrich Conrad, a convert in the latter half of the eighteenth century, published a dialogue under the title, "Erweis dass die Rabbinen Schnurstracks wider dass Gesetz Moses lehren, Aus den Kirchengesetzbüchern der heutigen Juden geführt," with a preface by Pastor Siegmund Mörl, Nürnberg, 1781.

Lessman, Daniel, was born in Soldin (Brandenburg), 1794, studied medicine in Berlin, was wounded in the war, baptized in 1824, he became a great author, novelist, biographer and poet.

Levi, Jacob, a native of Smyrna, according to the report of Dr. Buchanan, heard the Gospel from a C.M.S. missionary. He then bought a New Testament and studied it with the intention of refuting the arguments of the missionary, and for this purpose he translated it into Hebrew, but the result was that he became a believer and preached Christ to Jews, Mohammedans and Christians.

Levi, Jacob, baptized by the missionaries Lewis and Hartley at Athens, about 1840-1. Was cast into prison by the Rabbis ten times. In the prison at Casanegra, he was bastinadoed and kept six months, but he declared if he was there a thousand years he would still confess that Jesus was the true Messiah.

Levi, Dr. Leone, was born in Ancona, 1802, and settled in England. An article of his in the "Liverpool Album," in 1849, occasioned the establishment of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he became secretary. He joined the Presbyterian Church, was author of "Commercial Laws, their Principles and Administration," 1850-52; "Wages and Earnings of the Working Classes," 1867; "History of British Commerce and of the Economic Progress of the British Nation," 1863-70. He became professor of political economy at King's College in 1862; barrister in Lincoln's Inn, 1859; D.L. of Tübingen, 1861: and died in 1888.

Levien, Edward, was born in 1818, of highly respectable Jewish parents, nearly related to the distinguished Goldsmids. His parents returned to the true faith, and were baptized and admitted into the Church of England, with their children, when the latter were yet of tender age. He was educated at Shrewsbury Grammar School, under Drs. Butler and Kennedy, and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he took honours in classics. In that department he filled a professor's chair at Glasgow. His great skill in ancient manuscripts, and intimate acquaintance with historical lore commended him, in 1850, to an important post in the MSS. department of the British Museum. This post he held for nearly a quarter of a century, with advantage to the public and credit to himself. He was also honorary secretary of the British Archæological Association, to which he rendered essential service in promoting its prosperity, in various ways, literary and otherwise. His loss to that Association was as keenly felt by their Committee as by his most intimate friends. The catalogue of the British Museum has several pages devoted to his literary productions.

Levinsohn, Hessel, a brother of the next named, who together with his parents had anathematized Isaac on account of his supposed apostasy, was in the first place influenced by him through correspondence, not to pass such a harsh judgment upon himself. Then, when he came to England, he was gradually won by him and other Hebrew Christians to read the New Testament, and to search the Scriptures earnestly, until he too could publicly confess that Jesus was his own Redeemer. He afterward became a missionary of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Jews.

Levinson, Rev. Isaac, was born in Kovno (Russia), in 1855. His father was a pious man, and used to fast every Monday and Thursday. When Isaac was five years old, his father himself taught him Hebrew, and then sent him to school, where he made rapid progress in learning, so that at the age of eight he could read the Pentateuch with the Targum and Rashi's commentary. Henceforth he studied mostly the Talmud, in which he felt no delight nor even satisfaction, especially when at thirteen years of age he became bar mitsvah (confirmed), and began to realize responsibility for his sins. This caused him to lay aside the doctrines of men, and to study more diligently the Word of God. In 1871 he took leave of his parents, and after much hardship and God's loving care on the journey, arrived in London, September 19th, with the intention to go from there to America or Australia. But just as he landed he was robbed of the little baggage he possessed, and a kind Jew took him to his house, with whom he spent the Day of Atonement. Subsequently he once passed by the L.J.S. Chapel at Palestine Place, and noticed a Hebrew inscription on the front. Thinking it was a synagogue he entered, and was surprised to find that it was a Christian place of worship, where the prayers were said in Hebrew. He listened to the service, and after it was over, a Hebrew Christian spoke to him, and told him that he had found peace in believing in Jesus as the Messiah. This was exactly what Isaac was searching for. He then made the acquaintance of Dr. Stern, was instructed and baptized by him, and entered the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution. After a time Levinson was for some years a clerk in the R.T.S., where he made good use of his time in preparing himself for studying in Spurgeon's College. He was then ordained to the Baptist ministry, and was engaged by the British Society as deputational secretary, in which capacity he laboured zealously and ably for some years, until he was called to succeed the late Rev. John Dunlop, as chief secretary of the same Society.

Levy, Benjamin, was the son of Moses Levy, one of a well-known firm of shipowners in London. When he was quite a young man he set up in business as a clothier and draper in Holborn. Subsequently he removed to Sunderland, where he spent the last forty-two years of his life; and so greatly did he prosper that he opened branches of his business in Shields, Stockton, Middlesborough, West Hartlepool and Barrow in Furness. His admission by baptism into the Church of Christ took place when he was twenty-six years old. Before then he had drifted away from the moorings of the synagogue, and then soon followed his total neglect of all religious observance, and all belief in the Bible. It was at this crisis in his religious life that he was brought under decidedly Christian influences. He came in contact with a clergyman of the Church of England, who led him to accept Christ and Him crucified; after which he ever remained a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus, and a promoter of Christian work. He became Warden of St. Thomas', Sunderland, for which Church he did a great deal. He was elected member of the Town Council of Bishopwearmouth in 1861, and in 1871 he was made Alderman of the Sunderland Ward; had he lived longer, he would have attained the chief civil dignity there. His funeral was attended by the whole Town Council in its official capacity. He left a family of four sons and five daughters, all of whom were doing well at that time.

Levy, Philip, was converted in England, at the beginning of the eighteenth century. He published an English, Hebrew, and Chaldee Grammar in 1705, at Oxford.

Lewald, Fanny, daughter of a Jewish banker at Königsberg, and born 1811, became a member of the Evangelical Church by baptism in 1828. She is distinguished as a great authoress. Her works comprise twelve vols., six of them under the title, "Meine Lebens Geschichte" (Autobiography), Berlin, 1871-75. She died at the age of 78, in 1889.

Lewis, Dr. de Leno, was editor of "Israel's Watchman," at Baltimore, 1888.

Lichtenstein, George Philipp (Susskind Mayer), was born at Frankfort in 1606, and became a Christian through intercourse with pious Christians, and through hearing Christian hymns.

Lichtenstein, Jacob, the brother of the above, born in 1826, became a more famous pastor and theologian. He published "Das Leben unsers Herrn," Erlangen, 1855; "Prüfet alles und das Gute behaltet," 1870. He died in 1875.

Lichtenstein, Jehiel Zebi (Hershensohn), was born at Jassy, in 1831, and brought up in Bessarabia, among the Chassidim and Kabbalists. Having received a New Testament at Jassy, he studied it diligently, and being convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, he baptized himself in a river in 1855. In 1868, he published a Kabbalistic book, entitled, "Limude hanebiim," in which he tried to show that the teaching of the Kabbalah and of the New Testament are identical. In 1872, he came to London and was baptized by Dr. Stern. He then assisted for a short time Mr. Dworkowicz in Warsaw and Pastor Weber in Neudeklslau. From 1874 to 1879 he laboured as a missionary of the Berlin Society in Berlin. He then was for a time in Russia, whence he went to Leipzig in 1885, where he was afterwards appointed to be one of the tutors at the Institutum Delitzschianum. He is the author, besides the above-mentioned, of the following Hebrew works: – "Chizzuk Emunah Emeth" (A defence of Christianity against the Jewish book "Chizzuk Emunah,") 1879; "Toldoth Jeshua," a refutation of the book under that name, 1883; "A Short Rabbinic Commentary on the whole of the New Testament," published gradually. Lichtenstein also translated the whole of the Old Testament into Yiddish for the British and Foreign Bible Society, of which parts have appeared.

Lichtenstein, Johann Daniel, son of the above, who was baptized in his youth, became afterwards a very devoted Pastor in Frankfort. It is recorded that he displayed self-sacrificing activity, especially among the sick and the prisoners. He died in 1862, and in allusion to his name "Lightstone," the people said of him that "he was a light which consumed itself."

Lichtenstein, Moritz, born 1824, embraced Christianity in 1842 together with his mother and brothers and sisters. Moritz became a preacher of the Gospel in 1855, and died 1876.

Lichtenstein, Rabbi J., is one of the most remarkable converts to Christianity in the nineteenth century. The story is briefly this: Finding one day a New Testament in the school under his charge, he took it away, and hid it in his library. Then during an anti-Semitic agitation in Hungary he, thinking that there must be something in the teaching of the New Testament, which excited enmity against the Jews, examined it carefully, and was convinced of the contrary, and more, he began to admire and to love the Lord Jesus, and gradually to quote passages from the New Testament in his sermons in the synagogue of Tapio Szele, of which he had been minister for forty years. He also wrote three pamphlets – "Der Talmud auf der Anklage Bank," Budapesth, 1866; "Mein Zeugniss," 1886; "Die Liebe und die Bekehrung, ein sehr ernstes wort zu sehr ernster Zeit." At last some of his congregation accused him to the chief rabbi of Budapest of heterodoxy. Rabbi Lichtenstein then confessed his faith in Jesus Christ crucified. The result was that he had to resign his office, and to the end of his life he lived as a Christian, constantly preaching the Gospel in Pesth though not baptized. He died in the Lord in 1908.

Lipschitz, Benjamin, a convert to Christianity, died 1876, in Vienna, leaving to the inhabitants of his birthplace, Kriegshaber, near Augsburg, 70,000 gulden, to be equally divided between Jews and Christians. Besides this he bequeathed 35,000 gulden to the Jewish Congregation of Augsburg, 100,000 gulden for the Jewish Home at Munich, and 100,000 gulden for the Jewish Home at Vienna.

Lipshytz, Christlieb T., Director of the Barbican Mission to the Jews, London. Born in 1858 at Warsaw, the capital of Poland, he was brought up in strict Judaism, according to the principles of his orthodox Jewish parents. It was essential that he should undergo a Talmudical Jewish training, and in addition he was given a thorough secular education. When he was five years of age, his eldest sister became a Christian, and for this she endured severe persecution. Her testimony made a deep impression on the mind of her brother, and awakened a desire in his heart to know what it was that Christianity really taught. So strong was this desire that while at the secular high school in his native city, he embraced every possible opportunity of listening to the religious instruction given to the Gentile pupils. For this he was chastised by his father, but the severe punishment inflicted was of no avail, for the Spirit of God had directed the message of the Gospel home to his heart, and within a short time he surrendered to the Lord. The bitter persecution through which his sister had passed was a vivid and painful memory, and it is not surprising that Lipshytz hesitated to incur the same suffering by making a public confession in his native place. Eventually he went away to Königsberg. Here, after a course of instruction by a missionary of the London Jews' Society (Mr. Skolkowski) and the Rev. Konsistorialrath Dr. Kahle, he was baptized on the 19th October, 1878. After further study and preparation he worked under the auspices of the home mission in the North of Germany, and afterwards in connexion with the mission among Jews in the West of Germany. Coming to England, Mr. Lipshytz was for some time superintendent of the Wanderers' Home, under the direction of the late Rev. J. M. Eppstein. At the close of 1887 he became assistant missionary to the Rev. Paul Warschawski. When the latter relinquished the mission on account of failing health, the work was in danger of coming to an untimely end. At this crisis Prebendary Gordon Calthrop, who became the first President, called together a number of friends, with the result that Mr. Lipshytz was asked to undertake the re-organization of the work. After prayerful consideration, the invitation was accepted. For two years and a-half the mission was housed in London Wall, thence a removal was made to larger premises in Finsbury Square, which were occupied for seven years. From the first, Mr. Lipshytz exercised remarkable tact and ability, and it became increasingly evident that under his able direction the mission was destined to become a powerful agency in proclaiming the Gospel to the Jews and winning their allegiance to Christ. Prebendary Gordon Calthrop had now passed to his rest, and Archdeacon Sinclair succeeded as President, to be followed after a time by Prebendary H. W. Webb-Peploe, a life-long friend of Israel. With his unfailing energy and enthusiasm, Mr. Lipshytz set about raising a memorial to the memory of the first President of the mission, and in this he had from the first the hearty co-operation of the devoted men who formed his council. The outcome was the erection of the perfectly equipped and commodious headquarters of the Barbican Mission situated on the main thoroughfare of Whitechapel, and known as "The Gordon Calthrop Memorial," which was dedicated and opened in the spring of 1901. Besides the mission house and church, the property includes a spacious open-air preaching ground, with a stone pulpit. The entire scheme involved an outlay of £13,000, the whole of which sum was soon raised. Having succeeded in this matter, Mr. Lipshytz realized the necessity for providing a Home for Converts and Enquirers, and a permanent residence for the head of the mission. This he was also able to accomplish, and the Home at Mitcham, which cost £3,500, was soon freed from debt. With all his undertakings Mr. Lipshytz was careful to see that the spiritual work of the mission was not neglected. "First things" were given first place: hence the mission abundantly prospered in his hands.