No. 105.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

REV. JOSEPH WOLFF, D.D., LL.D.

THIS truly extraordinary individual was born in Weilersbach, in the Duchy of Bamberg, in Bavaria, in 1796. His parents were both Jews, and only fifteen days after the birth of Joseph, David Wolff, the father, was invited to Halle, in Prussian Saxony, to take superintendency as rabbi of a synagogue in that ancient seat of science and letters. Here Wolff resided till he had reached his seventh year, when a second removal of his father, to officiate in the same capacity to another synagogue of his own countrymen in Crailsheim, near Anspach, and not long after a third, to Ullfeld, near Baireuth, made our hero successively a denizen of both these towns. When in Ullfeld a barber of the name of Spiess spoke with him on Christianity, being the first person who had ever done so. The conversation of Spiess produced on his youthful mind a decidedly beneficial influence, and in 1809 he was sent to pursue his studies at the gymnasium of Bamberg, being then in his thirteenth year. Professor Nepf, a Roman Catholic, by whom he was instructed in Latin and Greek, exhibited to his young pupil so convincingly the beauty and excellency of the New Testament, that he became a decided convert to the Christian faith, and on the 13th September, 1812, after enduring a great many persecutions from his Jewish relations, Wolff was baptized at Prague, in Bohemia, by Father Leopold Zalda, abbot of the Benedictine Convent of Emaus in that town. Though only in his sixteenth year, his desire to enter upon the labours of a missionary was already decidedly formed. A perusal of the life and exciting adventures of Francois Xavier, the famous Jesuit Missionary, inflamed his youthful bosom with a passion the most sincere and ardent to devote himself to that enterprise, alike hazardous and honourable, in which he subsequently embarked. Wolff quitted Prague for Vienna about the close of 1812, but not before he had rendered himself sufficiently distinguished by his scholarship and intellectual attainments to attract the notice of that celebrated satirical poet and benefactor of the human race, Johannes Falck of Weimar, in Upper Saxony, through whom he also formed an acquaintance with the still more famous Goethe. At the University of Vienna, Wolff entered upon the study of the oriental languages under a variety of celebrated professors, and gained a very considerable share of scholastic distinction. Here, too, he lived upon terms of the closest intimacy with Friedrich Von Schlegel, the famous author of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature,' and Zacharias Werner, the poet; individuals whose recommendation procured for him the

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tutorship in Hebrew and Arabic of the sons of Friedrich Leopold, Count of Stolberg, in whose house he spent six months of no ordinary happiness. Leaving Vienna, Wolff prosecuted still farther the study of oriental literature at the University of Tubingen, in Suabia, under the auspices of Prince Dalberg, Archbishop of Ratisbon, by whom he was subsequently recommended to Cardinals Consalvi and and Litta at Rome. Here being introduced to Pope Pius VII., he entered the Collegio Romano, and not long afterwards the Collegio della Propaganda. At Rome Wolff lived on terms of intimacy with several distinguished inhabitants of our own country, namely, Lady Carnegie, General Macaulay, Colonel Hallyburton, Henry Drummond, and Berkeley Noel. He likewise, at the Collegio della Propaganda, was successful in gaining, as the fruit of his literary efforts, two gold medals. Wolff about this time avowed opinions at variance with the creed of Rome. He was accused and convicted of heresy, and though he has never yet ceased to acknowledge the personal kindness he received while a student in that city, he was sentenced, in consequence of his change of views, to banishment from her walls. Retiring to Val-Sante, near Fribourg, in Switzerland, he entered the order of the Redemptorists, but not resting satisfied with their system either, he embarked for Britain in 1819, and arrived in London on the 1st of June, being then twenty-three years and ten months old.

Ever since his perusal of the life of Xavier, Wolff's desire and resolution to become a missionary, instead of undergoing abatement, had increased in intensity and power. He had now formed the definite determination of traversing all regions of the globe where his dispersed brethren were to be found, and of preaching to them Jesus and the resurrection. This purpose he communicated to the gentlemen who welcomed him on his arrival in England, who heard it with sentiments of no ordinary pleasure, and not long thereafter recommended him to the notice of the London Society for Propagating Christianity among the Jews. Satisfied with his appearance, the society sent him to Cambridge to enjoy the superintendency and care of Professor Lee and the Rev. Charles Simeon. At the twelfth anniversary of the society, held in London on the 5th of May, 1820, the last mentioned individual, in the course of a highly eloquent speech, brought his interesting pupil under the notice of the meeting in the following terms:- I must confess that I could have brought you a Jew who would have filled all your souls with joy, one who is under my care and that of Professor Lee, who understands not only Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, but Arabic, Persic, and I know not what besides, but who, with all his attainments, is possessed of such a childlike dispo

sition as is seldom seen.

He was desirous of coming, and I was desirous of bringing him, but I thought to myself, there is on this tree a lovely peach, but if I put it into their hands they will take off all the bloom and spoil it. I have his life, but I have not published it; and I will not, because if you see it he will, and therefore I conceal it. If you persecute him you will do him no harm; but if you praise him you will injure him; and I will not put my child into your arms for fear you should squeeze him to death; but I really have very great joy in seeing such an one about to go forward as your servant, to spend and be spent in the cause of the Saviour.'

than he recognised in one of them the very person who not long before had, during a fit of illness, shown him great attention and even given him medicine free of expense. This individual went that very evening to the camp of Salikh, the greatest sheikh of all the Arabian desert, who, attended by no less than fifty inferior chieftains, arrived the following day. Wolff fearlessly confronted the whole daring banditti, insisting upon the instant liberation of himself and companions, and adding, that he was sure they would be punished if they did not comply. After a discussion of two hours, they were dismissed from their captivity, during which, however, they had been treated with the greatest civility and kindness. The entire party arrived safely at Cairo on the 26th of November.

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After three or four days Dr Wolff left Cairo, separating himself with a very heavy heart from the family of Mr Salt. Every day,' he adds, farther and farther from dear English gentlemen, and the more I separate myself from them the more I am approaching a perverted generation. I prayed to God to be able to preach the Gospel faithfully without offending anybody; the first reason is, that it is the Christian's duty not to offend anybody; the second, to see whether a missionary may not be able to maintain the truth without hurting the feelings of persons who are of different opinions; thirdly, to prove to other missionaries that there is a possibility of preaching the Gospel in the East without making a noise or exposing themselves to insults. If I had gone to the rabbis at Cairo, and told them 'You are wrong,' they would have shut the door before me and burned the Gospel I had offered them, but now they are reading it. If I had gone to Osman Effendi and told him, Examine the Scripture and see what is false or true,' he would have turned me out of his room; but I offered him simply the Gospel as a book worthy of attention, and now I perceive he has read it. Christ, who knew the heart of man, was able to call some hypocrites; I know not the heart of man.' After a march of thirteen days through the great desert of Arabia, Dr Wolff, on the 26th December, arrived at the ancient Gaza, and after endeavouring, without success, to purchase an old Arabic manuscript of the Gospel, of which the Greek Christians connected with the town are possessed, he reached Jaffa on the 29th, where he found a genuine descendant of the ancient Samaritans residing. He showed me,' says the doctor, three Samaritan manuscripts; the first contained the fourth part of the books of Moses; the second, a book called Mimar, old sermons of their priests, which he affirmed were above 1600 years old; and the third manuscript contained a catechism for the Samaritan youth, which consisted of the ten commandments of Moses. All these manuscripts were written in the Samaritan language.' After an interesting ride along the base of the famous Mount Carmel, Dr Wolff arrived finally at St Jean d'Acre, where he was well received by Peter Abbot, Esq., British consul of the place. In order that he might attain to yet greater proficiency in the knowledge of Arabic, Dr Wolff now visited Mount Lebanon.

So ardent was Wolff's zeal to be employed in active service among his kinsmen according to the flesh, that every hour seemed to him an age; and in the autumn of 1821, he set sail for Gibraltar on his way to Jerusalem, carrying with him a great many copies of the Old and New Testament for distribution among his brethren. Intending to proceed to the Holy City by Egypt as his route, Wolff had no sooner reached Gibraltar than he embarked for Malta and subsequently for Alexandria. Nothing could be more encouraging than the reception he met with from the Jews both there and at Cairo. A spirit of inquiry appeared to prevail among them, and Wolff was not only admitted into their synagogues but received much private kindness and hospitality from the most wealthy and influential members of their body. He also made liberal distribution, without money and without price,' both of the Old and New Testament in Hebrew. While at Cairo, Wolff resided under the hospitable roof of Henry Salt, Esq., a wealthy English merchant, and preached every Sunday to a congregation partly Roman Catholic partly Protestant, which assembled in one of the apartments of the mansion. About the beginning of November Wolff set out from Cairo, accompanied by two English gentlemen, on an excursion to Mount Sinai, mounted on camels and attended by Arab servants, and carrying along with them several copies of the Scriptures, alike in Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew, to be presented to the poor and somewhat primitive monks who inhabit the convent on the summit of Horeb. Having reached the spot about twelve o'clock at night, on the 6th of November, Dr Wolff and his party were drawn up to the convent by means of a rope let down from the window, the monks, on account of the Arabs, never opening the gates. Their reception was most cordial, and they next morning breakfasted with the monks, whose number amounted to twentyfire. Dr Wolff revealed to them his mission, and distributed amongst them the holy writings which he had brought with him from Cairo, a present with which these secluded religionists seemed highly pleased. In a day or two thereafter the English party, accompanied by an Arab guide, ascended the Mount of Moses, as it is called, and Dr Wolff preached on the same spot where the law was originally, amidst smoke, and lightning, and thunder, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, put into the hands of the man of God. After this they went to the rock of Meribah and the convent of St Catherine. On their return to the convent of Horeb, however, they were intercepted by twelve Arab robbers, who Next to that enthusiastic zeal in the service of Chrismade them prisoners and insisted on conveying them to their tianity, the unflinching fidelity with which he discharged tents, a journey of not less than ninety miles. The Arabs the arduous labours of his holy vocation, and the high forassigned as a reason for their conduct, that the monks attitude with which he confronted danger when it beset his Sinai had refused to give them provisions, and they were determined to retain the party as hostages till the English consul had compelled the president of the mount to order his monks to give them in future whatever food they might demand. Having no other choice, the captives, after sending couriers to the British consulate at Cairo, mounted their camels, and, guarded by the Arabs, arrived on the third day in the camp of two rich sheikhs or robber chiefs, Hassan and Musa by name. I tried,' says Dr Wolff, with inimitable simplicity, to talk with them about religion, but they turned their back, and I was not provided with any copy of the Arabic New Testament. I was very much distressed indeed.' On the third day of their detention, another robber chief arrived at the camp of Hassan, who no sooner saw the two English gentlemen who accompanied Dr Wolff

path, the prudence which Dr Wolff evinced in the many disputes into which he entered regarding the Christian faith is the feature in which we contemplate with the greatest admiration. To the boldness of the lion and the dove's meekness he added the serpent's craft. His labours in the service of Christianity, even while he was only ostensibly engaged in the study of Arabic, were very considerable. Every day found him journeying along the sides of the huge mountain, disputing with holy padres, and endeavouring to ascertain the precise state of religion all over the country. He took down the name of every person in Mount Lebanon who desired Bibles and Testaments, and sent off to Cairo and England pressing letters for more in the Arabic tongue.

Having been assured that at Dir Alkamir, the capital

town of Mount Lebanon, the dwelling-place of its prince, from the time of the second temple have been utterly de and situated on its highest summit, a good many Jewish stroyed; not a single house at Aleppo remained whole.' families were residing, Dr Wolff, though he had been there After this calamitous event Dr Wolff left Syria and rebefore, thought it worth while to return and satisfy him- turned to Egypt, where he had an interesting interview self with his own eyes of the truth of the report. Taking up with the celebrated Pacha on the subject of national edu. his quarters in the Maronite convent, he was immediately cation; and on the 18th of November he arrived once more waited on by Shech Yussuff Basilius, the commander of at Malta. Here he found the Rev. J. King and Pliny Fisk the soldiers. Are there any Jews residing in this town?' of America preparing to make a journey together through inquired Wolff, so soon as the officer entered. Yussuff re- the Holy Land. Dr Wolff having agreed to accompany plied that there were, and that he was intimately acquaint- them, they set sail for Alexandria about the beginning of ed with the rich Jew, Bahur Ahron Arabi, and promised to 1823, and in the subsequent spring we find Wolff once introduce Wolff to him on the following day. This was ac- more a temporary inhabitant of the city of David and cordingly done, and in the house of Arabi our hero met the Jewish kings. It was about this time, speaking of with another respectable Jew called Saul Kohen Arzi. Wolff, that Mr Lewis Way, a brother missionary, thus Wolf, who had brought with him a Hebrew Bible, entered wrote to the secretary of the London Jews' Society: He with his accustomed prudence and tact into a long theo- appears to me like a comet without any perihelion, and logical discussion with these two Israelites, who, as it capable of setting a whole system on fire. When I should | turned out, had not long before obtained a Hebrew New have addressed him at Syria I heard of him at Malta, and Testament, published by the London Society for pro- when I supposed he was gone to England he was riding moting Christianity among the Jews. Saul and Bahur, like a ruling angel in the whirlwinds of Antioch, or standit also appeared, were, from a perusal of the New Testa- ing unappalled among the crumbling towers of Aleppo; ment nearly already converted to the Christian faith, and a man who at Rome calls the Pope the dust of the earth, nothing, therefore, could have been more seasonable and and tells the Jews at Jerusalem that the Gemara is a lie; opportune than Wolff's visit, exactly at the time when they who passes his days in disputation, and his nights in digneeded some one to confirm them in the truth. Wolff dis- ging the Talmud; to whom a floor of brick is a feathercovered, moreover, that the number of Jewish families on bed, and a box a bolster; who makes or finds a friend alike the summit of Lebanon amounted to seven, and that they in the persecutor of his former or present faith; who can and their ancestors had been there for upwards of three conciliate a pacha or confute a patriarch; who travels hundred years. Taking an affectionate farewell of his without a guide, speaks without an interpreter, can live brethren, Wolff, having finished his Arabic studies, again without food and pay without money, forgiving all the returned to St Jean de Acre, and preached for a few days insults he meets with and forgetting all the flattery he rewith considerable success to his brethren the Jews. Hav- ceives; who knows little of worldly conduct, and yet acing received letters of introduction to a rabbi at Jerusalem, commodates himself to all men without giving offence to our indefatigable adventurer prepared to set out in fulfil- any-such a man (and such and more is Wolff) must excite filment of his mission, and in a few days afterwards ar- no ordinary degree of attention in a country and among a rived at that city. As we will have the pleasure, how-people whose monotony of manners and habits have reever, of returning with him to that illustrious spot after mained undisturbed for centuries.' When Dr Wolff and no long interval of time, we shall now merely observe, that his companions, Messrs Fisk and King, left Malta, they after performing a vast amount of labour in reference to brought with them 2000 copies of the Bible, or parts of it, the conversion of his brethren in the town and neighbour- in twelve different languages, and some thousands of tracts. hood, the increasing war between the two Pachas of Acre These during the whole of their perilous journey they cirand Damascus obliged him about the middle of summer to culated to the best advantage, sometimes selling the copies proceed to Aleppo-a journey he was encouraged to un- of the Scriptures at a low price, and sometimes giving them dertake by the kind invitation of the amiable Benjamin away gratuitously. Barker, Esq., who gave orders to all the agents of the British and Foreign Malta Bible Society to furnish him with as many Bibles and Testaments as he might require. Mr Barker received him on his arrival at Aleppo with great affection, introduced him to all the consuls and to the most respectable Jews, hundreds of whom waited on him, to whom, besides preaching the Gospel, he gave away great numbers of New Testaments and tracts. A project of establishing a college at Aleppo which Wolff had previously formed, received the sanction of the French, Spanish, and English consul-generals, and Mr Barker was appointed director of that institution.

Dr Wolff left Aleppo on the 3d of August, 1822, and reached Antioch on the 5th, where remaining till the 12th, be returned to the former city on the very night when the terrible earthquake reduced it in a few hours to a mass of ruins. The heat of the day induced Wolff, with a few of his brethren, to betake themselves for repose to the open fields, where while they were sitting comfortably together, about nine o'clock a dead calm was suddenly followed by a great wind-the Lord looked upon the earth and it trembled. A terrible shock first horizontal, and thirtysix vertical ones, accompanied by a noise like the thunder of cannons, proceeded out from the earth. The falling of houses,' says Dr Wolff in his journal, the shrieks and laTentations of dying women and babes, who were plunged in a time of sixty seconds into an awful eternity, produced in us all the firm belief that the judgment-day of the Lord was now coming. In all,' he continues, 40,000 of our fellow-creatures here lost their lives. At Aleppo are 25.000 souls buried under dead horses, cats, and dogs; there have been 3000 Jews at Aleppo, 2500 of them became victims of the earthquake; their ancient synagogues

While Messrs Fisk and King remained at Jerusalem, Wolff in their company made an excursion to the Dead Sea, the river Jordan, Jericho, and other places. What is the condition of society in these regions may be inferred from the advice which they received when anxious to acquire a guide-Hire the captain of the robbers to go with you, and the rest of the gang will not molest you.' The house in which Wolff resided while at Jerusalem stood on Mount Zion, and was close to the house of a Spanish Jew named Isaac, so that conversation when the parties chose could be carried on from the terrace. I tell him,' says Wolff, every evening, Isaac, I love Jesus my Lord. How much I feel his love in me! He is the very Lion of the tribe of Judah.' In another part of the journal he says-Brothers Fisk, King, and myself took a view of the court of the prison where Zedekiah shut up Jeremiah. The Jews call it Hazar Hammatara, and here they say he sang his Lamentations, and here received a piece of bread out of the baker's street till all the bread in the city was spent. Many Jews were in the court of the prison when we came there. An old man, lame and blind, with a white beard, sat on the floor. The other Jews told me that the old blind man is at his own desire carried there every day, as he wishes to finish his days in the court of the prison of Jeremiah the prophet. Poor blind man! oh that the light of the Saviour who gave sight to the blind may shine into his soul!' They are afterwards represented as visiting the Mount of Olives, and holding their monthly meeting for prayer on the very spot where, after blessing his disciples, Jesus Christ ascended to his glory. We read,' proceeds the journalist, that David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered. How sweet are tears, especially when we weep thinking,