Letter from 1825-1893 A. P. (Abraham Pereira) Mendes to Isaac Leeser;June 26, 1857
- Title
- Letter from 1825-1893 A. P. (Abraham Pereira) Mendes to Isaac Leeser;June 26, 1857
- Contributor
- Isaac Leeser
- Date Created
- 26 June 1857
- Format
- Letter. 3 page(s) on 2 sheet(s).
- Type
- Letter
- Language(s)
- English
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p34t6fp7h/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p34t6fp7h
- Physical Characteristics
- Unlined Paper
- Manuscript
- content
-
Birmingham.
26th June 1857
Dear Sir.
I am just in receipt of the Occidents which your kind direction caused to be forwarded to me with unusual dispatch & I hasten to offer you many thanks for your kindness in calling my attention to the advertisement of the Charleston Congregation. I trust you will par--don my freedom in trespassing further upon your goodness, but for many reasons I am undisposed to take a plunge in the dark & discover too late that my impetuosity has been unwise. I am thus led to obtain as much information as possible concerning the place & people—labors & emoluments as regards the place my principal fears are on ac--count of climate Mrs Mendes's health suffered from her residence in Jamaica & if, as I have heard, Charleston is as bad, I could never think of expo--sing her to the influence of such a climate. The people cannot possibly be more unacceptable than those among whom I live, but if they should possess the vascillating? character I have heard ascribed to several American congregations, I should be unwise to exchange the ills I bear for those I know not of. I have however a longing to be again in a Portuguese Cong.—that could lead me very far, & I fear would blind me against many inconveniences. In respect to the labors and emoluments of the office, I shall prosecute my inquiries elsewhere, but will only trouble you for any
information you can afford me about the leads mentioned above, especially the nature of the climate, extent of win=ter, influence upon Europeans. If you could kindly add any intelligence concerning the cause of Mr Jacob's resig-nation, & also any hints respecting the cost of living in Charleston, ?, domestics &c; —I should feel extremely obliged. Before quitting this subject let me iterate my apologies, for obtruding such questions upon your valuable time & attention; but as I recog-nize in your goodness which secured to me early in--formation of the situation, an evidence of kind interest I have presumed upon it as above. Be however assured that I shall be happy to retaliate the service in any way that I can be of use to you now or hereafter.
I have read with delight your remarks on the Press & pulpit, those two great teachers of society, capable of achieving such vast results, for good or for evil. Alas that I should have to point to any congregation of my people as an evidence of this last assertion, but let the communities of Cincinatti prove how holy things can be defiled through the infamous agency of a Pulpit filled by & a Press directed by men without principle. But I for one must say I dont fear these men & apprehend no permanent evil as the result of their blasphemies. Hebrew I firmly believe that the end of all such movements is the reaction in favor of orthodoxy—that pure religion which has not survived the sword & the stake, to perish before the neological madness of a few ununprinci
-pled reformers(?).
I have read your translation of the Bible with real satisfaction & I deeply regret that the price (10/6) must militate against its general introduction in our schools. I have tried to bring it to the notice of several gentlemen;—but have only succeeded in two in-stances. I regret to say that men who cheerfully give half a guinea for a night's amusement, think that sum too much for God's word faithfully presented.
I some time since asked you to indicate a means of forwarding a copy of my sermons, lately published but you omitted to reply on that head. I however send you a copy by the present opportunity & shall feel obliged for your candid—unreserved opinion. I value your character eminently as “the man of sincerity” & I am sure you could not under the fear of wounding an author's pride withold your judgment.
Allow one to congratulate you on your being again in office among our people. I feel indeed that no office can add prestige to the name of Isaac Leeser, unad? though that be by the questionable dignity of Dr or “Rabbi” but there can be no doubt that a wider field & a more extended privilege are opened before the minster than be-fore the man. May the Eternal spare your useful life for many years, that you may live to see the downfall of infidel reform & the triumph all over the world of Hebrew.
With best respects I am, Dr Sir,
Yours oby ?
A P Mendes. - Identifier
- LSDCBx2FF4_58
- Date
- 1857-06-26
Part of Letter from 1825-1893 A. P. (Abraham Pereira) Mendes to Isaac Leeser;June 26, 1857
A. P. (Abraham Pereira) Mendes, “Letter from 1825-1893 A. P. (Abraham Pereira) Mendes to Isaac Leeser;June 26, 1857”, 1857-06-26, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/67102