Letter to Mr. Marcuson · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter to Mr. Marcuson

Author

Isaac Leeser

Contributor

Marcuson

Location(s)

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 4 page(s) on 2 sheet(s).

Letter

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p34q7r965/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p34q7r965

Physical Characteristics

Wax Seal

Manuscript

Is Part Of

http://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124516100

content

Mr Marcusson
To the Editor of the Jewish Chronicle of New York
I met with you August ? at the house of one of my friends which, in perusing I came to an article headed “Conversion?,” which speaking of the conversion of certain Jews to Christianity, embraces my name among others, to my grief, surprize & astonishment. My indignation might have been less, had I given the least assent to your doctrines in the conversation I had with some of your faith in Montgomery. But as I deem the whole system of Christian faith little better than a dream, awaking fancy perhaps, and nothing more, I am at less to imagine how you ? could do me the injustice to state I had changed my faith, one as ?? as the God who first bestowed it on us through his servant Moses. To a Jew nothing can be more disgraceful than being charged with deserting his religion; and this disgrace this injustice you have fastened on me in your unauthorized publication. In selecting ? on his people God through his prophet called on a stiff necked generation; but also He styled us a “Great nation, having wisdom & understanding, which two elements are necessary in a rational religion, so as to prevent us from believing every idle tale & fiction which may be retold? to us. I give you this information for your guidance, that you may not so readily believe in time to come if you hear of the conversion? of a Jew, especially if he be one who has learned something; since Sir you may be sure, that you hear a thing which slight not to be believed, or that he is one of the most ignorant of his people.
Now the only way I can account for the origin of the report is as follows: the person missionary who sent you the letter in the ? of the above number came several times to my residence, and we had several communications about religious matters, and ? he had the worst of the argument, as he will I hope have the cand? to acknowledge for every interview we had he failed to answer

my objections; and once when we had argued before many people his best reply was that ? all the doctrine of the trinity is a ?; “but it is very plain to us,” I replied, and so it is, thank God, for we know that it is not founded in fact nor revelation. After this he told me that the minister of the city wished to become acquainted with me, and that they ? to learn Hebrew for which they would pay me; and so he recommended me to them. After I became a little better acquainted with them, we often spoke together about religion, but I always had the last word, they failing to maintain their side. On one occasion, after conversing for some time, one of them took the liberty to tell me ? on finding himself unable to contend any farther with me, after this f?: “All that you say is so high & deep; but in religious matters it is only necessary to have faith (i.e. Only to believe whether there are good reasons for so doing or not); and the only reason why you Jews do not believe in Jesus (I do not want to call him Christ, because he never was this and never will be) is because you do not take the Bible in the true light, and you are cursed that you shall have ears & not hear, eyes & not see, a head and not understand.” This assertion hurt my feelings deeply, and my heart was made sick, and I replied to him “We were the first to whom the Almighty God delivered the Bible by the hands of Moses, and you have obtained it solely from us; and if therefore if you hear it, we hear it be a certainty; and still you dare to say that you understand it in its true light! and have a better knowledge of its contents than we!” After this I began to show them that not only have they not the true light, but they have no light at all; and I proved to them that ? Dr. Clarke in his commentaries was in error, and did not understand the true sense of the Hebrew.
Most of their conversation was about the Trinity; and the manner in which

they attempted to explain it to my understanding was truly ridiculous; and I showed them that even of their own faith they do not know enough to help themselves, and I was able to give them better reasons than theirs; but I proved to them at the same time that their belief is false, and that it is not possible to believe in three persons as the Deity; and if their ? holds good, they either believe in four or two gods; but three can never be one. I also demonstrated to them that ? Dr. Clarke established a plural in the ? with the name of God, that he did not understand the meaning of the words at all. I also explained to them in a correct manner the meaning of the word Shiloh (Gen. XIIX 101); let them repeat to you my answer; and if they are not able to do so because it is “too high or deep” I will do myself so with pleasure at a later period, if God pleases to spare me
In speaking of the crucifixion, I asked where this was predicted in the Old Testament? The therefore presented me with a little book, (which I shall carefully preserve,) wherein I read that this important event is foretold in Deuteronomy XXI 22, 23; to which I ? that if this be so, I could frame no objection to this position. But I pray you to read the first referred to; and I am sure you will agree with me, that no Christian argument can be derived from it. The second passage could in the one relating to the brazen serpent which Moses was ordered to make in the desert, of which it is said that it is a sign, that “as the serpent was lifted up, so was Jesus to be crucified.” I then asked them whether they were satisfied to take the whole history of the brazen serpent as a sign of Jesus; since it would be improper to take the half only. They answered: “To be sure, we take the whole history.” I expressed myself perfectly satisfied with this; but as I gave them no reason for this, they perhaps thought that I was not able to answer; yet this however, thank God, is not the case; the reason for my

not saying more was, that the thing was too trifling to require farther illustration. But as it seems that I was misunderstood, I will now enter into farther details. In saying the whole history, I meant that of the lifting up of the serpent by Moses was a sign of Jesus, the destruction of the serpent by the King Hezekiah in 2 Kings XVIII 4 must also be a sign of him, as after he had been crucified he was buried and became dust like the rest of mankind. You can find no more signs that either the serpent or its type arose after this; and ? Hezekiah called it “Nehushtan,” which in your version if is left untranslated; but I will tell you what it means, it is a Hebrew word, and signifies a piece of brass or copper. Now you can see who takes the Bible in a true light, the Christians of the jews.
Now I beg you do not make any more mistakes; I can show you many things; but I do not wish to have a controversy, if you do not provoke me again. I shall be perfectly satisfied with this course; but if you like warfare better, I am ready to meet you; but I advise you to take care that you do not provoke me to write myself some of these days a commentary on the New Testament; which I hope will be better than Dr. Clarke's at least it shall be more in accordance with truth.
Your reporter says that I shall become a faithful missionary; certainly not in the sense which he wishes you to understand this: but if you want light, I am prepared to give it to you to the best of my abilities, if you will but open your heart and mind to receive the truth. And do not say that the Jews do not understand the scriptures in their true light. I can refer you to ? as regards my qualifications; but after all I pray you to let me rest. I wish to live in the faith of our ancient heavenly Father & I desire to follow his commandments; and though you say, “The law condemn us;” still do I say, that it is the truth and everlasting life. Do you ? as many persons as you like; I will call on the only true God alone, for He is the sole saving Person, as He is the sole Creator?.

Identifier

LSDCBx3FF4_13