Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;August 19, 1850 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Isaac Mayer Wise to Isaac Leeser;August 19, 1850

Author

Isaac Mayer Wise

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Date Created

19 August 1850

Location(s)

Albany

Philadelphia

Format

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

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3nc5sz8h/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3nc5sz8h

Physical Characteristics

Unlined Paper

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Jesselson Family Collection of Isaac Leeser Material

content

Albany August 19th 1850.
Mr Isaac Leeser!
Rev. Sir!
The moment your Occident came to hand, I intentend to write an epistle as an answer against the unjust charges and your comentary towards Dr Wise but several causes and my limited knowledge of the english and hebrew, prevented me to do so, as my respect towards you and Wise are so great, that I feel myself for the present unable to do justice to both, and the subject itself. But the earnest zeal with which I am interested in the cause of Judaism, and the love of truth make it notwithstanding my duty, to give you an impartial statement of things as they are and for the rest I leave it entirely to your judgement to make use of it or not; it will take make you little trouble in comparison of abilities! The Occident is for this moment not at my hands and therefore can I only allude to it by recollection Your heading Dr W. and his congregation it was the whole matter differently from what it is; when you will read what follows.
Mr Spanier lives as I unterstand some 6 or 8 years in this place, but never mettled with jews or Judaism, and we know that he is not even so very scrupelous in the keeping of the ten commandments. The congregation here is like all the american composed of Jews of so many different tribes as there are states in unhappy Germany, and consequently (coming to this yet the ignorance of so many.) the body very heteregen!

Through' the indefatigable exertions of Dr Wise, they have been kept together and all the friends of order of and common sense untied and are the true friends and followers Wises. But as the immortal Goethe once said, The Elephant must also have his house?, there still remained some outcasts of society who when home and idle make it their principle business, to raise excitements, disturbe meetings &c &c.—The friends of order therefore thought it best to elect a Parnass who not beeing in daily connections with those and having a respectable appearance will fit best to make the criers silent. They thought themselves the better united suited as their candidate did at any time not feign the heartiest friendship to Dr Wise; and thought it possible to retain Mr Wise who was elected in Charleston as their minister. Wise was by most of the members petitioned to remain and with this hope they went to the meeting, and moved to send a comitee to invite him to remain and to increase his salary. This was the first officiating of Spanier, and whilst declaring that it be the duty of every man to secure the services of Wise, he opposed the increase of the salary, because the financial condition of a cong. of 150 members would not allow to expend $200 more 2 years. This was the first jesuitical? act. In a moment this sum. was raised by private subscription, and the president didn't allow to put it in the minutes. When the comite' was selected, the honorable Pres. Sent 2 of the most vulgar enemies of Wise Wise who we certainly know acted with pure love told me that he knows well that he wrongs his family, by reaccepting his office, what is & but poorly paid, on comparison to what was offered to him Charleston, Ca & by considering that what I have with pains and sorrow, ? up in 3 years,

will fall to pieces, the children whom I educated will cease to be what they are now they seeds of true Judaism which I have platted in their hearts, will be in vain makes it my duty to remain.
You will therefore see the first plan of the order of Loyola was destroyed but as as the forge of them is constantly heated and no medium to Case for a Jesuit (and we know them very well and must by all the acts from beginning to end, of Mr Spanier come to conclusion that he is an agent of this Teroor? society) the new plan was soon fabricated. Convinced as the Parnass was, that all the decent members are for all and all for one, are friends of order and of Dr Wise, he now appears as father of the poors, namely there were about 30 to 40 who were partly not able, partly unwilling to contribute their yearly contributions and were therefore by law not allowed to vote. Mr Spanier adressed the meeting in a heartrending language in behalf of them and they were released from their debts and allowed to partake in all the privileges with the other members. Before the moon had made its monthly circulation some of this made Spaniards in connection with 4 baar grogshop keepers who are naturally opposed to Wise's doctrines, who denounces drinking and gambling in the boldest manner, came out with a complaint if you my friend would only read these documents, you would be obliged not only to laugh at the folly, but to comdemn our Parnass for ever. The principal complaints are stiled, it is said that Mr. W. has done this and that and the and when the signers were asked about the containings of their documents, they confessed that they dont know it; they were presented to them, by the honorable Parnass and Chasan and forced to sign!

The only foothold the Parnass could make was the upon a trustee who in opposition to Mr Wise opened his store on Hebrew and was repremanded by him. ? Mr Spanier thought to justified, and when Mr Wise stood on his pulpit to deliver a sermon the Jesuit walked up, and wanted to stop him. Our friend with all the presence of mind and godly inspiration overpowered the assailant in commencing and continuing a beautiful lecture, and fea the Pres. fearing the vengeance of the offended hearers in the singagogue left it, followed by 5 or 6 of his worthy companions.
Where, is there a man or a Jew in the civilized world, who would only copy a line of such a villain? when instructed of his misdeeds?!
The Parnass was paid and had 3 witnesses, who God alone knows their hearts! swore to lies! amongst them was our misguided Chasan! Amongst others to lead the judge, in ? the wrong way a Parnass ? Mr. Y. was cited as a wittness, and when asked, is it customary with the Jews to abuse their ministers ther in such a manner, he answered, Yes Sir! we do not care about our ministers, we just as live abuse them as not. What do you dear Sir say to this fruit of jesuitical bribery such a blame upon Judaism in a crowded court room? The assailant evicts all the burdens of false witnesses, was fined and reprimanded! But do you think man's baseness was stopped here? No Sir! The trustees were again called together to expell the honorable Dr Wise in consequence of the above named groundless and perfidious charges, but the wisdom and blasé plans of the Jesuit, wrecked

Identifier

LSTCAT_item140

Date

1850-08-19