Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;May 01, 1848 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;May 01, 1848

Author

Moses N. Nathan

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Date Created

1 May 1848

Location(s)

Saint Thomas

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 4 page(s).

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3kw5814t/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3kw5814t

Physical Characteristics

Unlined Paper

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Dropsie College Isaac Leeser Collection at the Penn Libraries

content

St. Thomas May 1st 5608(48)
My dear friend
I avail myself of the first trip of the Steamer hence to N. Y. to drop you a line acknowledging your last, assuring you of Mrs. Nathan's and my good health, and cherishing the hope that this will meet you and all our friends in the full enjoyment of that blessing.
Nothing that can be in any way interesting does it fall to my lot to inform you of. Political revolutions bring about commercial ones, and this little depot, for the manufactures and productions of Europe and America, is much affected by the stir which nations are making to obtain from Kings and priests the liberty, rights, and privileges of which they have, until now, been cruelly depauded?. The events in the eastern hemisphere and those in Venezuela are bringing our merchants to the ground. Of course every one must suffer in the general stagnations. The Synagogue is losing many reliable members who are quitting this for America, and I suffer among the number in the ? of my income. In a year the Synagogue will be too poor to support any one I have a mere Reader

were it not for the School my income as minister would not keep me in board and lodging. I am obliged to toil in that laborious profession as before, when, I hoped that, after leaving Jamaica, I should not be again obliged to resume it.
There is little or no improvement in spiritual matters. Sometimes, I am half inclined to blame myself as the cause of want of progress, were the character of the people not so well known. There is too much Hebrew here. It requires a being of greater capability than I possess to effect any thorough good. Thanks be to God we are quiet. I am grateful for small things in despair of accomplishing ? ?. I have still? the rage for violent changes, and even our friend Wolff is becoming orthodox. The field of operation was better in Jamaica. I shall never affect as much here as I did there. Still Carillon's mad schemes are silenced for the ?, and the accomplishing so much is an evidence of the successful result of my ministry. People are more strict in pot and kettle than formerly there is good attendance at the Synagogues on Sabbath, and holy days, and the children generally are learning Hebrew, and religion. The girls generally are studying the sacred language, and several of them show great proficiency.
A most ? calamity has lately

befallen us, and it is my duty, as a minister of Israel to inform you of it. Incest has been com-mitted, between brother and sister, and the fruit of it was brought forth to the disgrace of us all. The parties have left the Island, had they not, the General would have sent them in chains to Copenhagen. The young man who acted this abominably received a German education. I doubt by this mean to cast a slur on Germany, but on the parties who undertake to teach without making religion the basis of instruction. When Jewish parents send their children to a Jew who has married a Christian, and yet who is a Parnass of the Hamburg Temple, who breakfasts on Kippur and then goes in solemn mockery to ask atonement for his sins, what can be the result. The unprincipled teacher will make a corrupt pu pupil as in the present instance. Dr Fränkel was the master, Mr. David Pretto son of Jacob Pretto the pupil! The parents of the wretched children are gone to the states the incestuous ? wish the guilty daughter are with them. God grant they may never attempt to marry the child (a boy) in the Jewish family. I write this for your Guidance should they come to Philadelphia. The child has not been circumcised, as they went away before

the eighth day. It has afflicted every one of us. We hang down our heads with shame.
I was lately in Jamaica, and was warmly welcomed. Whilst there, somebody told me that the N. O. congregation had written me an invitation to come and be their minister, but if so, the letter has never reached my hands. Carillon applied to me to give him letters of introduction and recommendation in order to obtain the situation. I declined doing so, and gave him as my reasons, his uniform bad conduct in ? dissension and propagating improper and heterodox doctrine. His eloquence did not move me. I also refused to preach for him in Spanish Town, as I would not aid him in the principle of sending round the begging box for his benefit.
Pray give my best respects to Miss Gratz and all her family; to my friends Mrs Hart and Miss Louisa, Mr Abr. Hart & family, Mr Peixotto your good land lady and Miss Couzens, if she be miss Couzens still, and all my kind well wishers, send me 100 of the Roads of faith. I hope you corrected any errors without regard to my vanity or self-love. Wishing you success in all your undertakings in which Mrs Nathan and family ?.
I am
as ever
Truly & sincerely yours
M N Nathan

Identifier

LSDCBx1FF5_14

Date

1848-05-01