Letter from Sen. Samuel Hart to Isaac Leeser;March 01, 1850 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Sen. Samuel Hart to Isaac Leeser;March 01, 1850

Author

Sen. Samuel Hart

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Date Created

1 March 1850

Location(s)

Charleston

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 8 page(s).

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p30r9mq39/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p30r9mq39

Physical Characteristics

Lined Paper

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Dropsie College Isaac Leeser Collection at the Penn Libraries

content

Rev I. Leeser
Charleston March 1 1850
Dr Friend,
Your esteemed fvr of the 19th Ins came safe to hand with a note to my sister, who begs me to say in reply, that she recollects during Mr W. Life, of his having received the Daily Prayer as well as the other prayers, that he paid for the D Pryer & when the others were presented he declined taking them because he did subscribe but for the single volume, my sister having a complete as well as himself.
I am as anxious as possible that your subscribers should pay them ar-rears regularly every year, for when they get two or 3 years in arrears it is difficult to collect, I will do all I can to urge them, those in the country I have to write to, as they seldom are in town. Dr. Raphael has been ? since his arrival, he took a Room at the Pavillion I enclose the Proceeding of your congre

gation in relation to him, & have addressed you as a correspondent not desirous of appearing in Person so I have given you the outline make any additions & corrections or prefaces you think necessary, as too much cannot be said of him, he is an able ? for you & I hope you will act together, for as I told him you were the only Israelite in America, who had done work for the cause of Israel, time & money have been of no consi=deration to you for the cause & elevation of true Judaism, He is a great man, eloquent & profound & Logical—He has been very unfortunate like yourself in differing from the great Poz=nanski—on the same day that our ? called & as I had just finished my address, Mr. P & the commiller ? Hojel? popped in & Mr P as ? addressed him & in conclusion hoped his views & reforms coincided with the Doctor

& the Doctor replied to him in not the most affectionate manner, for he could not sanction or argue with any man or any change that would prove Sch? in Israel, however unimportant the change, & then Mr P. undertook in the presence of all the visitors & step-ping from the object of his visit, went more fully in to the reforms innovations of his congregation & himself—the conversation lasted about 2 Hours as Mr P. had to leave on business but desired to continue the Discussion, when Mr Rosenfeldt sug=gested that the discussion or friendly conversation be ? before Both congregations at Hebrew Orphan Hall on the Sunday following which was agreed to by the Dr. I was much opposed to it the more I reflected upon it & it was not un-til the Thursday follg that I gave my consent because I know his followers would not admit their errors & it was a ? of time & words.—The meeting took place & I need not tell you the result, Mr P was as a child in the hands of a giant

Before the Doctor would go into an examination of the introduction of an organ or the discontinuance of the use of the 2d day of Festivals, of which Mr. P had brought a cartload of Books, the Doctor took him & his followers “all a back” (as the suitors say) & struck at the root of innovation, & the main stay of Judaism. The Creed —the addition & the total abolition of a portion The non fullfilment of the prophecy of the messiah—& the resurrection of the Dead, which last article you are aware of is not upon their tablet in the synagogue
To give you an account of the conversation would occupy too much time & paper, but the conclusion & ? of Dr R, of nu Pos is that he is either a fool or knave, for he has hitherto palmed on us, as Albo' opinion & he thought he could do it upon the Dr. the opinions of others, which Albo refutes most powerfully & which agrees with me great sagery & the great Marmonides
It so happened that the Doctor in his excitement could not refer to the part but he had translated it & is in the ? Rev? & promised his audience to have it reprinted at his own expense to verify his assertion, he has done so

But such a mokkas as P & his followers obtained was as merited as it was severe. He told them they were ? Jews. For ? are jews but those who believe in the written & oral Laws. The coming of the Messiah & the resurrection of the dead.—They all felt the rebuke & they all say he is of course a Bigot like you, I suppose you'll say you like to be in such com-pany if Dr. R is a bigot. The most conspicuous of those who have felt the truth of Dr R castigation is Dr Philip Cohen, to whom the Dr had brought a letter from A Hart & to whom Mr Josh Lazarus had sent to me tickets for his lectures to dispose of & to show how small a matter it was he returned them in a note saying “that the illiberal cause of Dr R will prevent him from disposing of the tickets, so you see that the Dr might have made

20 or 40 Dolls. but it so happens that one Lecture had already taken place & yet Mr Cohen had not distributed or used even a single ticket—His Lectures therefore has been attended by a most respectable audience, but not so nume-rous as I could have worked through ? proportionate to our population I am pleased to say that all the Israelites in our city with one or two exceptions have attended his lectures & have been most agreeable entertained & enlightened, he again Lectures tomorrow at our Shool XXXVI Ezekiel ? XXIV—& on Sunday he addresses our children & teachers of the school.
I must stop Mr Levin is preparing an account of the conversation & intends sending it to you. I have also sent a copy of the proceedings as enclosed to the Asmoneon—if not too late for the March Occident will you mend it? I ? you are well

in which I am yours by all ? I remain?
Your friend
& well wisher
Samuel Hart Sen
The Doctor will leave for Savan-nah on Thursday next, where he will lecture on Saturday night & thence retrace his steps to MS not having time ? him to visit New Orleans & return to NC by the Passover.
I should have been highly gratified to have had you here this week most especially, but hope you will soon ? in upon us
I forgot to say that Dr Wise arrived here last week & delivered his 1st Lec-ture on Saturday afternoon, but it did me great pleasure ? when members had heard the great Raphael in the morning, on Sunday he helped his Proty-type, & on Monday eve (Purim) he told his congregation that they would not & could not as American Jews think of going back

to Jerusalem to be under the messiah a King when

Identifier

LSDCBx1FF7_4

Date

1850-03-01