Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;August 17, 1865 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;August 17, 1865

Author

Moses N. Nathan

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Date Created

17 August 1865

Location(s)

Saint Thomas

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 7 page(s) on 4 sheet(s).

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p34x5532t/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p34x5532t

Physical Characteristics

Unlined Paper

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Dropsie College Isaac Leeser Collection at the Penn Libraries

content

St Thomas 17th Augt. 1865
My dear Mr. Leeser
My brother's departure enables me to send you amot for the doz Bibles and 4 Prayer Books had from you last year. As these Books sell very slowly, I have requested him that you may not be kept out of the money any longer, to pay you for them. You have never let me know what the set of Books for my nephew cost; please do so and I will remit the same p first opportunity. Osorio Wright & Co handed me last Septr 49 Roads to Faith, for which I settled with my brother, and he with you. there still remain unsold from that shipment 6 Dias's letters 6 Bible texts, 7 select sentences, 24 Scriptural Questions & 12 Catechisms for younger children. The Books p Responsible are still on hand, in very bad condition, having been damaged by salt-water. So much for business.
My brother will give you all the news about myself. He will tell you of the discomforts and uncertain nature of the situation I hold, and the growing incapability of this congregation, owing to the adverse condition of trade, to maintain a minister. My life is embittered by the petty quarrels, which groundlessly, are fomented by the various

cliques into which this little community is split, and of which I am made the scape-goat and victim. When there is no minister, they mangle among themselves, and when there is one, they unite and land themselves against him. I challenge the wisest and best-tempered man to live with them in harmony and concord. The are unsociable and mean beyond description. Were it not that my experience of them in years gone by determined me to make a contract so stringent and binding that they could not break through, they would ere this have sent me to the right about. And this angers them. Those who were opposed to having a minister, and those who were favorable thereto, being now united in sentiment against the unfortunate individual holding that office. Individually and collectively they urge nothing against me personally, for I do my duty in and out of Synagogue punctiliously, but the taxes for the payment of my salary fall heavily, and they feel that I am a burthen, and a drain on their pockets. I have offended one man, my chief supporter and friend before and after my coming, because I refused to accommodate myself to his ? and caprices, and to the friend of his friends, and the enemy of his enemies. he has loaded me with gross abuse and insult

got up cabals against me, without the least cause, except that I am friendly with one of the leading men of the congregation, when the mortally hated His family, even his wife and children condemn his conduct, so do his relatives and friends, but his commercial standing enables him to have a tail of mischeivous people, who to flatter him and obtain favors, circulate his Hebrew. The way public worship is carried on would, in any other congregation, be considered excellent; and leave nothing to be desired. Young and old members who have been lately in Europe found it superior to what they witnessed there and give it the preference. Only Marks's Synagogue was is thought by some superior. If the prayers were somewhat curtailed, and a better mode of chaunting introduced, no fault could be found. You will think these are easy of adoption. Not so mon cher, the slightest attempt at change would sur le champ cause rows and disturbances. A new element of mischief has recently appeared. The notorious Mr. M B Simmonds, now a disciple of Colento, declines his unbelief in the Jewish scripture, avows himself a Unitarian, not in the Christian meaning of the word, but what you and I and others would call a Deist, and gave a proof of his being one, by refusing lately in a court of justice,

to be sworn on the Hebrew Bible, alleging, when asked by the Judge what he was, that he believed in God. The dark depravity of the man was subsequently brought to light; for the man party against whom he gave evidence proved from Simmonds's own account books, written by himself, that he was a perjurer and had given false testimony, as those books negatived the whole of his deposition. He has many followers; and now he refuses to pay his Synagogue quota, assigning before the court that he is no longer a Jew. What the Government will decide is yet unknown. If the sentence be unfavorable to the Synagogue, then many will follow suit and as they will consist of the largest contributing members, you can conceive what my position will be worth. Looking at it in the most favor-able point of view, my tenure of office cannot, under all these circumstances, be my lasting. Nevertheless I shall hold on, pursue the even tenor of my way, and calmly await the issue, in full reliance on His Hebrew Hebrew. As the congregation sought me and not I them, and induced me to resign greater pecuniary benefit than they offered me; it would be injustice on their part to turn me adrift if they could, and as my contract cannot be violated by them so summarily, I imagine it will terminate in some compromise. I furnish you

with this general outline, leaving my brother to fill up the picture, that you may form just conclusions on the subject, and defend me from misrepresentation, as becomes a friend, should I be attacked. I do not wish to appear before the public in print under such mortifying and unpleasant circumstances, and will not, unless it be a dernier ressort to protect my name and character. It is not improbable we may see one another again face to face, for as I see no fixity here, and will have to look for bread elsewhere, the states will be the most likely place to pitch my tent. I seriously thought that St. Thomas would be my resting place. I have been deceived, tho' doubtlessly my removal therefrom will have been ordained for the best. My constitution is stronger (JG) than ever it was, and a cold climate may brace it, and fit me for continuance of labor. The principal thing I seek is peace; here I am not certain of it for a day, or rather a day's peace is an unusual occurrence.
Where is Gutheim? I hope in his old place in N/O. From the Occident I learn of H S. Jacobs's welfare. J. P. Benjamin left here for Europe yesterday in the B. S. Seine. I had a long conversation with him before

his departure. He told me in a general way of his many hair-breadth escapes in disguises thro' Georgia and Florida. He made his way ? in an open boat, navigated by two men, to Cuba, whence he came to St. Thomas. Gels Walker and Preston were with him. From the date of his leaving Richmond till his arrival at Havannah, over 4 months, his life he said was a blank, in so far as his knowledge of events during that time was concerned. Genl. Breckenridge sailed from here two a month previously. From him we learnt that Wm. Benjamin was then in Florida. At When Jefferson Davis was captured, they were only 40 miles in advance, and therefore had a narrow escape. One old register Book of births gives the date of Benjamin's age. He was born in St. Croix on the 6th August 1811 and circumcised by Judah Benjamin, an uncle, I suppose.
My letter is full enough in all conscience, and so you will no doubt think it. I perceive you are proceeding in your usual useful career, and read with much interest the transactions of your American Board of Jewish Deputies, yourself in the chair. What think you of 6 Israelites out of a population of little more than 40,000 being returned

as members to the British Parliament whilst in the states, with superior advantages, without a junction of Church and State, our brethren are so much in the back-ground. And then these men, one and all, do not hold themselves aloof from commercial interests, but take an active stand in them. Witness the magnificent collection of £10,000 lately in aid of the London Jews Free School, and the princely contributions to synagogues, charities, and schools. Both the Barons Rothschild, Alderman Salomons, Sir Francis Goldsmid and his brother, and Baron Lionel's son are all foremost in devotion to the welfare of their people. They are not Jews in name, but live Kosher, and are in their places at synagogue as well as in the Counting House. I hear however ,that Baron Lionel is paralytic, but hope it is not true. Professor Sylvester who has solved what Newton left improved, was once a pupil of mine; I taught him Hebrew in Liverpool.
Good bye; Mrs. Nathan, Mrs. Samson, & David join me in best wishes, and hoping that your health is robust, and that you will make my brother's residence in your city agreeable, I am
Yours ever truly
MMNathan

Identifier

LSDCBx2FF12_29

Date

1865-08-17