Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;February 12, 1850 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter from Moses N. Nathan to Isaac Leeser;February 12, 1850

Author

Moses N. Nathan

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Date Created

12 February 1850

Location(s)

New Orleans

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 4 page(s).

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3q52g00s/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3q52g00s

Physical Characteristics

Unlined Paper

Manuscript

Is Part Of

The Dropsie College Isaac Leeser Collection at the Penn Libraries

content

New Orleans 12 Feby. 5610 (1850)
Revd. Isaac Leeser
Philadelphia
My dear friend.
I have been too much occupied since my arrival with matters connected with the congregation receiving and returning the numerous visits of its members, and my own personal affairs, to write you; and not wishing to keep you, who have shown so much interest for the progress of Judaism in this quarter, uninformed as to a single particular of all that has taken place, I delayed addressing you until I had sufficient leisure to give you all the information on the subject. Having now arranged the preliminaries satisfactorily I hasten to acquit myself of the pleasing duty
I left Jamaica on the 23rd Decr. I was detained at Havan-nah waiting the arrival of the steamer from the 26th to the 8th Jany. As I did not wish to go to Vera Cruz and Jampico in her, and no direct opportunity offering for New Orleans, I was forced to go to Savannah, and thence by stage, steam, and rail road; at length arriving here hap-pily on the 19th ult just 28 days after my departure from Jamaica. The only pleasing incident, worth mentioning, in my travels, is the Friday & Sabbath spent at Savannah. We had divine service evening and morning, and I preached to a numerous auditory, considering the number of our people who are settled there. Messrs. Delamotta and S. Cohen promised to give you all particulars of what transpired, it is therefore needless for me to do so. I was exceedingly well received and most hospitably entertained. Your name was often mentioned, and the value and magnitude of your labours acknowledged and discussed. always enthusiastic in the cause of my friends, your reputation and services suffered nothing from my being present. There is a fine

opening at Savanah for a Good Jewish minister I think such a man as Mr. DaSola would answer. There is a feeling of true piety and zeal both among the ladies and gentlemen of that place, which, properly directed by a faithful and energetic spiritual guide, would make the Savanah Synagogue one of the best regulated and most conspicuous in the U. S. Had I not been detained so long on the way, I should have liked to have spent a week or two among such agreeable people as messrs S Cohen, Delamotta, Isaac Cohen &c.
I expected to find every thing in readiness on my arrival and was surprised to hear that even the donation of the synagogue had not yet been made. Our mutual friend Mr. Touro is a man deliberate and cautious in his plans and movements. It is natural at his advanced age. However the property is now in the hands of the congregation. The good old man signed the act, which gave away $150,000. for such is the value of the land and buildings, as calmly and coolly as tho' it were an ordinary transaction, I am convinced that the idea, of having thus handed his name down to posterity as a munificent and princely upholder of the institutions of his people, never crossed his mind. He is without exception, one of the most single-hearted men I ever encountered. His ruling thought is filial reverence; and the gift of the synagogue arises more as much from a desire to do honor to the memory of his father than as any other. Such a man deserves some testimonial expressive of his coreligionists' esteem. It has occupied the thoughts of many here, but he is so retiring unostentatious, and modest, as to preclude the hope of his willingness to receive any mark of regard. When you come on, we should have the benefit of your counsel; for something must be done to save us from the charge of ingratitude, or not properly appreciating his disinterestedness and patriotism. He has further designs for the promotion and diffusion of religious instruction among the rising generation, which will in time be matured and perfected. He holds you in great esteem, and has already put by the funds for paying your expenses to witness the conse
2-12-1850B

cration. My engagement is for life, i e-during good behaviour and ability to discharge my duties, temporary sickness excepted. The salary $2500 p ann., a large sum apparently, but really small when the extravagant cost of every thing here is considered. I shall not keep a school, but only have classes for children for Hebrew and religious instruction. An assistant had been engaged, a Mr. DaSilva, who formerly officiated at Mobile, at $1200. He will act as Shamash, collector, messenger & assistant Reader. Mr. Isaac Soria continues the secretaryship.
The consecration will not take place before the middle of May, say the 15th, at which, altho' Shebungot may see you absent from your congregation, you must appear, as one of the bright stars of our Jewish hemisphere. I beg of you, as a mark of favor on your part towards me, independently of the Congregation, to consider the pulpit as your own the Sabbath after the consecration, or rather the Friday after, being the first day of Shebungot?. As I shall leave this on the 18th Inst. for Jamaica, and not return until the 1st or 2nd May you will please communicate with our friend G. Kursheedt, and say whether you will be here. Surely your congregation will spare you on such an occasion and must feel delighted at the high respect evinced towards their their pastor. Your share in the consecration service I have not yet determined on; but it will be my delight to show you the honor you so well merit. Consider these sentiments, my dear friend, as heartfelt; I have no other ? than, as an Israelite, to join in doing homage to that talent, whose energetic exercise has mainly con-tributed to that progress, now fermenting and leavening in our Congrega-tions. It will be a sad disappointment to Mr. Touro and myself if you be absent on an occasion so honorable to him, so interesting to you. Our officers will write you specially.
It was originally intended to celebrate the consecration before I returned to Jamaica, but this idea was abandoned; and I objected to it for several reasons, one of which was, tho' I did

not express it to any one but Mr. Touro, that you could not be here. From a letter received from Philadelphia, it appears there was an impression of your having been ill-treated by the Congregation, here, after you had bestirred yourself so much in personally attending to the announcement and quick dispatch of articles ordered for the synagogue. If such an idea entered your mind, the plain statement in this letter of the true facts will remove its and satisfy you on this head. Nor must you interpret G. Kursheedt's silence to any neglect or forgetfulness on his part. Had I not been an eye-witness of the way in which he is pestered with every minute affair relating to both congregations, together with the amount of business he has to transact in his own office, I might have been induced to suppose that his silence as a correspondent arose from disinclination to write. It is impossible for you to conceive the dilatory manner things are managed here. Business absorbs men's attention from morn till night, and from that they will not budge. He has enough of that to occupy him the whole day; therefore when he is consulted besides on all spiritual matters, for which Mr. Guttheim & I have given him the title of Hebrew and he is constituted by general consent, as well perhaps as by inclucation, the umpize? and arbitration of both synagogues, you can then form a notion that he is a hard working man as well as yourself. I am induced to say this much in his defence, he having charged me to assign a satisfactory reason for not visiting you.
Your friend Mr. Gutheim and I are upon the best of terms. I esteem him much as a scholar and a gentleman, and shall do my best to establish the friendship which now exists between us on the firmest basis. Our mutual aim must be, the advancement of Judaism and in accomplishing it, union and harmony should exist between the ministers of the two congregations. I see nothing to prevent the reciprocation of regard and kindness.
I must now close this long letter with the hope of its meeting you in good health. I shall count the days till I have the pleasure of welcoming you to New Orleans, and giving you a cordial and hearty greeting. Meanwhile remember me kindly to all friends and believe me, as ever your friend & well wisher
M N Nathan
Did you receive my letter from Jamaica on the subject of coming here &c?

Identifier

LSDCBx1FF7_3

Date

1850-02-12