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32X

THE

JEWISH SOCIETY

NEW YORK,

ARRAIGNED AT THE BAR

t
^

|. .'A.*

PUBLIC OPINION

:*».•.

* ^ . .-■><»-.■'■

THE REV. R0M:RT BURNS, D. D,,

MINiaTBR OF KMOX'S CHCBCH, *^ -^
TORONTO, C. W.

■■*^

♦ --.r.

Judex damnatur c}oom nooeni absolvUw.— Publics 9tmv« ,
Mens conscia recti. ii^ •.

•v

TORONTOi

«rf^

PIIDLISIIED UY CHARLES FLETCHEK.
61 YONOK STREET.

MUCCCLIir.

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?ft.

Tf'

■m t'

r**;!' ^-M-riT

i J'h,

■^,.

T H N T :
PBIMTED AT TH« "NORTH AMERiCAN" PRrSfl,

1 '■

•«&r

.♦

:-mv-

'■■■ i> i:v..^h

■I^ -

.1^

INTRODUCTION.

The perusal of the following pamphlet will put the reader .
in possession of the leading features of the case. It is
proper however to state,, that the main- design of the
publication is to examine and expose the statements which
have been put forth by the "Executive Committee" of the
Society in New York for " Meliorating^ the Condition of the
Jews," in reply to a statement by Dr. Burns of the result
of his visit to New York in October last on' the subject of
the matters at issue betwixt him and Mr. J. W. Macgregor,,
one of the Agents of the Society. Dr. B. had publicly
intimated his doubts as to the s.iid Mr. Macgregor being
am agent of the Society at of I, and. these doubts were based
chiefly on the character of the commission which he
produced, and the signature of the- President of the Society
appended to it, which Dr. Burns, onhis personal knowledge
of Dr. Milledoler and his- hand- writing, alleged not to be
genuine. Dr. Milledoler,, on^ being appealed to,, returned
for answer that all commissions duly certified by the
Secretary and Committee, were as a matter of course
subscribed by him as Pr^^sident, jmd that he had never had-
cause to douut the faithfulness of the Secretary. On the
strength of this statement,. Dr. B , at a public meeting in
Toronto,, relinquished his charge against the genuineness of
the document, and acknowledged. Mr. Macgregor as really
the agent of the Society.

Here terminated the matter so far as the question of
the agency was concerned,, but Dr. Milledoler having stated
in his letter that he did not know Dr Burns,, and had never
corresponded with him ;.and moreover the Piiesident's letter
embracing only the officiali credit due to the Secretary in
all' matters of the kind. Dr. Burns felt' iti his duty to visit
Pfew Vork, in order to expiscatealli matters affecting not
only the particular case of Mr. J. W. Macgregor, but the
gencrabhistory and oharaoter of the- Society whose agenti
he appeared to be.- 'I'he necessity of this became more
apparent from the solemn event of the death of Dr. Mille-
doler, which ha* added to the difhculties in the case, while
,it has thrown! afound it a melancholy interest.

Dr.-Blirns, on his return to Toronto, called a public
meeting in his own Church, when he made a report of hit

INTRODUCTION.

visit to New York, the bearing of which was conclusive
in regard to the two main points — namely, in its satisfacto-
rily shewing that he had sufficient grounds and reasons for
indicating serious doubts as to the real character of the
agency in question ; and secondly, that leading office-
bearers of the Society were anxious to have the matter <
fully canvassed for their own vindication and for the better
regulation of their future proceedings

Since Dr. B.'s reply was published in the pages of the
North American, of Toronto, the " Executive Committee"
of the New York Society have met, and Uiey have seen it
their duty not only to declare Mr. J . W. Macgregor a duly
accredited agent, but also to take on themselves the respon-
sibility of all his proceedings, and those of his brother the
Secretary. This has shifted the ground of controversy,
and it is no longer a matter between Dr. Burns and the
agent, but rather one between the Society and Dr. Burns,
affecting the credit of the one or of the other, as the case
may be.

Mr. Charles Van Wyck is Chairman of the Executive
Committee, whose reply to Dr. Burns it is one main object
of the following pages to rebut.

It is not likely that the question will be settled soon.
New York will in all probability become the battle-field of
the combatants. From that city, evidence must be forth-
coming either for or against the Society ; and it is plain
that the interests of truth and of righteousness demand a
rigid and impartial investigation.

These prefatory remarks seemed necessary in order to
enable the reader to understand more easily the bearing of
the pamphlet, and to form his opinion regarding the
substantial merits of the controversy.

thi

I'l

Toronto, January 10, 1853.

^"H ^'

elusive
sfacto-
ons for
of the
office- ^
matter if
better

■:i;:;,tf"

;,^-. >,)!■":.■ ;.. ,, fil.

THE

JEWISH SOCIETY OF NEW YORK.

the

''■•i-;t„

The coiiverelon of Christian Frederick Frey, to the faith of Christ,
was an important event in the religious world. It is now rather more
than half a century since divine light dawned on the mind of that son
of Abraham ; and from the date of his change of sentiment down to
the period of hia recent death, his name has been associated more or
less prominently with the cause of the conversion of the Jews, both iu
Europe and America. It was in 1804 Mr. Frey made his first visit to
Scotland, in connexion with the interests of the London Missionary
Society ; an institution which then embraced the conversion of the
Jews as well as the propagation of the Gospel among the Gentile.*^
While in the course of his tour in Scotland, I heard Mr. Frey preacOi
in the Secession Church at Linlithgow, to a deeply interested ami
overflowing audience. His subject was, the brazen serpeni as a typo
of the Redeemer, llie discourse was simple, clear, scriptural, ami
impressive. Few in Britain had heard the truths of CBristianity
from the lips of a Jew before ; and the impression on many minds \v;im
salulary. Mr. Frey continued in connexion with the Missionary
Society till the formation in 1809, of the *< London Society for the
promotion of Chrisliauity among the Jews," when he joined in its
actings, and occupied a prominent place in its councils. A few yenrs
thereafter, the London Society became exclusively a Church of
ICngland institute, as it has continued up to the present day. Mr.
Frey never became an Episcopalian, and Iherefore his relation to that
Society ueces.sarily terminated. He removed to the United States,
wh(!re he was honoured with extensive usefulness. lie became a
member of the Evangelical Baptist Church of the United States and
wrote several learned works, and died three years ago at Pontiac,
Michigan, in connexion with tho Church then under the charge of Dr.
Pyper, now of Toronto, C. W.

In 1819 the London Society, '* on a full and deliberate view of the
subject in all its bearings, finally deemed it expedient to reiinqaish thu
plan of afFordiiig temporal relief to adult Jews." To this resolution

6 THK JEWISH SOCIETV

they were led mainly by the representations of Dr. Pinkerton, one nf
their ablest correspondents and most enlightened friends. In a valuable
communication, printed in the eleventh Report of the Society, now
before me, that gentleman fuggests to the Committee the following
principles of action : "■ That leaving the important subject of the resto-
ration of the Jews enfirely in the hands of Providence, and refraining
from spending their funds in the support of individuals of the Jewish
nation, professing attachment to Christianity, they flhould direct
their eflbits chiefly and unweariedly to the disseminaction of 'Christian
knowledge among the nation of the Jews at large, by sending qualified
men among them, who may travel from town totown, and from village
to village ; converse with them in their families ; reason with them in
their synagogues ; meet their objections ; remove their prejudices ; and
everywhere circulate the New Testament in Hebrew, in Jewish German,
and in other languages understood by them, -with short treatises
on vital Christianity, and on the Messiahship of Christ. Confine
your labours," said he, "to this rational. Scriptural, easy^ and most
benevolent object, resting assured, that in the prosecution of it, the
discoveries of Divine Providence will be of such a nature as to lea<ve
you and your labourers in no doubt respectingthe further instruments to
be employed, and the measures to be adopted for watering the seed of
Evangelical and saving truth when once -sown among this ancient and
interesting people." The Society have acted, I believe, ever since in
the spirh of these suggestions, and God has been pleased to honorthem
with much success.

At the very time when a resolution adverse to the principle of
tempoial support was thus adopted in England, a resolution favorable
to it seems to have been adopted and acted on in the United States.
In 1820 «he Society for " Ameliorating the Condition of the Jews"
wa« formed in New York, chiefly by members of the Presbyterian and
Reformed Dutch Chuiches. It has been supposed that Mr. Frey wan
the prime mover in it. This does not appear to have been the case,
as that gentleman was opposed to its leading principle. One of the
most ardent promoter* of the scheme was the Rev. Dr. Stephen Rowan,
Ministsr of the Eighth Presbyterian Church in New York, Who for
more than five years prior to 1828 devoted himself almost entirely to
its concerns. By his advice the Board of Directors did in that year
purchase a farm of 500 acres in the township of N' w Paltz, on the
Hudson River, for the reception and occupation oi Jewish converts.
Ample funds were provided by the friends ot the Society, and in Sep-
tember, 16'i8, Dr. Rowan received leave of absence from his congre-
gation for twelve months, that he might visit Europe on behalf of the
Institution. I was then in frequent correspondence with respected
friends in New York, and Dr. Rowan, on his arrival in Scotland, intro-
duced himself to me by letters from such friends. Of course every

rton, one of
jnavaJuibJe
[ociety, now
le following
'f the resto-
refraining
I the Jewish
o'd direct
'f 'Christian
g qualified
jrpm village
pth them in
'dices ; and
ih German,
1^ treatises
• Confine
and most
of it, the
s to lea^e
fumeiits to
he seed of
luiem and
Jr since in
onorthem

inciple of
favorable
5d States,
le Jews"
Jrian and
^rey was
he case,
e of the
Rowan,
who for
tirely lo
at year
on the
•nverfa,
n Sep.
ongre-
of the
pected
intro.
3rery

OF NEW ¥0E».' »V : 7

ikind and respectful attention was paid to adepu^y so accredited a« Dr.
R. was ; but I had serious doubts on two points, tl seriously questioned
the propriety of the whole scheme ; and I thoug[ht 'there was a aomc'
thing about the Deputy himself whieh did not accord with my notion*
of what such a representative and agent ought to be. My ipu^it was
not opened to him, but when he preached in the United SeceesioH
Church I went and heard him. My dilfiouhies were not remored. I
did not like the strain of the discourse at all — objurgatory — olainiing a
monopoly of every thing great and good to the scheme which it evolved,
and apostrophizing con amort ** the land of the brave and the free.''
Most of the i«euds of religion in Scotland refrained from taking action
in the cause ; but Dr. R. did obtain encouragement both in Great
Britain and on the Continent. On his return to America the scheme
went forward under bis immediate patronage. He left New York and
became Principal of the Institution. The consequences were such as
pious men in New York and elsewhere anticipated. The farm en the
Hudson became the rendezvous of all the ^idolent and worthless from
'the ranks of the lowest classes of Jews in the city. It became a sink
of corruption, and a reproach to the Christian name. Over the fearful
aberrations of the Principal and his flock of adherents, charity draws
the veil. After a few years, the «cheme and its projector descended
to a dishonoured grave.

Of the Institution I heard no more, till in 1844, Dr. Baird's volume
on <■ Religion in the United States," again brought it under my notice.
After adverting in a few words to the general scheme, he says : "Some"
how or other the project did not answer the expectations of its projec-
tors, and so much did the Society lose the confidence of the Christian
public, that for a while it seemed entirely U^t sight of.'* He speaks
of the efforts then making to revive it, and of its Capabilities as an
incorporated and endowed institution. In this he is wrong, for whatever
may be its incorporated privileges, it has now at least, I am happy to
say, no endowment.

It is about ten years since the effort to revive the Society under a
re-organization was made, and the honored names of Dr. Milledoler, Mr.
Hirschell, of Iilington, London, Dr. Proudfit, of New Brunswick, and
the Rev. John Lillie, of the City of New York, withothars, stand forth
with, prominence. The "Jewish Chronicle," a monthly circular of
intelligence, became the organ of the Society. It was printed first in
the newspaper form, but since 1844 it has been brought out in the i'ortu
of a neat octavo of 32 pages. From 1842 to 1848 it was under the
editorial care of the Rev. John Lillie, the " Secretary for Domestic
Correspondence," a gentleman to whom the Society for these six years
was under the greatest obligations, as a main instrument in the attempt
to revive its claims on the Christian public. His successor in the
editorship was the Rev. Alexander PI. Wright, minister of one of the

THC immU SOCIBTY

Presbyterian Churches in New York, who held the office, hofwerer,.
only about eighteen months, when he was succeeded by the present
editor, the Rev. Edwin R. MacGregor, a clerical member of the Se-
cond Presbytery (0. S.) in the City of New York. Nine volumes of
this periodical have been published. While under the care of Messrs.
Lillie and Wright, many excellent papers appeared in it; but for the
last three years there has been a visible falling off. Many trifling papers
have been inserted, and the whole concern demands a « redding up."
Although I have seen the Jewish Chronicle, and perused it mora
or less caiefully since 1844, the claims of the Society which it advo-
cates were not brought under ray notice till the month of August, 1850.
A young lad, calling himself *< J. W. Macgregor," waited on me in
Church street,, where I thea lived,, and asked the use of Knox.'s Church
on a week night, for a Lecture and CoUestion in behalf of the Society,
(^n asking his credentials, a paper carelessly written and signed "£. R.
McGregor" was shewn me. It stated that the bearer had been nained as
Agent in behalf of the Society in N. York for ** Meliorating the Condi-
tion of the Jews," and that he was authorized to make collections in its
behalf. The personnel of the young man did not accord with my notions
of an accredited representative of an important religious institution.
The Society I. remarked, had been known to me of old, and I was happy
tliat it had been revived ; but that 1 would have looked for some
minister of standing and known character as its deputy to the Church
in Canada. <*Have you no letter to shew me," I asked, "from Dr.
Milledoler, the President, who is well known to me and' a few lines
from whom would have been everything that is required ?" He
Maid, he might have had it, but that the signature of his brother the
Secretary was thought sufficient. He promised however to have this
attended to on any future occasion; and on this, I gave himthe use of
the f^hurch as he requested* " As you are not going to preach," I
remarked, " you had better take the desk." " No," said he, *' I prefer
the pulpit," and instantly mounted. A respectable congregation had
i,iathered, including one or two ministersi The young man gave out
a text, and did preach. The Sermon made no. other impression on ray
mind than just this, that it was vague, desultory, and inept, and
abounding with questionable statements^ BUt the appeal on behalf of
the Society was so feeble ; so utteily destituteof facts beafing at all on
its active operations ; so little in keeping with what the punted bill
issued by the deputy had promised ; that the impression on my mind,
;mhI probably on the minds of others was, that whatever may have been
tile history of his nomination, the nominee was a very lame represen-
tative of any Society claiming the patronage of the citizens of Toronto
or of tlte inhabitants of Canada. At the close a collection was taken up
amounting to some five or six pounds, and the young man left the chy
nexi morning. A^i- an additional evidence of his peculiar fitness for

lit

I
I

tile present

of the Se.

'olutnes of

•f Messrs.
Jbuttforthe
[>"g papers
Wing up.'»

'd it more
it advo-

ist, 1850.

|on nae in

■'a Church

Society.
9cl '< £. R.

nahied as
be Condi-
Jonsinits
ly notions
istitution.

'as happy
for some

e Church

from Dr.

few Jines

1 ?" He

other tlie

'ave this

le use of

Jach," I
f prefer

ion had

ave out

1 on my

pt> and

Bhalf of

t all on

ted bill
mind,

e been

resen-

oronto

en up

e city

ss for

or NEW YOBX, 9

tke work of an intelligent agentship, a notice appears in the Sept.
Chronicle, of 1860, thus :— « Toronto, Rev. Mr. Knox^s Church, $33 P*

Precisely one yeas after this, Mr. Morris Julius Franklin came
to me with a note of recommendation from my son at Kingston. Ha:
add me the printedi narrative of bis life for 124.cenits. It is now before
me, and I have repeatedly read it with coosideiable interest. It i»
certified and recommended by Mr. Edwin R. McGregor, whose '< pre-
face" to it contaiiM some allusions to clergymen of standing that mighe
have better been omitted. Franklin is a native of Prussian Poland ^
born in 1831 ;. of Jewish parents ^ ami he was educated ia the strictest
observances of modern Judaisrai. The incidents which befel him in
Fngland and in America,, together with the circumstaoceS' of his con-
version to Christianity by means of the preaching and conversation of
the Rev. Edwin R. McGregor, are also narrated in a simple and aifect-
ing manner. Havir>g studied in an Academy at Newburgh, and having
obtained assistance in his studies from various quarters, he entered
the University of New York, whene,. in 1851, he describes himself as
enjoying a wide field of usefulness. ** And I continue," says he, p.
46, '* by the blessing of the Lord,, my studies and my colporteur labors
among my brethren."

It seemed to me rather strange that the ** Executive Committee"
of the Jews' Society of New York should devolve their second mission
to Canada on a youth of 20, unassisted by a senior. He referred
to the visit of Mr. J. W. McGregor in 1850, and to the objection, I had
taken to his want of due credentials ; offering to me at the sanne time
a document bearing to be a commission as "-General Agent" for the
Society, subscribed by Mr. E. R. McGregor,. Dr. Milledoler, as Presi-
dent, and a third, whose name 1 do not now recollect. The aspect of the
document, its style of diction, and unbusiness-like debut, rather repelled
me; while the clerk-like, dashhig signature of the venerable President
did not at all comport with my previous notions of Dr. Milledoler. I
had been familiar with the character and status of Dr. Milledoler
since 1813. We had many mutual friends ; and when in 1844 I was
personally introduced to him, my feeling was rather that of olil
acquaintanceship than anything else. Among my hundreds of
autographs I never doubted that one or more of Dr. M.'s would be
found ; and my having since travelled 1200 miles to obtain one, is
surely no presumption against my honesty of puipose, whatever
impotent malignity may say.

If my doubts were not removed by the external evidence of
veritable documents, they were confirmed and settled down into some-
thing approaching to certainty, by a strict examination for an hour, of
the young man. I had to remind him that his name was not *' Masts'"
but " Morris" ; two words which he confounded. He stoutly denied
that there ever had been any division ia the Israelitish monarchy ; acd.

-I!

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

be insisted that the captivity of the ten tribes and that df'the two tribes
took place at one and the same time, and in fact were identical. Other
strange anomalies appeared, partly it may be from ignorance, partly
from sceptical illusion ; but the conclusion was, I refused him my
pulpit. He went to the Rev. Mr. Jennings, of ithe United Presbyterian
Church, and preached in his Church at three o'clock on 'the following
Sabbath. A large congregation assembled, ^and ahhough very Httle
satisfaction was felt in the details of the youthful advocate, a respectable
collection was made.*

Another year passed away, and the citizens of our good " Queen
City of the West" were to be complimented by Mr. Van Wyck and
his "Executive," with a third visit of a "General Agent" ofithe
" Am. Soc. Mel. Con. Jews." This was my quondam friend Mr. J.
W. McGrepror, who had not grown in size whatever he may have
grown in wisdom during the intervening two years. On Friday,
August 6th, he produced a commission every way the same in all
substantial respects with that of 1850 and 1€51. It announced him
(Mr. J. W. Maogregor) as " General Agent" of the " Am. Soc. Mel.
Con. Jews," leaving us Canadians and others of course toifind out for
ourselves the import of these cabalistic abbreviations •; and it gave
him power and authority to •' Lecture, " " make Congregational
rollectious," and "otherwise help the cause of promoting Christianity
among the Jews." The document was ailorned at each corner with
bits of paper pasted on, and on each of these bits of paper was printed
a sentence of unpointed Hebrew. It hud appended to it the names
" Ph. Milledoler, President ;" " F. P. Lord, Recording Secretary ;"
aud " E. R. Macgregor, Corresponding Secretary."

After roailing the documeiif, I made reference to the visit of Mr.
Morris Franklin, in 1851, and to the objections which seemed to me to
lie against the genuineness of the commission produced by him; adding
tiiat tlin pcper now produced by Mr. J. W. M. was liable to the very
same objection. Its appearance and phraseology were uidike what I
would have expected from a Society headed by such respectable indi-
viduals as those whose names I had s« often seen on the covers of the
Jewish Chronicle. The individual a-^ain selected as the agent did not
answer my ideas of the qualifications and st.itns which such an important
commission seemed to deinfind. Dr. Milledoler was known to me ai
a very aged man, probably between seventy and eighty years of age,
and I had a recollection of his hand-writing as more of a square
cliaracier, and of somewhat tremulous formation, than the one appended
to the document before me. Reference was also made to the visit of Mr.

Fral

his

pro^

miH

* It will \ie ri!roll('cti-(1 liy )iuiidrv(N who wure preiiuiit on Aiivunl 8th. 18S3. in Mr.
Riml '• Churcli. th»l Mr. Jiiiniiivi* i>|Nilti' <>>' " leu |><iiiiiiU."ii'< rKJIrrlcd cm tlir (lOCHMioii. and
thai hr had ax^'prminrd il« Hirivntnt (he TreB^iiry ill New Voilj, TlH'rc inuitt l)« iiiin* mii*
litiii' hire ; Tor in llic SHf|)lMiul<cr No. uC llit Juwisli CtiiDiiicIf, iiuw on my tuble, the turn
ibinauiicea it only {|37.

OF NEW YORK.

letwolribea
tical. Other
nice, partly
8d him my
resbyterian
e foJJowing
h very littJe
respectable

>d "Queen
Wyck and

"t" of the
end Mr. J.

may have
'n Friday,

me in all
need him
Soc. Mel.
ind out lor
1 it gave
relational
>ristiaaity
mier with
as printed
he names
cretary ;

';"

t of Mr.
to me to
i; adtling
the very
' wJiat I
lie indi-
s of the
did not
iportant
> me as
of age,
square
lended
of Mr.

I. ill Mr.
inn. Riid
Ti« mif
lie lum

Franklin, and the circumBtances of his commission, and the memoir of
his life. Of all this Mr. McGregor professed entire ignorance, and
protested against hia being in any way implicated in the proceedings
of that individual, or any other who might have preceded him in the
mission to Canaila. This added considerably to my suspicions ; but
not wishing to do anything rashly, I proposed tl'tit he (Mr. J. W. M.)
should telegraph Dr. Milledoler at New York that day, and an answer
^ would be received in lime sufficient to make arrangements for Sabbath.
f To this the gentleman demurred on the single ground of expense. I
reasoned with him 'that as an accredited and paid agent of the Society,
he should be ready at all times to satisfy the reasonable scruples of
such ministers as had provod themselves on former occasions friendly
to the Society; that it could do no harm ; and that the item of expenso
could not be very heavy. He proposed to me another plan, namely,
tiiat of bringing to me the written testimony of one of my brethren of
the city, who could attest the Society favorably on his own personal
:'., knowledge. To this I at once agreed, and on his nivming the Rev.

John Jennings, minister of the United Presbyterian Church in Toronto,
I immediately addressed a note to that gentleman, expr.^'-^ing my
doubts as to the Society in (juestion, and begging his canu.J advice.
Here let it be observed that my letter t"ok little or no notice what-
ever of Mr. Mcdresor himself; a clear proof that no malun animuB
as to him had anythinsr to do with the matter. My anxiety was prin-
cipally about the Society, and the logitinuicy of its claims on Chris-
tian support. Mr. Macgregor carried the note to Mr. Jennings, and
next day he returned with the reply. Mr. Jennings enclosed a
I copy of the list ol' otiice bearers, referring to their known respectability

as a sufficient guarantee, and informed me of the agent being the
brcther of Mr. K. Macsregor, the Secretary, a I'reibjterian miniiiter
in New York of eHtnblished reputation.

*' This will do," said I ; " my scruples are removed, and I will in-
timate the meeting from tho pnlpil to-morrow. Mr. Jennings will get
Mr. Roaf's pidpit." " Would you come yourneH and hear me," Hsked
the young man, "and if not siitislied you can niiike your remarks."
(Observe, I had told him the diiy before that I had not been satisfied
with the appearance ho had made in my own pulpit two years before.)
«' My class of young men meets ut llu) same hour ; but I think I will
bring them over with um and hear you." These were as nearly as I
can remember the words of my reply. We prirted in the best spirit
and he went away to make his arrangements.

On Sabbath, August Htli, a large and respectable congregation
assembled in the ConuMegationiil Chin<'h, Adelaide street, at 3 o'clock,
P. M. The Rev. Mr. Rattray, of Drummondville, occupied the pulpit
along with Mr. J. W. Macgrcgor, and took charge of the devotional
exercise*. Mr. Macgregor read out as his text, Rom. x. i. <• Brethren

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

V I

my heart's desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved.*'
The discourse was read, and as I took my seat near the pulpit I had no
difiicuhy in hearing every part of it. The orator had not gone on any
length when I felt my mind disturbed and distressed in the most painful
way, by the crude and unscriptural sentiments which were brought
forwanl ; and any one might have seen with half an eye that the con-
gregation sympathised with me in my feelings. More than once I
felt as it were the call of duty to interrupt the preacher in what
appeared to me his reckless career ; and once and again I looked to one
of my brethren sitting near me to catch if possible an indication of his
feelings. Mr. M., however, was permitted to go on without inter-
ruption to the end of his discourse, and I had some hopes that amends
might in some degree be made for the absurdities of the discourse by
the fulness of his details regarding the Society. I am sorry to saj',
this was far from being the case ; as the statements regarding the
Society were very scanty and every way unsatisfactory. When all wa.s
finished, Mr. Rattray stood up in the pulpit and reciuested the collectors
to take up the collection. I felt that this was the critical moment,
when conscience and duty must be adhered to on the one hand, in
contradistinction to the inikience of custom and false feeling on the
other. Do I regret what I did ? Unworthy would I have been of my
status as a Christian minister had I not lifted my testimony against
views which were grossly erroneous and spiritually pernicious. Every
one who heard me must have felt that it was the heterodoxy of the
Sermon and the pauperism of the address that weighed most in my
minil, and dictated my appeal to the people. At the same time I did
say, and with some prominence too, that I had eiiteilained douhls as
to the credentials of tlu; aircut ; tliat tlicse iloubts I had dismissed from
my mind in coiisfqueiice of the favorable testimony borne by my
brother in the ministry ; btit tluit after wluit I had heard that day, they
had returned to my mind with redoubled forc(?. The signature of Dr.
Miiiedoler I had known, and the one appended to the connnission in
(luestion did not answer to it at all. Moreover, the character, the
position in the Church of C,m\, and the personal appearance of tiie
venerable nnui, wen; as familii'r to me a^t those of any of the members
of my conifrt'gation. And what did I pro]X)se to do ? Did I pass a
sentence ou the yonnu: nuin, and jiropose to hand him over to the police,
or to Ills Worship tlie Mayor, to he (h-ait with as an imi>ostor (»• as a
rogue? I did not. 1 sinijjly sui/gested the propriety of delaying tlio
collection till Monday evening, by which time teley;raphic information
would be ohtained from New York. Mr. Laidlaw, one of the
members of my own conirregation, sie.'gested the idea ol taking up the
collection at the time, but retaining it till the (|uestion was definitely
st'ttled. To this I at once agreed ; the collectioii was taken up } and

t0 9M

motiN

ago I

broii

hadl

has]

Socj

pap|

its

AbJ

! i-^

, "lay be saved."

F not gone on any
fntlie most painful
^Jch were brought

eye that the con-
>re than once I
reacher in what
|n I looked to one
indication of /««

>n without inter-
ps that amends
^e discourse by
■"'O'-ry to say,
regarding the
• ^^benaJJwa...
-d the collectors
itical moment,

«»e Iiand, i„

feeling on the
^« been of my

™«ny against
'«'0"s. Every
••odoiy of the
"Jo^t in njy
fne time J did
"ec' donhis as
i^nissed fvom
'orne hy ,„^.

'^' ''ay, Ihey
"itiiie of j)r.
niiniNsioi, ill
'•raclor, tile
ani-i' „/• tj„.

e Jnember.s
^ l»isH a
"'•' police,
*tor or lis a
'•'lynii? tJio
I formation
J of tint
"v lip tho
'w'iiiilely
"P i ajjd

OF NEW YORK.

to shew that I was very far from allowing prejudice or any selfuh
motive to sway me, I threw in my collection v" the rest.

But what of Mr. Macgregor's " Sermon 'i Mr. Van Wyck and
the " Executive Committee" tell us in their nu nifesto that they have
examined it ; that it contains nothing of the kind alleged ; and that due
allowance should be made for difference of opinion. I have perused
the discourse, and the reading confirmed all the impressions made by its
recital. What sort of views Messrs. Van Wyck & Co. may hold of
the essential truths of God I know not ; but of this I am sure, that if
they mean to send us another importation into Canada of the same
commodities, the cry on our part at least for a revised and improved
tariff will be loud and long. I learned when at New York two months
ago that the Sermon had been preached by Mr. E. R. McGregor, the
brother of J. W., in a New York pulpit, two years before, and that it
had given then anything but satisfaction. The probability is, that it
has been circulated far and wide, and its dogmas seem to form a sort
of vade mecum for the guidance of the colporteurs and agents of the
Society ; and I tell Messrs. Van Wyck & Co., that it is a pernicious
paper, and far better fitted for bringing back Christians to Judaism in
its worst form, than for leading on the minds of the children of
Abraham to the glories and the grace of Messiah the Prince.

Tlie particulars on which I dwelt both in my appeal to the
congregation on August 8th, and in my written communication to the
Society of Nov. 4th, from Quebec, wore the following. In the first place,
Mr. Macgregor traced up tlio calling of Abraham and the Jews into
covenant with Jehovah, not to the sovereignty of God aiul the purposes
of his grace, but to the inteilectn;d and social (lualitics of the Jews as a
people, fitting them peculiarly for the end in view, lu the second place,
he represented the Christian Clnu-i-h as enjoying perfect peace and entire
harmony of sentiment so long as the membership was confined to Jews ;
and maiuiained that the causes of error and of division were to be all
tracked to the ndniissiou of (Jenliles into the Cliurch ; and that matters
will not fare well with the Church until she shall return to the primary
arrangement. In the third place, he put this strange construction
oil Paul's desire " to be accursed from Christ for his brethren's ''.ike,"
ihat there was nothing at all surprising in it, seeing Paul kne\v very
well that the loss nicinntd thereby would be amply nuule up by the
accession of thousands of intellects every way as good as that with
which God had endowed him. \n the fourth place, while he did not
set asiih^ the doetiine of the real deity of Christ, lie certainly ascribed
his moral eurcUencits very nmeh to the ciicuinstance of his being a
Jew.

On all these topics, the recklessness of assertion, and the flippancy
and unscripturulnrss of the remarks wliicli issued from tlie lips nf

•t

i \ i

: . i

'iii;

'.i|

1 ; !

1 1..
', I

}% THE JEWISH SOCIETY

the orator, made me shudder ; and one fact in this connexion speaks
volumes — although three large congregational meetings have discus-
Bed the subject — August 8th, August 19th, and October 26th — not one
intelligent hearer has been found to say that he felt at all satisfied with
the sentiments of the discourse. I now call on the " Executive Com-
mittee" to publish the discourse, as a specimen of their dealings with
the descendants of Abraham, or of the terms on which they base their
actional procedure. If the discourse is printed as it stands in the MS,
there is not a man of truly evangelical views in the United States who
will not repudiate it. Your plea, Mr. Van Wyck, for liberty to your
agents to indulge in a little latitude on the subject of the Jews, will noC
avail you here. Gentile churches, even not the very highest in point of
orthodoxy, will decline acceptance of the commodity ; and intelligent
Jews will say, " that is all very, good, and. therefore we wait for your
joining us, instead of our going over to ^o«."

On Monday, August 9th, I was waited on by. the Deacons of the
Congregational Church, in which the Sermon had been preached,,
along with three or four other friends who had been present on the
occasion. I name particularly the Rev. Mr. Harper, and Mr. William-
Osborne, of the Wesleyan Methodist Church ; Mr. Tolfrey, Mr. Rowel,
and Mr. Snarru of the Congregational, and Mr. John Laidjaw of
my own Church. They came to me in the best spirit and from
the best motives. Very naturally did they ask me for a specimen
of Dr. Milledoler's real hand-writing. I told them that I had had
no doubt of finding it among the hundreds of autographs in my
possession ; that hitherto my search had. not been successful ; but
that there was not the least difficulty in telegraphing to Dr. Milledoler
himself that very day. This was at once agreed to, and we settled
together the terms of the telegraphic dispiitch, and they were thca :
" Did Dr. Milledoler officially sign a Commission, to Mr. J. W.
Macgregor, on July 1st, 1852; and does Dr. M. entertain the same
opinion of 'he Society this day as he did when he signed the Commis**
sion." As Dr. Milledoler was not resident in New. York, it wag
resolved to send the dispatch to Dr. DeWitt, and Mr. J.W. M. was
entrusted with its speedy ilespatch. I ask you, Mr. Van Wyck, and
you Mr. Libbey, and yviu Mr. Edwin R. Macgre;L;or — Did the dispatch
ever reach Dr. DeWitt? If he was from home at the time, did he
ever hear of it when he didicome home ?' It nover was sent to Dr,
De Witt, and the oxvellenti man was first apprised of it by me on
October 2lHt, in hij» own house !

Mr.. J. W. Maogregor was noti withi the friends when they called
upcnme ;: but on my suggestion, he was sent for ; and an examination
on various points of evidence proceeded with. To the q\iestion — How
is it that your name never appears in any of the lists of agents-published.
in tlie Reports of the Society ? He repliedthat hohad particular reasous>

Bor
he I

bul
intl
thJ

hnnexion speaks
Jgs have discus-

br26th-~^t one
'^i satisfied with
Executive Coin-
er dealings with
they base their
*ndsintheMS

iited States who'

IJiberty to your

• Jews, wijj nop

fiest in point of
land intelligent
J« wait for your

beacons of the

sen preached,.

•^^ent on the

' ^'- William.

y» Mr. Rowel,

' I-aidlaw of

"* and from
■ * specimen '

'* ' had had
"■aphs in ^y
ce8«ful; but
»•• Milledoler

^^ settled
were fhec. .

Mr. J. ^

" the same
e Commis-
^^> it Was
^- M. was
^y^% and
" dispatch,
'» did he

y me on

OF KCW YORK.

of. his own for this, but would not let us know what these might be.
To> the' question*— How. is it that of three visits to Canada in three
successive years, on tha affairs of the Society, not the slightest notice
appears- in any of the reports or im the; Jewiish< Chronicle ? He replied
that it was not usual to publish such things,, but that the moneys
received were entered in! the printed lists. To the question — Did you
ever see that book ? (holding out Mr. Franklin's Life.) He replied in the
negative. On reading his brother's preface to the book, the question
was put — Haveyou any idea who wrote thafc? He replied that he had
not. On being asked. Why did you come away from New York with
only one copy of your latest report ? He said that reports \ re trouble-
some to carry. On being asked, Whati might be his exar /ccupation ?
he replied that he would not tell us — it was no business ol" ours. The
gentlemen present may perhaps remember more than I have put down ;•
but the above' is a specimen ; and I ask any fair man of common
intelligence — Is- there anything here calculated to. remove doubts from
the mind?

On Tuesday, August 10th, Mr.. J. W.. McGregor got the following
return telegraphic dispatch /rom his brother :

"Toronto, Aug. 10, 1852.
" By Tefegrapk from New York.

"Dr. Dewittis out of towni Tell Dr. Burns I will write him. The signa-
tures in yourpaper are genuine and ofiicial,

"E R. McGnEGOB."

W7ien.'wa9 this dispatch shewn to me ? Not for eight days after
its receipt ! and by that time I had received a very long and very
unsatisfactory, thnush withal friendly, letter, from Mr. Kdwin R.
McGregor. Mr. J. W. M. and Mr. Snarr, one of the friends present
on the Monday se'nnight before, happened to come to my house just as
I received it, and on reading it, along with the above telegraphic
dispatch, they asked if I were now satisfied ? Very far from it, said
I, putting also the question — Is there no reply from Dr. Milledoler? or
Dr. Dewitt? The next question was — What shall be done ? At this
moment, Mr. McGregor held his commission in his hand. I asked it
of him, and said, Whfit would you think of sending this to New York ?
adding, Wo might have houl a reply before- this by the regular mail.
The proposal of sending the paper to New York caused some excite-
ment in the young stranger, and he made a grasp at it in my hand.
"Oh no," said I, "this should remain with us; it should be put into
the hands of a neutral person. Mr. Snarr will you keep h ?" On
his declining to do so, I immediately said, "Oh, would you, Mr. S., and
Mr. M., step over to Mr. Jennings' — you know his house — and give
him my complimenl.s, and ask himto oome over that we may consult

• Two of the gentlomen, Messn. Harper andiAitllaw, had reUred aAw tb« Iclagraphia
ditpaicb wu agreed on, and before tb« exaniinution of Mr. Macgregor,

i<(

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

! il

J
.(I

< '
•/'

; I

i '.

1 !

i' ,

, next morning, to

as to what is best to be done ; and I will keep this till you come back, "
They complied, in toorda; but I saw no more of them. This was
about two o'cl«ck, I think ; and wilhin three hours after, I received
from Patrick Preeland, Esq., Barrister at Law, a note, intimating that
he had been « retained" by Mr. J. W, Macgregor, and that he
demanded back the paper by ten o'clock. A, M.
prevent further action.

From this I drew the inference that the young man had been ad-
vised to pat himself under the protection of law ; and as Mr. Freeland
gave me tail ten o'clock next morning, I took advantage of this, and
sent the disputed commission by the hands of an intelligent young
friend, to Mr. Jennings, with the request that he would keep it for the
jiight, and that I would come over to his house alt uine o'clock next
morniiis'. The friend returned in about half an hour, bringing back
the commission, with a message to the eflSsct " that Mr. Jennings
wished to have nothing more to do with the business, and that Dr.
Buins might come or not as he pleased." I felt surprised at this very
<lry message, as Mr. Jennings and I were then and had been long
on terms of the most cordial friendship. I questioned my friend
particularly as to what had passed between Mr. J. and him, and found
that two friends were with Mr. Jennings at the time ; that Mr. J.
was shewing them a specimen of the handwriting of Dr. Milledoler,
which he and they thought exactly the same with the signature at the
commission. My curiosity was greatly excited, and I asked eagerly
if Mr. Jennings did not oiler to send it to me, or invite me to come and
examine it ? Mr. Mackay, — for that is the young man's name, —
replied that he said not one word on the subject, but expressed a wish
not to be troubled. As may be inferred, I did not go to the house of
Mr. Jennings, but just as ton o'clock struck, I was in Mr. Freeland's
office, and put tlie commission into his hands, with my reasons (in
writing) for retaining it. In this I rather think I erred ; for the docu-
ment was of the character of a public one, and as a passport to the
pockets of my people, I was entitled to keep it till its genuineness was
put beyond question.

I heard nothing more of the matter till Thursday the 19th, when
at five o'clock in tlie afternoon, returning from some diets of pastoral
visitation in the country, I \v.is passing the place of business of Mr.
Angus Mrlntosh, at tl)e foot of CIiuitIi Street, when that gentleman
(who is one of the members of Knox's Church) called me in, and
pointing to a copy of the Globe newspaper of that day lying on the
table, said, <' Have you seen that ?" I read an advertisement of a
public meeting to he held that evening, with the view of giving me

* I rould not !jo that ni'i^ riiooii. btiiiv sjiecially tsciipieil in mnvcrsiiig willi young ccMn-
iimiiiranis.

or MXW YORK.

aucome back."
"n. This was
fter, I received
intimating that
and that he
it morning, to

had been ad-
Mr. FreeJand
» of this, and
lligent young *
teep it for the
o'clock next
ringing back
^r. Jennings
and that Dr.

i at this very

d been long

d my friend

n, and found

that Mr. J.
Milledoler,

lature at the

ked eagerly

■0 come and

I's name, —

38ed a wish

he house of

Freeland's

reasons (in

■ the docu-

port to the

eness was

th, when
f pastoral
ss of Mr.
entleman
in, and
r on the
ent of a
ving mo

an opportunity of substantiating my averments regarding Mr. M.'s
commission. This was ihe first notice I had of the meeting. At this
moment Mr. Jennings happened to pass. We called him in, and
enquired if he knew anything of the meeting. He declared his entire
ignorance of it, but advised me to attend ; which I told him it would
be impossible for me to do, as it was the night of my weekly lecture.
We conversed half an hour, chiefly, not entirely, on the subject of the
meeting. Mr. Jennings told me that I was " fairly in a fix." To this
I demurred, declaring, as I had done repeatedly before, that nothing
short of a direct communication from Dr. Milledoler would satisfy me.
Little rlid I dream of such a communication being in the city at that
instant, and that Mr. Jennings had seen it, or was aware of its
contents. Well did he know the importance of such a communication
to me and to the cause of truth ; and assurerlly had he been in my
position, I would have hastened to give the friendly notice.

On my return home about six o'clock, I found on my desk a copy
of the bill announcing the meeting, along with a sealed card in the
following words : " Toronto, Aug. 19th, 1852. — Mr. McGregor begi
leave to call the attention of the Rev. Dr. Burns to the enclosed notice
of the public meethig this evening, and requests his atteudence."
Well — the meeting was held. I attended ; made a long speech ; and
brought forward much of what has been stated in the preceding pages.
It is plain, that had I been made aware, either by Mr. Jennings or by
any one else who knew it, that the very thing I so earnestly desired as
conclusive proof was actually on the table all the while, having reached
the city by the day's mail, my course would have been entirely changed.
Had [ ?oen the document in time, I would have probably scrutinized
the handwriting iu both instances, and, with the aid of bankers or
others usually skilled in such things, have come to some probable con-
clusion. One thing at any rate is clear. I would have done at the
beginning of the meeting what I did at its close — acknowledged the
apparent identity of the autographs ; regretted my unaccountable mis-
take ; and received the young man as really a deputy.

But, it has boon asked by the parties most nearly affected, why
not let the matter sleep now '{ Sleep ! Impossible. The letter of Dr.
Milledoler did not so much as touch upon the only points which the
meeting at my house on the 9th August considered pertinent to be
telegrai)hed. It neither asserted the signature of the deed on the 1st
of July, 185*2: nor did it indicate a change or no change of sentiment
as to the Society. It merely declared confidence in Mr. Edwin
McGregor — and not a syllable as to his brother, the "General Agent."
But it did, moreover, non-plus all my conceptions of personal identity,
and anailulnte at one fell swoop all my powers of reminiscence. The
old gentleman "did not know" such a person as Dr. Burns ! Was I to
stand this? Did [ wail till my powers of vaticination— in this instance

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

more clear than those of reminiscence— c/awoyei the death of th^
venerable man ? The Globe sapiently hints this. No— Mr. Van Wyck J
— the matter was not absent from my mind foi any length of time at
all ; and Mr. E. R. McClrogor knows well that a very few days suf-
liced to bring from my pen pretty lengthened epistles both to him and
Dr. Milledoler. Thai Dr. M. did not reply was to me no matter of
aurpnse ; and I contemplated from the first a personal visit to that aged
patriarch. Mr. E. R. McGregor, however, ought to have answered my
letter ; and my visit to New York was the means of letting me know
that tlie letter to Dr. M. had been seen by him too. Two weeks
elapsed, when a member of my congregation, connected with one of
the most inllueutial \vholesale establishments in our city, Mr. R. D.
Macpherson, called on me and oilereil to carry any letters or paper*
lor me to Now York, or to make any enquiries I pleased as to the
matter in question, as lie would have occasion to remain in that city
for two or three weeks on mercantile business. Taking advantage of
his kiud oiFer, I addressed a few lines to my friend, the Rev. John
Thomson, formerly of St. John, New Brunswick, now of the Associate
Congregation, Grand Street, New York, recpiesting him to accompany
Mr. Mc'Pherson to the jNTessrs. ilcCregor, and to request of them the
inibrmalion I wanted. That iufonnation embraced these two impor-
tant points; first, an extract from the minutes of dates August 1850,
185 1, and 18.t2, jiomiiiating Mr. J. W. Macgregor, and Mr. Morris
Julius Franklin, as " (Jeneral Agents*' of the Society; and secondly,
a n<jtice from tlie Society's Reports of 1850, 1851, of the results of
the visits of these two gentlemen to Canada. On September 6th
they did call at the oliice, and the following mhiute was inuJe out
by them at the time, and is now in my possession :

" The Rev. Mr. .M:ica:regor says, it is not in his province to make extracts
from tlie minutes of the Society, and says ho will consult the Corresjioniling^
Secretary on the sul)ject. Suys also, lie does not know whether It were
advisable to let extracts from the minutes of the Society be made for tho
satisfaction of Dr. lUirns or any one else. On the offer being made to make
the extrucis without putting JVlr. JIacgregor or the Corresponding Secretary
to the trouble of doing so; he said, lie did not know; he would consult the
Correj.])oiiding teccietary on the subject, and that tliey had no time to spend
on such matters. He also icfused to give the Corresiionding Secretary's
addiess, and contented himself wiih saying that tho minutes ol the Society-
were up town, and could not be had to-day. — fl. D, McI'herson."

'' The above is a faitliful record of Mr. Mucgregor's statements in regard
to the extracts from minutes of the S. A. C. J. — John Thomson."

On September 11th, Mr. McPherson repeated his call at the office;
<aw both the brothers, and received fronr them a flat refusal; Mr.
Edwin Macgri'gov .saying that they vvoukl not gratify Dr. ]>urns, "as he
was a tlangerous man, and would do them injury." He also declared
that the Society did not hold itself responsible for its agents.

Now there are here three things worthy of notice : first, the Cor-
responding Secretary with whom Mr. E. R. McGregor was to consult,

OF r.

YORK.

e death of th&
r. Van Wyck J
gth of time af
few (lays suf-
Itolli to him and
e no matter of
isit to that aged
e answered my
■ttiiii^ nie know
Two Weeks
led with one of
\ty, Jlr. R. D.
Iters or paper*
!easei.l as to the
in in that city
advantage of
he Ee^^ Jolm
f the Associate
I to accompany
ist of them the
ise two impor-
i August 1850,
nd Mr. Morris
and secondly,
' the results of
September 6th
was made out

make extracts
3 Corresjioncling'
rhether it were
u made for the

1 made to make
iding Secretary
lild consult the
o time to spend
ing Secretary's

ol the Society

ON."

uents in regard

IN."

11 at the office;
refusal; Mr.
>urns, " as he
also declared
nts.

irst, the Cor-
18 to consult,

is no other than Mi. E. R. McGregor himself; he and he only being
the Corresponding Secretary, as is evident from his signatures. This
"olf-consultation may be a very useful thing, but surely the proposal is
somewhat unusual. Secondly, what injury I could do to the Society
by the extracts in question it is ;.ot easy to see, for if it appeared that
the Executive Committee had given the commission whose authenticity
T doubted, the thing is settled, and any damage cotxld oidy recoil
upon me, as my suspicions would thereby bo proved to be groundless,
lu the third place, the Society is not at liberty to hold itself free of
responsibility for the doctrines promulgated, or the actions performed
by its agents, any more than a mercantile house is at liberty to throw
the responsibility off itself and to land it on its paid employees, for on
such a principle as this all confidence in commercial transactions
would be at an end.

A few days after the above, my excellent friend, Mr. Thomson,
on whom the breath of slander cannot light, received the following
communication from Mr. E. R. Macgregor, which I copy literatim
et verbatim from the original before me :

"Nkw Youk, September 16, 1852.

" Rev. and De.mi Sm — I have just been informed that Rev. Mr. Thomson
has given circulation to a report that Mr. J. W. Macgregor, Agent, lately in
Toronto, Canada, had visited that and other places in Canada for a number
of years past; had collected money for the A. >S. M. C.Jews, (as he aflSrmed)
but that these moneys liad never been acknowledged, as received by the
Treasurers of saiti Society. As Rev. Mr. Thomson has assumed some respon-
sibility in the circuUitiou of this calumnious statement, he will be kind
enough for his own sake to give us the names of the originitors of this
statement, or else deny over his own signature having anything to do with
said circulation. I may express the hope that this matter will be left to
perish in Toronto where it originated, and not force us to make it public
here.

"E. R. MACGREGOR, C..S.J.S.M.C.J."

Rev. Mr. Tuomson.

Mr. Thomson having returned an answer in the negative to this
^^ingular epistle, the ''Corresponding Secretary" sent the following
note : •

"New York, September 16, 1852.

" Rsv. AND Drar Rill, — I thank yon for your prompt and decided ve\)\y.
It relieves mv mind fruru mufli embarrassment and anxiety. The young man
introduced by yourself from Dr. Burns, I would advise as a friend, through
you, to let the matter alone, between Ur. Burns and others, as ho can do
no good, and may do harm. Excuse my liberty, and believe me,

" Your obedient servant,

" E. R. MACGREGOR."

In my *< report" I had characterized Mr. Thomson's reply as
" indignant." Perhaps that word did not apply well in regard to any
thing that could have issued from such a man as Mr. Thomson, who
is characterized by great self-commaml and meekness of temper;
Inil assnreiUy he must see a very little way who does not see in the
reply of that gentleman a most severe censure on the agencies of the

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

Society. ** In the Society I have no interest whatever save in so far

as its declared object would lead me to wish it God-speed, provided

that its instrumentalities and appliances are such as are commended

in the Holy Scriptures."

Mr. E. Macgregor has thought proper to give a different version

of these matters from the above. I shall let Mr. Macpherson speak

for himself ; and so soon as Mr. Thomson's mind is relieved of the

immediate pressure of a painful domestic trial, he will perhaps let the

citizens both of Toronto and of New York know the exact truth of the

whole matter.

Toronto, 30th December, 1352.
Reverend and Dear Sir,

I WRS veiy much surprised indeed to observe in the North American of
24th instant, (in reference to the Jew case) a statement in which the Rev,
Edwin R. Macgregor is made to deny having used the word " Correspondint;
Secretary" in the interview between him, tlio Rev. John Thomson of New
York, and myself, in the montli of Septembei" last. That he did, I can
testify at any time; even, if the signature of the Rev. Mr. Thomson to
the minute drawn up at the time, as a faithful record, was not already proof
sufficient. Mr. Maogregor's jumping to tlie conclusion that Mr. Thomson
must have been very much confused in his mind at the time, I cannot
understand, and it is seemingly put there as the best excuse that occurred to
him at the time. Mr. Thomson was nothing more than a mere spectator after
the iutroduction was over. He did not enter into the subject matter at all,
and consequently there was no occasion for his being confused ; and if 1
except the smile with which Jlr. T. heard the announcement that the Society
was not responsible for the acts of its Agents, there was little or notiiing
occurred during the interview to indicate whether he felt interested or not.
There was no occasion for confusion, and least of all on the part of Mr.
Thomson. In f»ct, the most confused of the party was Mr. Macgregor
himself, who seemed, from his excited state at the time, to feel less at home
than any one present. If, therefore, there is anything wrong in the matter,
it is altogether on Mr. Macgregor's part.

Again, with reference to Mr. Macgregor's statement, " that I did not
deny having received the information from Mr. Thomson" (when asiced if he
was the party who told me that moneys collected by the Society were not
accounted lor) it is most unfounded. The question asked me was, '■ have you
been circulating the report here that the money collected was not accounted
lor," at the same time handing out for examination one of the Jewish
Chronicles, in which, on one of the last p.ages, was entered so much collected
in "Mr. Knox's ClRirch, Toronto." The word "Mr. Knox'^' was drawn over
with ink, and "Mr. Burns^^ inserted instead, with the pen. As one interested
in the laying out of moneys publicly collected among us, I made the enquiry,
and was politely told I had no business to inquire, neither would I know
anything of the matter. The above is one instance of the civility I received
at the hands of "the Correspondmg Secretary of A.S. M. C.J."

I am. Dear Sir, yours most respecfully,

R. D. Maopbbrson.
Rev. Dr. Burns, York Street.

After the unsuccessful attempts thus made to obtain satisfactory
information, I resolved to go down personally to New York, and
prosecute the search. The unexpected death of the venerable Presi-
dent of the Society brought my resolution to a point, and on October
15th, I proceeded to the " Empire City," returning home on Saturday
the 2ard.

M
of the!
one of I
hold tl|
for Ar
consta
myhd
meetiil
Amer\
of a
diffi'tJ

say ti
thin,

save in so far
jeed, provided
[re commended

perent version
pherson speak
Sieved of the
prhaps Jet the
Y truth of the

Imber, iggg.

'American of
i^ch theRer.
Corresponding
^mson of Now
\H i can

■inomson to
already proof
'"'• Thomsoa
^^> I cannot
' occurred to
peclator after
raatter at nil
'^ ; and if I
t the Society
or notiiing-
Jsted or not!
part of Mr.
• ^Vacgregor
'ess at home
the matter,

t I did not

asked if he

y w-ere not

' hare you

accounted
the Jewia/t

" collected
Irawn over

interested
e enquirjr^

' i know
f received

OF NEW YORK.

*Rsoif.

sfactory
k, and
' Presi-
^ftober
turday

My first object on arrivinf^ at New York was to obtain a specimen
of the hand-writing of Dr. Milledoler, and with this view I applied to
one of his old students, now a learned and pious clergyman, who had
held the office of Secretary to the Society in question, namely, that
for Ameliorating the Condtion of the Jews; and who was thus in
constant communication with the venerable President. He put into
my hands the document which on my return was laid before a public
meeting at Toronto, and is now deposited for inspection in the North
American office. Of the genuineness of this document not the shadow
of a doubt can bo entertained. The signature here is altogether
different from that exhibited by the agent in question, and I can only
say that had the commission to Mr. J. W. Macgregor been at all like
this, not a suspicion of its correctness as a veritable document would
by me at least, have been indicated.

With regard to the declaration of Dr. Milledoler that he had had
no acquaintance with me, I iound no one in New York, in New
Brunswick, or in Princeton, with whom I conversed on the matter, at
all surprised. Eight years had elapsed since the visit of the deputies
to jVmerica. My place of residence then was Paisley in Scotland,
not Toronto in Canada. I was only one out of five representatives of
the Free Church on the occasion referred to ; and Dr. Milledoler was
bowed down with infirmities and years. There is now before me,
and I shall lodge it with my other ilocuments in the office oi tiie Nortk
American, a letter dated September, 18-45, from the Rev. Dr. Janeway, of
Now Brunswick, a clergyman of learning and piety, and of nearly the
same age as Dr. Milledoler; and in that letter he speaks of previous
communications betwixt us on matters of importance, and subscribes
himself my "friend and brother;" and yet when on October 19th last,
and in company with the Vice-President of Princeton College, I called
at the house of this venerable man, where in 1H44 I had enjoyed
his hospitable kindness, Dr. Janeway did not recognize me ; nor was
it till I had again partaken of his hospitality, and been two hours in
conversation with him, that at length the reminiscences of other years
returned, with their full force. The fact may appear surprising, but
so are many facts in the philosopiiy of memory. On the same day on
which I called on Dr. Janeway, 1 met with a venerable clergyman of
New Jersey— the Rev. David Comfort, one of the Trustees of Princeton
("ollege — a man of ninety years of age, but with faculties wonderfully
entire. lie was on his way lo attend the Synod of his Church, which
met that day in New Brunswick City, N. J., under the impression,
as he said, that it would be his la.st oppoitunity. I put to him several
questions as to my predecessor at Paisley, President Witlierspoon of
Princeton College, who died in 170H. He gave me veiy distinct
answers, but added emphatically — " .Vsk me of things seventy or
eighty years past, and I will tell you of them far more distinctly than

<Jtlr~.

r \

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

of Dr. Wilherspoon and his time !" And yet of Dr. W. and hie time

we can say — *< 'tis sixty years since."

As Messrs. Van Wyck, Macgregor & Co. have made a most

perverted use of the facts as to my altemped interview with the

'< Corresponding Secretary" and his brother, I shall state these facts a

little more fully than I thought it necessary to do in my " Report."

The passage to which I refer is the following, and in point of Jesuitical

cunning and malignhy, it distances anything I ever met with in the

writings of the disciples of Loyola :

'' The only point which the Commiltce have to notice is the extraordi-
nary circurDstaiice, admittt d by Dr. Burns in his report, that he entered the
Society's office, and from the private papers and memoranda of the Society,
took au article o( minute with reference to our agent's visits to Canada, not
addressed to him, nor hoarini; any indications tliat it belouged to him, and
that he took possession of it and carried it away as his own property, and
unwarrantably gave it publicity in his leport as published in the North
Jlmerican."

Before calling at the Society's ofhce I thought it right to ask two
respected friends in the city to accompany me as witnesses. " The

little man will shew feather " said the Rev. Mr. to me when 1

spoke of bearding — not the lion certainly — but the civet cat, or mayhap
the jackall, in its own den. We went accordingly, but found both
brothers absent, and the firm represented by a cousin or nephew of the
same name, a smart young lad of perhaps 12. The Rev. JMr. Pinney,
Secretary to the Colonization Society, occupied a desk in the same
apartment. He introduced us to the young partner in the concern, who
was busy revising his lessons in the Latin Grammar for school next
day. Having been furnished by him with pJ'p ;i, pen, and ink, I wrote
to Mr. Macgregor a few lines explanatory t.l my object in waiting on
him, and requesting that he might be in llie olhce next day at 1 P. M.
The young man promised to deliver the letter into Mr. Macgregor's
hands m the course of the aftonioon, it being now three o'clock. Next
day the same gentlemen and I cullei! a few minutes aftei one. The
same young man presented liiinself, telling us that he had faithfully
delivered the card into Mr. Macgrego -'s hand, but that he gave no
answer, avA was not in the premises. We all sat down in the office
and consulted as to what was best to be done. Scarcely a minute
elapsed, when looking round I noticed a sheet of paper lying on a
small desk in a corner of tlie room. I took it up. and hastily glancin
it over, said to my two friends, " Here is the reply to my letter." i
read it aloud ; and here it is, lilercUim el vcrbulini : —

" Mr. McGregor would say that Dr. Burns has publically charged
his brother with being *• an imposter " or to that effect, has attacked
Mr. McG.'s own ..l.uracter, has injured the S. A. M. C. Jews, has
been obliged lo make a d)!ic t'?cknowlei'gmetit that he was wrong,
paid a voluntary 'A:'^".:,<j lowar . making the public collection for the
Society which th'ou^^-h big .statements and representations was lost

to it, an
but Itit '
aUowini
but will
will ««l

to Dr.

0\
not tel
that h\
it in
repai'l
drawil

mte *w f ?'»*'|j^WW<T?gtj

or NEW YORK.

and Mb time

iiade a most
fi«^^ with the
' tJu'se facts a
h "Report."
|t of Jesuitical
■ ^^it^i in the

J the extraordi-
l''e entered tJ.e
F the Socieiv
' Uuada, not
-' '0 "iia, and
■property, and
I'D the JVorth

' '0 ask two
|ses. '.7'j,e

me when J

or mayhap

^ound both

'^'owofthe
'^''- Pinney,

the same
'ncern, who
choo] next
^K 1 vvrote
vailing- oji

i« 1 P. M.
^cgiegor's
'^- Next

aithfuIJy
gave no
e office
minute
fir on a
ancin

r." ;

larg-ecJ
icked
> has
rong,
• the
lost

to it, and agreed to give the patties no moie .mnoyance in the case,
but let the matter forever drop. But as Dr. B. for some n;, lus is uol
allowing tlio matter to rest, Mr. Mcfi. declines seeing Di. 15. at all,
but will assure him that unless he can let the matter alone, his brother
vviU feel compelled to prefer a cliarge of slander againsi uiiii in our
Cciurtf of Law." — And tliis paper "bore no indication- tljal it belonged
to Dr. Burns " !

On reading the above, I said to the young man, Did Mr. McGregor
not tell you to give this to me ? He leplied in the negative, stating
that he liad not chanced to see it before, but he left it to me to put
it in ray pocket if I crose lo lo so. We then left the room, and
repaired to the hou'^^ ^' >• IriiMid, where the following attestation was
drawn up and pi^iie i .

« New York, October 21, 1852.

« Thfr undersigUc'J having been requested by Rev. Dr. Burns, ol
Toronto, to !. J present at an interview he proposed to have with the
Officers i)i the Society for ' Meliorating the Condition of tlie Jews,'
called at the office, rear of Brick Cliurch, this dav, but instead of
meeting with any one connecteil with the said Society, nnderstoo i that
Re\. Mr. McGregor hati left, docliniug to meet Dr. Jkiins. lie left,
as we understood, the note on iiist page of tbis slieet hjr Dr. Burns.
We were present when Dr. Burns received and read it.*

« J. AUCHINCLOSS,
<' ALLAN HAY."

Mr. Charles Van Wyck, and the Executive Committee, have
publivshed to the world tlieir opinion that 1 got the above document
in a stealthy and ilishonorable way ! Honorable men ! — what do you
suppose Mr. Macgregor intended to be made of the note ? For whom
could it be designed if not for me ? I took it up openly — read it aloud
— and young McGregor and Mr. Pinney heard it read : and neither of
them brealhed an objection to niy putting it ii to my pocket.

On the document itself I have a few remarks to make. In the first
place I never applied the term ** impostor" to Mr. J. W. McGiegor.
He knows well that in the presence of the gentlemen who met at
my house on the day after his lecture was delivered, I expressly used
these words — " I do not say that you appended the name ; all I say is,
that it does not appear to me to be Dr. jNlilledoler's hand-writing." ]
havp I Hen t'di' on good anlhoriiy that it is not uncommon in the
Un... I Stales for th.e Secretaries oi benevolent Societies to append the
names of office bearers to minutes of meetings, without any one
supposing it a forgery in the ciiminal sense. The practice, however,
cannot bo justified, and specially in the case of a document designed
for the raising of money. — In the second place, I am not ashamed to
acknowledge that I did olfer to make up any loss that might be
sustained by the Societ), or Mr. M., if it turned out that the document

'Die oiigiiiul is iu the oiEiu ol thv Aorlh Amtrkan, Toronto.

'!•:■

le^r^-AAi-i^t.*.^

THE JEWISH SOCIBTY

was a genuine one. The evidenc in its favor is not even yet absolutely
conclusive ; but surely it is not against me to have it said thui I was
more easily satisfied than I needed to be. Beyond all question,
however, I never pledged myself *' to give the parties no more
annoyance." What "annoyance" could I give " the parties" ? It
lie» rather on the other side; for wliy, do not " the parties" annoy me
with an action at law 1 They could not possibly sustain any annoyance;
yea, they boasted of " a glorious victory." To me the annoyance
was every way painful ; and I never dreamed of anything else
than a scrutiny on my part into all the circumstances of the case ; and a
few days only passed ere I wiote to three parties in and about New York
regarding it. With the young man Mc(}regor himself, I may perhaps
have been done when the transaction at Toronto closed, but not with
the Society. Macgregor had apparently vindicated himself from any
doubts as to the legal hearing of iiis commission ; but the question was
shifted back to the body that conimissionrd him ; and if every thing
13 square in this connexion, I beg to know where can there be
" annoyance" to one or all of the partners in the respectable firm of
Messrs. Van Wyck, Macgregor and Co. ?

" Dr. Burns, for some reasons, is not allowing the mitter to rest."
Certainly he is not, aird the " reasons" may be seen by the blindest
Manhattan mole. But what has Charles Van Wyck to fear ? and why
is •'the nice young gentleman" alarmed? True indeed; you, Mr.
Wm. Libbey did put to me in Dr. Dowiit's dining-room, the ominous
question — " Who are your employers" ? My reply, as you remember,
was a short and solemn one — " Sii', I am here of my own will, at
my own expense, and for the glory uf the (ind of truth." Purhaps you
may tell our young hoi)oful the <* reasons" why I '• do not let the matter
rest." By the way, that young h()i)oruI gave himself out to mo as a
Congregational student; I have learned at Now York that he is a
student of the Old School Presbyterian Church.

The threat at the close of Mr. Macgiegor's note was a hint to me
•' to clear out" with all funvtiiiienl speed. Was I inclined to listen to
it ? 1 was not ; for on Dr. Dcwitt and Mr. I.ibbey asking me to rernaiu
and meet the '' Executive Conrmittee" I agreed to do so, although to
my great inconvenience. The meeting was po^tpon^Hi, however, on my
uruiei taking, at the suggestion of these gentlemen, to communicate
with Mr. Libbey in writing..

So mudi for my ransacking your depositaries, Mr. Van Wyck, and
abstracting pnpors to which f had no title. I wjaieli Webster's Joluieoii
lu vuiu for a ti. rm adequate to express my righteous indignation.

Tho ili.«crenancies littwixt the account given by mo of my
interview with Dr. DoWitt and Mr. Libbey, and that published by Mr.
Van Wyck and tho Kxecutivo Cummiltee, are more apparent than
roal. They may uU bo oxplainoil by tho simple matter of fact that

both thi

that M

BomeVi'j

otber,

have

may ^

v?hol<:|

fittest

was tH

Cbuvt

Co\oi1

Jcwij

bow

M ihuL I wa,
V <]uestion,
P "c- more
Irties" ? /^

"««oy We
^""oyanco;
|a«noyaiice
V^'"i' else

pew York
fy perhaps

^^^rn any

iJstion was

[•-^'y thing
Jtiiero be
[•^ fii'm of

<o rest. "

"id why

f'^". Mr. '

'""'nous
lumber,
'^''Z, at'
'i'« you
'natter
o as a
a Js a

'ome
t'n to
iiaiii
r'i to
my
•ate

ind

n
t

OF NEW YORK.

both these ifentlemen were present at the time of the ooiifcionce ;
that there was an entho harmony of sentitnenc jetwixt them ; that
sometimes the one made a statement whicli was concuired in by the
other, and vice versa ; and that from the very nature of the^case, I may
have given in certain cases the initiative to Dr. DeWitt, when it
may have been due to Mr. Libbey. 1 sliall, however, go over the
whole conference again, and tax my recollection to the very utmost.

The i)erson who suggested Dr. DeWht and Mr. Libbey as the
fittest members of the Society with whom to deal in the matter,
was the Rev. Mr. Pinney, a preacher of the Old School Presbyterian
Churcli in New York, and Assi.itaat Secretary to the American
Colonization Society. lie occupies a desk in the same room with the
Jewish Society, for the commendable purpose of saving expense, and
ho was present on both ocrasions of our seeking an interview with the
fy Messrs. Macgregor, seeing and iiearing all that passed. Sympa-

thizing witli mo and my fiieiids, Messrs. Aucliiiicli)>s and Hay, mi our
disappointment in not obtaining an audience of these gentlemeti, ho
hinted to us the propriety of waiting on Dr. DeWitt, who was the
oldest Vice President of the Socit.ty, and looked upon since the death
of Dr. Milledoler as substantially its President ; and on Mr. Libbey as
being the Treasurer of the Socii.-ty, and therefore an important offico-
benrer. Wo took his advice, and immediately repaired to 55, Dey
Street, and called lor Mr. Libbey at his place nf business. Not limling
him in the place, we saw one of the paitners, ami left a >pe('ial
message for Mr. Libbey to meet us in the ofiico of Messrs. Huckham
& Smailes, Solicitors an i Atlornies, 3, Wall Street ; as our business
was one of importance. In the ollice of these gentlemen wt.- waitt.'d
for proliably an hour, and Mr. Libbey imt appearing, we separated, find
it was rcisulved that I should go singly to the house of Dr. DeWitt,
which is probably two miles Imm Wall Street, and I did not think it
necessary to take my (Vieiitls further. A im.'ssuge, however, was left
for Mr. Liubtiy, should he yet cuuio to Wall Street. Aceoulingly I
proceeded by omnibus to Dr. DeWitt's, and arrived there about 3 v. m.
The Dr. and i wore l(jg(;tlier for about a (jnarter of an houi, wlien Mr.
Libbey appeared, having follnwcd me from Wull Strec;!. Our conver-
sation hitherto had turned mainly on a visit which Di. D. had paid to
Dr. ("haluKMS at MorninjL,side, a jdioit time bi foro his denlh, and nn tlio
remarkable circumstance of his (Di. D.) having hea;d on one and the
sanio Sabbath in Edinburgh three of the leading pnnichois in the Free
Church, Doctors (Iiudiin, C.uullish, and (Jutluio. When we entered on
the immediate object of my cull, and I was comiaenling on tlu! terms
of Mr. Macgreyoi's tomminsion, ISlr. Libbey jeined us. I resuineil,
und laid before belli gentlemen the leading features of the {■,im\ It
did not ajjpcar that Dr. DeWilt liad gut ihe telegraiihie li,-patc!i rc:^arJ-
ing Mr. Macyregor't commission ; nor did it appear that I'.r, Libbey

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

was aware of the visit of Mr. J. W. Macgregor to Canaila at all. The
description they both gave of that young man was this — that he was a
student engaged in his preparatory studies for the ministry — that he
was occasionally employed as ether students are in canvassing for the
Jewish Chronicle, or as a Colporteur — that he may have now and then
been sent to some district of the city or neighbourhood to obtain a few
subscriptions to the Society ; but that ministers of known standing are
usually sent as general agents. They both expressed surprise that we
admitted Mr. J. W. Macgregor to our pulpits ; Mr. Libbey specially
asking, '< Do you think we meant him to preach?" I read to belli the
gentlemen the tern^s of the commission from a copy I had taken, and
appealed to the terms "genera' agent," ''lecture," "make congre-
gational collcctioas," as naturally suggesting the inference bolhto the
d^ent himself and to us that public discoursing, or whatever you may
call it, was meant. At all events, Mr. IVIacgr Jgor and Mr. Fianklin
on every occasion claimed and occupied the pulpit. Dr. DcWitt said
that in the absence ol Dr. Milledoler he had occasionally signed
Society documents, but he added with emphasis, making a significant
motiou with Ins arm, '' as to signing anything like that" (plainly
meaning l!ie cummi.^sion) " be never could think of it." Mr. Libbey
then asked, Had it the Trepsurer's name ? 1 replieit in the negative,
a<lding that j;o,sv;/Wy lh(» commission to Mr. rranklin in 1851 might
have it, but that I thought not. Assuredly the one produced by Mr.
Macgregor in August last had it not. On tliis Mr. Libbey repi.-ated
what he h:id already statcil, that all such commissions have the
I'leasurer's name as being essential to their proper authentication.
He added to this ell'ect, tliat if in this instance an exception was made,
it must have been at some meeting where lit* (the Treasurer) was not
lire-eut, and where he could have no know led u'<! of it. In that casi", I
remarked, a minute of the tiling will be lortln-omiiig.

Into the paiticulars of the erroneous iloctrines taught by the
Society's agent from tin; pnljiit of Mr. Roaf 's Church on Augiisl Stli,
I entered fully. Hotli gentlemen concurred with me in eondcnining
the views then and there set forth, but Mr. I/ibbey seeme 1 to think
that some latitude in reirard to privali* opinion on the jmrt oi' an ngent
might be iillowi'd, without tlie Society being responsible. I replied, by
referring to the dillerencc betwixt minute points on which Christians
might dilli'r, and which did not rcquiu to be touched on at all by an
agent, — and Iciidiug views ax Hxliibited by those who weris nnlnially
looked on as exponent.", of the Society's principles. Dr. HcWiil
entirely concurred with nw, and Mr. Libbey acknowlrdgrd \ln,
roirectnes.s of the distinction.

" It is my intention,'' said I, 'Mo bring tin" wlmle nuitter, from
IS.IO to the presi'iit day, before the public in one of the rtdiuious
now.spnpers of tin' city." " Had you not better," asked Mr. Libbey,

<< ine^

ibeml

t\ie i-lj

Uic Cl

a ii"^)

of A

was '

reiuil

to if

nisi
bull
in
bvol

LUl

paJ

At .v.".

•^iNMMlWi

OF NJEW YORK.

f^ihhii\

y the

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, hy

iuijs
an
lly
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n
1

**meel with the Executive Coiuinitlee lirst, ami lay the matter before
them." <* With all my heart," 1 answered, slating at the same time
the dilTiculties whicli I found in the way of a personal meeting will;
the Committee beioro leaving New York. Both gentlemen proposed
a meeting tliat cvenhig, and two places were named, in one or olher
of which we might meet. Mr. J.ibbey and I then came away. It
Avas now about four o'clock. Mr. Libbey left me in the stieet, and
returned for a few minutes to Dr. De Witt's, ami on coming up again
to me said, " we lind some difhcully in hulding a meeting to-
nigiit, as the members live at some distance, and our time is limited ;
but it occurs to Dr. Dewitt and myself that you might put tlie particulars
in writing, addressing them to me as Treaaurer, and ihay will bo
brought before the Executive Committee at its (irst meeting." To
t'.iis 1 at once agreed ; and after ho had put me on the right road to Mr,
I>il lie's house (whither 1 was going) we shook hands cordially and
parted.

I arrived at home on the Saturday following, but the Mission
Committee of our Synod having commissioned me to snp])ly the
Churcl. at Quebec fur a few Sal'baths, I uent lliilher at tlie close ol
the week following; and thus it was .November lih belore 1 had time
for drawing up my statement fis promised. On that day 1 piepared it
and sent it oil by post to Mr. Libbey. ll exhibited the leading
features of what I have given in the preceding part of this appeal;
and it embraced the case of Mr. Macgregor's first visit as well as his
flecond, and specially too that of Mi. Franklin; giving due prominence
to the views of docliine put forth hy Mr. Macgregor in his second visit.
To this communication 1 received the following reply: —

Nkw York, N'oveinbcr '20, 1852.
Rev. Robert Burns, D.D., (^ttiber,

Mv 1»i:aii Sir, — Vdiu- favor midcr dalo of -li'i in.stant is i)(;forc nio,
having' arrived in diif course.' ot' mail.

Tlio timp iutcrvLMiinnf to tlio regulur nicrtinp of the Expcutive rom-
iniltcf of our Society, lias ,kl;iyed my acknowledgment of its reception to
the pie.-^ent time.

Acconiiiif? to your re((uest, f jiresmted yonr letter and brought the
subject matter thoiein contained bet'oro the Lxeeiiiivc Committee of the
American Society ''fur Anielioratlnfr the Cor.diiioii of the Jews.'' After h
free discussion of its ediiteirts, it w:is ri fined to a ^uh-Comniitiee to iuves-
tiujate tlie statenifnts therein set forth, and report at tlie next m'l tiiij? of the
Executive ('onimillce, tia' result of which wiien iletenuined, 1 |ireriunic will
be comniuuiciited to you

I icniain, Dear Sir, with respect, youis truly, kc ,

Wii.i.iA.M I.nsnKY,
Treasurer A, S. M. C. Jews.

From the terms of this lettor, I very naturally inferred that in
"investigating the statements set forth " in my letter, any ililiicullies
which might occur would be brought undtir my notice in the snapo
of u ca»o for further o.xplaiiatioii ; and that *' tho result " would bu

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

communicated to me in some other form than through the pages of
a newspaper. But so it is ; and within exactly five days after the
date of Mr. Libbey's letter, the Sub-Comraittee has " investigated ;"
the report has been submitted to the General Executive ; and the
whole "action" concluded forthwith ! No minute either of the Sub-
Comraittee or of the Executive Committee is forthcoming. No list of
members present on either occasion is j^iven. It does not appear that
Dr. Dewitt (a most important member) was present at all. You,
Mr. Van Wyck, subscribe as " Chairman ;" but I demand the names
of your co-assessors — and the minutes of your meeting as an Executive
Committee — and the reasons why you pass over entirely the cases of
Mr. J. W. McGregor's first visit to us in 1850, and of Mr. Franklin's
in 1851.

Mr. Libbey denies that he said anything a? to Mr. Edwin
McfJiegor having been invited to visit Montreal in 1851, and of his
having been appointed to visit that city, I must have misunderstood
Irim, then ; but will this make the case any better for Mr. McGregor ?
It seems now lliat the plan of a visit to Canada at all had not been
concocted, and that neither of the IMcGrogors had been commissioned
to carry it out.

I shall now take up in order those assertions or pleadings in the
*' action taken " by the " Executive Committee " which have not been
rebutted or swept away in the course of the foregoing statements. And,

1. Mr. F. P. Lord, it seems, saw Dr. Milledoler sign the commis-
sion to Mr. J. VV. McGregor to be " General Agent'* and to " lecture
and make congregational collections, &c." There is a little bit of a
legend about tliis '•' irroat unkuinvii." At our first call at the office, I
asked the third McGregor, Who is Mr. F. P. Loru? The urchin
gave a most impressive shake of the head, and whispered *' I do not
know." Honest Mr. Pinuey, of the Colonization Society, was within
a yard of him, and turning round said, <' Don't you know the boy that
writes with you"? "Boy," said I, "is he a boy?" "O yes,"
rejoined Mr. Pinney, " a young man of seventeen perhaps." And is that
the " Recording Secretary of the American Jews' Society"? I asked.
" heonly ccipii'S papers." " Perhaps," said I, " he may do for that ;
but who m-,iy this David \\ Lord bo ?" " The father of Mr. F. P.,"
answered Mr. Piimey. " Exactly so," said 1. And the " boy" Mtp
Dr. M. sign his name to the Commission ! Indeed ! Perhaps Mr. Libbey
may tell us whetiier the "boy" took a sail to Staten Island for the
purpose of seeing this done, forassnruiily Mr. L. cannot have forgotten
Ids having toM mo in Dr. Dewitt's that Dr. Milledoler had not boon
present in the committee room for twelve months before his death, and
thaXit/ifn ho hud with great ditliculty been carried up stairs.

()l>s("rve, Mr. Van Wyck, I do not al)soliitfly charge Mr. F. P.
Lord with saying what is not true ; I only mean to say that there is

• K . * w,, ^_^ .' ■j.-n mttf.

. u iiiM'-. I I 111

OP NEW YORK.

pe pages of

m after the
Ivesfio-afed ;»
Vj ^nd the

I ""f the Sub-
•^0 list of
[appear that
«'^- You,
I '^e names

^■vecuf.ve
'i^ cases of
Pi-ankiin'a

Edwin

"id of hig

"('«rsfood
''Gregor ?
"ft been
"Jssioned

?s in iho
"ot been
Arid,
'«mrnis.
lecture
bit of a
ffice, /
U'ciiin
io not
■^'iJhin
V Jhat
res,"
<tiiat
iced,
'iaf J

u >»
•»

tato

Jey

the

something anomalous about it. Mr. F. P. Lord's name follows Dr.
M.'s, and then Mr. Edwin Macgregor subscribes. Suppose that all
the three signed at one and the same time, it must have been either in
the Committee Room in New York or at Staten Island. In either case
it seems strange that Dr. Milledoler could not recollect a matter so
recent, but refers us simply to his general confidence in Mr. Edwin
Macgregor as the olhcial organ through whom all such matters were
transacted.

2. To the declaration made, '< that the Committee do not send out
agents who are not qualified for their business ;" I reply, that as to
that, impartial men must judge for themselves from the evidence
adduced ; and I am iacliued to think that if there is anything at all in
the facts and statements brought forward in this my appeal, two agents
appear to have been sent forth by the Society " not " very well
"qualifie(i for their busiiiiesH.*' If "their business" be the getting
of money, iiulead, Jbr that they may be very well qualified; but as
expounders of the Society's doctrines and deeds, and as leally good
representatives of an Institution so rcspectabhi in its nomenclature, I
must demur to the averment that the Society sends out none '< not
qualified." The apparent want of suiliible qualifications in Messrs.
McGregor and Franklin was one main element in the doubts which
were expressed by nie as to those persons being Agents for the Society
ntall; and the»e doubts I "ya<6//c'«//// " announced on August 8th to
all who were in 'UitUndciicc''' in Mr. Roaf's Church.

3. "The Corresponding Secretary does not fot any reason take
the sole responsibility of sending out agei.ts, but is always under the
advisement of the Committee." And why, then, I ask, did he so
obstinately refuse to .^hew llie niiimte of the CommUtee's "advise-
ment,"' when that most squeezable body of men "iidvised" a Mission
10 Canada, not once, but once, <M'icc', /^n(e ? Wliat has " the boy "
F. P. to "record," il it is not just such "advisements;" and what
has Mr. E. Mc(Jregor to "correspoiid about, or with whom is he to
correspond," if anything relative to an incursion into another land and
into other churches, is omitted from the books, and the whole of these
movements left as an absolute blank in the history of the Society?
It follows, indeed, and I can readily believe it, that between the
Committee and the Secretary "there is a mutiia! understanding in all
such matters." This is all very well for yourselves, gentlemen, but
eurcly strangers to whom you send tor money may be forgiven it they
are not quite clear as to such "mutual understandings." Mr. Van
Wyck, you have read (Juy Mannering ? If so, do you think there was
no " nmtual understamlmg " betwivt your countryman, " Captain Dirk
Hatterick" and his lovely comrades along the shores of Ayrshire?
Such "mutual understandings," I can assure you, are essential to

).)

' ?

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

' I

all such <<cave" transactions as are not meant to be "publically"
inatle known.

4. Mr. Van Wyck denies that I was requested by the " Executive
Committee" to submit my views and suggestions to them. I never
said ISO. The Executive Committee had not met when I was in New
York, but surely Dr.DeWitt, the lirst Vice-President, and Mr. Libbey,
the Treasurer, form a fair representation of that Committee, and they
did ask me to do so. I complied with ihe request ; transmitted a
pretty full view of the whole matt(;r, and the Committee not sympa-
thising with me in tiiis matter, I now lay the case before the public.

5. The following precious specimen of reasoning must not be lost :
" Dr. Burns transcended his duty when he 'impugned ' the genuine-
ness of the documents" (of Macgregor and Franklin) " and in
pursuing his suhse(jnent line of conduct, of seconding their efforts,
and sanctioning their mission in VHrious ways, he remiered any attempt
on their part to remove his scruples afterwards unnecessary." It is
then distinctly alleged that 1 communicated my "scruples'' to the"
agents, simply as " scruples," asking those agents to remove ihem.
This is surely different from brnntling the agents as '• impostors," and
can tiiere be anytiiing unreasonable in seeking aid in the removal of
"scruples" t>om those best fitted, or presumed to be best fitted, to
give it? And why, then, did Mr. .1. \V. Macgregor ou the 6th of
August last refuse to telegraph to New Yuik in order to remove my
" scruples"? and why did he taake a desperate grasp at his " commis-
sion" in my hand, when 1 simply hinted that it might be sent bodily
to New York to be " stamped" as genuine ? and why did his brother
refuse to favor me with a note of the appointment of Mr. J. W.
Macgregor to the Canada mission when ha kntiv wcU that I could not
by any possibility make any such use o*" an extract of this nature as
could injure the Society or himself ? And, Mv. Edwin, what sort of
argument is this, — that because forsooth I helped your brother and
Mr. Franklin " in • rious ways," therefore I forfeited my title to have
my scruples removed? One would reason on a principle the very
opposite of this ; namidy, that because a man is generous, and in apite
of his doubts, and in liie cuutidence of having liiem all removed, shews
kindness to the pui ties; therefore he should be better respected, and
his wishes more readily attendeil to. Ihit, dear Edwin, you forget that
1 refused j-oung Franklin — not old Renjamin — my pulpit ! Was this a
*' seconding ot your elibrts" { I am very anxious to know where you
got your logic and your A. M. -ship. Your '< (j/ZouZir/iCi;" on lectures
must have been very regular, seeing such literary honors have been
couferreil ^^ piil'licalli/'' on yoiu" precocious intellect.

6. I have already said enough to reimive any seeming discrepan-
cies betwixt iny statements and those of Dr. DeVVitt. They are sub-
stantially o«t;, and until the Dr. «ihall come forward in propria persona

and J

Macd

to at\

Chr\

asse\

and

him]

thinl

the

ov ill

« ell

the]

or oi

_-tl

the

OF NEW YORK.

.5;

mblically »

Executive
I never
'as in New
fr. Libbey,
\, and ?Aey
fsmitted a
jot synipa-
Jlio public,
jot be Jost :
S'enuine-
'" and in
"■ eflbrts,
y attempt
It is
to the"
ve I hem.
'•s," and
'noval of

fitted, to

i« 6th of

Hive my

Bommis-

It bodiJy
hroiiier '
J. VV.

)ul(l not

ture as
sort of

or and

o have

J Very

2 Kpite

s]iew3

I, and

(t that

tJiisa

iyou

tiireo

been

)an-
iub-
ona

and state his impressions, any tliinjf that Messrs. Van Wyck and the

Macgregors may say of them will go for nothing with me. / adhere

to all my statements, and I ant, ready to iso before any Court In

Christendom, and give them the sanction of the greatest solemnity of

asseveration. But as to Mr. Libbi^y's .statements reganling Franklin

and J. W. Macgregor, tliey are very much the same as I understood

him to make in the house of Dr. DeWitt. He did not allow me to

think — nor does he yet — that these young men wmc properly appointed

<*geiieal agents," for such agents, says he, are '< men well known to

the Churcii." Hence I int'eiicd that the young men had by mistake

or in some other way, been named as '' general agents.' As to tlie

" charge of missionaries," to which lio refers, not a word was sp(jkeu on

the subject ; the whole subject was the sending forth Hgeni-: to Canada

or other lauds for obtaining money. My impression was — and slill is

■ — that Dr. Di-Witt and I\Ir. Libbey did not wish il to be undcrsluod as

their opinion that such lads as J. W. .Macgregor and M. J. Franklin

were deliberately selected as agents of Ihc Society for such a mission

as that to Hritish Amciica.

7. With regard to the " Treasurer's name" as •* essential,*' I dare

Mr. Libbey to deny that he was the person wdu) put to me the rpieslion

— Hpd the commission to Mr. ,1. W. Macgregor the name of the

Treasurer? I replied that I did not thiidi any one of the three

commissions hail his (Mr. Lil.'bey's) name appended. He said — " not

my name, for I have only been one year Treasurer, but the name of

the Treasurer ?" 1 repeated my answer iu the negative, and asked it

all cnmmissioirs behoved to have that? He replied in the aliirmalive,

but added, " unless hi my absence a co)nmission may have been

issued without it." In that case, 1 remarked that a special minute

would appear. Mr. Libbey never said to me. or any o/ie i/.sc, i/iat a

credential is valid with the names of the President and Recording

Secretary only. The only '' credentials" spoken of, be it remciiibered,

were credent ialsyo/* collecting money ; and as to ^/u'.sf, the Treasurer's

name was the r«/ti ; the want ol it an exception and an irregularity.

"Tlip C(imiiiitti.'o would luld that a cri'ilcntiiil is valid when iHuriiiK tLe
sigiiatart'S of any two of lliu iibovp olticers, ai.d even the sigiiuUue if tlie
Oorresponilinj? Secretary alone wlien he is authorised by this CommlUto to
issue coninnssious."

If so, I can only say, Mr. Libbey holds a very diiferenl doctrine,
and u much sounder one. But I again ask, If the Corresponding
Secretary was really " authorised " to issue Conrmissions for Canada
to Messrs. Franklin and .1. W. McCJreg(jr, why such a mystery aliout
it? why refuse to exhibit the minute which aulh(niscd it .'

8. Dr. Dewitt is represented as saying that <'the document shown
him by Dr. Burns, purporting to be a true copy of t'le diiginal,
contained within dself suiiicient evidence of its correctness and
geuuinenesH." Dr. Duwitt said to me nothing of the kind. This

(.r strv y-.iSi.

■',1

** eri'lei.ce within hjteU^ was aErrr.in^' bot "fcffieiest** to prove it*
** genfjineofess;'' iot it wa? tbe csrcunisaiure of fiicA commtttioH being
vnaoed in iar-xir of a mere stode&t that led Dr. Devrirt to speaj: of th«
extreme uD!ik*r]uiO0rl of Au signing anythiag of toe kiad. On hia
beinz isRewii iiedip'oma f: Mr. LiCie, then and all.] in mv possession,
he at once said, ** Yes, thai i« the handwriting of D:. Miiiedoler." Oa
mj* hJnti-Mj Xne potrihUily rA the other being hi» ai»o (though jniLke)
hie l'x>kei at it a.-j'Ain, and observed tiial " it might be." Ot the one
in mr po«,w««ion there was no doabt wnatever. On the other, as it
was rnere-y a copy, no definite conclusion or judgment was giren.

Tie " Executive CorDmittee" difltirc:!y acknowledge ia their rery
next parat'raph, marked ''Tth," that Dr. .Miiiedoler did sign "'creden-
tiaij *' H.'i a matter of course, and the reai^on given is that " he felt
pia'itfj'.-d he \ras following the instrnctions of the Cornmiliee.'" Dr.
Miil'i'ioi'.'r said m iiim<s*^lf in his letter to Mr. Freeland of .\ogii«t I6th,
and he/ice it i-j ea-ry to see how mirtake* may have arisen. Very
improper norniiiations miv have been ra^de bv the Committee, aaJ
Di. Millcd-jier may not have even looked at the contents of what he
wa= ask'.-d to sig-i. He took the lhin;T presented aa all riirht. My
choril'i.hk ciujecture wa«, t-iat Mr. Edwin McGregor, " from zeal lor
tiie SjcK-ty,'* rnay havf; slipped in a Comrnii?ion in favour of his
brotJjiir, ami ii.- bein^ sicjned became a "matter of cour.«e.-' It appears
that trie C(>mmiltee wish to fath^er all the deeds of the Secretary, good,
bad, and i.i liiitjrent. They are most heartily w*jlcome to this: but,
while Edwi;i U. McGre^'or is thug .screened from blame, what shall
we say of a Cominiltec which thu.s deliberately proclaims its own
fody?

9. On the «ntjiict of granting evtracta fiorn toe Minutes of the
S'jrieiy, as reque-ted by me, the Evocutive Committee have published
the fojlo'.viri;,' a-- tht,'ir definitive opinion . —

"Tho Committee would say in this connection, that no officer of tbe
Sooi''ty hn.s the liK"'- ^^ nxp'js'; cither to private or public yh;vr the minutej
of iiH action, or make ( xtracls from ihetn fir any person whatever, without
the aii'horitv of the Kx"rutiv<; Committee : And further, that their minutes
are in the keeping of the Itecording iSecretaiy, who alone is responsible for
their safety.' '

Had my friends, Messrs. Thomson and McPherson, been civilly told
by M('Ciey;or that at the first meotin:^ of the " Executive Committee,"
their rerjuesl woald be submitted, and in all probability granted, they
would have b'. ,n petfeclly sit'sfied. Was anything like this done ?
Certainly not.

Hut I dispute the soundness of the principle. A reliuious or
bern'voleiit society wliioli looks for support to public voluntary coa-

tributions, is not like a bankini; or commercial establish

menf.

apprehend th;it anyone givin;^ a dollar in ;iid of such institutions ia
entitled to bo satisfied as to what liai been done with it. The very

the

Kt his

' Oa
'■'■ike)

1^ one

jp' '

OF KEW TORS.

existence of the Society depends on perfect jooJ faith being kept xrith
the public in matters of money ; and oa this principle, as havinit been
the organ throuih which my own contributions and those of my people
were conveyed to the New York Society, I had a title to be satisiie^l
as to tile legality of the Commission which brought the \oung men to
Toronto, and as lo tlie amount transmitted to the Treasurer, with its
application by the Acting Board. And here I must let the public
know that my letter from Quebec to Mr. Libbey had enclosed i:i it a
small slip to the ioilowiug edect : —

"Please let me have in your reply to th letter a uote from your bouki
as follows :

Amount received by the Treasurer, as collocted at Toronto by Mi. J. W.
MoGregar iu 1850.
Do. by Mr. 31. J. Franklin iu 1851,
Do. by .Mr. J. W. McGr^^or a^aia in li'S'i. "

My reason for asking thi;? was, the strange discrepancy betwixt the
collection in 1S51. as stale.l by Mr. Jennings on Sabbatn, August Sih.
and the amount as published ui the Jeicish Chronicu: for September ot
that year. Does Mr. Libbey say, I am not eiititled lo ask for thi? ' I
think that I am : but if aw order of tlie *' E.vecutive Committee '" niu«it
be got, will he be so goo^i as try .lud obtain an order for it i In tht
meantime, very unpleasant suspicions will remain on the mind, ami
thet/ who can in a inoDunl remove them, refuse to do it. Is such a
Society deserving of public contidence ? '*

10. The following paragraph in my printed rej.v)rt does not go
down well with Mr. Van Wyck and his compeers :

" la the meantime I may add that the Society is not in very good odour.
It has been discarded by all the Old School PresbyteriamChurch. and the
only agents of any worth which it had are now laboring in connection wiili
the Home Mission Board of that Churoh. It gets little support in New York
where its facts and its history are best known.'

In commenting on this, the »< Executive" thus e.\press themselves:

" This Committee, a majority of which belong to the Old School Presby-
terian Church, affirm that it is not in accordance with facts iu any one parti-
cular. The Society is not la " bad odour" with any evangelical denomination
of Christians. They receive a patronage at present Irom the Old School
Presbyterian Church throughout the United States, more liberal than at an\
former time, as well as from every other denomination of Christians ; that
they do not at all accept this position in which Dr. Burns places them as a
Society ; that no Presbyterian at all interested iu the Salvation of the Jews,
will thank Dr. Burns for his illiberal statements respecting them ; and kbat
the source of information respecting their present missioiiaries in comparison
with those mentioned by Dr. B. must have been one hostile to the Society,
or else totally ignorant of its present economy. It is sufficient to say that
the Society's missionaries at present in the field are working men, which
eanrfot be said of any two missionaries that have left the Society or been
discharged from it« service. They may, respectively, be judged by their
works.''

I must leave these matters for the consideration of parties in New
York and in the Unhed States. Time will try ; and no man will have

«'

THE JEWISH SOCIKTY

it in his power to say that I am the party who is at all inclined to
shrink from inquiry.

In the meantime I may as well advert to the fact that my respected
friend Dr. J. W. Alexander, of New York, by letter of date September
11th, lets me know *• that the Presbyterian Church has had for years
no connexion with the Society, and has earned on her elibrtsin behalf
of the Jews, by a distinct organization of her own."

And now, Mr. Edwin R. MacL'roi,'or, A. M., what are the counts

of my indictment to which I call on you to plead? They are such as

these : — 1. Plea.<e explain to nie the reason why it is, tiiat when you

on the lOth of Auirust did write to nie a long aiul seemingly friendly

epistle, but not altogether satisfactory withal; and when I replii^d to

you ill the same fiiondly strain, while at the same time I asked a little

additional information as to the mysterious commission given to your

brother J. W. Macgregor — you never condescended to give me any

reply? and wherefore is it that when my letter to Dr. Miiledoler of

the same date with the one to yourseli', was submitted to you by Dr.

Miiledoler in order that materials might be furnished on some points of

reply, you allowed that letter, it is said, to pass out of your hands into

the possession of an individual in this city, who, you know, could

have asked and obtained it for no purpose, frientUy to truth or to me ?

Explain wherefore it is that yon have thus acted, if all is right and

square in your official duty as Secretary to the "Am. Soc. Mel. Con.

Jews" ? What, I fearlessly ask, is there in all the particulars

connected with your relative position and mine, of which an ' nnocent

and honorable man need be ashamed ?

2. Why is it that when I requested two such respectable persons
as the Rev. John Thomson, of New York, and Mr. R. D. Macpherson,
of Toronto, to call on you in my name, and civilly to ask a reply to my
reciuests, you received them cavalierly, and obstinately refused to
communicate with them on points in regard to which all Societies that
rest on public cluirity for support, feel inclined, as they are unques-
tionably bound, to give the most ample satisfaction ?

3. Why is it that when I came all the way from Canada to New
York for the purpose of having matters cleared up, you not only
refused to meet me and my friends, but after writing and leaving for
me a note which, from hs spirit aiu\ import, could not possibly have
been intended for any other than me, yon have instructed your dupes
of the *' Executive Committee" to believe ami declare " publically"
(for that is your way of spelling the word*) that I had entered the
repositories of the Society and abstracted it by fraud ?

whosti
of Gol
shall '
patroil
obtaiJ
thesel
of thd

• Mr. .1. W. ATacsjrcscir. in his coiifcrciice with me, referred to in p. 16. did seriously
insist lliiit I should consuli Jdliiisoji ;is to tlie correct orthoifinpliy I The Se«ielury mid his
liMiher are iriily piirinfons (if leiuiiinq:. It wiis .1. W. Mncgri'jfor who guvo inc the first
notice 111" the '• Mass .Meeting" in Mr. Itoa/ 's Chmcli ou August 8tli, and kindly invited my
'^ aU«utUnce.»

flic lined to

inspected

|Soptember

''»r years

'Jii behalf

le counts
ra such as
[wJien you
friendly
I'fpliud to
•*1 .'i little
1 to your
' ine any
Iciloler of
u by Dr.
points of
^iids into
f, could
to me?
ghl and
^1. Con.
liculars
'laocent

[Jersons
lierson,
'^ tomy
ised to
t's that
iques-

' New

only
ig for
have
upes
ilh/>

the

)U8ly
I his
first
I my

OF NEW YORK.

And as for Dr. DeWitt and the other reverend and respectable men
wliose names are appended to your So«'.iely, I hereby, as in the sight
of God, to whom we must all give account, demand of them that they
shall either vindicate the actings of your Society, or withdraw their
patronage. It was on the slreiigtli of those names th.at your agents
obtained amj credit in Canada at all; and yet I bulieve the most of
these names have been appendeii without the knowledge or consent
of their owners.

The list of these « Office Bearers and Directors" of the " A. S. M.
C. Jews," as appended to the Jewish Chronicle for December last, is
numerically as follows : One Presideid ; 19 Honorary Vice Presidents ;
12 Vice Presidents ; a Secretary for Foreign Correspondence ; another
for Domestic Correspondence ; and a Recording Secretiry; a Treasurer,
and a " Committee of Directors," 20 in number, at the head of which
appears the name of Charles Van Wyck, who signs as '* Chairman of
the Executive Committee." There are tlius in all h'fty-six persons,
whose names and desiiinations constitute " the Stars and Stripes" of
this " Union." They figure well onjjuper ; but how many of them are
in the way of ever attending your meetings, Mr. Van Wyck ? How
many of them were ever asked to let their names be blazoned before
the public as patrons of you and your coterie ? Who may be the " A.
S. M. C. J" ? Is it no^ you— Mr. Edwin R. Macgregor, A. M. ?
and who may be your « Executive Committee"? Is it not just the
same brij,ht luminary ? and perhaps Mr. Libbey, and you, Mr. Van
Wyck, as his bottle-liolders ? I arraign you all at the bar of public
opinion ; and I distinctly wish it to be understood that I attach great
Wame to those '' dii iiuijorum gentium'" who allow your Society the
benefit of their names, while they hold you and your '' A. S. M. C. J,"
in just and merited contempt.

Since writing the above I have had the curiosity to look into the
l)ages of the " Jewish Chroiucle" from November, 1849, when Mr. Mac-
gregor first took charge of it, down to the number for December, 1852;
and I iiave marked both in the Editorial ami other departments
various passages which breathe the very sentiments and spirit of the
Sermon or discourse delivered by J. W. M. in Mr. Roaf's pulpit on
August 8lh, 1852. There is a recklessness and inaccuracy of idea in
them which to my mind is repulsive. When carried forth to the Jewish
mind, they cannot but prove pernicious. A small specimen I shall give :

«The field," referring to the Society's operations, "is undoubt-
edly a rough one, as rough as the hills of Palestine ; but the applica-
tion of resolution and detenninalion will make it ecpially productive
// was a national enterprise that subdued those hills, and converted
Ihein into a land fioxving with milk and honey. So a truly Christian
enterprise can cause, under the smile of Providence, the rough

THE JEWISH SOCIETY

State of this field to teem with a plentiful harvest." — November, 1849,

"At the present moment" "Jewish mind is shaking the very
fomidations of European civilization ; and already breaking down the
middle wall of partition erected by carnality between the Jew and the
nominal Christian." — lb.

" How many of the Jews are, this hour, rejoicing that they have
found Jesus the Messiah ! You love Zion, as she is among the Gen-
tiles ; but bear in mind that she wilhnever be clothed with the Sun,
with the moon under her feet, and be crowned with twelve stars, until
a Deliverer shall come out of her and turn ungodliness away from
Jacob; whose fullness shall be the riches of the Gentiles, and their
reception as life from the dead. When the prodigal shall return, then
shall there be joy in our Father's house 5 the fatted '•alf shall be
killed, and music and dancing shall crown the festival. At that day
how unlovely will appear the disposition of the elder brother whose
jealousy ha" deterred him from entering into the spirit of the occasion,
and whose parsimony has grudged the feast prepared for the returned
prodigal, and whose selfishness upbraids the condescension, the for-
giving spirit, the love, and benignity of the noble father " ! — Ih.

The first promise explained : " To bruise one's head is to destroy
him ;. to bruise one's heel is to harm, annoy, and disable without
destroying. Then the evil spirits, with the one that acted as their
leader, shall go forth to harm, annoy, and disable, but not entirely
destroy the race of men ; but the human race shall at length prevail
over these wicked spirits, and finally succeed in destroying them. If
it be said that the seed of the woman refers to Jesus Christ as the
Saviour of the world, we do not deny it, as he is one of the human
race, a descendant of the woman.'' — December No.

In a later number (October, 1852) we find a new translation of
the third chapter of Genesis, in which the passage regarding the seed
of the woman is thus strangely rendered : " I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall
gape for thee openly, and tliou shall gape for him secretly."

The absolute folly of the following paper, of date January, 1852,
must be quite transparent :

The Jewish mind is under a cloud in reference to the way of life and
true happiness. They have no Word of God any more ; they have the
doctrines and commandments of men, which only lead hellward and not
heavenward. Rabbinism takes delight in leading them away from divine
truth, and giving them husks which are only At for swine. But in our
country of freedom of thought and belief, more than one hundred thousand
Jews are rising in their intellectual might and demanding truth— divine
truth, which they are becoming convinced is only to be found in pure
Christianity. How do they receive our messengers of tnith? How do they
listen to their instruction ? How many are turning with feelings of indig-
nation from the Rabbinism existing in America 1 Even when in attendance
upon Synagogue ceremonies, they regard the whole as a monstrous farce
before God ; and were it not that the force of education and the parental

TOWl

Jud^

the

uml^

largl

ingil

rece

mail

mee

pru|

pici

forJ

hov

wUl

iber, 1849,

the Very

down the

Jw and tile

«hey have
the Gen-
the Sun,
}^^rH, until
way from
and their
turn, then
shaJJ be
' that day
ler whose
occasion,
returned
ihe for-
1-76.
destroy
without
as their
entirely
h prevail
iem. If
t as the
human

ation of
le seed
etween
'e shall

1852,

fe and

'e the

id not

livine

1 our

isaad

irine

pure

they

idig-

ance

arce

ntal

OF NEW YORK. jp

VDW upon them restrained them, they would leave even the outer court of
Judaism. _ We have to-day more acn-ss to the Jewish people than hare even
the Rabbiea themselves. We havo a large number Jews and Jewesses
under instruction, and locenlly some conversions, we hojje, from sin, and a
large number converted from Rabbinism. Our corps of labourers is enlarg-
ing, our expenses increasmg ; but, what we are sorry and pained to add, our
receipts have not for two monlhs past, during the depression in the money
market, proporiionably increased. We are hence embarrassed ; we canuot
meet our liabilities. Now, havir^ been taught by divine wisdom that " the
prudent man foieseeth the evil und hideth himself," and that we must " owe
no mai anything but love, ' Christiiuis that have money must aid us in the
present emergency, or we must dismiss our missionaries ; and when we are
forced to do this in consequence of your want ot love and spirit of self-denial,
how will the enemy exult, and the cause of Christ bleed, and the chariot-
wheels of salvation roll back !'' — pp. 104, 165.

From the June Chronicle for 18ol I copy the following very brief,

and certainly not very luminous nor satisfactory review of the year's

operations and results :

" HEVIBW or THE LAST VEAR's OPERATIONS

"The whole amount of receipts into the treasury (including balance at
the beginning of the j'ear) have been $11,239 04, being an increase over those
of the previous year of $5,585 52.

There have been performed about nine and a half years of direct labour
among the Jews by our missionaries and colporteurs during the ])ast year.
The gospel seed has been sown in about a thousand families, or four thousand
Jewish minds.

Hundreds have had the Scriptures read and explained to them. Two
hundred bibles, forty thousand pages of tracts, sixty New Testaments, and
other books have been distributed among them.

About one hundred households have been prayed in, and some of them
repeatedly.

THE RESULTS OF LAST YEAH.

Many Israelites — but how many we cannot tell — have been seriously
awakened and induced to seek the truth. Fifteen families have been reported
as having been induced to attend on Christian worship, besides many others.
Twenty at least have avowed their belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the
only Saviour of men, and indulge hopes of reconciliation with God. Nine
of these have made a public profession of iheir faith, and the other eleven
are under instruction preparatory to the same step. With one exception, as
far as we now know the converts are holding on their way moie or less
steadfastly ; and the hope is, that after they shall have had time to learn and
understand the full spirit of the Christian religion, they will grow in grace,
and overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.

But there are many difficulties in the way of their growth in grace. They
unite with various churches. They feel that they are regarded with suspi-
cion, and hence shrink oftentimes into obscurity. They are not treated as
the tender lambs of the flock, carried in the shepherd's bosom, but are left
to wander and stumble upon the dark mountains of sin, where they are left
to perish. No class of converts need so much care, instruction, and tender
sympathy as these lambs of Israel."

In that No. there is inserted a most unsuitable paper from the
New York Tribune, on the political state of the Jews in Europe.
One small morceau of tliis absurd article may amuse at the present
crisis: " Lord Derby, who permitted himself to be defended by a Jew
in the House of Commons, virtually declares that the English aristo-
cracy can no more defend itself. Lord Derby may hold out still
longer; but he will never restore the dominancy of the aristocracy,

•■*-

THE JEWISH SOCIETY.

it^'

although he may partially iiitiiKluce the Continental Jei-polisni into
England.'" '* Disraeli and Stahl have been baptized ; but they re3mai!r
Jews !"

Of the judgment, witli which the alliiirs of the Society are eon-
ducted, we may form some idea from it-< last report, as piililished in
the June No. of the Ckronirle (lS5tZ) and the following specimen
may sutlice :

"The Board do not aim to do the peculiar work of orfjanized churches
and pastors, but to supply a deficiency. They possess the facilities of preach-
ing the gospel to the Jews, t;;creby securing their conviction, hopetui conver-
sion, and future instruction. Hcret'iuls their responsibility. Then, as the
Jews arc every when; found in (Christian communities in the midst of
Christian churciies, th<'y leave the responsibility of the convert's profession
of laith, tigetbcr with subsequent discipline, entirely with the pastors.

" This circumstance militates against manifesting all the success that is
met with. When the missionary is satisfied of the conversion of the prose-
lyte, the latter is not permitted to profess his faith until the church is also
satisfied, which, from false tlieories respecting their conversion, and distrust
of their sincerity, is not readily effected. Some converts that are now shining
ornaments have been compelled to delay, on this account, tlvir profession for
six months. The Boord do not count bajjiisms, but public ijrofessions of
faith in the churches. There ave ten converts now awaiting the ordeal. "

These are merely fractional parts, cuUetl almost at random from
the pages of this uaicjue periodical. I cannot disliLrure my page with
such trash as " the House that Jack buih," even though Mr, Atac-
gregor may persuade learned divines to look grave at the ral)binical
appliances of that nursery lullaby.

A city periodical* decides that ''Dr. Rinns has done infinite
mischief" in thus raisinir doubts in men's minds, and causiug di.scord
among Churches. If I am to l)lame at all, it is in not sooner calling
to account the actors in this scene. How different the course pursued
by the Editor of the ,Vor//i Ainerican. He not oidy gave a full and
correct report of all the niectiuiis in the ca.«e, c((upling that with liis
own judicious conitnen's on the wlioU; affair ; but in my absence at
Quebec voluntarily defended mo from the aspersions of Mr. Van VVyck
and \\\< ExeciitivH Committee. .Au'feeable as it is to holtl commu-
nion with otlier Churches in the way of uiving and receiving, llnne is
a duly we owe to the pid>!i(', and thai is, to take care that the cases
we recommend sluill be really good ones. The public look to minis-
ters in this matter to direct them, and if we are md'ailhful to onr trust,
we are respoii«ible, and to a higher than man. No man who lias
known iiw, or knows nu^ now, will for a moment charge mo with
cohlness to file cause of (Jod's ancient people; but I would sccuii to
be thought capable of "making a gaiu " of alic'cted " godlinosii."
To try to convert the Jews to Cliristiauity by |m 'tically borrowiu'T
from tliem their very wor-^t feiitnres, is a height of i.niiioiis h)lly which
might have hetMi looked f(ir in tiie paifes of an ungodly romance, hut it
IS parsing stiniige to m.-el with if in the recorded ainiaJH of n Christian
institute.

1 il

thl

• (.7()6«vf U«luli«r 30. lOi'i.

«.-»!

*•

im- remain

\y are con-

I'lished in

■''I'tiCilTlOJl

APPE]\DIX.

Tjiji: circumstances cnuuci'teil wilii llie ioilowiiiL' letter are -iini-ly
ihese. The Rev. Mr. John-on, ol iIk- Ivelunued I'resiiyierian Congre-
gation in Toronto, i.s tlie cnly miuiriti/r known !o uie in tlo city wlio
tias soltled liere since the prevloiis vi>il-; of the Agents of the Jewisli
Society, anil 1 was der-itous to learn what impres^iion had been made
tm hi.^ niiud by llie inspection ol' the coininiHsi')!'. and the tout i/nnoii-
Hc oC tiie Agent. 1 askeil him to furni.'^h me w ilii .lUcli a sta'iejnenl
append to my appeal. \\v has favored me willi the

as I might
following :

ToKONTo, 12th Jany., 1853.

Uev. and Dear Sir,

I beg to acknowledge tlie receipt of yoins of the lOtli inst., inquiriiiij
what day .Mr. J. VV. McCln'^oi luid called npon mc when in the city lecturing
on helialf of the "Amoricun Society fur .MelionUing the Condition of the
.Jew.s,"' and whether [ hiul oxainiiied hid Coinmisoion carefully, and what
im])ros9ion was made upon my mind. In reply I have to say that the gentle-
man called upon me on Siiturdiiy the 7ih of August, the day befoie he deliveied
his lecture in Mr. Moara (Jliurch, and rciiuested me to give it publicity at oar
place of worship.

Considering the importance of cmnplyintr with the request nnide by a
perfect stranger to nie, 1 iiski d iiim tor some di)cinnent.« re.-pecting the Society
and its operations, whii h I could read to the congregiition \m encourage their
liberality in the cause. To my surprise hu raid he had none except bis
<-ommi,=!sion, signed by Dr. Milledoler, tiic Piesideni of the Society.

This be presented to nu', and I cxaniiDed it veiy closidy ; and though
not personally acqunintpd with that venerable man, I had the impression
that he was advanced in years; and a .sliiiht suFpirH)i\ stole across my mind
that the siginituio was. unlike that of an aged person, bearing a far stronger
resemblanco to that of a youn;i; ch'rk in a stoie or counting-house.

1 do not say that it was not the signature of the I'lesitlent, but to me it
appeared as different frcnn the autograjili exhibited in Knux's Chinch, which
I afterward exnndned at the meeting held aftei youi arrivid from New York,
as that of a youth from the signature of a man of 70.

This is my opinion, and pernnt n)c to say witlunit boasting, that I have
some knowledge of autographs, as I hu\i' hundreds of iheni iti my po.<session
trom i)uhlic men in Britain, Ireland, and the I'niteil States, carefidly boinid
up in small volumes.

Not being perfectly satisfied, how. ver, with ilie appearance of the
si({nature in the C!onnnission presented to me, I was constraiiicd to | ut a
few (pu'stions respecting leading men aiid places o\\ ilie other side of the
Lake. His replies discovered less inrornintion almut public aHaira and
prominent men than niij^ht be expected from one professing to have been the
,\gent ot tlie Society for some years.

I farlher empiircd if he wa-* aeipuiinted with any of the Ministers of this
city, and be said that he knew Dr. Ibiriis. as ho li<id Iteeii here two years ago,
aial that /;r was jierlectly siitislied. This infDiiiiainin removed my doulils,
and I promiaeil to nnnoimee his lectuie tn my hearers on ll;e forenoon of the
ensui'ig >Sald)ath, and here our conversation closed.

I have thus iiilorined you what impn ssion bis visit made iipnn my niind.
I could not lio I'rejudiced, for 1 was utterly ignorant i)( your suspicions about
big being a fully acciudited ngciit till afterwards. In making these slate-

APPENDIX.

1»

i' ^

ments 1 have no wish either to injure the character of Jlr. McGreifor or
retard the usefulness of the Society. Far from it. My desire is, that in the
farther investigation of this unpleasant matter you may be successfnl in
rectifying those abuses which appear in the Working of the Sdciot)', and in
preventing the dissemination of erroneous sentiments by any of its professed
agents.

[ am, Dear Sir,

Very sincerely yours, &c.,

ROBT, JOHXSON.
Rev. Dr. Burns.

A remark or two 1 would ofFer on tlie above. Mr. .lohiison wais
called upon by Mr. IMac'sre^or on the day after he liad been with me,
and while ho w'a.s cornnM ill saying thill 1 was yatisfied, he carefully
abstained from the most distant reference to my " scrnplos," two
years before ; my riMiewed ''scruples" when Frankihi appeared in
18,51, on which occa.iion I irave effect to them by refusing him my
pulpit ; and my recurrinu' '' ,scnii)les " now, which nothing but the
decidedly favorable Mateinents of Mr. .lenninus had removed. Tt was
indeed pulilic in the y()iui;r niau to conceal all this ; and yet why is a
perfectly fair and honest case incapable of beinir tried by a very
pimple test '{ Mr. Johnson happened lo hit o/i the very objection started
by me, and ii would have been very natural for a really accredited
agent to have adverted tt) the rather curious fact tliat two ministers
had, uiikuovvn to one another, happeiuid to liyhl on tlic very same
ground of suspicion ; and he would naturally have set himself to
remove it. Whether the siibscriptiou is after all a genuine one may
perhaps never be fully ascertained, but assuredly no blame can
attach to any one for entertaining suspicions of it. Mr. Jolmson had
not the advantage! I had, for ho had never seen Dr. Milledolcr nor hist
haadwritinir ; and yet he did not like tlie aspect of the document.

The want of all other instrumentalities for promoting his object —
.such as reports, addresses, N-c, struck Mr. Jolinsun just as it struck me.
Not R single report had he to shew me. At lengtii lie brought me one,
and he saiil tliat he had another ; but when ! expressed my surpri.se
at Ills actiu'i; so ditfereiilly inim all other a'^ents whom I liad ever
seen, his replies wtne very evasive and unsatisfactory.

Of the impressions maile on the minils of other ministers in the
city, the public nuiy perhaps learn something yet ; but it is proper to
state that Mr. Roaf, tin* pastor tif the rhincii in wiiich the offensive
appearance was made, was in Kngland at the time; and I rather think
that tlu! ministtMs of the vaiiou.s Episcopal and Meliuxlist t'hurches,
and of the Clinrch of Scotland, were not consulted in the matter.

R. H.

' 9

\ •

^•-

. f

.»

ni»n.