To my Beloved Friend, and Brother in the Gospel of Christ, the Rev. Isaac Levinson.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
A quarter of a century has come and gone since you and I first met. I remember the time, the place, and some things that passed between us. Ah; it seems but yesterday; yet the long years separate that day from this. Let us be thankful they have not separated us. Friends we were twenty-five years ago, and friends we are unto this day. You a Jew, and I a Gentile, yet both one in Christ Jesus our Lord, now and evermore.
It was a special providence that brought us together. Just then you needed, such an one as I, and the Lord put it into my heart to love you, and care for you, and try to lead you into new paths of reading, and thought, and action. The memory of it all is very precious to us both, and we can afford to praise our Covenant God.
How young and fresh in years, and in all your ideas you were in those early days. I recall how interested and simple, and real your faith was; and I bless the Lord it has not faltered, or faded into a flabby, or normal condition. Your knowledge of Christ was very nascent, but I watched it grow and increase as the days passed by. Step by step the Lord led you on and up, and gave you grace to be humble and trustful in Him. You know I have watched over you through every stage in the development of your character and work. Indeed I have been with you as a father to a son until you became as one of our family circle, and were welcome in our home.
I cannot forget, that I urged, and advised you to take the most serious step in your eventful life, namely to give up a good position in business, and go to college, and devote your life to the ministry. Do you remember how we prayed about it? We rejoiced together when dear C. H. Spurgeon accepted you as a Student in his College—my own well beloved Alma Mater.
Then came the next step, your first pastorate, and all the first hopes and fears and labors. Then came the thought of your connection with the British Society, and our anxious and prayerful conferences about it in all its bearings and responsibilities. This also was of the Lord; and so I think was the last move to the honorable and responsible position of the Secretariat. The letters received, showed how heartily your Brethren and Friends hailed, and welcomed you to this onerous post, and so did I as your oldest friend. Thus you stand to-day. May the Lord spare and keep you, and make you a prolonged blessing to our beloved Society all over the world.
It seems to me meet, and good that another edition of your life-story should be published, bringing it down to the present day. It is a tale of grace and love from beginning to end, and while it puts you in the dust, it exalts and glorifies the Lord. Herein let Him be adored, and magnified as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as long as you live; for "He hath done great things for us whereof we are glad.”
I have felt it permissible to write freely, because our connection has been so close, and so long, and so tender and so true. Dear friends who may read this letter will see I have written as a father and a friend, with one desire, to glorify the Grace of God in one of the Seed of Abraham, and an heir of the promise according to faith.
May the Lord make your work a blessing to thousands; so prays,
Your loving friend,
W. CUFF.
Shoreditch Tabernacle, Hackney Road,
London, E. November 10th, 1901.
=============================
FOR several years Isaac Levinsohn corresponded with his dear mother, and has every reason to hope that the sermons of "Rabbi Spurgeon” influenced her Christward. It was a great joy to him when she expressed a wish to see him. But that joy was not granted. Although he had arranged to meet her, and had actually undertaken a journey to the frontier, where mother and son should meet. Alas this hope was frustrated. The morning when she was about to undertake the journey she was suddenly taken ill and passed away!
For several years after his conversion Isaac Levinsohn was in the service of the Religious Tract Society, where he made many friends who have been helpful to him. Dr. Davies, Dr. Samuel Manning, and Dr. S. G. Green took an interest in the young Hebrew Christian, and their influence was, as may be imagined, helpful to him. It brought him into contact with business men and things, and helped to mold his habits and business character, which in the Providence of God was a means to prepare him for further usefulness. It was during this period of happy service, he came in contact with the Rev. William Cuff, now the honored and successful Pastor of the Tabernacle Church, Shoreditch. This acquaintance ripened into a strong friendship. Mr. Cuff has always been the friend of Young Christians. He received this young Hebrew convert into his confidence and love. This friendship was destined to mark out the future career of our friend.
It was through the earnest advice of the Rev. William Cuff that Isaac Levinsohn entered the Pastor's College, where he passed through a course of training for the Ministry.
In 1881 he was ordained for the ministry, and for a period he served the Baptist Church, Burnt Ash, Lee, as Pastor. He was then invited by the Committee of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Jews, to become their Missionary Deputation. Having consulted the late Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, in whose Pastor's College he had studied, and his dear friend Rev. W. Cuff, they advised him to accept the call as from God. Mr. Spurgeon commended him to the churches by writing the following letter.
WESTWOOD, BEULAH HILL, UPPER NORWOOD,
June 5th, 1886.
Mr. LEVINSOHN has passed through the Pastor's College with satisfaction to the Tutors and myself. I have the utmost confidence in him. He has given himself up to work for his fellow Israelites by aiding the British Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Jews, and I wish him every success in his undertaking. Difficult as the work is to win a way for the Gospel among the seed of Israel, it is our heart's desire and prayer that they may be saved; and therefore we must wish well to every effort to make known to them the true Messiah. Mr. LEVINSOHN has special qualifications for pleading the cause of the Society.
C. H. SPURGEON.
=============================
For several years he carried on his work as Missionary and Deputation. To preach Christ to his own brethren, to expound the Scriptures and skew to Christians God's purposes concerning Israel, have been to him always a delight.
It was a great pleasure to Dr. Dunlop, the General Secretary of the Society, and to the Committee to receive numerous letters from leading ministers testifying of their appreciation of Mr. LEVINSOHN'S Ministry.
In 1887 the Committee of the British Society did him the great honor of sending him on a special mission of inquiry to the Holy Land.
He visited Rome, Egypt, and Palestine. This Mission was a great educational benefit to him. It made him more familiar with the condition of his brethren in Europe and in Bible Lands. Through his instrumentality the Society opened a station at Jaffa, where for several years a good work was done among the Jews. It was a great grief to him when after a while this work had to be abandoned through want of funds.
On his return from Palestine he wrote his interesting book, "The Story of my Wanderings in the Land of my Fathers," which has had a large circulation, and which still has a good demand in the book market.
When fresh from Palestine Mr. Levinsohn traveled throughout the country lecturing to many and large audiences on "Life in the Land of his Fathers." His description of oriental life, and particularly his graphic illustrations of Biblical truth have made his lectures very popular with Bible Students and Sunday School Teachers. The following letters will give the teacher some idea of how these were appreciated.
The following letters will interest our readers:—
ECCLESTON SQUARE CHURCH,
BELGRAVE ROAD, S.W.,
February 1st, 1889.
90, GLOUCESTER STREET.
I have great pleasure in stating that the REV. ISAAC LEVINSOHN has twice preached for me, and each time with great acceptance. There is a charm about his way of putting Scripture truth, which cannot fail to make him an acceptable supply. I shall be glad of his services on other occasions (D.V.).
J. HILES HITCHENS, D.D.
=============================
157, DENMARK HILL, S.E.,
February 5th, 1889.
DEAR MR. DUNLOP,
It gives me the greatest pleasure to state that both at one of our week-day and at one of our Sunday Services, my people had the privilege of Mr. LEVINSOHN'S ministrations, by which they were greatly delighted and impressed. Would that Mr. L. might find a cordial welcome to every pulpit! No pastor would regret his occupancy thereof, but, on the contrary, would have much cause for thankfulness that so able and wise an advocate of the Jews' Society had been sent to plead on behalf of the favored race.
I am, dear Mr. Dunlop,
Very sincerely yours,
C. CLEMANCE, D.D.
P. S. I ought to have said that Mr. LEVINSOHN'S conversation in private was as charmingly wise and instructive as were his public teachings.
=============================
90, GLOUCESTER STREET,
BELGRAVIA, S.W.,
March 20th, 1889.
The Rev. ISAAC LEVINSOHN delivered, at Eccleston Square Church Lecture Hall, a deeply interesting and most instructive Lecture on his "Rambles in Jerusalem." The Lecture was illustrated by Persons in Eastern Costumes and by Diagrams. Mr. LEVINSOHN won the rapt attention of his hearers, and retained it till the close. The representation of the Pharisee at prayers, and the wailing by the wall of Jerusalem made a profound impression upon the minds of the hearers. I have heard many similar lectures, but not one of them has surpassed that of the Rev. ISAAC LEVINSOHN.
J. HILES HITCHENS, D.D.,
Minister of Eccleston Square Church, Belgrave Road, S. W
=============================
MELBOURNE HALL, LEICESTER, March 25th, 1889.
MR. LEVINSOHN’S Lecture on "My Rambles in Jerusalem" was intensely enjoyed here by a large congregation of people, old and young, on Wednesday, March 13th. Friends who have themselves visited Jerusalem were delighted by his true and graphic descriptions of Jewish life. Several persons dressed in Eastern Costumes added greatly to the interest of the Lecture. We must have Mr. Lebinsohn again soon.
C. B. SAWDAY.
=============================
A new era in his Christian life began in 1885, when he was invited to attend a Conference on Missions held at Sunderland. There he was brought into personal contact with F. B. Meyer, R. C. Morgan, Scott-Moncrieff, and Reginald Radcliffe. The story told by Mr. Meyer, of how, through Mr. Studd, he entered into a fuller life in Christ, fascinated this young Hebrew Christian. The earnest words of Mr. Meyer made a deep impression on his heart, and caused him to long and to pray that this blessedness might be his.
Having heard of the spiritual good many of God's Servants had received at the meetings of the Convention at Keswick, he was led to attend these happy and, to him, ever memorable gatherings. There he again heard the Rev. F. B. Meyer, and with great delight listened to Prebendary Webb-Peploe, and to the Revs. Webster, Evan Hopkins and Macgregor. He returned to London stronger and infinitely the better for Keswick.
His ministry became now more than ever a ministry of joy in the Lord. With greater emphasis he felt he could say "I believe in the Holy Ghost." The theme of his ministry has been since then—Faith in a Living Christ, and obedience to His Divine Will! For sixteen years Mr. LEVINSOHN served the Master in connection with the British Society as Missionary Deputation. In 1899, the Secretary, Rev. John Dunlop, D.D., entered into his rest.
The Council and Committee then showed their confidence in and appreciation for his services by appointing him successor to Dr. Dunlop.
For the first time in the history of Jewish Missions has a Hebrew Christian been appointed to that office. That the appointment gave universal satisfaction is shown by the following letters.
=============================