THE JEWS OF CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 72, 14 March 1908, Page 4

THE JEWS OF CHINA.

l-'or move Ihuu 21)00 yours there lms been a colony of dewy established ill 1 Kaifengfu, China. The exact dale or their entrance into the country is not known, but it is supposed from a tablet found in their synagogues at that place that they must have appeared there about dUU 15.C.J although it may inve been as late as 58 A.l). U is not until the third or fourth century tlml are mentioned in Chinese annals, whui tlieir synagogue is referred lu by a Chinese writer as a " heaveu spirit inoiia.stry.'" Western Asia is given as th.ur starting-point, by which Persia, is probably meant, beeause ot Hie number of Persian word* which are used by the Chinese Hebrews. .Mr. Ezra, who is an authority on tlu subject, thinks that there is no good reason for the theory that the Chin-ise Hebrews are descended from the ton tribes, ihere aie many references to these Hebrews from the year 878. An j Arabian writer mentions them as one ot the sects that perished in a general massacre at Khunfu, but in i)S(S and there are records of the Chine*; district oiUeials conferring honours on Hebrews, ind in 11UIJ the erection of a synagogue vah begun in Kail'engfu. Hebrews were invited to Pekin In join the Tmi>erial army. In the iii'teen: li .'cntury there were many Hebrew com munities in China. The best informa tion we have about these coimnuniUe comes through the Jesuits who enters Pekin at the end of the sixteenth een tury.

Tlh' discovery 01 the Chinese Hebrews , was made by Father Ilieri, one of the , first Jesuits to enter China. Karlv in the seventeenth century, one summer's day, in Peking, a visitor, prompted by rumours of tlie arrival of certain foreigners who worshipped a single Cod. and yet were not Mohammedans. culled on Father Ricei. 'l'lw ; missionary, noticing the difference of features from the ordinary Chinese, led him to the oratory and knelt on his knees before, a picture of the Virgin with the infant Jesus and St. -John the Baptist, Near by was another picture representing four of the Apostles. The visitor knelt also, remarking, " We in China d<i reverence to our ancestors. This is Rebecca with her so as Jacob and Esau, but as to the other picture, we make obesiance to only four sons of Jacob: wore there not twelve?" Returning to the former' apartment, mutual explanations followed, and an unforeseen solution ensued. The stranger Was a Hebrew, Ngai by name, who had come to Pekin from Kaifengfu to procure literary honours. He stated that in his city there were some twelve families of Israelites, with a fair synagogue, in which they preserved a /oil of the law over 400 years old. and in Hangchow, the capital of t'hekiang, there were many more families, also with a synagogue. Scattered over the length and breadth of China there were others of his se.-t, hut these were, gradually being lost from having 110 meeting-place. When -liown a Bible ill Hebrew he confessed his inability to read it, though lie recognised the characters. lie said that his preference for Gentile literature subjected him to many reproaches from the chief of the synagogue. Father Ricei was able to test the truth of these, ' statements, and despatched some Chinese Christian messengers to Kaifengfu for purposes of investigation, and soon received visits from other native lTe- , brews.

The condition of the Chinese Hebrews has been declining very fast since that time. A missionary in IStiil found tlicm in an impoverished condition. They had been obliged to tear down a part of their synagogue to sell it. Finally, some thirty years later, a society for the rescue of tliese people was established, and in response to an urgent imitation eight Chinese Hebrews left Kaifengfu for .Shanghai. They arrived in that city in March, 1!I02, wile re they were cordially received by the Hebrew colony. Questioned as to their observance of their ancient religion, these Hebrews admitted that their faith was rapidly declining. At present they do not observe any of the ordinances of the Hebrew religion, nor do they observ e the idolatrous practices of the heathenMany of them have been scattered, but there still remain to the seven clans about 140 adults, Their condition is so deplorable that they have no leader, no synagogue, and no school for their children.