Gerson, Rev. Marks, was born in Kovno, Poland, in 1879. His father died when he was four, and his mother when he was thirteen. Up to that age he received the usual Jewish education and his elder brother kept him at school for another year, but then he had to make a start to earn his own living. He worked with relatives for five years, and then came to London, where the "Hebrew Christian Testimony" was instrumental in leading him to Christ. In 1898 he was admitted into the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, and in December of the same year was baptized by the Rev. G. H. Händler in Christ Church, Stepney. In June, 1899, he was confirmed by the Bishop of Stepney, and in 1901 he was accepted by the Church Missionary Society for training first at Clapham Common, then at Blackheath, and subsequently at the College in Islington. On the 18th of June, 1905, he was ordained in St. Paul's Cathedral, and since then he has laboured with good success in India: being stationed at present in Calcutta.
Gerstman, W. A., was a missionary of the L.J.S. at Jerusalem in 1837, and then on account of illness was transferred to Constantinople in 1840.
Ginsburg, Rev. Dr. Christian David, born at Warsaw, December 25, 1821, embraced Christianity there in 1846, was missionary of the British Society in Liverpool till 1863, when he retired in order to devote himself entirely to literary work. Dr. Ginsburg contributed a considerable number of valuable articles on Jewish topics to Kitto's Encyclopædia, published a book on the Karaites and Essenes, and a full account in English of the Kabbalah, its doctrines, development, and literature. But he will be especially remembered for his massoretic studies, and translation of Elias Levita's "Massoreth-ha-Massorah" in 1867, and of Jacob ben Hayim's "Introduction to the Rabbinic Bible," published in the same year. He was on the Revision Committee of the Old Testament. He edited the Massoretic Critical Text of the Hebrew Bible for the Trinitarian Bible Society, 1894, and also Salkinson's translation of the New Testament into Hebrew, 1886.
Ginsburg, Rev. J. B. Crighton, was instructed and baptized by the L.J.S. missionary Hausmeister, at Strasburg. After doing good work in England, and not without results, he laboured for many years in Algeria. Among his converts there were Moses Ben Oliel and T. E. Zerbib. He then laboured faithfully in Mogador, amidst many difficulties and trials, and lastly he had the charge of the mission at Constantinople from 1886, till the time of his death there, when he entered into the higher service of Heaven.
Goldberg, Dr. John Benjamin, was one of a number of rabbis and learned men, who were converted to Christianity in Jerusalem in the first half of the nineteenth century. He was baptized in Christ Church, Jerusalem by Nicolayson, in 1843. He had consequently to undergo much persecution and loss of property. In 1847 we find him as a preacher of the Gospel to his brethren in Cairo, and then, on account of illness; he was transferred to Salonica. In 1851 he was appointed as missionary at Constantinople, and from there he went, in 1860, to Smyrna. Goldberg was a most spiritually-minded and lovable man. His latter years he spent in England, and contributed to the "Hebrew Christian Witness," in 1874, two learned and very valuable and extensive articles on "The Language of Christ," and on "The Future Division of the Land of Israel."
Goldberg, Johann Peter, missionary to the Jews. We give the following extracts from his life and work, edited by his son-in-law, the Rev. J. A. Hausmeister:—
"It might appear strange that Goldberg should so soon give up his acquired profession and become a teacher; but the fact is, that, from his earliest years, he showed a disposition more for intellectual employment than for business, for the latter he never displayed any great talent. At the same time, he did not conceal his religious, or, rather, anti-Jewish tendencies, as he was always open and straightforward. These were in his case tolerated, because he was respected on account of his learning, and in a few years he was duly appointed as teacher of the whole Jewish community.
"Concerning his conversion, he, in his reminiscences, tells the story thus: 'On New Year's eve, 1803, I and several Jews went, out of curiosity, to the Hall, where the congregation of the Moravian brethren worshipped. Here, I heard, for the first time, of the birth, the destiny, the suffering, death, and the resurrection of our Saviour, and seized by a kind of foreboding feeling, my heart was filled with joy and happiness. Deeply touched, I left that sacred house with the resolve to visit it often, and the impressions of the love of God to men were so forcibly within me, that they also accompanied and refreshed me in my sleep. Yet, alas! this beneficial impression vanished soon, by reason of the implanted prejudices against Christianity, and of the unbelief which had already taken root in me, even in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. But since that night I felt, more and more, a disconsolate emptiness in my heart, though I continued, at a distance, from the way of life.' We hear here the knockings of God on the door of an erring heart, which refused to open itself. How often must the gracious God visit a man, now with love and then with affliction, before He can gain admittance into his soul. But a Jew has still more difficulties to contend against; for the prejudices against Christianity, which he imbibes from his youth, arise from the natural heart as soon as it has come under the influence of the truth. He has to contend not only against the enemy of unbelief, but also against the enemy of superstition, which bars his way in every direction. Though Goldberg was surrounded by various Christians at Neuwied, and came, sometimes, in contact with the Moravian brethren, yet many years passed before he submitted to the Word of God, and found the peace which the world can neither give nor take away. It is very telling for the character of Goldberg that he chose Neuwied for his home. With his former principal at Hamburg, he continued a friendly correspondence, and received from him repeated invitations to return to the situation, where every prospect for his advancement and happiness awaited him. But he was firm, and felt no matrimonial inclinations for the rich merchant's daughter, but rather chose for his partner the daughter of Solomon Rubens, the Jewish butcher at Neuwied. They were married in 1806, and she brought him something better than money—a true and loving heart; which helped him to carry his burden, and was ready with him to cast that burden upon the mighty shoulders of the Saviour, and to participate in his joy and peace. Nevertheless, many a rivulet flows into the Rhine, and the couple had to drink much of the bitter waters of Marah, before they tasted of the cup of salvation. I will only mention a few instances:—
"When Goldberg established his own home, he resumed his connexion with his family, not only by correspondence but by paying them a visit, which he had long yearned to do. In the very fruitful year of 1811 he started upon his journey, in spite of the dissuasion of the Austrian ambassador at Frankfort, who had told him that he was liable to punishment in his country, because he had failed to present himself for military service. Safely arrived at Regensburg, the superintendent of the police refused at first to give a visé to his passport for Austria, as it had not the signature of the ambassador, but he and his wife at last prevailed over the officer. In Vienna, again, the police told him that he would have to be transported home as a transgressor of the law, but through the influence of a banker, a cousin of Goldberg, and by means of a bribe, he was permitted to remain some time in Vienna unmolested. On his return journey to the Rhine he experienced immediate Divine protection, even in a more striking manner. He had made this journey on foot, and came one day very tired to a village and rested a little in an hotel. Black clouds covered the sky and announced the approach of a storm, when Goldberg resumed his march, though against the warning of the hostess, as he was very anxious to see his wife and children as soon as possible. As soon as he entered a thick forest, the rain came down in torrents, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and the wanderer had to stop. There was an open space in the forest with only a few stumps of trees in it, and he was meditating upon which of the stumps he should sit down. He decided for the one which stood on the right. Scarcely had he sat down, when the stump on the left was struck by lightning and shivered to pieces. He was thus much impressed with the wonderful protecting care of the providence of God.
"The Jews have many nice customs and rites as well as beautiful prayers. When the Spirit of God will some day revive this people, then will many a Jewish form and custom, which is now performed like an empty ceremony, be exercised in spirit and leave a blessing. One of these customs is, that after the service on the Sabbath and on feast days, the children approach the parents, who lay their hands on them and bless them.[13] Also, when a Jew goes on a journey, the members of his family follow him and pronounce a blessing. It was so before Goldberg started on his journey that his mother-in-law laid her hands on his head, blessed him, and then added: 'Farewell, we shall never see one another again.' Yet Goldberg could not believe that these parting words would be fulfilled. When on his journey back he spent a night at Regensburg, and awoke early in the morning, there suddenly appeared to him near his bed, the form of a friendly woman, dressed in white, who looked at him complacently. He recognized her as his mother-in-law, looked at his watch, it was four o'clock, and was greatly astonished. He rose up and resumed his journey, and when he arrived at Frankfort, he met a Jew from Neuwied, of whom he enquired after his family, and was told by him that they were all well, and at last that his mother-in-law had died. Now he understood the meaning of the apparition. He used often to refer to this event and say: 'You know that I am no believer in ghost stories, yet I have, myself, experienced, and am convinced, that spirits can be in communication with one another.' Deeply moved, he returned to his family, and his arrival was to them a great comfort.