Laseron, Rev. David, came to Edinburgh from Germany, and maintained himself there by giving lessons in German and in Hebrew. He had also Christian pupils who visited him when he was sick and from whose young lips he first heard of the great Physician of souls. After his baptism in 1844 he was sent as a missionary to Cochin, where he established schools for heathen and Jewish children. In 1852, these schools were attended by 16 white Jewish boys, 112 black Jewish boys and 24 girls. Laseron baptized one Jew there by the name of Jehil Benjamin, in 1849. He was recalled home in 1855, owing to some disagreement with his colleague.
Lasson, Adolf, born in Alt Strelitz, 1859, embraced Christianity while he was tutor of Philosophy in the University of Berlin. He wrote the following works: "Fichte über das Verhältniss von Staat und Kirche," Berlin, 1863; "Meister Eckhardt der Mystiker," 1878; "Das Cultur ideal und der Krieg," 1868; "Principien der Zukunft des Volkesrechts," 1871. In reference to religion, he belonged to the evangelical party in the German Church. The year of his baptism is not known.
Laub, P. B., born in the Bukowina, Austria, and received a strictly orthodox Jewish education. Receiving a New Testament from some one, he became convinced of the truth of Christianity, and then went to London, where he came in contact with the writer, who recommended him to the Operative Jewish Converts' Institution, but he soon left for Stuttgart, and was baptized by Gottheil there. He then studied at Basel, but wishing to devote his life to the Jewish Mission, he went to the Institutum Delitzschianum, in Leipzig, to prepare himself for future work. In 1889, he went to assist Mr. Flad in Tunis, and then was called by the French, and afterwards by the Swiss Missionary Society to be their missionary in Alsace.
Lauria, Rabbi Elieser, was one of several Rabbis who became Christians in Jerusalem in the first half of the nineteenth century. He was baptized by Bishop Alexander in 1843, whereupon he was forced by the Jewish authorities to divorce his wife, who was sent by them back to Russia. She, however, returned to him in 1846, and in the next year she too made a public confession of her faith in our Saviour. Henceforth she assisted her husband in winning souls, and they laboured together at Cairo, until her death of cholera in 1849. Lauria opened a mission school there in 1850. He was much esteemed, even by the rabbis, and he circulated the Scriptures as far as Arabia, and the mission was not without results.
Lazarus, Joshua George, was baptized with his wife and two children in Liverpool, under the ministry of Rev. H. S. Joseph. In 1842, he became his assistant there and in Manchester. In 1851, Lazarus reported that sixty-eight Jews had been baptized since he entered upon his labours in the two cities. He retired on account of feeble health in 1853, and died in 1869.
Lebert, Herman, M.D. (Levy), born 1813, died 1878. He as a Christian doctor was very distinguished. Friedrich Wilhelm IV. bestowed upon him the gold medal for Art and Science. He became Professor of Medicine in Breslau, 1859. His literary works are: "Anatomie Pathologique générale et speciale," 2 vols., 1854-62, for which the Parisian Academy gave him the prize. "Handbuch der Practischen Medicin," 2 vols., 1859.
Lebrecht, Abraham (Herz), born at Gross-Glogau Germany, 1706. At the age of seventeen both his parents died, and his relatives sent him to a Jewish high school at Prague. In 1739, he was a teacher at Belgrade, and when the Turks captured the city, they sold him and Newman, son of a Lutheran pastor, with many others, as slaves. The master tempted Newman to sin, but he resisted, and was cruelly beaten. The master then tried to make him yield through the medium of Herz, but Newman said to him: "I cannot offend my Lord Jesus, and would rather die than commit sin." This made a strong impression upon the young Jew, and henceforth he became very anxious about the state of his soul, and the other preached to him the good tidings of salvation through Christ. Newman died from the stripes he had received, and Herz was sold to Hadshi Mustapha, who brought him to Smyrna in 1741. There the Jewish community bought his release, presented him with sixteen ducats, and sent him to Constantinople, whence he made his way back to Germany, where in various ways he experienced the lovingkindness of God. Twice when he was in great despair, and was about to commit suicide, he was providentially saved and brought to his senses by Christians, who had come to him at the right moment. In his wanderings he visited Friedrich Augusti, the well-known convert, who had had similar trials. Finally, he was baptized on Whitsunday, 1744, when he assumed the name of Lebrecht (Live right), and refused to receive a present from his sponsors, which it was the custom to give. He then lived as a consistent Christian to the age of 70, and died in 1776. This extract is taken by Pastor de le Roi from Lebrecht's autobiography, which closes with a prayer for the conversion of Israel.
Lederer, Gideon R., born in 1804. As the son of a rabbi he was educated in strict rabbinical orthodoxy, and for a time was a rabbi himself. He and his wife were converted under the ministry of the early Scotch missionaries, and afterwards assisted them to spread the Gospel in Hungary. In 1853, he came to London, but soon after went to New York, where he laboured for the rest of his days, as a humble city missionary, with much blessing. He edited a periodical entitled, "The Israelite Indeed," and the writer knew him as such an one himself.
Leener, de Louis, a Dutch convert of the nineteenth century, was a respected author. Among his works are these—(1) "Ben Onie, Tafereelen uit het dagboek van een tot het Christendom bekeerden Israelit," (2) "De waarde vrouw in Israel," (3) "De Nederlandsche jood," (4) "Ons Pascha," Amsterdam, 1865-70.
Lehrs, Karl, was born in Königsberg in 1802, and died 1878. It is recorded that while studying in Berlin he became a Christian from conviction, and was baptized in 1822. A number of his relatives were influenced by him for Christianity. He was a classical teacher in several schools, and then Professor at the University of Königsberg. He published a book of considerable merit under the title, "De Aristarchi Studiis Homericis," 1833; "Questiones Epicae," 1837; "Pindars-scholien," 1873.