The Chief Rabbi, the Rev. Dr N. M. Adler, expressed great sympathy in his reply to Sir Moses, and addressed a pastoral letter to the wardens and members of the United Congregations of Great Britain, the result of which was that an appeal was made on behalf of the starving Jews in the Holy Land, which realised £19,887.
The Chief Rabbi and Sir Moses were appointed trustees of the Appeal Fund, and a committee was nominated, consisting of the following gentlemen: Mr Henry Louis Cohen, Mr S. L. de Symons, jun., Mr Philip Lucas, jun., Mr A. J. Montefiore, and myself, the Rev. A. L. Green acting as honorary secretary.
In the month of February, at Scarborough, Sir Moses was attacked by a most dangerous illness, which confined him to his bed for forty-three days. He was attended by a physician and a surgeon, both very eminent men, who visited him regularly three or four times a day.
On the 5th of March Lady Montefiore wrote in reply to my inquiry: "In compliance with your request I snatch a moment from the sick couch of Sir Moses to give you the pleasing information that our medical attendants pronounce our dear invalid to be improving since yesterday. He has suffered severely, and been in danger; but now I trust, with the Almighty's blessing, that he will progress towards recovery."
In his Diary he makes an entry on the 27th in the following words:—
"Though I am still extremely weak and nervous, yet Scarborough, being bleak and cold at this season, and exposed to the prevalent north-east winds, I was advised to return home as soon as possible, and to-day is the first time I am able to write."
At the end of March Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore returned to London, and found the town in great excitement on account of war having been declared with Russia. Sir Moses, although still weak, had to receive a great number of friends, who called to congratulate him on his recovery, and took the opportunity to ask his opinion as to the effect the war would have on the financial world, as serious consequences were feared. He gave them his opinion, which afterwards proved entirely correct. He also attended an important meeting of the Alliance Assurance Company, but was advised by his physicians that so much exertion was not good for him in his weak state, and induced to go to East Cliff for rest. Some months later he had occasion to call at Belvedere House, Erith, the seat of Sir Culling-Eardley, the great-grandson of Gideon Sampson, a Jewish capitalist of the eighteenth century. Sir Culling showed to Sir Moses the tombstone of Gideon Sampson, which he had caused to be removed from the cemetery of the Portuguese Jewish congregation in London, and to be placed close to a new church which he had built in that locality. Many members of the Hebrew community disapproved greatly of the removal of the stone, as it had a Hebrew inscription expressing the grief felt by the deceased at having left the community.
Sir Moses brought the subject of the distress in the Holy Land and the appeal that was being made to the notice of Sir Culling, who gave a very handsome contribution towards the fund, and promised to interest himself as much as possible in securing donations from friends and acquaintances. Among the numerous contributors there was one known to Sir Moses and myself by the signature of "Anonymous," who always greatly encouraged the study of Hebrew literature and the sacred writings in Tiberias. For many years he used to remit his donation to Sir Moses, with a request to forward it to the Holy City, though his position in society and the tenor of his conversation would generally have led his friends to think that he was unfavourably disposed towards the tenets of the Mosaic code. Among Sir Moses' correspondents there were many who, on subjects of religion, expressed sentiments differing considerably from those which they expressed in their usual intercourse, showing that there are, unfortunately, a good many persons in society who have not the moral courage to express openly what they feel in their hearts, from fear of incurring the displeasure of those whose opinions, from motives of interest, they are impelled to court.