TWICE-BORN MEN
REMARKABLE CONVERSIONS OF WELL-KNOWN MEN
IN DIFFERENT AGES AND IN VARIED RANKS OF LIFE
Compiled by HY. PICKERING
A Famous Continental Rabbi
RABBI LICHTENSTEIN, when a teacher in the Jewish Communal School in Tapio Szele, Hungary, became the possessor of a copy of the New Testament, and showed it to his Rabbi, who had diligently studied the Old Testament, but had never seen the New Testament Scriptures. As the Rabbi glanced at the title page of the Book, and saw the words “Jesus Christ” upon it, he became enraged, and rebuked the teacher for possessing such a book, and would not return it to him. The Rabbi put it away in a corner of his library.
The book was not opened for thirty long years, till a grave charge having been made against the Jews of killing a Christian girl to use her blood at the Passover, a number of innocent persons were apprehended and unrighteously condemned. By order of the Austrian Emperor a second trial was held, and the accusation was found to be utterly false.
Professor Delitzsch, of Leipsig, wrote a pamphlet appealing to European nations to cease persecuting the Jews, showing how such conduct was opposed to the teaching of Christ and the spirit of the New Testament. A paper with copious extracts from Dr. Delitzsch’s pamphlet fell into the hands of Rabbi Lichtenstein. He was deeply impressed by what he read, and became imbued by the conviction that he ought to study the principles of Christianity. Happening to come across the New Testament that had been stowed away for thirty years, he began to read it.
“I had thought,” he wrote, “the New Testament to be impure, a source of pride, of overweening selfishness, of hatred, and of the worst kind of violence; but as I opened it I felt myself peculiarly and wonderfully taken possession of. A sudden glory, a light, flashed through my soul. I looked for thorns and gathered roses; I discovered pearls instead of pebbles; instead of hatred, love; instead vengeance, forgiveness; instead of bondage, freedom; instead of pride, humility; instead of enmity, reconciliation; instead of death, life, salvation, resurrection—Heavenly treasure.”
As he studied the Scriptures he was led to see that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. By faith he learned that He was wounded for his transgressions and bruised for his iniquities; that the chastisement with the view to his peace was upon Him, and by His stripes he was healed (Isa. 53.5, 6). He looked and lived, he believed and was saved. The joy of salvation filled his heart, and the peace of God took possession of his soul.