Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ. Bernstein Aaron
a man he felt ashamed to be seated in St. Peter's chair." Among Carthagena's writings, on history, morals, and other subjects, there is a commentary on the twenty-sixth Psalm, "Correctus Ludovicius."
Cohen Todoros, a native of France, lived at Florence in the sixteenth century. After he embraced Christianity, at the age of fifty, at Geneva, he wrote a book entitled "Maroth Elohim, Liber Visorum Divinum," in which he relates the history of his conversion, and quotes passages from the Bible and Kabbalistic works in favour of Christianity. The work, published in Paris in 1553, was translated into Latin by Angelo Caruni (Florence, 1554). It is inserted in Johannes Buxtorf's "Synagoga Judaica."
Cohen, Archbishop of Olmütz, Austria, at the end of the nineteenth century. He wrote many works on Roman law, notably one entitled, in German, "The Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire from the Standpoint of Jurists" (1897).
Coronel, Paul Nunez, born at Segovia, died in 1534. He was a rabbinical scholar, and after his conversion he was appointed Professor at the University of Salamanca. Cardinal Ximenes de Cisneros commissioned him to translate the Bible into Latin. This translation is contained in the "Complutensian Polyglot" (1541-17). He also wrote "Additiones ad Librum Nicolai Lirani de Differentiis Translationem (Verborum)," which has not been printed.
Crescenzi Alexander lived at Rome in the seventeenth century. In 1666 he translated from the Spanish into Italian Antony Colmenarde Ludesina's treatise on "Chocolate." Mandosius speaks of him as a mathematician who became celebrated on account of his report, which he edited with mathematical notes, on the eruption of Vesuvius in 1660.
Christiani Pablo, a convert of the thirteenth century. After his baptism he became a member of the Order of the Dominicans. He is notorious as an over-zealous missionary, who cherished the Boanergian spirit more than the spirit of Christ towards his brethren, and he is only mentioned here on account of the famous controversy he held at the palace of King James with the great Rabbi Nahmonides, when he tried to prove from the Talmud the truth of Christianity, and Rabbi Nahmonides declared that he did not believe in the Haggadic stories of the Talmud.
Compiegne de Weil, Ludwig, lived at Paris, and later at Metz, in the second half of the seventeenth century. He was a descendant of Rabbi Jacob Weil, of Nuremberg. After embracing Christianity he studied theology at the Sorbonne. He translated several parts of Maimonides' "Yad ha Hazakah."
Conrat Mose (Cohen), born in Breslau, 1848, attended there the gymnasium St. Maria Magdalena, where he probably embraced Christianity. He was a professor of Roman law at the Universities of Zurich and of Amsterdam.
David Bonet Bonjorn lived in Catalonia in the second half of the fourteenth century. He is said to have been the son of the astronomer, Jacob Poel. He was baptized in 1391. He had a friend by the name of Propiat Duran, who was also baptized, but returned to Judaism. P. D. tried to persuade him to follow his example, but when he refused, the other addressed an epistle to him under the title, "Al Tehi Ca Abothekha," which is considered as a masterpiece of satirical criticism against Jewish converts to Christianity.
Davilla Diego Arias, minister and confident of King Henry IV. of Castile, died in 1466. He and his family became Christians when Vincent Ferrer was preaching special sermons to Jews, and it is recorded that they were generous towards the Church. His second son, Juan Arias Davilla, was Bishop of Segovia.
Delegado Gonçalo, a Portuguese convert of the sixteenth century, was a poet. One poem narrates the circumstances of an English incursion in 1596, during which the town of Faro was stormed and sacked. The poem is dedicated to Ruy Lourenzo de Tovava.
Deza, Diego de, was not himself a convert, but of Jewish descent. He was second inquisitor-general, Bishop of Salamanca, Professor of Theology there, friend and protector of Christopher Columbus, and finally Archbishop of Seville, in which city he died in 1506.
Diego de Valencia, a satirical Spanish poet in the fifteenth century, after embracing Christianity, entered the Franciscan Order, and receiving the degree of doctor of theology, was known among his contemporaries as a very learned physician, astrologer, and master of sciences (gran letrado, fisico, astrologo é mecanico). He was one of the leading Valencian poets, and most of his poems are contained in the "Cancionero de Baena."
Dominico Irosolimitano, born in Safed, Galilee about 1550, died in Italy about 1620. He was educated at the rabbinical college in his native city, studying not only the Talmud, but also medicine. After having obtained the degree of doctor and the title of Rab, he lectured on Talmudic law in Safed. His fame as a physician spread far and wide, so that the Sultan of Turkey summoned him to Constantinople as Court Physician. Subsequently he embraced Christianity, went to Rome, and was received at the college of the Neophytes, where he taught Hebrew. He was then employed as expurgator of Hebrew books. Dominicus was the author of a Hebrew book entitled, "Ma'ayan Gannim" (Fountain of the Gardens), on the principles of the Christian faith. He also translated into Hebrew the whole of the New Testament, and most of the Apocryphal books (1615-17). He was the compiler of the "Sefer ha Zikuk" (Book of Expurgation), still in manuscript, one copy of which (in the library of Cardinal Berberini, Rome), shews revision by him as late as 1619.
Drach David Paul Chevalier, born at Strasburg, in 1791, died in Rome. Drach was the son of a rabbi, and received a good education from his father. In 1823 he embraced Christianity together with his two daughters and his son Paul, who afterwards became a priest and a distinguished Biblical scholar. Drach senior accepted the position of librarian of the Propaganda in Rome. His principal works are the following: An edition of the "Bible de Venice," 27 volumes, with copious and learned notes, Paris, 1827, 33; "Relation de la Conversion de M. Hyacinthe (Simon) Deutz, Baptisé à Rome le 3 Février," 1826; "Précédée de Quelques Considérations sur le Retour d'Israel dans l'Eglise de Dieu," Paris, 1828; "Notice Concernant l'Origine et les Progrès de l'Hospice Apostolique de St. Michel," Rome, 1842; "De l'Harmonie Entre l'Eglise et la Synagogue, ou Perpétuité de la Foi de la Réligion Chrétienne," 2 volumes, Paris, 1844; "Lexicon Catholicum Hebraicum et Chaldaicum in V. T. Libros, hoc est Gulielmi Gesenii Lexicon Manuale Hebræo-Latinum Ordino Alphabetico Digestum," Paris, 1848; "Le Pieux Hebraisant," a work containing the principal Christian prayers, and a summary of the Catholic Catechism in Hebrew and Latin, ib. 1853; "Documents Nouveaux sur les Restes des Anciens Samaritains" (from the Annales de Philosophic Chrétienne), Nov. 1853, ib. 1854.
Eliano, Vittorio, grandson of Elijah Levita, a convert of the sixteenth century. He became priest and canon. Well versed in Hebrew literature, he was appointed censor of Hebrew books, first at Cremona, afterwards (1567), at Venice. In this capacity he permitted (1557) the publication of the "Zohar," and edited the "Tur" in 1558.
Eskelis, Denis Baron de, and his sister, Countess of Winifen, son and daughter of Freiherr Von Bernhard Eskelis, Austrian financier, who was the founder of the Austrian National Bank, embraced Christianity in the nineteenth century. Denis succeeded his father in the management of the banking-house.
Felix Pratensis, born at Prato, Italy, in the second half of the fifteenth century, died at Rome in 1539. In 1518 he embraced Christianity, then joined the Augustine Order and devoted himself to missionary work among his brethren. He had a perfect knowledge of three languages, and displayed such great fervour, though apparently with little discretion, in his sermons, that he was called "the Jews' scourge." While still a member of the synagogue, Felix published a Latin translation of the Psalms, entitled, "Psalterium ex Hebræo ad Verbum Translatum," Venice 1515. He arranged the Masorah for the "Biblia Veneta," 1518, published by his disciple Bromberg.
Ferretti Francesco Maria (Abot), whose Jewish name was Sabbathai Nahum, was a native of Ancona or had been rabbi there, for he calls himself d'Ancona. He embraced Christianity in 1734. He wrote a book entitled, "La Verita della Fede Christiana," Venice, 1741. In this book there is a prayer in Hebrew and Italian which gives us an insight into his experience and life as a seeker after the truth.
The prayer is as follows: —
"Creator of the worlds, Lord of lords! It is revealed and known before the Throne of Thy Majesty that for many years my heart is restless and my spirit is drawn hither and thither, in that the thought occurs to me to forsake the faith of my fathers and to accept the Christian faith. I do not, however, know whether this desire is good, a pure effect of the working of the Holy Spirit, which aims at my salvation,