The Work Among the Jewish People by Frederick C. Gilbert

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 2, 1915

The Work Among the Jewish People

By Frederick C. Gilbert

It is certainly encouraging to know that our people are taking more interest in the Jewish people as they become acquainted with the ways of these children of Abraham. This is as it should be. It is true the Jews are a peculiar people; but the better we come to know them, the better we understand the great need these people have of the gospel.

As our people come in contact with the Jews, especially in the Harvest Ingathering work, they have many interesting experiences. As is known, the Jews bitterly resent the idea of missionary work. In fact, the less said to them about missionary work the better one will get along with them. The reason is that Russia and Rome, the two nations which have most bitterly persecuted the Jews, claim to do much missionary work. As our people go to the Jews and tell them of the work we are doing in enlightening the world on the Sabbath question, they are at once interested, and are willing to contribute of their means to people who are agitating the question of the Sabbath. They admit that the Sabbath is right; but their conditions are such that they find it difficult to observe it. Still they are glad to find a people who are interested enough in the Old Testament to bring the truth of the Sabbath before the world. A number of our people have found the Jews willing and glad to assist in this good work, when they learned that the solicitors were Sabbath-keeping Christians.

We hope that our people everywhere, as they visit their Jewish friends and neighbors, will remember to impress upon them the fact that one strong feature of our work is to enlighten everybody, black or white, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile; that God is particular today that men should observe the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord. They should also remember to tell them that they observe the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day, not because the Jews kept it or keep it, but because the Holy Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth, told all his followers to walk in his footsteps, and Jesus was a devout Sabbath keeper.

Our brethren and sisters often find that as they go to the Jews and tell them about our work, many of them, not being able to read the English language, wish reading matter in their own language. As our people ask for offerings for our work, the Jews inquire, “Have you not any literature in the Jewish language?” We wish to say to our people that a few months ago there was published the first number of a magazine in the Yiddish language, which is the language spoken by more than two million Jews in this country. In the places where the attention of the Jews has been called to this publication, many of them have expressed deep interest. If the demand for the magazine is sufficient, we plan to get out another number soon. The title of the magazine is The Old Candle on a New Candlestick. You can secure the magazine through the tract society; or if you desire a copy to give to a friend, send five cents to the Good Tidings Press. There is an English typewritten index prepared for those who desire to know its contents.

The Lord has blessed the evangelistic work the past season, and several Jews began keeping the Sabbath while I was in Buffalo. One woman has had some bitter trials as a result, but in a letter written a few days ago she said she was about ready for baptism. One sister was baptized by Elder K. C. Russell in Malden, Mass., two weeks ago, and a Jew and his wife were baptized a short time ago by one of our brethren in the West.

We must keep right on sowing the seed among this people. We hope that our brethren and sisters will do all they can to get literature in the hands of the Jews. This is one of the strongest agencies we have to work with among this people. It is very hard to get them out to meetings, or to enter their homes to converse on the subject of the gospel. But they will read, and especially will they read the literature published by Sabbath keepers.

We are glad to state that at the present time there are seven Jewish young people attending the South Lancaster Academy, and during the past summer I had one Jewish young man with me in the Bible work. There was one other young man in the canvassing work in New York. We trust the Lord will raise up more workers among this people.

Let us pray and labor for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. All correspondence for the Jewish work should be addressed to the writer, at South Lancaster, Mass. F. C. GILBERT.