The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheim. David Mishkin
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Scotland, Edersheim was ordained a Presbyterian minister. He served at Free College Church in Old Aberdeen and then relocated to Torquay. News of the scholar’s arrival spread quickly, and he began to preach each week in a room in a hotel. As a result, The Scottish Church in Torquay was built specifically for him, and he became its first minister.19 He later joined the Church of England and became Vicar in Dorsetshire. Regarding his denominational affiliation, he said,
I have passed from the Scotch to the English Church, and have not for one moment regretted the change. The changing was, and is, most unpleasant, but not the change; that has placed me where all my sympathies find most ample scope . . . I am convinced of the historical Church; I believe in a national Church; I prefer a liturgical Church – and on these grounds I have joined the Church of England.20
Alfred Edersheim married Mary Broomfield (a missionary from Scotland) in 1848. They had eight children: Stephanie Christina born December 16, 1848, Mary Matilda born October 5, 1851, Julia Augusta born November 12, 1854, Marcia Louisa born December 23, 1856, Alfred Edersheim Jr. born on October 17, 1858, Elise Williamina born May 12, 1860, Madeleine Anna born July 17, 1861 and Ella Georgina, who was christened on August 23, 1863.21 They also had a dog – a Pomeranian – named Zing.22 After Mary’s death, which was some time between 1864 and 1869, Alfred married Sophia Hancock. His older brother Julius also became a follower of Jesus through his witness.23 His daughter, Ella, collected his writings for the posthumously published Tohu-Va-Vohu. His other daughter, Elise Williamina, wrote several books of her own, including The Laws and Polity of the Jews,24 The Rites and Worship of the Jews,25 A Lady Born (novel),26 The School Mistress of Haven’s End (novel)27 and China Coast Tales, under the pseudonym: Lise Boehm.28 Also, in 1892 Francis Edersheim (relationship unknown, perhaps Julius’s son?) wrote, Israel in Chaldea, a Sacred Dramatic Cantata in One Part.29
One of the reasons for his various geographical moves concerned his health – he had been suffering with inflammation of the lungs. He also, according to Wingate, “was the only Hebrew Christian clergyman, so far as I know, who was invited by the late Dean Stanley to preach in Westminster Abbey, and by Dean Vaughan in the Temple Church.” In 1882 he moved to Oxford and was appointed Grinfield Lecturer on the Septuagint at Oxford University. He taught and wrote there until 1889.30 He went to France when his health deteriorated and soon afterwards died on March 16, 1889. He is buried in the cemetery of Mentone31 and his theological and Judaica libraries were donated to Exeter College, Oxford. They are in a special collection32 which (unfortunately) does not include any letters or other personal writings. As the final entry in Tohu-Va-Vohu, Ella Edersheim wrote,
On a spur of the beautiful hill-side cemetery of Mentone he lies, looking straight towards Jerusalem, the city whose people he loved and tried to serve, and in whose spiritual counterpart he now beholds his King in all His beauty; and, having awaked up after His likeness, is satisfied with it.33
1. For example: The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, (Oxford University Press, 1997), p. 530; The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (NY, Baker, 1958), p. 75; The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1979), p. 328, Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology (Downers Grove, Intervarsity Press, 1993), p. 275
2. Gartenhaus, Jacob, Famous Hebrew Christians (Grand Rapids, Baker Book House, 1979); Meyers, Louis, Eminent Hebrew Christians of the 19th Century (NY, Edwin Mellon Press, 1983 – originally published in 1913); Bernstein, Aaron, Some Jewish Witnesses for Christ (Operative Jewish Convert’s Institute, 1909), Einspruch, Henry, Jewish Confessors of the Faith (Baltimore, Jewish Missions Committee, United Lutheran Church of America, 1925)
3. Mayhew, Eugene, J., “Alfred Edersheim: A Brief Biography,” MJT 22, 1991
4. Bond, Lynn Rosen, “The Life and Times of Alfred Edersheim,” February 28, 1991, Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism
5. Tohu, vii
6. Carlyle, Gavin, Mighty in the Scriptures, A Memoir of Adolf Saphir (London, J.F. Shaw and Co., 1893)
7. Meyers, 54
8. Kovacs, Abraham, The History of the Free Church of Scotland’s Mission to the Jews in Budapest and it’s Impact on the Reform Church of Hungary (Frankfurt, Peter Lang, 2006), p. 22
9. Cited in Kovacs, p. 49
10. Dunlop, John, Memories of Gospel Triumphs Among the Jews During the Victorian Era (London, S.W. Partridge, 1894), p. 13 also: McDougal, David, In Search of Israel, A Chronicle of the Jewish Missions of the Church of Scotland (London, T. Nelson, 1941), p. 22–53
11. Kovacs, 74
12. ibid, p. 82
13. Gartenhaus, 76
14. Carlyle, 50
15. Stuart, A. Moody, The Life of John Duncan (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth Trust, 1991 – originally published in 1879), p. 71
16. Ross, John S., “Daniel Edward: Pioneer Missionary,” Mishkan, Issue 47, 2006, p. 6
17. Carlyle, 48
18. Tohu, 107
19. Stephens, George, Jewish Christian Leaders (London, Oliphants, 1966), p. 38
20. Tohu, 45
21.