Ridley Haim Herschell (7 April 1807 – 14 April 1864) was a Polish-born British minister who converted from

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

evangelical Christianity Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

. He was a founder of the

British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews The British Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Jews founded London 1842, was the Presbyterian and dissenting churches' counterpart to the Anglican London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews (founded 1809, today CMJ). The two ...

(1842) and of the Evangelical Alliance (1845),

Life

Herschell was born in the city of Strzelno in the

Duchy of Warsaw The Duchy of Warsaw (; ; ), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a First French Empire, French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars. It initially comprised the ethnical ...

, a French

client state A client state in the context of international relations is a State (polity), state that is economically, politically, and militarily subordinated to a more powerful controlling state. Alternative terms for a ''client state'' are satellite state, ...

in Poland that had previously been under

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

n control. His parents were pious

Polish Jews The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jews, Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the long pe ...

, and Haim Herschell decided at a very early age that he wanted to be a

rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...

. He left home and studied under various teachers. Later, encouraged by his parents, he moved to Berlin to study literature and lived a decadent life, "like a Christian". He visited England for the first time on vacation but returned to Berlin to finish his studies before moving finally to London via Paris. In France he experienced a dramatic

religious conversion Religious conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. Thus "religious conversion" would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliatin ...

to Christianity and struggled with his Jewish background. He sought help from Roman Catholic clergy, but eventually turned to English evangelical contacts he had discovered in Paris through a mysterious letter of introduction he had been given before his conversion. Reconciled with his Jewish roots, but not his family, he left for England, He entered an institution for converted Jews in the East End of London and was baptised by Charles Blomfield, the Bishop of London in 1830, sponsored by high-society evangelical Christians. He married Helen Skirving Mowbray, a woman ten years older than himself from

Leith Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...

whom he met apparently by a chance introduction in London. They had a shared interest in the fashionable Scottish preacher

Edward Irving Edward Irving (4 August 17927 December 1834) was a Scottish clergyman, generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church. Early life Edward Irving was born at Annan, Annandale, the second son of G ...

. She had taken a deep interest in Judaism and the restoration of Israel and had already learned

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

. They were both ostracised by their families, moved to the poor districts of

Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...

and

Camden Town Camden Town () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London. Laid out as a residential distri ...

and experienced hard times in spite of their upper class connections. They had the first of five children, two of whom would die young, RidleyHaimHerschellKensalGreen01

Having financial problems caused by a wayward brother who left for America, they planned to go to

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

where they could live less expensively in a Jewish community but were invited by Lady Olivia Sparrow, a wealthy landowner, to manage her schools in

Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a List of towns in England, town and civil parish within the city of Southend-on-Sea, located in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 22,509. Geograph ...

, Essex and

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, Cambridgeshire, but Ridley was more and more used as a preacher and pastor to the local people. He felt called to be an evangelist, which was supported by reports of amazing conversion experiences as a result of his preaching in the violent fishing village. One of the fishermen who heard him preach, Michael Tomlin, would eventually become a full-time Methodist minister in the town and a church bears his name to this day. From 1846 he was minister of Trinity Chapel, in John Street/Newnham Street, off the

Edgware Road Edgware Road is a major road in London, England. The route originated as part of Roman Watling Street and, unusually in London, it runs for in an almost perfectly straight line. Forming part of the modern A5 road, Edgware Road undergoes sever ...

in West London, which could accommodate 1,200 people, was built and opened for Herschell by Sir Culling Eardley and other rich supporters. But his faith was to be tested many times, especially after the death of his much loved wife and his second son. In 1855 he remarried to a rich heiress, Esther Fuller-Maitland, who had been in the wings for many years and was a friend of the family. Ridley died on 14 April 1864, while resting in the seaside resort of

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

. After his retirement to Brighton he was succeeded by Carl Schwartz who attempted to unite a Hebrew Christian movement in London from 1865.Dan Cohn-Sherbok ''The image of the Judaeo-Christians in ancient Jewish and Christian ...'' ed. Peter J. Tomson, Doris Lambers-Petry 2003 Page 287 "In 1865 an attempt was made by Dr. C. Schwartz, minister of Trinity Chapel, Edgware Road, London to unite all Jewish Christians" reprinted/revised from chapter in Messianic Judaism 2000 Page 16 He is buried in

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...

in London, on the main path, very close to the main entrance. Ridley and Helen had five children: * Ghetal (1833–1909), who married John Scott Burdon-Sanderson in 1853 *Esther (1834–1840) *Mary (1836–1899) * Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell (1837–1899) *Ridley Judah (1839–1862)

Bibliography

*Herschell, R. H. (1842) ''Reasons Why I, a Jew, Have Become a Catholic, and not a Roman Catholic. A Letter in Reply to The Rev. R.W. Sibthorp.'' *— (1843a) ''The National Restoration of the Jews to their Fatherland, and Consequent Fulfilment of the Promise to the Patriachs. A Sermon on Hebrews 11:16 with a Preliminary Address by H.I.D.'' *— (1843b) ''A Visit to my Father Land, Being Notes of a Journey to Syria and Palestine in 1843'' *— (ed.) (1845–47) ישראל לקו ''The Voice of Israel. Conducted by Jews who Believe in Jesus of Nathareth as the Messiah'' 2 vols *— (ed.) (1846) ''Psalms and Hymns for Congregational Worship'' *— (ed.) (1848a) ''Jewish Witnesses; That Jesus is the Christ'' *— (1848b) ''The Mystery of the Gentile Dispensation, and the Work of the Messiah'' *— (1856) ''A Visit to my Father Land, Being Notes of a Journey to Syria and Palestine. With Additional Notes of a Journey in 1854'' *— (1858) ''The Golden Lamp: An Eexposition of the Tabernacle and its Services'' *R. H. H. idley Haim Herschell(1834) ''A Brief Sketch of the Present State and Future Expectations of the Jews: In a Letter Addressed to his Christian Friends'' *— (1860) ''Strength in Weakness. Meditations on Some of the Psalms''

Life

Bibliography

References

Further reading