“Mrs. Warszawiak Baptized.” New York Times, April 15, 1895, page 9.

MRS. WARSZAWIAK BAPTIZED

The Wife of the Missionary to the Jews Received Into Dr. Hall's Church — A Romantic Story.

Mrs. Rachel Warszawiak, wife of the Rev. Hermann Warszawiak, superintendent of the American Christian Mission to the Jews, was received by baptism into the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church yesterday. Her child was baptized with her. The rite was performed by the Rev. Dr. John Hall. Her husband, who is a member of Dr. Halls church, stood by his wife's side.

This is the close of a romantic story, connected with the life history of the well-known Jewish missionary to his fellow Jews, and his wife.

For years Mrs. Warszawiak was separated from her husband because of his conversion to Christianity. Mr. Warszawiak was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1865. His father, a wealthy merchant, was the son of the Lipnoer rabbi, and his mother was of the rabbinical family of Gurah, said now to be at the head of all the Jews in Europe. Young Warszawiak was educated for the priesthood, but was converted to Christianity when seventeen years of age, soon after his marriage to the daughter of a well-to-do Jewish citizen of Lodz, Poland. He had a synagogue in his own house, and was one of the most orthodox of his religion. After Warszawiak's conversion, his wife and her children were separated from him and could not learn where he had gone.

Warszawiak entered the Russian military service, but fled from the country. On Oct. 6, 1889, he was baptized a Christian at the Free Church, in Breslau, by the Rev. Daniel Edward, the Scotch missionary to the Jews. He went to Edingburgh, Scotland, and studied for the Jewish mission work, at New College. In April, 1890, he landed in New-York, and began to preach at the Hebrew-Christian Mission. The Rev. Dr. John Hall received him into the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church as a member, and the New-York City Mission Society gave him the use of their De Witt Memorial Church, 280 Rivington Street.

For several years after coming to this country Warszawiak did not hear from his wife. He claims she was kept from learning his whereabouts, and that his letters to her were not delivered. Finally, by inquiry through friends, she learned he was in New-York, and began to correspond with him. She agreed to meet him in London, and was at the railway station in Lodz with her children and baggage when the children, as she declares [or declared; not legible—JMH ed.], were taken from her. Notwithstanding, she journeyed to London, and there met her husband. She traveled with him for two weeks, and was converted to Christianity. She came with him to New-York, and has since aided him in his mission work.