“Explained the Passover.” New York Times, March 27, 1893, p. 4

EXPLAINED THE PASSOVER.

THE REV. MR. WARSZAWIAK'S SERMON AND OBJECT LESSON.

Many members of the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church were astonished last night, upon entering that place of worship, to observe upon the platform a table which looked not unlike the altar to be seen in Protestant Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches. It was covered with a spotless white cloth, and back of it, covering a section of three tablets upon which are the Commandments, was another white cloth which might have answered for the reredos.

Upon the table ranged along the front was a row of goblets of silver and cut glass, back of which were two decanters, finely engraved. At each end of the table were piles of huge round crackers, and near one of these dishes was a silver basket filled with lettuce and other greens, which partly concealed a bone, bound about a portion of its stub end with tissue paper.

When the pastor of the church came in he was accompanied by a young man about thirty years of age, of medium height, with a strong, smooth-shaven, intellectual face. Both bowed in silent prayer, and then the young man, who had taken a place immediately behind the table, struck a match and lighted the colored candles which were in a candelabrum upon the centre of the table.

The odd display upon the platform was to be used in an object sermon by the young man who came in with the pastor and who told about the feast of the Passover. He was the Rev. Hermann Warszawiak, who had a rather remarkable career and is now working among the people of his race living on the east side of this city. He comes of the rabbinical family of Gura, and left home and relations to spread the doctrine of Christianity. He was born in Moscow twenty-eight years ago, his family belonging to the Chassidim, the devout Jews of Poland and Russia, of which an uncle of his is by inheritance chief rabbi. His father was a rabbi in Warsaw, and when young he was taught to obey the Mosaic laws and the precepts of the Talmud. When still a boy he was put under the special care of his uncle to study and eventually to become a rabbi.

In 1889, while in Breslau, be heard a sermon by the Rev. Daniel Edward, a Scotch missionary to the Jews, and this laid the foundation for his abandonment of the religion of his fathers. He was baptized Oct. 6, 1889, and started for Scotland to avoid his relatives, who had the power to retain him in his own land. He remained in Edinburgh for six months studying English, and came to New-York in March, 1890. Through Dr. John Hall he got a room in one of the churches, the De Witt Memorial, of the City Mission. Soon afterward he was engaged as city missionary among the Hebrews of the east side.

The object part of the sermon last night was carried out in detail. The Rev. Mr. Warszawiak even had a lamb with its feet bound brought upon the platform, and there was considerable uneasy shifting about lest it was to be slaughtered in sight of the congregation. He, however, simply showed with a big knife how the killing might be done, and then with a red mixture and something which answered for a bunch of hyssop he explained how the blood was applied to the door posts and lintels of the house over which the destroyer was to pass. Here is where the white coverings in the panels back of the table came in, answering for doors.

After thus showing how the feast was kept in Egypt, Mr. Warszawiak told how it is observed in more modern times among some of the Hebrews.