“WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE STATE OF AMERICA?” WOLFF (Joseph, 1795-1862, Missionary & Traveller)

Autograph Letter Signed to “My dear friend Colonel Thoresby” saying that he has “got your most kind donation and that of Ivy St John for which I say most cordial thanks to you. It is a great delight to me to be able to relieve my poor in this cold season! What do you say to the State of America? Shall we have war?...”, 1 side 8vo., Vicarage, Ile-Brewers, Taunton, Somerset, 11th December

At the age of 11, a conversation with a Christian neighbour led to Wolff's decision to leave home in order to find truth for himself, resulting in six years of travel, visiting various Christian establishments and learned theologians and teachers. He became a Roman Catholic near Prague in September 1812, taking on the name Joseph. Four years later, he arrived in Rome, where he began training as a missionary at the seminary of the Collegio Romano. During his time in Rome, Wolff had met Henry Drummond, and he received an invitation from Drummond to join him in England. Through Drummond Wolff was introduced to Lewis Way, whose conviction that Christ's Second Coming was imminent influenced him. He decided to become a member of the Church of England, following which Drummond and Way persuaded him to train as a missionary at Cambridge University, at the expense of The London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews. Later Joseph embarked on a search for the Lost Tribes of Israel and second missionary journey to the east which lasted from 1827 -1834, and involved visits to Anatolia, Armenia, Turkestan Afghanistan, Simla, Calcutta, Madras, Pondicherry, Tinnevelly, Goa and Bombay, returning via Egypt and Malta.

Item Date:  1861

Stock No:  41952