McCAUL, ALEXANDER:

By: Joseph Jacobs

English Christian missionary and author; born at Dublin May 16, 1799; died at London Nov. 13, 1863. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Becoming interested in the Jews, he was sent as a missionary to Poland in 1821, where he studied Hebrew and German at Warsaw. In 1822 he went to interview the czar in regard to the conversion of the Jews. He continued to live at Warsaw for ten years, interesting the grand duke Constantine, the crown prince of Prussia, and Sir Henry Rose in his work. In 1837 he produced an elaborate attack upon Jewish legalism under the title "Old Paths"; it was published weekly for over a year. This created considerable interest among Jews, and was translated into several languages, including Hebrew ("Netibot 'Olam"). An answer in Hebrew ("Netibot Emet"), was published by Judah Middleman in 1847, a translation by Stanislaz Hoga having appeared in the preceding year. McCaul wrote vigorously against the blood accusation, and refused the Protestant bishopric of Jerusalem, on the ground that it should be held by a Jew by birth, recommending M. S. Alexander for that post. He became professor of Hebrew and rabbinical literature at King's College, London.

J.