he Governor's letter of recommendation. After a little
delay he was admitted into the august presence of the Czar Alexander
and presented his petition.

Alexander was not a little surprised at the temerity of a Jew in thus
appearing before him, but the very strangeness of the proceeding
enlisted the ruler's interest in the demands of the Rabbi. After a long
conference, during which Mendel eloquently pleaded his cause, he was
dismissed with the assurance that the educational disabilities of the
Hebrews would be in a measure removed, and shortly after his return to
Kief a proclamation was issued admitting Jewish youth into the Russian
schools upon terms of equality with the gentiles.

Then arose a storm of indignation among the pious Israelites. Those who
had antagonized Mendel from the first, now were furious at his attempt
to force intelligence upon them. They prophesied that these were but the
stepping-stones to more radical changes and stubbornly refused to yield
an inch, lest the proverbial ell might be seized.

"Never," they cried, "shall our children be taught the wisdom of the
_goyim_. The Law and the Talmud are sufficient for our needs.
Instruction in the public schools will force rabbinical studies into the
background and will gradually estrange our children from the religion of
their fathers. We want no new-fangled education. We are Jews and we will
remain Jews."

So hostile was the greater part of the community to the idea of
extending educational facilities, that the friends of Mendel, and there
were many of them, advised him to make an effort to have the obnoxious
privileges repealed.

This Mendel positively refused to do.

"It is but a privilege," he answered, "and not at all obligatory. You
can do as you like about sending your children to the public schools.
As for myself, however, I shall never cease to uphold the necessity of
education in order to obtain the rights that belong to our race."

The battle thus commenced raged fiercely. Hirsch Bensef was one of the
ablest supporters of the young Rabbi. Haim Goldheim was another; his
wealth had procured him the friendship of several aristocratic but
impoverished families in the neighborhood of his new home, and he never
forgot that the blessings he now enjoyed were due to Mendel's past
labors.

The young men were all on Mendel's side. They chafed under the restraint
that had been put upon them and yearned for instruction in keeping with
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