The Maccabaean

T was when Zionism was founded in Canada, early in 1898, that Dr. Herzl first communicated with me and our correspondence was continued uninterruptedly until his death.

I first met him in the month of April, 1900, when I was on a visit to Europe. He had come to London to attend to affairs connected with the Jewish Colonial Trust. A reception in his honor had been arranged by some of his English friends, to which I had received an invitation. There was no exact hour fixed for his arrival, and the guests were moving about conversing in groups, or listening to music, while waiting. I was seated in a corner chatting with Sir Francis Montefiore, when suddenly we were aroused from our tete-a-tete by a tremendous outburst of cheering. From the entrance, at the opposite end of the salon, I saw approaching towards our corner a tall, kingly-looking man, of dark, lustrous eyes, handsome regular features, large jet black beard, and fine athletic, well proportioned figure; a man of noble mien, of majestic presence, whose face bespoke the great soul within. There was no mistaking that distinguished-looking man—that man of regal bearing—it was our great leader, our incomparable Herzl! He was acclaimed on all sides by the assembled guests as he approached rapidly to where we stood, and before I could realize his intention he had grasped my hand and extended cordial, hearty greetings.

The function that evening was a social one, but a few short speeches were called for. I shall never forget the effect produced upon me as I watched

Herzl delivering the first address I ever heard from his lips. The flashing of those wonderful eyes seemed at times to exercise an almost supernatural influence. He literally enthralled me. Added to this was the play of a remarkably mobile face, whose varying expression gave double voice to each uttered thought.

.I heard Herzl several times during this visit to London, but it was some months later in Vienna I came to truly know him. It was in the month of June, 1900, that I journeyed to Vienna purposely to see him again, and there I was with him in his home. It was in the quiet private discussions that I had with him in his sanctum, that the man's soul in all its grandeur was revealed to me. It stirred one to the very heart to listen to him speak in his earnest, quiet way of the Jewish problems which so engrossed his thoughts. It was stimulating, inspiring. There comes back to me now the memory of one evening in particular that I spent in his home, in the Carl Ludwigstrasse. He had taken me out to the lawn at the back of his residence, where his wife and some of the other members of the family sat at a table spread in the open air near the green trees, where a light repast was served—for it was a beautiful June evening. And after we had sat and chatted for a time, he took me by the arm and led me into his study, and began to talk seriously of the work before us. As his face lighted up with the inspiration of his theme, and his rich musical voice rolled forth in strong, convincing periods, I felt as though I were listening to one of the prophets of old. His burning words fascinated, enchanted,