Josephine Butler to Stanley Butler

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 106 3JBL/50/26
  • Former Reference
      GB 106 5491
  • Dates of Creation
      28 Nov 1905
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

Photocopy of a letter.

It is devoted mainly to the Jews starting with their persecution in Russia incited by the Procurator of the Holy Synod and going on to tell how she happened to be in Switzerland on two occasions when the Zionist Congress was being held there at Basle. On each occasion the Sultan had telegraphed a message of sympathy to them. Her interpretation of this peculiar action was that the Sultan hoped that the rich Jews would combine and buy up Palestine of which he is the landlord and sole owner. This would fill his coffers and set him greatly at his ease. Already they had collected a considerable sum for this purpose and some hundreds of Jews are already there and are working as cultivators of the ground. Two Jews whom she met on separate occasions impressed her with their prophetic utterances: one on the railway platform at Lausanne came up to her and said 'You know Mrs Butler...how grand it will be for you Gentiles when we Hebrews are restored to our ancient Estate' The second came up to her at a private party and said 'Mrs Butler I have bought a New Testament...for I cannot rest until I know more of this Christ Jesus. She asks her son to keep this letter and some time show it to his children. She thinks they are 'approaching the fulfilment of many prophecies and promises' She is sending him a copy of the last 'Shield' which is devoted to an account of the Neuchatel meeting which celebrated the 30th anniversary of the International Federation. She has marked the parts of special interest. Stuart presided and in his speech made allusion to a number of friends who had died, among them 'father' of whom he gave a most beautiful and true portrait; and he also made mention of her own labours. The news she has of Charles not good, he is not well and the climate not at all ideal. [He and his family had gone to British Columbia]

Administrative / Biographical History

'Uncle Montagu'

This was Montagu Butler, then Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, youngest brother of the Rev George, Stanley's father

Archbishops of Canterbury: In office:

1896-1903 Randall Thomas Davidson

1903-1928 Cosmo Gordon Long

Biog: Dr Adler, Chief Rabbi; Abp of Canterbury; The Sultan; The Bergners; Rev Henry Montagu Butler; The Rothchilds