and you will be convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God ." -- Ibid ., vol . 1 , p . 7 . Conviction at once fastened upon him . He went home and read the scripture , wondering to see how perfectly it had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth . Were the words of the Christian true ? The boy asked of his father an explanation of the prophecy , but was met with a silence so stern that he never again dared to refer to the subject . This , however , only increased his desire to know more of the Christian religion .
The knowledge he sought was studiously kept from him in his Jewish home ; but , when only eleven years old , he left his father ' s house and went out into the world to gain for himself an education , to choose his religion and his lifework . He found a home for a time with kinsmen , but was soon driven from them as an apostate , and alone and penniless he had to make his own way among strangers . He went from place to place , studying diligently and maintaining himself by teaching Hebrew . Through the influence of a Catholic instructor he was led to accept the Romish faith and formed the purpose of becoming a missionary to his own people . With this object he went , a few years later , to pursue his studies in the College of the Propaganda at Rome . Here his habit of independent thought and candid speech brought upon him the imputation of heresy . He openly attacked the abuses of the church and urged the necessity of reform . Though at first treated with special favor by the papal dignitaries , he was after a time removed from Rome .
Under the surveillance of the church he went from place to place , until it became evident that he could never be brought to submit to the bondage of Romanism . He was declared to be incorrigible and was left at liberty to go where he pleased . He now made his way to England and , professing the Protestant faith , united with the English Church . After two years ' study he set out , in 1821 , upon his mission . While Wolff accepted the great truth of Christ ' s first advent as " a Man of Sorrows , and acquainted with grief ," he saw that the prophecies bring to view with equal clearness His second advent with power and glory . And while he sought to lead his people to Jesus of Nazareth as the Promised One , and to point them to His first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for the sins of men , he taught them also of His second coming as a king and deliverer .
" Jesus of Nazareth , the true Messiah ," he said , " whose hands and feet were pierced , who was brought like a lamb to the slaughter , who was the Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief , who after the scepter was taken from Judah , and the legislative power from between his feet , came the first time ; shall come the second time in the clouds of heaven , and with the trump of the Archangel " ( Joseph Wolff , Researches and Missionary Labors , page 62 ) " and shall stand upon the Mount of Olives ; and that dominion , once consigned to Adam over the
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