Unrecorded 19th-century Christian children’s book by Jewish evangelist Bromet

Unrecorded Christian children’s book by Jewish evangelist Meier Salomon Bromet (1839–1905).

Meier Salomon Bromet was born into a Jewish family in Paramaribo but converted to Christianity as a boy in Demerara. In 1864, he left for England to study theology, later serving as a minister in Suffolk and London.

Drawn to mission work among Jews, he joined the Scottish Mission in Amsterdam, where he translated and popularized the revival hymns of Ira D. Sankey—songs like “Welk een vriend is onze Jezus” that spread widely through Dutch evangelical circles.

In 1885, Bromet returned to Suriname and founded De vrije evangelisatie in Paramaribo. Its church opened in 1891, followed by a school that quickly flourished, especially in offering education for girls.

Bromet left a lasting mark on Suriname's religious and educational life by bridging his Jewish roots, Christian faith, and transatlantic connections.

Dating from Bromet’s Amsterdam period, the present edition contains a typically moralistic tale: a mischievous boy plays a prank on Mrs. Zwart, who catches him red-handed. Rather than punishing him, she offers a plate of cherries. The text closes with the Biblical admonition: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

A very fragile and ephemeral edition, with no copies traced in WorldCat. A rare survival of 19th-century Dutch evangelical children’s literature, with strong appeal for collectors of Judaica, Surinamica, missionary history, and early children’s books.