Solomon Ginsburg was born in Poland on August 6, 1867 to a Jewish Rabbi and his wife. Education wasn't good in Poland, and so at the age of 6 he was sent to his mother's family in Germany.
He returned home at the age of 14. To his surprise, his father had already arranged his marriage with a local, wealthy Jew's daughter. The man had promised to help Solomon through Rabbincal school. Solomon's father had hoped that he would follow in his footsteps and become a Rabbi. The only problem was that Solomon disdained the Jewish self righteous living of his parents.
At the age of 15 he ran away. He spent the next few years wandering through Poland and Germany, finally taking a ship to England.
It was here that a man invited him to hear him preach about Isaiah 53. Solomon remembered asking his father a question about that chapter that his father wasn't able to answer. This message sparked something in Solomon that he needed to figure out. He got a copy of the New Testament and began to read it. The history of people became clear. The suffering they endured because they had rejected their Messiah all started to make sense.
Solomon knew that to become a Christian not only meant to turn your back on the Jewish faith, but also meant the loss of his job, his family, and his life as he knew it. The Jewish people didn't want anything to do with Jewish Christians. It was the verse "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me", that gave him the final nudge he needed to accept Christ as his Messiah and Savior. His uncle, with whom he had been staying, kicked him out of his house the next day. He only had a little money.
He started attending bible studies with Mr. Badenoch, where he learned much about his Savior. When he tried to tell other Jews about what he had learned he was beaten very badly. He awoke to find himself cast aside with broken bones, multiple bruises, and blood loss. This was not the last time the Jews of England would try to kill him.
Solomon became earnest in prayer for the people of the east. Brazil seemed to stick in his heart and mind. He went to visit Mrs. Kalley, a former missionary to Brazil, who paid his way to the mission field.
First he went to Portugal to learn the language. God used him in a mighty way there while preparing him for Brazil. Solomon wrote a tract "Saint Peter Was Never Pope" in Portugese. He sold around 3,000. Next he wrote "The Religion Of Rags, Bones, And Flour" which taught of the falseness of the Catholic priests' relics. When he learned the Jesuits were planning on killing him, he left the country for Brazil.
He went to a public square in Rio De Janeiro, stood on a borrowed stool and began to sing and preach. He drew a great crowd. He preached Christ, but these people only wanted to hear about the virgin Mary.
He took over for a Canadian missionary who had gone on furlough. He traveled all over and held open air meetings with another man, Reverend George Nind. Together, they were beaten, arrested, and saw many souls escape the damnation of hell.
One time, when Solomon was preaching Christ, a large Brazilian man named Herculano told him that he wanted to hear more. Solomon was warned that it would be a bad idea to visit Herculano. He was told that Herculano only wanted to rob and kill him. They told tales of people who visited that were never seen again.
Solomon bowed and prayed for the Lord to guide him, and then went to visit Herculano. Solomon said, "I am more concerned about your soul than I am my life." He told the gospel story to Herculano. Solomon then fell to knees and prayed aloud for Herculano's soul. The next scene was one of a savage killer on his face begging for God's mercy and forgiveness.
He taught a mail man to read, who later became a minister and started many local churches.
Another time, he went to a town that had thrown out their local priest because of immorality. He preached from 7 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. Many people came to hear the Scriptures, have their questions answered, and listen to the songs. One man, in particular, received and Bible after his salvation. He went to brother, a baker, who also got saved. Together, these two men led hundreds to the Lord.
Throughout his life he was attacked by assassins, lied about by priests, robbed by bandits, and threatened by monks. God protected him from all of it. He was even suppose to take the new ship, the Titanic, but was spared from this fate by God's guidance as well. His autobiography, A Wandering Jew In Brazil tells of all his adventures during his 35 years on the mission field.
On April 1, 1927, God called this Jewish missionary home. He was buried in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
