he soon died, having first named his son Simon as chief counselor, and his son Judas as captain. Time revealed the father's good judgment; for Simon was indeed wise, and Judas a born leader, whose marvelous success won for him the name Maccabeus, the Hammerer. The cause of Judas seemed hopeless. His followers were largely untrained, unequipped, and without morale. Opposed to these were the trained armies of a powerful state, reinforced by Greek mercenaries with bronze armor and the best weapons made, and led by generals who had acquired skill in world-wide campaigns. On every field the Syrians outnumbered the Jews six to one. Against them Judas could oppose only a desperate courage, a band of loyal and ragged followers, a superior knowledge of the wilderness and the mountain strongholds of Judea, belief in his own ability to inspire, plan, and execute, and an undying faith in God. The king of Syria did not propose to be thwarted by such a band of guerillas. He sent his general, Apollonius, with an army to annihilate them. Judas and his ragged handful met the army near Samaria and defeated it. The bodies of the slain furnished him with clothing and weapons. A larger army was at once sent down under another general, Seron. Judas beat him also at Beth-horon. Antiochus next launched against him half his entire military strength, an army of fifty thousand men under three of his most accomplished generals. So confident were the Syrians of victory that they had brought with them merchants to buy the Jewish slaves whom they expected to get, and even posted the prices of these uncaptured slaves in the neighboring cities. Judas routed them at Mizpah with six thousand men. Chagrined beyond measure at the defeat of his generals, Lysias himself, the regent of the kingdom, took the field with five thousand cavalry and sixty thousand infantry. At Bethsura, at the upper end of that vale of Elah where David slew Goliath, Judas fought the Syrian to a standstill and obliged him to withdraw. While Lysias was refitting his shattered battalions, Judas took Jerusalem, cleansed the temple of its defilement, destroyed the "abomination of desolation," built a new altar to Jehovah, furnished new vessels, and on December 25, 165 B.C., rededicated the temple to the service of the God of Israel. This memorable date became a national holiday forever after, known in Christ's time as the Feast of Dedication, but in ours as the Feast of Lights. The death of Antiochus Epiphanes now enabled Judas to take the offensive. He vanquished the Idumeans, hereditary foes on the south, the Ammonites on the east, and all the Syrian country as far as Damascus. In an incredibly short time this peasant warrior had won more victories against greater odds than any other leader in Hebrew history. Internal troubles in Syria finally opened the way for negotiations, and at last a truce. But a contest over the high-priesthood brought the Syrians back; and Judas, who had taken the field against them, was defeated and killed, 161 B.C. Judas Maccabeus possessed courage, inexhaustible energy, unflinching determination, power to inspire enthusiasm, and military skill that amounted to genius. He was the savior of the Jewish faith and the Jewish race. His work was carried on by his brothers until at last, under Simon, absolute independence was won. The year 143 B.C. is the year 1 of Jewish independence, and the beginning of a prosperity which, though brief, was greater than the Jews had ever before known. A BALLAD OF HEROES Because you passed, and now are not— Your sacred dust in doubtful spot Though it may be, above the plot The deeds you wrought are not in vain. No, for while yet in tower or cot Your story stirs the pulse's play, And men forget the sordid lot- While yet they grow for homelier fray The deeds you wrought are not in vain. THE MACCABEES How an Aged Priest and His Five Sons Made Judah Independent For a century after Nehemiah the Jews lived quietly in their own country, observing their religion and seldom disturbed by their overlords, the Persians. Then Alexander the Great conquered the world. He founded in Egypt the great city of Alexandria, which became the center of Greek learning. On his death Egypt, with the Holy Land, was seized by Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals; another general, Seleucus, taking Syria and Babylonia. The Ptolemies and the Seleucids fought for possession of Palestine, and eventually the Seleucid kings made it their own. Under these kings Greek life and thought became popular in Palestine. The faithful Jews resisted its influence, the fight coming to a head when the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV of Syria, determined by force to establish Greek heathenism in Jerusalem and blot out the worship of Jehovah. The stirring account of the rebellion that followed under the leadership of the Maccabees is here recounted. A THE OUTRAGES OF ANTIOCHUS IV ND it came to pass, after that Alexander the Macedonian, the son of Philip, smote Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead. He fought many battles and won many strongholds, and slew the kings of the earth; he went on to the ends of the earth, and took booty from a multitude of nations. And when the earth was at peace before him, he gathered together an exceedingly great army, and ruled over countries and peoples and principalities; and they became tributary to him. And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die. And he called his servants, who were honorable, who had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom while he was yet alive. And his servants bore rule, each one in his place. And they all put diadems upon themselves after that he was dead, and so did their sons after them many years: and they multiplied evils in the earth. And there came forth out of them a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been a hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirtyseventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks. And Antiochus, after that he had smitten Egypt, returned, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, and entered presumptuously into the sanctuary, and took the golden altar, and the candlesticks of the light, and all that pertained thereto, and the table of the showbread, and the cups to pour withal, and the bowls, and the golden censers, and the veil, and the crowns, and the adorning of gold which was on the face of the temple, and he scaled it all off. And he took the silver and the gold and the precious vessels; and he took the hidden treasures which he found. And when he had taken all, he went away into his own land, and he made a great slaughter, and spoke very presumptuously. And there came great mourning upon Israel, The virgins and young men were made feeble, She that sat in the marriage-chamber was in heaviness. After two years the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah, who came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he spoke words of peace to deceive them, and they trusted him. Then he attacked the city suddenly, and inflicted a severe blow on it, and destroyed many Israelites. And he took the booty of the city, and set it on |