Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-03
CHANUKAH.
The Jewish Feast of DedicatiOn--
Hts origin and EsisIOry--IEOVV It ~
OhaerVeh l.

The Jewish Feast of Dedicati0n--
ITS Origin and EstsIOry--IEOUv It il
Observed.
On Monday evening last began the two
thousand and thirty-fourth anniversary of
the institution among the Jews of the Feast
of Chanukah, the meaning of which is the
rededication of the temple at Jerusalem to
the service of the God of Israel, its clean
ing from pagan impurities and sacrilePe,
and period of joy AZ the deliverance from
oppression and persecution. The origin
and history of this festival is described in
the second book of Maccabees, one of the
apocryphal books, and also by Flavius Jo-
sephus, and may be condensed as follows
Antiochus Epiphanes, the illustrious-
called by some, also, Epimanes, the mad
man, king of Syria-who succeeded his
elder brother on the throne in the year l75
before Christ, had invaded and conquered
Egypt, except the city Of Alexandria, an /
even captured the king of Egypt, Ptolemy
PhilopateT. He also sacked Jerusalem and
| plundered the temple lie was about to
annex Egypt TO his Syrian kingdom, when
he was met by Popilius, an emissary from
Rome, who, 10y command OF the Roman
Senate, ordered him to evacuate the con-
quered kingdom Of Egypt. Fearful Of the
| power and vengeance of Rome, he obeyed
and retired with his forces. Being thus
prevented in Egypt, he turned bis wrath
| against the Jews. In the year l6S before
the Christian era, he again fell upon
| Palestine and entered Jerusalem, and on
the 25th day of the month of Kisley, in
the l4Jth year, on the 25th day of that
month, by us called Chasley, and by the
Macedonians Apelleus, in the hundred and
thirty-fith 0lympiad, as Flayius Josephus
gives it, Antiochus Epiphanes seized the
temple, despoiled it of everything valuable
that was in it, even the wells, which were
made of fine linen and scarlet, and all the
sacredtreasures. He also forbade the Jews
to offer their daily sacrifices, slew swine on
the altar, erected a statue of Titus OLYMPIC
us in the temple, and compelled tho Jews
to forsake their worship and adore the
Greek gods, build temples and affairs to
them and offer them swine in daily sacri-
fee, and all who adhered to the rite of
circumcision were cruelty put to
death. This persecution lasted for
three years; and so cowed down
were large portion of the people of Pales-
tine by the fear of the kings vengeance,
that the Samaritans humbly petitioned An
tiochus TO have their temple on Mount
Gherizzim changed to the temple of Jupiter
| Hellenius. But a revolt arose. Matafhias
a man of great popularity in Modin, called
his adherents together, and defeated the
kings forces sent against him in several en-
gagements. Upon his death, his second
son, Judas Maccabeus, succeeded him as a
| leader of the revolution against AntiOchus,
who sent several armies TO crush the rebel
lion, raze the whole city Of Jerusalem TO
the ground, and destroy the entire Jewish
nationality But Judas AIaccabeus was
victorious in every battle, and at the end Of
the third year entered Jerusalem. and
| freed his country from Syrian perse-
| cutiOn. And it was again on the 18th day
Of the month of KisisO, in the lGJth year
before Christ, exactly three years after the
Dissertation, that he proceeded to the
temple to purityit of the pollution, brought
in new vessels, the candlesticks the table
| and lOaves Of bread the altar of incense,
which were made of gold, and hung up the
wells at the gates and added doors to them,
and lighted the candles and offered incense
and burnt offerings upon the new altar.
Thus. On the third anniversary of its desc
lation, the temple was dedicated anew.
This desertion Of the holy editice by Anti
ochus was then and ia even now claimed
by the orthodox Jews 10 have been in full
flment of Daniels prophecy: Yea, he
magnifed himself even TO the prince of the
host, and by him the daily sacrifice was
taken away, and the place of his sanctuary
was cast down. Daniel viii. IL
Judas Maccabeus celebrated the festival
OF the restoration Of the sacrifice at the
temple for eight days, and omitted no sort
Of pleasures. And the Jews were so de-
lighted at the revival of their customs and
of the freedom of their worship that they
made il a law for their posterity to keepthe
festival Of the restoration of the temple for
eight days, and this law has been Obeyed
by all succeeding generations up to the
present time.
The observances are somewhat in imita-
ton OF the festivities directed 10y Jndas
Maccabeus, and described in the second
book of the Maccabees In thesynagogues,
as well as in the dwellings, eight candle
sticks are placed in position, and one can
die is lit the first day, two on the second,
and so on. till on the eighth day all the
eight candles have been lighted; bread.
wine and other offerings are not omitted,
and hilarity and joyous gatherings of
friends and kindred, prayers, praises, and
thanks 60 God on every day during the con
tinuance of the festival are general As
the 18th day Of the month of Kisley cor
responds this year with the 3Oth of Novem-
Der, and As the Jewish day begins with the
preceding evening, this feast opened AZ
symdoVn on Monday evening, and will
close on Tuesday, Dec =, also at sunset.