National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-11-22
NOTES FROM THE PULPIT.
DlsCOurses Preached in Our Churches
Yesterday.
Or. Harrison Tells the story of the Hebrew
War of Indcpendence--Dr. Rankin
breaches on Practical Religion
DIR. Boolc at Foundry, Etc.
Tho Hebrew war of Independence.


DIR. Harrison's lecture on the Hebrew War
of 1ndepend ence" was delivered last night to
his usually immense congregation. and was
unusually interesting He began by saving
that somo twenty years ago a christian minis.
ter was preparing an edition of the bble-thc
copy now In use here printed on parchment
paper, with a genealogical register on the
iuest parchment, sufficient for 1000 years Of
family history-and discussing the absurdity
of including the apocrypha. He declared that
no man be had ever found had ever read it
Turning TO tho spcakcrthc minister alluded 10
asked the question If he knew any ono who
had read the apocryphn, aud was answered
ailimatively, when lie declared that DR.. Harr.
son was tho only person he had met
who had done So However this may
be- the seventeen books of the arocrypha are
generally omitted in this country, and at the
time when modern researches have Just pre-
pared us for proper appreciation OF them.
These books are found in thoseptuaglnt trans
/ lation of the old testament. They are not
IN the Hebrew canon They were accepted
by the Roman catholic church at the council
of Trent, except the second book of Esdras
and the proverbs OF Jesus, tho son Of Sract.
| They are included in the English bible, but
regarded as deutoro.cauonical, or doubtful.
Some Of them arc historical, or quasi-histori.
cal, romances; Others as the books Of Macca.
bees, are reliable history-one tho "Wisdom
]
solomon are valuable upon purely literary
grounds, and all Of them afford valu-
able insight into the manners aud
literature of the ages in which they
were written. They wore composed from
b. c. 300 to b. c. 80. Thor place is to illus.
trate the lapse Of time from tho last word of
Prophecy to the birth of Christ. Before the
| aged Anliochus the Fourth, or Antiochus Epip.
| tanes, whose seat Of government was Antioch
in Syria, Hebrew history from The Captivity,
to u. G. 40 is in great confusion. Rome was
rising into great warlke power in tho vest,
| threatening TO conquer the world. II was the
ambition of the Syrian monarchs to establish
an eastern empire to contend with it. Anti-
! och was the capital Of this new eastern empire
and rapidly rose to grandeur. Asia Minor in
tho north, McsopOtamia aud Chadca on the
east aud Palestine aud Egypt on the south
| furnished the territory for annexation
and extension. Palestine was scarcely re-
leased from the domination of Persia before
this Syrian kingdom began TO overrun IT,
The subsection Of Israel to Persia had been
comparatively mild and rs tho religion of
Persia was Zoroustriau, or mouotheiSt, there
was no point of religious contact. But with
the Syrian power new state of things was
inauguraed. The Greek idolatry the pagan
forms in their most corrupt state, became the
religion OF the new syrian empire. Not salts.
fed with the political subsection, Autiochus
the Jewish faith. Samaria, then growing
more and moro hostile, became troublesome
ally of Syria. There were not wanting many
apostate Jews to aid this attempt at the ox-
tinction Of the old religion. On his way to
! Egypt, aud when baflled there, returning
from it, Antiochus visited the captive Jerusa-
lem and pillaged the temple of its silver and
gold ornaments. Not satisfied with this, he
established Crock Gymnasia, where shamo-
: less pagan games and rites were exercised
within the precincts of the temple grounds.
The country was drained by taxes jewish
youths reduced to slavery IN great numbers
and every possible act of tyranny and extor-
ton practiccd. AntlOchus published an act
of religious uniformity aud dreadful perse.
cution of the Hebrews followed. The temple
was defiled, swine killed and swine's blood
poured upon the altar and within the Holy
Place. Every possible indiguity was offered
and tho land was filed with horrors. Many
illustrious martyrs are recorded who persisted
for their religion, yet there were very many
that aided tho prosecutors. The 18th and
10Th psalms were written ut this time
: Pious Israel looked, called, prayed
for delivercr. He came. Matthias
a faithful priest, father of five noble sons
stood firm, and finally in his presence the
!, Hebrews slew the royal officer aud the sacri
fcer at an altar built expressly to pollutt
their religion. 1t was the first blow for indie.
pendence The Jews fled to the mountains
aud resolved to conquer or die. Matthias died
In the first year of the war, and his son Judas
became the leader. He was surnamcd Mac
cab, the Hammer-"rhe Avenging Rod of the
Prince of the Sons of God" He became al
4 once tho Jewish ideal of the happy warrior
In the first two years he gained three docisiv,
viCtOries--frst the battle Of Slmaria, B. G.
1856 over tho Syrian general ApoliOnius
second, the battle of Bethlehem, aud third
the battle Of Emmans, over three Syrian gen
erlls-Ptulemy, Nicanor, and Gorgias, witt
the young Autiochus heir to the throne. A
perfect rout followed Judas attack. The bat
tie of Both'peor was fought the next year.
victory gained aud Jerusalem retaken. In lG
q Il. Q. they re-entcred and Te-dedicated th
temple in tho sight of the Greek garrison il
-, the castle near by, The temple aud the cit,
: being the key of Palestine, the nation wa
soon free. Judas AIaccabeus was the grea
general of the Hebrews. Great in all respect
"a soldier, statesman, a reformerhe tower
among the very great men Of the world lilr
= Saul among the prophets.
y This skeleton OF a lecture WAS filled up b,
the learned preacher with the flesh and blooC
a Of an elOquenCe that charmed while 1t in
stTuCted his hearers.
Religion in Life.
At the congregational church last night Dl
, Rankin preaChe one Of the most effective an
beautiful sermons ever listened TO from tn
lins of the poet.preUcher, fertile as he ha
: been in effective aud beautiful sermons. Ju;
such practical discourses, couched in just sue
chastely eloquent phrase, arc especial
J needed from the pulpit now, md cannot la
to accomplish reaWatening Of the spirit to
often bowed in the slumburs Of formality, O
indifference, ofworldly contemplation, Takin
as Il text the eighteenth aud nineteenth verse
of the fifth chapter OF Marx, the proachc
dwcll cloquontly, impressiyelyi even pathet
ically upon the necessity Of mans carryin
his religion into his home, his business
among his friouds-ol living his religion unit
IL became part Of his physical md spirit
ual nature. When Jesus released the demOnia
from tue possession of the devil named Legion
;, lie told him to 10 home and speak TO friend
Of what had been done for him. The reason
for this command are these: First, to strengthe
his faith secondly, the home life has felt tn
- power Of iIreligiou, aud in Gods great prov
dcnce 10 should enjoy the compensation to b
}. derived from a regenolatod heart; third,
ft, Rr(H