The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-08-01

only to prevent any further obstruction of
the work, but also to furnish supplies out
of the tribute of those provinces for car
rying it on with greater expedition; and il
was declared that all persons who should
act contrary to these instructions would be
punished with death.
Darius continued to manifest his favor
for the Jews durings the remainder of his
long reign. Their privileges we're con-
firmed to them by his son xerxes. Their
interest was still greater with Artaxerxes,
the Ahasuerus of scripture, through the in
fluenoe of his queen Esther, Jewess, and
also the services of her uncle Mordecai, who
had discovered and frustrated conspiracy
against the kings life. From Artaxerxes
Ezra obtained very liberal donations to be
applied to the services Of the temple, and
full powers to govern the Jews as the divine
will should direct. The like commission
was also granted to Nehemiah, who built
the walls of Jerusalem and reformed many
abuses both civil and religious. After these
two We find no more governors of Jndea,
which probably became subject to the gov
ernor of Syria, from whom the high priests
might Immediately derive their authority.
In this prosperous state we're the Jews
abont 420 years before the Christian era.
From this time we may ascribe most
of the misfortunes which befel the Jewish
nation to men who aspired to the sacerdo-
tai dignity through ambition and avarioe
more than zeal of religion. For whole GEN.
turies the Office of high priest was the chief
object of mems ambition. The candidates
purchased the Office from the Syrian gov
ernment and retained it by means of mon
ey. Hence they Oppressed the people with
taxes that they might fulfil their pecuniary
engagements. There was no energy among
this degraded people, no dignity among the
great, no foresight, no thought of pursuing
proper measures against foreign invasion.
About 1923 B. G. Alexander the Great be-
sieged Tyre and was incensed against the
Jews because they had refused to supply
his army with provisions during tho siege.
After the capture of Tyre he marched to
Jerusalem with the intention of furnishing
the Jews for their disobedience of his orders.
Juddua, the high priest, was ordered in a
dream 10 meet the threatening conqueror
in his pontifical robes, at the head of all
the priests in their proper habits and at
tended by people dressed in white gar
ments. Alexander was struck with this re-
ligious pomp, and approaching the high
priest with great respect embraced him
with religious kind of venerntion. He
told his attendants who expressed surprise
at his submissive behavior that no did not
pay his respoct to the high priest, but TO
the one God whose minister he waa. Alex
ander then went to Jerusalem and offered
sacrifice in the temple to tho God of tho
Jews. Upon his departure he granted to
the Jews tho freedom of their country
laws and religion, and exempted them
from paying tribute every seventh year.
During his whole reign they enjoyed great
tranquility, but with him expired tho pros
porous state of their country. Judea was
suocessively invaded and subdued by the
Syrians and Egyptians and the people were
reduced to bondage.
The Jews kept their sabbath so rigidly that
they would not fight on that day, nor even
defend themselves although attacked by an
enemy. Ptolemy, King of Egypt, having
invaded Judea took advantage of this reliR-
ious impediment. C..
(To be continued.)