Washington sentinel., 1901-01-26
~ IT, SENTINEL

saws the GeHftt-
mans Mag asiHe, until well into
the last century dreamers have
arisen in Israel whose hope it has
been 70 prove themselves the re-
generators Of their race and its
leaders in the long prophesied and
ardently prayed tor return to the
Promised Land. Wherever the
Jews had gathered IN their exile,
a would be Messiah sooner or later
arose. In one corner Of the globe
a charlatan, with all the self seek
ing ambition OF a man whose sole
object it was to aggrandize him
self at the expense OF a trL ful
and generous minded people; in
another the unhappy successor to
Moses, a being more than human,
a hero.saint OF the ancient world,
who, inspired by Divine altru-
ism, was willing, nay eager, to
sacrifice himself for the benefit OF
his fellow Jews and for the glory
OF what he believed with his whole
soul to be a Divine cause. In
short, the small class of Jewish
pseudo Messiahs, in common with
all other congregations OF men,
Included in its ranks both saints
and Sim eTs, men whose sole gods
were themselves, men to whom the
only source of happiness was the
exercise Of benevolence towards
others.
About the beginning Of the pres
ent era, there arose in Judea num-
erous holy men, who announced
their Divine missions, and pro
claimed themselves Messiahs, but
Ia no instance, with perhaps the
exception OF Simon Magus, was
their influence more than local.
One Theudas, in the reign OF Clau-
dius, informed his disciples that
he would divide the waters OF the
Jordan, and thus enable them to
cross. When about to perform
the miracle, however, the whole
party was butchered by detach-
ment OF Roman soldiery.
Simon Magus, the Samaritan
Messiah, endeayored to obtain the
assistance OF the early Christians
in his propaganda. From the Acts
OF the Apostles we learn that he
had large following, but was con-
verted, with many OF his believers,
to Christianity by Philip the Evan
gelist, in 81 A, D. According to
Justin Martyr, however, he at
tempted to form a union with the
new sect, but was repulsed by
them. During the reign Of Clau-
dius he lived in Rome, to which
city he brought woman named
Helena, whom he represented to
be Of Divine origin. In Rome he
recruited many followers,
The death Of Trajan and the &C.
cession OF Hadrian had different
effects on the Jewish settlements
within the coat mes Of the Empire.
To those who dWelt in the Valley
oil the Euphrates the exchange
from Rome to Parthia proved most
acceptable, but by those OF the
iittoral Of the Great Sea the stern
rule Of Hadrla1 was found Tar more
burdensome than the mIlder one
OF his predecessor. The new En-
peror's accession was signalized
by harsh legislation intended to
destroy both the nationality and
the religion Of his Jewish subjects.
To be a Jew became a crime.
Among the ruins oi the Holy CITY
a Roman colony was established.
The site OF the Holy OF Holes was
dedicated to the worship oi Jupiter.
Isr ael was once more on the Dor
ders OF despair, and once more the
hearts OF the people yearned to-
wards their God and His Messiah.
The hour was at hand, and the man
did not fail. There appeared upon
the scene one Bar-Cochab, the Son
oi Liza. His real name and origin
are unknown. He is said to have
been a bandit. Whencesoever he
came, his strength of character
and wonderful achievements at
tracted supporters from the think
ers OF the nation as well as from
the open-mouthed, thoughtless
mob, in all climes and at all times
eager TO worship the worker OF
miracles. He breathed fire from
his mourh-the scofiers said that
he mad first placed lighted tow
therein. The whole nation hocked
to his standard. Even the Samar-
itans, the hereditary enemies OF
their fellow Jews, held not alooi.
Rabbi Akiba, one Of the greatest
Of names in the record Of post
biblical Jewry acted as his armor
bearer.
On the outbreak ofthe rebellion,
the whole province, composed Of
Judea, Samsria and Galllee, was
eva suated by the Romans. The
army Of the Jews has been estIm-
ated as high as from 4oo, 900 to
$50 900 fighting men. Unfortu-
nately, little is known Of the cam
paign, but it is certain that the
Roman garrison and the generals
in command at the time OF the out
break proved respectively made
quate and incapable. The services
OF julius Severus, the greatest SOL
dieT Of the age, were TequisItioned
IRON Britain. where he had been
waging an arduous war with the
martial natives, to recover the
prestige Of the Roman arms. But
even he, with unlimited resources,
was at FIRST compelled to remain
on the defensive, and trusted to
his tactics Of cutting of detached
parties and supplies to wear out
his formidable enemy. In the
course Of the operations fifty gen