The Tupelo journal., 1909-10-29

much to him t o die. But how is 1t
with us who have wives and children
and much goods in the city. We may
outwardly yield to these Gentiles and
still be Jews at heart. OF what avail
If we die?"
Thus was the city filled with conten-
ton among the Jews,Ia few choosing
to remain loyal to Moses law, while
the great majority outwardly obeyed
the mandates of the man from Athens.
1t was during these days that the
king of Greece celebrated the anniver-
sary of his birth, and the Greeks in
Jerusalem, anxious to do honor to
their king and to their great god, made
great sacrifices and held feasts and
commanded that the Jews of the city
enter into the festivities, and eat of
the meats which had been offered to
their god. And when the feast of Bac-
chus was kept the Jews were COM
PEELED to go in the procession carrying
ivy and g~arlands before the great Inn
age. Moreover there went out the
decree to the neighboring cities
against the Jews that they should OBJ
serve the same fashions and be par
takers of their sacrifices. And whose
would not conform themselves to the
manners of the Gentiles should be put
to death.
And that terror might seize upon
the hearts of the people who dared to
| Jio,Iox 4uro ,,,aaO ,-ho Iod ojpo,,po.
cised their babes after the law and
command of Moses, were taken and
having been openly ledtabout the city
with their babes in their arms, they
were taken to the highest point on
the wall and cast upon the jagged
rocks in the abyss below. And 9th
ers, that had run together in the
caves nearby to keep the Sabbath day
secretly, being discovered, were all
burned together, because they feared
to dishonor God and violate his holy
day.
And Eleazar, who had done much to
encourage the people to remain loyal
to Gods law, was not to escape, for
he was seized and made to open his
mouth into which swine flesh was
thrust with the command to eat for
his good health. But he, choosing
stained with such abomination, spit 1t
forth.
Then did those who had charge of
the wicked feast, and who had come
o know the old man and understand
his great influence with his people, be-
ing anxious to win him over to their
customs, that it might encourage 9th.
ers to do likewise, took him one side
and said:
What profit If you should die. Let
us tell thee how thou canst save thy
self and still remain true to thy law.
Bring thy own flesh such as is lawful
for thee to use, and make as though
thou didst eat of the meat of the sac
rifice commanded by the king, but eat
that which thou myself hath provided.
Then all will be we'll"
1T becometh not my age in any wise
to dissemble," he declared with dig
nifty, for by so doing many persons
might think that Eleazar being four.
score years old and ten, were gone
to a strange religion, and so they
through mine hypocrisy, and desire to
live a little time, should be deceived
by me, and get a stain to mine old
age, and make it abominable. For
though for the present time l should
be delivered from the punishment of
men; yet should | not escape the hand
of the Almighty, neither alive or dead.
Wherefore now. manfully changing
this life, I will show myself such an
one as mine age requireth, and leave
a notable example to such as be
young, to die willingly and courage
ously for the honorable and holy
laws"
And having thus spoken to those
who would have saved him If he
would have but ~dissembled, they were
greatly inlamed against him and
dragged him off to the torment which
was made as awful as possible, his
tongue being first cut out and then all
his extremities cut off and last of all
he was cast upon a red-hot pan. And
when he was about to give up the
ghost, he cried:
TT is manifest unto the Lord, that
hath the holy knowledge, that where
as l might have been delivered from
death, l now endure sore pain in my
body, but in soul l am well content
to suffer these things, for / fear him."
Thus did Eleazar die, leaving his
death for an example of a noble cour-
age, and a memorial of virtue, not
only unto young men, but unto all his
nation.