The log cabin Democrat., 1909-09-21

ly proved after his fathers death
 and the burden of the movement for
 the deliverance of his people rested ! upon him. The wisdom of his ia
 ther's choice in naming him as his
 successor was thus made manifest .
 But to return to Mattathias. As we
 said he stood firm against the en-
 croachments of the heather customs
 and refused in any way to make al
 dances with the heather, and his in
 fiuence was so great that he kept
 many faithful to the true God This
 proved a source of great annoyance
 to their Gentle rulers, and they
 determined to either win Mattathias
 over or break his power and
 crush him as many another Jew who
 refused to yield to the foreign rulers
 had been crushed.
 When Antiochus had come into
 power the persecution of the loyal
 Jews became more severe, and the
 city of Jerusalem and of the land of Judah was filled with the cries of
 those who refused to yield. Thus
 1t came to pass more and more that
 the iniquities and the abominations
 of the heather prevailed.
 Mattathias had just returned to
 Modin from Jerusalem after serving
 in his course and was in deep heavi- ness because of what he saw. As his family gathered about him he gave way to his grief, eXclaiming
 Woe is me! wherefore was l born 1 to see this misery and shame of my i people, and of the holy city? Her 1 temple has become as man with out glory. Her glorious vessels have been carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets and her young men with the sword of the enemy
 But, father" spoke up Judas, who had arisen and was striding up and down the small room in great agita tion, why should we permit such things?"
 How can it be helped when we are in the hands of so powerful a one as Antiochus?" replied the father, with an air of utter Encouragement. Hath | he not settled a great army in Judah and have the people which he has brought in filled Jerusalem, so that whatever way you turn you are face to face with a blasphemous and ar regent Gentle? What nation is not in our midst to strip Judah of her glory and lead the Jews astray? The free woman of the Jews has become the slave of our conquerors. And the | HnntiIaS do Iail bo ,Y,ln with their presence. Yea, to what end, l therefore, shall we live any longer?" l From that day forth Mattathias and his sons put on sackcloth and mourned very sore.
 Not long after this, certain officers of the Jews came to Modin, the place where Mattathias and his sons dwelt, ! for the purpose of establishing the worship of the heather gods which the king had caused to be set up And all the people round about the city were gathered together, and Mat tathas and his sons went out to see how matters stood And when the people saw Mattathias in their midst they withstood the demands of the off, | cers of the king and would not wor ship before the heather altar when commanded
 Now when the officers perceived the way matters stood and knew that the influence of Mattathias was great, they took him and his sons one side into the tent of the chief officer and 1 spoke many soft and pleasant words. saying:
 Thou art ruler and an honorable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren. l Now, therefore, come thou first, and 1 fill the kings commandment, like as all the heather have done, yea, and l the men of Juda also and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the kings friends, and thou and thy children shall be honored with silver and gold and many rewards" Mattathias' face was study when 1 the servant of the king was speaking, and his sons who surrounded him i were uncertain whether the indigna- 1 tion which he felt within would burst ! forth and lead him to do violence to 1 the man or not. With mighty ef- | fort he controlled himself and his | voice shook the air as he shouted:
 Though all the nations that are under the kings dominion obey him, and fall away every man from the re | ligion of their fathers, and give con- sent to his commandments; yet will i and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. God | forbid that we should forsake the laws and ordinances. We will not l hearken to the kings words; to go ! from our religion. either on the right 1 hand or on the left
 Now when he had left speaking : these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice 1 on the altar which was at Modin, ac- cording to the kings commandment. Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inhamed with zeal, and he trem- bled violently, so great was his an l ger Then rushing forward he drew | h eu-nrJ and claw tha man nnoY he