St. Tammany farmer., 1909-10-02


sword or spear to fight on that day,
and thou shalt win an easy victory.
Now this advice sounded good to
the captain of the forces, and he ac-
cordingly waited two days until the
Sabbath day had come.
"All that has gone before will be
forgiven, If you will but come forth,
do according to the commandment OF
the king, and ye shall live," was the
word which the messengers brought
from the captain.
I'VE will not come FORTH was the
word which the people returned.
neither will we do the kings COM
mandment. to profane the Sabbath
day"
So the army of the king fell upon
them in battle on the Sabbath and
slew them with their wives and chill
dren and their cattle, even to the
number of a thousand people.
Now word of this thing was soon
brought to Mattathias and his sons
and he was sore grieved, and mourned
many days.
IF we all do as our brethren have
done, and fight not for our lives on
the Sabbath day, then will the heath
en- quickly root US off the earth"
spoke up one of the boys, Judas by
name, as they sat talking over the
sad condition of affairs one day.
Yea, but we also ought to be zeal
Low
another. This is where our strength
must lie with our faithful brethren.
We must be loyal to the law OF
Moses"
True replied the father search
ing each face before him as he sought
to find a solution for the problem.
But there is a zeal on the Sabbath
day which is honorable and doth mag
nifty the name of the Lord. If there
is any virtue, or any glory in lying
down and being slaughtered like a
lot of helpless cattle, just because it
is the Sabbath, fail to see or under
stand where it can be-"
AS a result of this conference the
following decree was signed by Malta
thias and his sons and sent to the
faithful wherever they could be
found:
"Whosoever shall come to make
battle with us on the Sabbath day
we will fight against him; neither will
we die all, as our brethren that were
murdered in the secret places
This message bore fruit in an un'
expected direction, for few days la
ter there came marching into the
camp of the Maccabees company OF
Assideans. who were mighty men OF
Israel.
And when Mattathias and his sons
heard the awful stories of the iniquity
Of the land and of the prosecutions
of those who would not forsake the
law of God and worship before the
heather affairs, their spirit was stirred
within them.
"See," exclaimed Mattathias, God
has placed an army in our hands and
among them the powerful Assideans'
Let us prepare at once to go against
our enemies"
This proposal met instant approval
and not many days after what had
been rather motley crowd was a
very presentable army.
Mattathias realized that the cam.
paign must be planned carefully and
all the advantage which strategy and
quick attack could give must be used.
"Yea. it is Gods battle" he ex'
claimed one day to some who were
fearful. HE will strengthen our
hands and make our eyes keen and
our feet swift, SO that we may be
able to overcome the forces of the
king"
So the warfare ragged, starting from
the country adjacent to where Malta
thias and his sons had first taken ref
uge. Gradually, as victory after vic
tory gave them added strength, they
extended their operations until at last
they had recovered the land out OF
the hand of the Gentiles and had driV'
en- back the forces of the king so that
he no longer had rule over Judah.
Now it came to pass after all this
hard and long fought wars were over
that Mattathias, burdened with age
and broken down by his severe ex'
periences, realized that his end was
approaching, and calling his sons to
him, he said:
"Now hath pride and rebuke gotten
strength. and the time of destruction,
and the wrath of indignation. Now,
therefore, my sons, be ye jealous for
the law, and give your lives for the
| covenant Of your fathers. Call to re-
membrance what acts our fathers did
in their time; so shall ye receive
great honor and an everlasting name.
Wherefore, my sons, be ye valiant
and show yourselves men in behalf
of the law; for by it shall ye obtain
glory. And behold, know that your
brother Simon is man of counsel,
give ear unto him always; he shall be
father unto you. But as for Judas
Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and
strong, even from his youth up; lei
him be your captain, and fight the
battle of the people. Take also unto
you all those that observe the law,
and avenge ye the wrong of your
people" So Mattathias blessed his
sons, and died and Judas became &C
cepted as the leader.
Wondrous Love.