Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-15

ton of a wife whom he tenderly loved
stripped of his kingdom by an un-
natural rebellion; and deserted by his
subjects, the king gave himself up to
the first transport Of grief, which set
tied in an inveterate melancholy that
put an end to his llfe.-Rapin.
Alexander Jannaeus, prince and
high priest of the Jews, being afront-
ed at the feast Of tabernacles. civil
war ensued between him and his sub
jects. In the course OF this war which
continued for six years, Alexander
having taken city wherein a great
number Of them had shut themselves
up, carried eight hundred Of them to
Jerusalem, and caused them all to be
crucified in one day. When they were
fixed to the cross he ordered their
wives and children to be brought out,
and to have their throats cut before
their faces. During this cruel ex-
ecution the high priest regaled his
wives and concubines in a place from
which they saw all that passed; and
this sight was to him and them the
principal part OF the entertainment.
Jos. Antiq. 13. 81. -
The principal deity worshipped by the
Carthaginians was called Chronus.
who, according to Q. Curtius and
the Latins, and in Scripture style
Moloch. The sacrifices offered up to
this deity were children Of the most
distinguished families. 'Diodorus says
they had a. brazen statue Of him, the
hands Of which were extended In act
to receive, and bent downwards In
such a manner as that the child laid
thereon Immediately dropped into a
hollow, where was a fiery furnace, In
which ii was burnt alive. Sometimes
grown persons were the unhappy
victims sacrificed to appease this
bloody deity: for, upon the signal de-
feat of the Carthaginian army by
|Agathocles, three hundred citizens
voluntarily offered up themselves, to
render him more propitious to their
lcountry. The ceremonies observed
upon this occasion by the Carthagini-
ans were pretty nearly the same as
those practiced by the Canaanites, as
den, and Scaligar To such pitch
frensy, or rather Internal barbarity
were they arrived, that mothers who
are naturally the most susceptible OF
tender impressions, made II a merit
to view their own offspring thrown
into the devouring flames, without sc
much as q groan. They even by
kisses and embraces hushed the cries
Of their children, before they were
cast into the flaming statue, imagin.
ing the efficacy of the sacrifice would
have been utterly lost If anything
that might have been interpreted as
mark Of the least reluctance or re.
gret had been shown. They used
drum or tabret among other instru-
ments to drown the shrieks and cries
80 ,ho x,inf Tn
pestilence or other calamities, the
Carthaginians endeavored to appease
the offended god by vast numbers OF
such oblations; nor were even the
children Of the most distinguished
families suffered to escape.-Selder
de dis Syr. de Suprest.
We are not to conclude from the
foregoing instances that cruelty is a
property Of human nature. No.. 1t Is
only an excresence Of It; for who
would argue from the natural or ac-
quired hardness and insensibility OF 9
few miscreants, to the temper and
texture of the whole species? A Nero
or a Caligaula Is, in reality, not the
rule of nature, but an exception to 1t;
and Notwithstanding these untowaro
appearances, which arise from the
very nature of liberty and virtue
an exact and thorough inquiry into
the formation Of the human mind
would convince every unprejudiced
person that all those qualities which
are truly original and inherent, are
beneficial and salutary; and that
such as are Of a contrary tendency
are adventitious and accidental.
But what seems very astonishing
is that those who have been blessed
with the knowledge Of the true God
who Is represented to US under the
endearing characters, 1.-The Father OF
mercies," and God Of all consola-
ton" should Notwithstanding be III
fuenced by SO diabolical spirit
should pretend they are pleasing the
Maker Of mankind, while they are de-
stroying his works in the most crueI
and barbarous manner; not for treas
enable practices, nor for atrocious
crimes, nor being bad members OF
the community, but for difference In
opinion; for not receiving as true
the most inconsistent falsehoods.
Eighteen days elapsed before the
works were completed; on the seventh
of September, the engines were ad-
vanced to batter down the last bull
wark of the besieged. Some did not
await the conflict but crept down into
the lower city, others shrank into the
subterranean passages, others more
manfully endeavored to beat down
the engineers. The Romans advanc-
ed in the pride Of victory, the Jews
heartened. A breach was speedily
made, some of the towers fell, the
leaders did not display their Gus.
tomary valor and conduct; they fled
on all sides. Some who were accus-
toned to vaunt the most loudly, now
stood pale, trembling, inactive; others
epdeavored to break through the Ro-
man works and make their escape
Vauge rumorS were spread abroad
that the whole western wall had fall
len, that the Romans were In the
city: the men looked around for their
wonted leaders; they neither saw their
active figures hurrying about In the
thickest of the fray, nor heard theiI
voices exciting them to desperate re-
sistance. Many threw themselves or
the ground and bitterly lamented
their fate. Even John and Simon
instead of remaining in their three
impregnable towers, where nothing
but famine could have reduced them
descended into the streets, and FLED
into the valley of Sloan. They made
an attempt to force their way
through the wall; but their daring
and strength seemed alike broken
they were repulsed by the guard
dispersed, and at length crept dowr
into the subterranean vaults. The
Romans ascended the wall with
shouts Of triumph at victory so much
| beyond all hope. easy and bloodless
they spread through the streets slay'
| ing and burning as they went. Ir
many houses where they expected
rich plunder they found nothing but
| heaps Of putrid bodies, whole familie:
| who had died Of hunger; they re.
treated from the loathsome sight ant
insufferable stencil. But they were moi
moved to mercy towards the living
in some places the flames were
actually retarded or quenched with
streams of blood: night alone put ar
end to the carnage. When Titus en-
tered the city, he gazed with astonish.
ment at the massy towers, and recog'
nized the hand Of God in a victory
| which had thus made him master OF
such fortresses without a struggle
The multitudes Of prisoners who pineo
in the dungeons where they had beer
thrown by the insurgents. were re-
leased The city was ordered to be
razed excepting the three towers
Sta n6inP mOnll-