thus was there very great gladness among the
people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away."

Then--emblem of thanksgivings from thousands of hearts--rose clouds of
delicious fragrance from the altar of incense. Judas Maccabeus stood
beside it--more pale and pensive, perhaps, than seemed to suit the
occasion--watching the light curling smoke as it ascended and lost
itself in the perfumed air. Presently the prince took something from
his arm, and cast it into the flame. The movement was so quiet that it
was noticed but by few by-standers; and none knew what that was which
blazed brightly for a moment, and then left not even visible ashes
behind. It was but a few threads of flax, which had bound up flowers
long since withered; it seemed a worthless sacrifice indeed; but when,
a few years later, Judas Maccabeus poured out his life's-blood on the
fatal field of Eleasa, the steel which pierced his brave heart
inflicted not on him so keen a pang.

And here will I close my story, leaving the hero of Judah a victor over
his enemies, and a victor over himself. Let the picture left on the
reader's mind be that of Jerusalem in the hour of her triumph and
rejoicing--when the Lord had turned again the captivity of Zion, and
her exulting citizens were like unto them that dream!

But, ere I lay down my pen, let me crave leave for a few moments to
address my readers, both Christian and Hebrew. And to the first I
would say: Think not of the record of the lives of Judah's heroes, and
the deaths of her martyrs, as something in which we have no personal
interest--merely to be admired, like the courage of the Greeks at
Thermopylae, or the devotion of Regulus at Rome. Rather let us honour
the children of Abraham who fought or died for the Covenant as our
brethren in faith, heirs of all the promises on which we rest our
hopes, as well as of some others peculiarly their own. Their
Scriptures are our Scriptures--they guarded them at hazard of their
lives; their Messiah is our Messiah, though He visited earth too late
for them--as too early for us--to behold Him. Christianity rests on
such Judaism as was held by Hebrew saints and martyrs; Christianity is
in regard to the ancient religion as the capital to the column, the
full-blown flower to the bud, as the cloud floating high above the sea
is to the waters from which it drew its existence. Laws and rites
which passed away when types had been accomplished and prophecies