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to them Demetrius, the lawful heir, who was accordingly placed on the throne of his ancestors.

Alexander, during this time, was in Cilicia; but receiving intelligence of these transactions, he marched with the utmost speed, and put all to fire and sword around Antioch. The two armies came to battle. Alexander was defeated, and fled with five hundred horse to Zabdiel, an Arabian prince, with whom he had entrusted his children. This person turned traitor, and caused his head to be cut off, and sent it to Ptolemy, who expressed great joy at the sight. But his joy was of short duration (for "the triumphing of the wicked is short"), for he expired not long after of a wound which he had received in the battle. Thus these two kings died within a few days of each other; the first having reigned five years, and the latter thirty-five.

Jonathan, finding everything quiet in Judea, formed a design of ridding the nation of the Grecian idolaters who were still in possession of the citadel in Jerusalem; he accordingly invested it with the intention of attacking it in form. Demetrius, hearing of this, ordered Jonathan's attendance at court. He accordingly went, with some of the priests and principal persons, carrying with him a great number of presents by which he pacified the king, and obtained new marks of favour; the whole government under his jurisdiction being exempted from all duties and tributes for the sum of three hundred talents, which he agreed to pay the king as an equivalent. Demetrius, by his excesses and cruelties, at length rendered himself odious to his people, who became disposed for a general revolt; whereupon Tryphon conceived a design to get the crown for himself,

but, to cover his views, he pretended to be in the interest of Antiochus.

During this time Jonathan was carrying on the siege; but seeing be made no progress, he sent to Demetrius, desiring him to withdraw the garrison from the citadel which he could not expel by force. The king acceded to Jonathan's request, upon condition that he would send him some troops to chastise the mutineers at Antioch, which was at this time in a state of revolt. Jonathan immediately sent him three thousand men; but the people rose to the number of one hundred and twenty thousand, and invested the palace with design to kill the king. The Jews flew to his assistance, and dispersed the multitude, burnt a great part of the city, and killed or destroyed near one hundred thousand inhabitants. The Jews then returned to their own country laden with honour and booty. Notwithstanding all this Demetrius did not alter his conduct, but continued his cruelties and oppressions. He even broke his engagements to Jonathan his deliverer; and though the three hundred talents had been paid for the purpose already mentioned, yet he again demanded the impost, customs, and tribute, threatening Jonathan with war in case of refusal. In the meantime Tryphon carried Antiochus into Syria, and caused his pretensions to the crown to be made known. All the discontented joined him in crowds, and proclaimed him king. They then marched against Demetrius, whom they defeated and obliged to retire to Seleucia, placing Antiochus on the throne of Syria in his stead.

Jonathan, resenting the ingratitude of Demetrius, accepted the invitation made him by the new king, and came over to his party, upon which

great favours were conferred upon him and his brother Simon.

Tryphon now sought for an opportunity of putting in execution the project he had long formed of destroying Antiochus and possessing the crown of Syria. But Jonathan was an obstacle in his way. Knowing him to be a man of honour and integrity, he durst not even give him a hint of his views, but came to this diabolical determination, at all events to get rid of him, entering Judea with an army to effect his purpose. Jonathan met him at the head of forty thousand men. Tryphon perceiving he could do nothing against so powerful an army, pretended friendship with Jonathan, and promised him the town of Ptolemais as a free gift. Being deceived by these fair speeches Jonathan dismissed his troops, except three thousand, of which he only kept one thousand about his person, and followed the traitor to Ptolemais, where he was no sooner entered, than the gates were shut upon him. Jonathan was immediately conducted to prison, and all his followers were put to death (year of the world 3861). The remaining two thousand were pursued, but they arrived safe in Jerusalem, where they found their brethren in very great affliction for what had befallen Jonathan; notwithstanding which they did not lose their courage, but chose Simon for their general, and went on with the fortifications which Jona than had begun at Jerusalem.

Tryphon, after a short time, caused Jonathan to be put to death, and then gave orders to despatch Antiochus secretly, after which he declared himself king of Syria. When Simon was informed of the death of his brother, he sent to fetch his bones, and interred them in the sepulchre of his forefathers at Modin.

Tryphon, to obtain the patronage of the Romans, sent them a magnificent embassy, with a golden statue of Victory of ten thousand pieces of gold in weight. The Romans, whose policy was not inferior to their power, very cordially accepted the present; but instead of acknowledging the authority of Tryphon, they caused the name of Antiochus, whom he had murdered, to be inscribed on the statue as if it had come from him. The ambassadors sent by Simon met with a very different reception from the Senate, who treated them with the utmost respect, confirming to Simon in his own person the leagues which had been made with his predecessors.

(To be continued.)

BIBLE ENIGMA.

WHO preached God's word when but a youth?
Who walk'd before the Lord in truth?
Who's goodness was as early dew?

What king did Israel pursue?

Who lied, good people's lives to save?
Who fed a number in a cave?
Who dared her husband disobey?
Who ruined millions in one day?
Who was it never could excel P

Who loved unrighteous wages well?
Who died while stones around him fell?

The initals, if you rightly note,

Will show what once a good man wrote.

EDITOR'S NEW YEAR'S GREETING

TO HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.

ONCE more it is my privilege, by the mercy of God, to sit down and picture to myself my thousands of dear young friends scattered over our favoured islands and other parts of the globe, and to give them, in commencing this sixteenth volume of The Little GLEANER, my hearty New Year's Greeting.

Here it is, dear readers, in the welcome old English phrase that issues this cold January morning from many thousands of heart-heated lips,

"I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

I wish you this year whatever you need:
May all (if God's will) from sickness be freed;
Be happily earnest when striving to learn,
And cheerful if called your living to earn.

Most likely your lessons are left for awhile,
Soon may you begin them again with a smile;
I wish in these holiday hours you may gain
New zeal for your studies-then learn on amain.
The battle of life you're beginning to wage,
Then brush up your armour, be fit to engage
Such foes as dull sloth and ignorance black,

With wants and with woes that tread in their track.

Not an eye of your friends would be wet with a tear,
If sloth you should stab with industry's spear;
And quite off your premises hurriedly chase
Blind ignorance, your foe, in shame and disgrace.

Dishonesty, too, and vice of all kinds,

And books and companions that injure your minds,
With all that's opposed to virtue and truth,
May you hourly oppose in the day of your youth.

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