Scarcely had Antiochus begun to rule, when from all parts of his empire came the leading men to pay homage to him. Among them came a younger brother of the High Priest Onias, Joshua, who called himself by the Greek name Jason. This Jason was possessed of good manners and polished address. At the court of Antiochus, he was welcomed; and, by offering the King a very large bribe, prevailed upon him to depose his brother Onias, and appoint him in his place. Not only was Onias removed from the High Priesthood, but he was also forced to take up his residence at Antioch, where he would not interfere with the new High Priest. Jason next attempted to gradually make Greeks of the Jews. Accordingly, he built a place in Jerusalem for such sports and exercises as were practiced by the Greeks, and established a school in which Jewish youths could be brought up after the manner of the Greeks. Jason remained High Priest for only three years. Menelaus, an ambitious and dishonest young man, having been sent to Antioch by Jason with tribute, by offering to pay annually a sum amounting to $300,000 more than Jason, succeeded in having himself appointed in his place. This Menelaus was even more corrupt than Jason, and later proved himself guilty of the most horrible crimes. MENELAUS’ SACRILEGE. Menelaus soon found that he was unable to pay the large amount of money which he had promised to Antiochus. The King, who demanded punctuality of his subjects in their payment of tribute, summoned him to Antioch. Fearing that he would be punished or stripped of his office, he sent secret directions to his brother Lysimachus, who was acting as High Priest during his absence, to remove some of the holy vessels from the Temple, and to send him the money obtained by selling them. When Onias, the deposed High Priest heard of this, his anger was aroused, and he accused Menelaus of robbing the Temple. Menelaus fearing, that he would be removed from his office, bribed one of the King’s officers to kill Onias. When Onias learned of the plot against his life, he escaped; but later, when the officer induced him to return by assurances of safety, he was brutally murdered. Great was the anger of the Jews when they heard of this new outrage. The people of Jerusalem rose up against the brother of Menelaus, and put to route a number of his followers who tried to defend him. Lysimachus, himself, escaped to the treasury of the Temple, but was pursued and killed. Menelaus, in the meantime by bribing the King, gained his support, and continued to remain in the office of High Priest. ANTIOCHUS’S ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM.