When the royal officer came to Modin to enforce the commands of the King, he requested Mattathias, who was the oldest of the community, to make the first sacrifice to the Greek gods. He indignantly refused, saying that though every one else were to yield, yet he would rather die than forsake his religion. He then commanded his sons to follow his example. When a cowardly apostate stepped forward to offer the sacrifice, Mattathias could not restrain himself, and killed both the Jew and the officer. THE ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAINS. Mattathias then cried out in a loud voice, “Whosoever is zealous for the Law, and supporteth the Covenant, follow me”, with his sons and a few of his followers, Mattathias fled to the mountains. Many Jews who favored their plan of resistance now joined their numbers. Whenever the opportunity offered, they would attack the Syrian garrisons, and often were successful. They drove out the overseers of the King who came to enforce idol worshipping, and destroyed every heathen altar they gained access to. They reestablished public worship, and did what was in their power to restore the government of Israel. The Syrian generals, however, soon found out how the Jews were occupying themselves. Taking advantage of their strict observance of the Sabbath, they attacked one thousand Jews, who, having escaped to a cave, allowed themselves to be slaughtered without making any attempt to defend themselves. Mattathias, foreseeing that if the Jews would offer no resistance on the Sabbath, that they would quickly be wiped out, decided that it was not only lawful for them to fight on that day, but that it was their duty to do so. The decision of Mattathias was accepted by all, and the Jews thereafter did not hesitate to fight on the Sabbath, when their lives were at stake. THE DEATH OF MATTATHIAS. As Mattathias was too old to endure the hardships of war, he found himself growing weaker each day. Knowing that he was about to die, he summoned his sons around him, gave them his last blessing, and encouraged them to continue the noble work which he had begun. He appointed Judas, who was the bravest of his sons, to be their leader in battle, and Simon, who was the wisest of them, the counsellor of the nation. Then Mattathias died, and the whole nation mourned for him. JUDAS MACCABAEUS.