weet to her still.

Then came blow upon blow in fearful succession, each inflicting a deep
wound on the heart of Hadassah. Both the young wives were taken in the
prime of their days, within a few weeks of each other--Miriam dying
childless, Naomi leaving but one little daughter behind. But the
heaviest, most crushing stroke was to come!

When Seleucus, King of Pergamos, with the concurrence of the Romans,
had placed Antiochus on the throne of Syria, the new monarch had
speedily shown himself an active enemy of the faith held by his
subjects in Judaea. Onias, their venerable High Priest, was deposed,
and the traitor Jason raised to hold an office which he disgraced. A
gymnasium was built by him in Jerusalem; reverence for Mosaic rites was
discouraged. Both by his example and his active exertions, Jason, the
unworthy successor of Aaron, sought to obliterate the distinction
between Jew and Gentile, and bring all to one uniformity of worldliness
and irreligion. In the words of the historian:[1] "The example of a
person in his commanding position drew forth and gave full scope to the
more lax dispositions which existed among the people, especially among
the younger class, who were enchanted with the ease and freedom of the
Grecian customs, and weary of the restraints and limitations of their
own. Such as these abandoned themselves with all the frenzy of a new
excitement, from which all restraint had been withdrawn, to the license
which was offered to them. The exercises of the gymnasium seem to have
taken their minds with the force of fascination."

To temptations such as these, a disposition like that of Abner was
peculiarly accessible. His religion had never been the religion of the
heart; his patriotism was cold, he prided himself upon being a citizen
of the world. Unhappily, after the death of his wife, Abner had become
weary of Bethsura, and had gone up to Jerusalem to divert his mind from
painful associations. He there came under the influence of Jason, and
plunged into amusement in a too successful effort to divert his mind
from sorrow.

Ambition soon added its powerful lure to that of pleasure. Abner met
the newly-made king shortly after his accession, and at once attracted
the attention and won the favour of the monarch. There was nothing but
the Hebrew's faith between him and the highest distinctions which a
royal friend could bestow. Abner yielded to the brilliant temptation;
he parted with his r