Page 182 - YB1900

CHAPTER II. 1. So it came to pass, that on the fifteenth day, in the ninth month, of the fourth year of the second reign of Grover, that there came a great company of young men and women from the north, south, east and west to the temple that they might be instructed in the laws and customs of peoplesand things. 2. Now, as was the custom of the priest, he made it that on the following clay all those who were assembled in the temple should swear, by their sacred honor, never to break one of the laws which had been read in their hearing. 3. But, behold, the devil entered into the hearts of a num- ber of those who had taken an oath to the priest; and it came to pass that when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a great smoke and angry flames were seen a short distance from the temple. 4. On the following day, when it was light, the Rabbis and their disciples went to that part of the temple grounds where the fire and the smoke had been seen the night before, and behold it was found that one of the buildings belonging to the temple had been destroyed. 6. Now it so happens that each year when the temple opens for service, that the Publican sits at the receipt of customs. 6. Each disciple is required to deposit with the Publican five talents as a security that care will be taken of the goods entrusted to him. 7. So that at the closing of the temple in that year, when the discipleswent to the Publican for the return of their five talents, it was found that the Priest and the Rabbis had looked upon the burning of this building with great dis- favor. anclthey were sorely angered with the disciples,and made a decree that one-fifth of one talent should be ex- acted from each disciple, and it was so. -+ 158-1-