trash with jingling tunes for the incomparable hymns and music of the Wesleys has done much to enfeeble piety, to emasculate morality, and to cripple the usefulness of the Church. Hence it is a great acquisition to the Methodists that the sub-committee to whom the preparation of the Hymnal with Tunes was intrusted were able to engage the services of two such eminent composers as Dr. Eben Tourjée, of the Boston Conservatory of Music, and Joseph P. Holbrook, Esq., the musical editor of the leading hymnals with tunes published by the sister denominations. The happiest results may be expected from it.

TITLE.

In closing this article on the revised Methodist Hymnal, a few remarks on the title will not be inappropriate. As defined by Webster, it is a rare, archaic synonym for a sacred lyric, or hymn. The Protestant Churches have lately modified its meaning, so that it now indicates a collection of hymns, and as such will doubtless be defined in the next edition of Webster's "Unabridged Dictionary," nor can any objection to this be valid, since usage makes the lexicon, and not the lexicon the usage. The word "hymnal" as contrasted with "hymn book" has unquestionably the superior merits of sim'plicity and euphony.

FINIS.

The book in its several forms has now entered upon its mission; and long before that mission shall have ended it is more than probable that the majority, if not the whole, of the Revision Committee, will have followed the glorified spirit of the Rev. Dr. William Hunter-one of the ablest of the fifteen -to that "heavenly home" of which he loved to sing, and where he still continues to sing, in strains that

"Outvie the seraph's highest flight,

God's everlasting love to man."

ART. VIII.—WHEN WAS HEROD MADE KING OF

JUDEA?

THE time when Herod was made king of Judea has much to do in determining the time of the birth of Christ. Generally, writers merely make declarative statements of the fact, assigning B. C. 40-41-44; but a recent writer* takes issue with almost all others of modern days in nearly every chronological fact, making the appointment of Herod in the spring of B. C. 39, and the birth of Christ B. C. 2. To ascertain the correctness or inaccuracy of his statement it is necessary to consider the historical facts concerning Herod's becoming king de jure and de facto.

KING DE JURE.-Josephus says (“Antiq.,” xvii, 8, 1) that Herod "reigned since he procured the death of Antigonus thirty-four years, but since he had been declared king by the Romans thirty-seven.". In general terms this clearly indicates three years; but, since some time was taken after the capture of Jerusalem to take Antigonus to Antioch, and for Herod to present his intercession to Antony, it is also clear that three years did not elapse between the appointment and the capture of the city. Josephus gives a more emphatic point in saying ("Antiq.," xiv, 14,5) that Herod received the appointment by the Roman Senate "on the one hundred and eighty-fourth Olympiad, when Caius Domitius Calvinus was consul the second time, and Caius Asinius Pollio [the first time]." Also, that after this appointment, "when the Senate was dissolved, Antony and Cæsar went out of the Senate-house with Herod between them ("Antiq.," xiv, 14, 5) to offer sacrifice," and to lay up their decrees in the capitol."

These statements, then, involve the necessity of establishing the date of several facts.

1. The time B. C. of the one hundred and eighty-fourth Olympiad.--Caspari makes this Olympiad embrace the years U. C. 715-718, (p. 20,) and B. C. 39-36, (p. 52,) in which he takes issue with Usher, who makes it agree with U. C. 710-713, and Jarvis, who makes it correspond with U. C. 710-713, and

"A Chronological and Geographical Introduction to the Life of Christ," by Ch. Ed. Caspari. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh. New York, Scribner & Co.

the first quarter of 714. Relying upon the latter as good authority, our argument necessarily depends upon his accuracy as a chronologist. The Olympiads began 776 B. C. An Olympiad occupied four full years, beginning about July 21, at the celebration of the games. These Caspari places in the beginning of August. The one hundred and eighty-fourth Olympiad corresponded with J. P. 4670 (July) to 4674, U. C. 710-714, B. C. 44-40. But the year J. P. 4670 began in January, and U. C. 710 in April, immediately preceding the July of the Olympiad, which relation will be seen in the following table:

2. The time within that Olympiad when these Consuls were in power. The consuls entered upon their office in January; hence occupied the last and first half of two successive Olympic years. The consuls named above entered their office in January, J. P. 4673, B. C. 41, U. C. 712, ending in December of the two first-named years and U. C. 713; hence the last half of the third and the first half of the fourth year of this Olympiad; the last fourth of U. C. 712, and the first three fourths of U. C. 713. But Caspari seems to make all these years begin in January, except the Olympic, which, with him, began in August. His

seeming difficulty, and hence his issue taken, may be seen by the following form, tabulated from the data he gives (P. 20):—

Thus making the two important consulates within one Olympiad, while they were obviously in two successive Olympiads, which will be seen by our former and a subsequent table.

3. The time of the reconciliation between Antony and Cæsar. -The argument of Caspari is very brief, merely stating that Herod was appointed after the peace at Brundusium; but declaring that this "was toward the end of U. C. 714, B. C. 40," and that the appointment took place the following spring, U. C: 715, B. C. 39.-P. 19. After the battle of Philippi, J. P. 4671, U. C. 711, B. C. 43, Cæsar returned to Rome, and Antony to Asia. (Plut., 591.) While there he was captivated by Cleopatra, who had appeared before him, and, leaving his army in charge of Plaucus, he followed her to Egypt, where he spent the following winter and the year J. P. 4672, B. C. 42, U. C. 711–712. (Plut., 592, Jar., 599.) This exciting the jealousy of his wife, Fulvia, she united with Lucius, Antony's brother, and engaged in a war with Cæsar, hoping to draw Antony back. (Plut., 593.) After hearing of her expulsion from Italy, and reverses in Asia, he started for the latter place, but upon receiving letters from Fulvia changed his course to Italy. But subsequently, hearing of her death, he met Cæsar, and by the intercession of friends made peace with him, which he consummated by a marriage with Octavia, Cæsar's sister. This occurred in the spring of J. P. 4673, B. C. 41, U. C. 712. He

immediately proceeded to Rome, where the nuptials were celebrated, and where he remained until the following autumn. (Plut., 593; "Ep. of Hist. Trium.," 218-239.) The next winter he spent in Athens with Octavia, J. P. 4674, B. C. 40, U. C. 713, Jar. 600.

4. The Appointment of Herod.-During these first events Herod was in power at Jerusalem. But the same spring he was defeated by the Parthians, and compelled to fly. He passed to Egypt and sailed to Italy, then proceeded to Rome, where he met Antony, and through his influence was made king by the Senate. Being in Rome but seven days, he was there during the interval between the peace at Brundusium and Antony's leaving for Athens. It is, therefore, hard to reconcile this appointment with Caspari's statement that it was in the spring; because (1) Antony did not leave Egypt until the weather admitted the movement of troops, at the earliest, January 20. Then, after reaching Phoenicia, he sailed for Italy, a long voyage, all of which required time. Because (2) the peace of Brundusium was not until the spring, and certainly could not have been earlier than March. After this he went to Rome, where he remained during the summer. Because (3) Herod did not leave Jerusalem until after the Pentecost of that year, which was about the 19th or 20th of May. (Jarvis, 352.) At that Pentecost Herod was well guarded in the royal palace. (Jos., "Antiq.,” xiv, 13, 3, 7.) Because (4) it did not take so long a time for the journey as indicated by Caspari, as from Pentecost until the next spring. Three months would seem ample time for the journey and return; but the time is a matter of calculation, not history. But the time of the Pentecost, and his actions after his return, must, in a measure, determine the time of the journey and the appointment. After his return he gathered an army, inaugurated a vigorous campaign, and relieved Joseph at Massada, before he retired to winter quarters. ("Antiq.,” xiv, 14, 6, and xiv, 15.) It was summerthe sultry season-because Joseph was oppressed with drought. ("Wars," i, xv, 1.) This sultry season began about August 1, and closed with Tisri, September. (Smith, "Dict.," i, 41.) (5) It was after the marriage of Antony, and before the birth of his first child, which was before he went to Athens the following winter, where he took, also, Octavia. (6) It must, also, have FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XXXI.—36