But also to the " itinerant" himself the system affords many advantages, though, it is true, it also subjects him to some disadvantages. Tlie pros and cons of this part of the question are these :
1. " It restricts him in the choice of his field of labor." But if this be a disadvantage, it is fully atoned for by the fact that, however restricted, the field is certain.
2. " It tends in some cases to lessen the amount paid for the support of the pastor." If this be true, it can be so only measurably, for of late, at least, the jMethodist pastor is remunerated as well as his brethren in the sis- ter churches, while the itinerancy affords him a greater degree of independence, enabling him to " speak boldly, as he ought to speak."
3. " It deprives the minister and his family of a per- manent place of residence." This the more prolonged
ITTAH-KAZIN"
714
ITUR^A
stay has measurably remedied, but it is a question wheth- er a still longer term would not deprive the itinerant of one of the greatest blessings, health. It is held by com- petent judges, and the point is also made by Dr. Crane, that the itinerancy is conducive to health and long life, as the vital forces of a pastor settled over a congrega-
tion for many years in succession
are necessarilv sub-
jected to a fearfid strain, and thus what appears at tirst a family deprivation turns out really to be a great bless- ing to "the entire household. See, besides the articles and books already referred to, Hodgson, Eccles. Polity of Methodism (kf ended, especially p. 05-118; Porter, Cojn- j)endium of Methodism,
It'tah-ka'zin (Heb. Eth-katsin', ""^^iri T", time [according to Flirst, />eo/?/e] of the juJffe, only with n local, "p2Jp nns ; Sept. im iruXtv Kaai/x v. r. Kara- a'tj-i ; Vulg. Thacasin), a city near the eastern boundary of Zebulun (but within Issachar), between Gath-hepher and Kemmon-raethoar (Josh, xix, 13), therefore a very short distance (east) from Sepphoris (SetFurieh). It is, perhaps, identical with the Kefr Kenna usually regard- ed as the site of Cana (q. v.) of the N. T.
It'tai (Heb. Tttay', '^PiS:, perh. near or timely, oXher- wise possessor), the nilme of t^^'0 men.
1. (Sept. 'EaSai.) Son of Ribai, aBenjamite of Gib- eah, one of David's thirty heroes (2 Sam.xxiii, 29), call- ed in the parallel passage (1 Chron. xi, 31) Ithai (Heb. May', "in-'X, a fuller form ; Sept. 'H^oi'/). B.C. 1046.
2. (Sept. 'E9i [and so Josephus] v. r. 'EOBsi). " It- TAi THE GiTTiTE," 1. e. the native of Gath, a Philistine in the army of king David. He ai)iiears only during the rebellion of Absalom, B.C. cir. loi'il. "\\'r ilrst dis- cern him on the morning of Davids tliglit, while the king was standing under the olive-tree, below the city. Watching the army and the people defile past him. See David. Last in the procession came the GOO heroes who had formed D'-vid's band during his wanderings in Judah, and who had been with him at Gath (2 Sam. xv, 18; comp. 1 Sam.xxiii, 13; xxvii, 2; xxx, 9, 10; and Josephus, . ! nt. vii, 9, 2). Among I hese, apparently com- manding them, Avas Ittai the Gittite (v. 19). He caught the e_ye of the king, ^vho at once addressed him, and be- sought him as "a stranger and an exile," and as one who had but very recently joined his service, not to at- tach himself to a doubtful cause, but to return "with his brethren" and abide with the king (v. 19, 20). But Ittai is firm; he is the king's slave (13", A.V. "servant"), and Avhcrever his master goes he Avill go. Accordingly, he is all()\vcd by David to proceed, and he passes over the Kedron with the king (xv, 22, Sept.), with all his men, and "all the little ones that were with him." These "little ones" (r);i<j">2, "all the children") must have been the families of the band — their "households" (1 Sam. xxvii, 3). They accompanied them during their wanderings in Judah, often at great risk (1 Sam. xxx, 6), and they were not likely to leave them behind in this fresh commencement of their Avandering life.
When the army was numbered and organized by Da- vid at ]\Iahanaim, Ittai again appears, now in command of a third part of the force, and (for the time at least) enjoying equal rank with Joab and Abishai (2 Sam. xviii, 2, T), 12). But here, on the eve of the great bat- tle, jvc take leave of this valiant and faithful stranger; his conduct in the fight and his subsequent fate" are alike unknown to us. Nor is he mentioned in the lists of David's captains and of the heroes of his liody-guard (see 2 Sam. xxiii ; 1 Chron. xi), lists which are possibly of a date previous to Ittai's anival in .Jerusalem.
An interesting tradition is related by Jerome (Quast. J/ebr. on 1 Chron. xx, 2). " David took the crown off the head of the image of INIileom (A.Y. 'their king'). But, by the law, it was forbidden to any Israelite to touch either gold or silver of an idol. Wherefore they Bay that Ittai the Gittite, who had come to David from
the Philistines, was the man who snatched the crown from the head of Milcom ; for it was lawful for a He- brew to take it from the hand of a man, though not from the head of the idol." The main difficulty to the recep- tion of this legend lies in the fact that if Ittai was en- gaged in the Ammonitish war, which happened several years before Absalom's revolt, the expression of David (2 Sam. XV, 20), " thou camest but yesterdaj'," loses its force. However, these words may be merely a strong metaphor.