Masaloth (MaiaaXwi v. r. MeaaaXwB^), a place
IMASAUPASA
857
MASH
in Arbela, which Bacchides and Alcimus besieged and captured on their way from Gilgal to Jiutea (1 j\Iacc. ix, 2). Josephus, in his parallel account, omits the name (Anf. xii, 11, 1) ; but a trace of the name is thought by Kobinson {Researches, ii,398) to be found in the "steps" (n'li:p"2, mesilloth') or terraces (as in 2 Chron. ix, 11), in connection with the remarkable caverns besieged by Herod near Arbela (Josephus, War, i, 16, 4), now Kulat ibn-ilaon. See Arbkla.
Masatipasa, a famous fast among the East Indian pagans. The name is derived from musa, which, in the Malabarian language, signifies a mouth, and vpada a fast. It is the most sacred of all their fasts, and begins with the last day of October. Such as keep the fast, having first washed and dressed themselves very clean, repair to the pagoda or temple of the god Vistnum, and the next morning, having changed their clothes, go round the temple 101 times, and the most devoted 1001 times. They repeat the same ceremony every day dur- ing the months of November and December. During this time they must eat nothing but milk and eggs, must not look upon a woman, nor think or speak of any- thing but what relates to the Vistnum. The next year they perform the same devotion, beginning with the first day of December, and continuing till the tenth day of January. The next year they begin with the first day of January and end with the tenth day of February, and so on till the number of twelve years is completed, when they receive pardon for aU their sins. — Brough- ton, Biblioth. Hist. Sac. vol. ii, s. v.
Mascaron, Jules, a distinguished French Roman Catliolic preacher, was born at Aix in March, 1034. He studied at tlie college of the Oratorians in his native city, and afterwards at that of jMans, where he was ap- pointed professor of rhetoric in 165G. About the same time he commenced preaching at Saumur, and soon at- tracted attention. He afterwards preached successively at Marseilles, Aix, and Nantes, and then at Paris, in the churches of the Oratory, of the Louvre, and of St. Andre des Arts. In 1GC6 he preached, in presence of Francis do Harlay, archbishop of Kouen, the funeral sermon of the queen dowager, Anne of Austria. This discourse was so much admired that, aided by the influence of De Harlay, Mascaron was admitted at Versailles. Louis XIV was greatly pleased with him, and appointed him court preacher. He was made bishop of Tulle in 1671, but liis bulls arrived only two years afterwards. In the mean time Mascaron preached three other funeral ser- mons : those of the duke of Beaufort, of Henrietta of England, and of chancellor Seguier (the two first are considered his best). He finally went into his diocese, and wrote there, in 1675, the funeral sermon of marshal Turcnne, eulogized by La Harpe as a chef-dVeuvre. Made bishop of Agen in 1678, he founded there a theo- logical seminary and a hospital. Ke only left his diocese once, to preach his last sermon before Louis XIV. He died Nov. 20, 1703. His Oraisonsfunebres passed through a large number of editions (Paris, 1704, 12mo ; reprinted in 1740, 1745, 1785, 1828, etc., and in 1734, together with those of Bossuet and Flechier). See A. de Bellecombe, L'Ar/eiiois illustre; Diet, of Biog. s. v. Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gemrale, xxxiv, 125. (J. N. P.)
Masch, Andreas Gottlieb, D.D., a noted German pulpit orator, was born at Beseritz, in INIecklenburg, Dec. 5, 1724. His father was himself a minister of the (iospel, and instructed Andreas in the preparatorj^ branches of study. In 1743 he went to the University of Kostock ; two years later removed to Halle, and there enjoyed the favor and society of the celebrated Baum- garten and Semler. The latter desired that Masch should remain at the university as instructor, but his health failing he decided to return to his father's. In 1752 he was made the assistant preacher, in 1756 pastor of a church at New Strelitz, and only four years after this he was honored with the appointment of "court preacher." He died Oct. 26, 1807. His most impor-
tant literary remains are embodied in the BihUotheca Sacra, which, originally edited by Le Long, he contin- ued upon the same plan (now in 5 vols. 4to) — a work of great labor and merit, which had been discontinued for want of patronage. Le Long had published 2 vols. 8vo (Paris, 1709 ; republished by Burner, of Leipsic, with additions). Dr. Masch began its continuation in 1778, and completed it in 1790. It gives a full account of the literary history of the Bible, the various editions of the original, and the ancient and modern versions. Dr. JIasch also wrote several dissertations of considera- ble value, particularly a treatise on the Religions of the Heathen and of Christians (Gedunken ran der Geoffen- barteii lieligion, Halle, 1750, 8vo), intended as an argu- ment against the naturalists. For a complete list of his works, see Doring, Gelehrte Theologen JJeutschlands d. 18'™ u. 19'"" Jahrb. ii, 422 sq.
Mas'chil (Heb. maslil', biSiT'O, instructing, Hiph. part, of ?r'U, to be ivise; used as a noun in Psa. xlvii, 7, pi^'P'O ^"53T, sing ye a poem, Peshito, sing praise, but the Sept.,Vulg., and Auth.Vers. "sing ye with under- standing") occurs in the titles or inscriptions of Psa. xxxii, xlii, xliv, xlv, lii, liii, liv, Iv, Ixxiv, Ixxviii, Ixxxviii, Ixxxix, cxlii. The origin of the use of this word is uncertain, and it has been variously interpreted. The most probable meaning of maschil is a poem, song, which enforces intelligaice, tcisdom, piety, q. d. didactic ; which is true of every sacred song, not excepting Psa. xlv, where everj'thing is referred to the goodness of God. It occurs elsewhere as an adjective, and is accord- ingly rendered "wise," or some other term equivalent to instruction (1 Sam. xviii, 14, 15; 2 Chron. xxx, 22; Job xxii, 2 ; Psa. xiv, 2 ; xli, 1 ; liii, 2 ; Prov. x, 5, 19 ; xiv, 35; XV, 24; xvi, 20; xvii, 2; xix, 14; xxi, 12; Jer. 1, 9; Dan. i, 4; xi, 33, 35; xii, 3, 10; Amos v, 13). For other derivations from the Arabic, see Gesenius, Thes. lleb. p. 1331. See Psaljis, Book of.