a false god of the Ammonites, who dedicated their children to him, by making them "pass through the fire," as the Scriptures express it. There are various opinions concerning this method of consecration. Some think, the children leaped over a fire sacred to Moloch; others, that they passed between two fires; and others, that they were really burnt in the fire, by way of sacrifice to this god. There is foundation for each of these opinions. For, first, it was usual among the pagans to lustrate or purify with fire; and, in the next place, it is expressly said, that the inhabitants of Sepharvaim burnt their children in the fire to Anamellech and Adramelech; much such deities as Moloch of the Ammonites.

Moses, in several places, forbids the Israelites to dedicate their children to this god as the Ammonites did, and threatens death and utter extirpation to such persons as were guilty of this abominable idolatry. And there is great probability that the Hebrews were much addicted to the worship of this deity: since Amos, and after him St Stephen, reproaches them with having carried along with them into the wilderness the tabernacle of their god Moloch.

Solomon built a temple to Moloch upon the mount of Olives; and Manasseh, a long time after, imitated his impiety, by making his son pass through the fire in honour of Moloch. It was chiefly in the valley of Tophet and Hinnom, to the east of Jerusalem, that the Israelites paid their idolatrous worship to this false god of the Ammonites.

There are various sentiments concerning the relation which Moloch had to the other pagan divinities. Some believe he was the same with Saturn, to whom it is well known that human sacrifices were offered. Others suppose him to be Mercury; others, Mars; others, Mitras; and others, Venus. Lastly, Others take Moloch to be the sun, or the king of heaven. Moloch was likewise called Milcom; as appears from what is said of Solomon, that he went after Ashtaroth the abomination of the Zidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

MOLOSSUS, Molasses, or Melasses, that gross fluid matter remaining of sugar after refining, and which no boiling will bring to a consistence more solid than that of syrup; hence also called syrup of sugar.

Properly, molasses are only the sediment of one kind of sugar called chypre, or brown sugar, which is the refuse of other sugars not to be whitened or reduced into loaves.

Molasses are much used in Holland for the preparation of tobaccoe, and also among poor people instead of sugar. There is a kind of brandy or spirit made of molasses; but by some held exceedingly unwholesome. See below.

Artificial Molasses. There has been found a method of making molasses from apples without the addition of sugar. The apple that succeeds best in this operation is a summer sweeting of a middle size, pleasant to the taste, and so full of juice that seven bushels will yield a barrel of cider.

The manner of making it is this: the apples are to be ground and pressed, then the juice is to be boiled in a large copper, till three quarters of it be evaporated: this will be done with a moderate fire in about six hours, with the quantity of juice above mentioned; by this time it will be of the consistence and taste as well as of the colour of molasses.

This new molasses serves all the purposes of the common kind; and is of great use in preserving cider. Two quarts of it, put into a barrel of racked cider, will preserve it, and give it an agreeable colour.

The invention of this kind of molasses was owing to Mr Chandler of Woodstock in New England, who living at a distance from the sea, and where the common molasses was very dear and scarce, provided this for the supply of his own family, and introduced the practice among people of the neighbourhood. It is to be observed, that this sort of apple, the sweeting, is of great use in making cider; one of the very best kinds we know being made of it. The people in New England also feed their hogs with the fallings of their orchards of these apples; and the consequence of this is, that their pork is the finest in the world.

MOLOSSUS Spirit; a very clean and pure spirit, much used in England, and made from molasses or common treacle dissolved in water, and fermented in the same manner as malt or the common malt spirit. See Distillation.