CHAPTER XV. JEWISH SYMBOLS. THE VESTMENTS OF THE PRIESTS. ALMOST every part of the vestments of the Jewish priests had its special symbolic signification. They were made of "blue, and purple, and scarlet" (Ex. xxxix. 1), and whilst their very splendour was meant to impress the people with a sense of the dignity of the priests' office, and the importance of the service in which they were engaged, it seems probable, and almost-if not altogether -certain, that the colours also had their peculiar significancy. Blue has long been a well-understood emblem of truth, and in this sense it is accepted as the appropriate colour of the first three degrees of Masonry, or Ancient Craft Masonry. The idea which associates itself with the colour is probably derived from the blueness of the sky, perhaps also from that of the ocean, and presents itself with continual freshness and increasing impressiveness to the mind. Purple has been long the garb of royalty, and probably was so long before the Jewish law was given by Moses, so that the people might readily associate with it the ideas of high rank, dignity of office, and power. Scarlet does not seem to have been so early assumed as the distinctive mark of any office, and perhaps never was until it was appointed to be used in the vestments of the Jewish priests. It is not improbable that it was intended to mark the connection of the priesthood with the blood of sacrifice. The three colours combined gave a peculiar splendour to the holy garments in which Aaron and his sons were attired "for glory and for beauty."-But there was also, above the more ordinary garments, and as a more distinctive badge of the priestly office, an "ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen" (Ex. xxxix. 2), with shoulder-pieces to couple it together, and a "curious. girdle," that is, a girdle finely wrought, "of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen" (Ex. xxxix. 5). On this ephod, which adorned the upper part of the priest's body, were "onyx stones enclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel" (Ex. xxxix. 6). These were on the shoulders of the ephod, appointed to be "for a memorial to the children of Israel." There was also a breastplate "of cunning work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen" (Ex. xxxix. 8), and in it were four rows of stones, three stones in each row, on which were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The very stones were probably significant, each one having a symbolic allusion to the tribe whose name it bore, but these are difficult to determine, as it is difficult. now even to determine exactly by what words the Hebrew names of some of the stones ought to be translated. It is, however, evident enough that the exhibition of the stones bearing the names of the tribes on the ephod, and so upon the shoulders of the High Priest, was intended always to remind the people that he performed the functions of his holy office as their representative, appearing before God on their behalf; whilst the stones on his breastplate, graven in like manner with their names, signified that he was to bear them on his heart before God; whilst they also appeared before God, by him as their representative, in all his approaches to the altar and entrances into the holy place, and thus the stones on the High Priest's breastplate were an expression of Israel's dependence, faith, and hope. The robe of the ephod was all of blue, the symbolic meaning of which has been already noticed. The hems of the robe bore pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, with bells of pure gold between the pomegranates. This symbol has always been understood as signifying the need of fruit—that is, of good works-along with the utterance of praise in the service of God-the call for fruit as well as sound." * On the mitre of the High Priest was a crown of pure gold, on which was engraven "HOLINESS TO THE LORD." This symbol needs no explanation. It was a continual reminder to the High Priest himself and to the whole people, of the sacredness of his office, and the peculiar nature of the duties which he was called to discharge. "With golden bells the priestly vest, And rich pomegranates, bordered round, And call'd for fruit as well as sound." COWPER (One of the Olney Hymns.) CHAPTER XVI. JEWISH SYMBOLS.-SALT IN MEAT OFFERINGS. AFTER what has been already said concerning leaven and unleavened bread, it seems unnecessary to take any particular notice of the meat-offerings appointed in the Jewish law, except to direct attention to the rule that every meatoffering should be seasoned with salt: "And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt" (Lev. ii. 13). It is remarkable that, notwithstanding this positive requirement of the law, and the importance here apparently ascribed to the presence of salt in the meat-offering, as the salt of the covenant of God, almost no allusion is elsewhere made to it in the whole Old Testament. It is probable that there was some ancient and well-known custom, derived from patriarchal times, of which the Jews were reminded by this law, and which they were required to observe. When we inquire into the symbolic significancy of the use of salt for it is impossible to doubt that it had a symbolic significancy-we find little difficulty. Salt was necessary to make the meat-offering-an offering of flour mingled with oil-of good savour. It was not fitting. that anything not good of its kind should be offered. to the Lord. Salt is also the most generally used and familiarly known of all antiseptics, and its power of preventing corruption made it an appropriate. symbol of that grace which prevents corruption in the heart of man. When this is considered, the meaning of the symbol becomes at once apparent; and this view of its meaning is confirmed by the D |