which so many Jewish memories attached. From this gate an arched roadway, by which

the priests brought out the 'red heifer,' and on the Day of Atonement the scapegoat, is

said to have conducted to the Mount of Olives. Near the spot where the red heifer was

burned were extensive lavatories, and booths for the sale of articles needed for various

purifications. Up a crest, on one of the most commanding elevations, was the Lunar

Station, whence, by fire signals, the advent of each new moon was telegraphed from hill

to hill into far countries. If Jewish tradition may further be trusted, there was also an

unused gate in the Temple towards the north--Tedit or Tere --and two gates towards

the south. We know for certain of only a subterranean passage which led from the

fortress Antonia on the 'north-western angle' of the Temple into the Temple Court, and

of the cloisters with stairs descending into the porches, by one of which the chief

captain Lysias rushed to the rescue of Paul, when nearly killed by the infuriated

multitude. Dismissing all doubtful questions, we are sure that at any rate five gates

opened into the outer Temple enclosure or Court of the Gentiles --one from the south,

and four--and these the principal--from the west. That southern gate was double, and

must have chiefly served the convenience of the priests. Coming from Ophel, they

would pass through its gigantic archway and vestibule (40 feet each way), and then by a

double tunnel nearly 200 feet long, whence they emerged at a flight of steps leading

straight up from the Court of the Gentiles into that of the priests, close to the spot where

they would officiate. 8

But to join the great crowd of worshippers we have to enter the city itself. Turning our

back on Mount Zion, we now face eastwards to Mount Moriah. Though we look

towards the four principal entrances to the Temple, yet what we see within those walls

on the highest of the terraces is not the front but the back of the sanctuary. It is curious

how tradition is here in the most palpable error in turning to the east in worship. The

Holy Place itself faced east-wards, and was approached from the east; but most

assuredly the ministering priests and the worshippers looked not towards the east, but

towards the west.

The Temple plateau had been artificially levelled at immense labour and cost, and

enlarged by gigantic substructures. The latter served also partly for the purpose of

purification, as otherwise there might have been some dead body beneath, which,

however great the distance from the surface, would, unless air had intervened, have,

according to tradition, defiled the whole place above. As enlarged by Herod the Great,

the Temple area occupied an elongated square of from 925 to 950 feet and upwards. 9

Roughly calculating it at about 1,000 feet, this would give an extent more than one-half

greater than the length of St. Peter's at Rome, which measures 613 feet, and nearly

double our own St. Paul's, whose extreme length is 520 1/2 feet. And then we mu st bear

in mind that the Temple plateau was not merely about 1,000 feet in length, but a square

of nearly 1,000 feet! It was not, however, in the centre of this square, but towards the

north-west, that the Temple itself and its special courts were placed. Nor, as already

hinted, were they all on a level, but rose terrace upon terrace, till the sacred edifice itself

was reached, its porch protruding, 'shoulder-like,' on either side--perhaps rising into

two flanking towers --and covering the Holy and Most Holy Places. Thus must the

'golden fane' have been clearly visible from all parts; the smoke of its sacrifices slowly

curling up against the blue Eastern sky, and the music of its services wafted across the

busy city, while the sunlight glittered on its gilt roofs, or shone from its pavement of

tesselated marble, or threw great shadows on Olivet behind.