since it would already belong unto God.

But of far greater importance is the arrangement of sacrifices into the most holy and the

less holy, which is founded on Scripture (Lev 6:17; 7:1; 14:13). Certain meat-offerings

(Lev 2:3,10; 6:17; 10:12), and all burnt-, sin -, and trespass-sacrifices, as well as all public

peace-offerings, were most holy. Such were to be offered or sacrificed in one of the more

holy places; they were slain at the north side of the altar 38 (the less holy at the east or

south side); and they were either not partaken of at all, or else only by the officiating

priests, and within the court of the Temple.

The skins of the most holy sacrifices, except such as were wholly burnt, belonged to the

priests; those of the less holy to the offerers. In the latter case they also partook of their

flesh, the only exception being the firstlings, which were eaten by the priests alone. The

Rabbis attach ten comparative degrees of sanctity to sacrifices; and it is interesting to

mark that of these the first belonged to the blood of the sin -offering; the second to the

burnt-offering; the third to the sin -offering itself; and the fourth to the trespass-offering.

Lastly, all sacrifices had to be brought before actual sunset, although the unconsumed

flesh might smoulder on the altar till next dawn.

The Rabbis mention the following five acts as belonging to the offerer of a sacrifice: the

laying on of hands, slaying, skinning, cutting up, and washing the inwards. These other

five were strictly priestly functions: catching up the blood, sprinkling it, lighting the altar

fire, laying on the wood, bringing up the pieces, and all else done at the altar itself.

The whole service must have been exceedingly solemn. Having first been duly purified,

a man brought his sacrifice himself 'before the Lord'--anciently, to 'the door of the

Tabernacle' (Lev 1:3; 4:4), where the altar of burnt-offering was (Exo 40:6), and in the

Temple into the Great Court. If the sacrifice was most holy, he entered by the northern; if

less holy, by the southern gate. Next he placed it so as to face the west, or the Most

Holy Place, in order thus literally to bring it before the Lord. To this the apostle refers

when, in Romans 12:1, he beseecheth us to present our 'bodies a living sacrifice, holy,

acceptable unto God.'

But this was only the commencement of the service. Women might bring their sacrifices

into the Great Court; but they might not perform the second rite--that of laying on of

hands. This meant transmission and delegation, and implied representation; so that it

really pointed to the substitution of the sacrifice for the sacrificer. Hence it was always

accompanied by confession of sin and prayer. It was thus done. The sacrifice was so

turned that the person confessing looked towards the west, while he laid his hands

between the horns of the sacrifice, 39 and if the sacrifice was brought by more than one,

each had to lay on his hands.

It is not quite a settled point whether one or both hands were laid on; but all are agreed

that it was to be done 'with one's whole force'--as it were, to lay one's whole weight

upon the substitute. 40