number of completeness--except in that of the high-priest's daily meat-offering, of

which twelve cakes were baken, as representative of Israel. Finally, as the Rabbis

express it, every meat-offering prepared in a vessel had 'three pourings of oil'--first into

the vessel, then to mingle with the flour, and lastly, after it was ready--the frankincense

being then put upon it. The 'wafers' were 'anointed' with oil, after the form of the Hebrew

letter caph, or the Greek letter ka ppa, as they explain, 'to run down in two parts.' 63

When presenting a meat-offering, the priest first brought it in the golden or silver dish in

which it had been prepared, and then transferred it to a holy vessel, putting oil and

frankincense upon it. Taking his stand at the south-eastern corner of the altar, he next

took the 'handful' that was actually to be burnt, put it in another vessel, laid some of the

frankincense on it, carried it to the top of the altar, salted it, and then placed it on the

fire. The rest of the meat-offering belonged to the priests. 64 Every meat-offering was

accompanied by a drink-offering of wine, which was poured at the base of the altar.

So complicated a service, and one which enjoined such frequent sacrifices, must always

have kept a large number of priests busy in the courts of the Temple. This was

especially the case on the great festivals; and if the magnificent Temple could hold its

210,000 worshippers --if the liturgy, music, and ritual we re equally gorgeous--we

cannot wonder that it required, multitudes of white-robed priests properly to discharge

its ministry. Tradition has it, that on the Day of Atonement no less than five hundred

priests were wont to assist in the services. On other feast-days even more must have

been engaged, as it was a Rabbinical principle, 'that a man should bring all his offerings,

that were either due from him or voluntarily dedicated, at the solemn festival that cometh

next.' In other words, if a man incurred a sacrifice, or voluntarily promised one, he was to

bring it when next he came to Jerusalem. But even this provision showed 'the weakness

and unprofitableness thereof,' since in all ordinary cases a long time must have elapsed

before the stain of guilt could be consciously removed by an atoning sacrifice, or a vow

performed. Blessed be God, the reality in Christ Jesus in this, as in all other things, far

out-distances the type! For we have always 'liberty to enter into the Holiest by the

blood of Jesus'; and 'if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer

sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the

blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,

purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!'