Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-21
THE NUMBER SEVEN

III siA was perfected, and the
seventh was set apart for rest. On the 7th of
the 9TH month holy observance was ordained
the children OF Israel, who tasted days and
remained days In tents; the seventh day was
directed to be Sabbath Of rest for all things:
NJ the end OF times years commenced the
grand jubilee; every seventh year the land lay
1aiiow; every seventh year there was n general
release from all debts, and all bondsmen were
set free From this law may have originated
the custom of binding young men to years ap-
prenticeship, and of Furnishing incorrigible Of
lenders for Z, twice z, or three times years :
every years the law was directed to be read
to the people; Jacob served years for the DOS
session of Rachel, and also another years
Noah had days warning Of the flood, and was
commanded to take the fowls of the air into the
ark by sevens, and the clean beasts by sevens
the ark touched the ground in the 7th month,
and In days dove was sent, and again in
days after. The years of famine were foretold
in Pharaoh s dreams, by the fat and the
lean beasts, and the ears Of full corn and the
ears Of blasted corn. The young animals
were to remain with the dam days, and at the
close of the 7th taken away. BY the old law,
man was commanded to forgive his offending
brother times, but the meekness Of the last
revealed religion extended his humiliation 10
seventy times 1. I" If Cain shall be avenged
fold, truly Lamech seventy times T." In the
destruction of Jericho, priests bofe trumpets
udyS. vi luc ScEcHtI uuy surrounded the wall
Z times; and after the seventh time the wall
lei. Ealaam prepared bu!locks and rams
tor sacrifice; Laban pursued Jacob days
journey; Job friends sat with him days and
nights, and offered seven buliocks and seven
rams In atOnement for their wickedness; Da-
vid, IN bringing up the ark, offered seven bull
lscks and seven rams; Elijah sent his servant
seven times to look for the cloud; Hezekiah
IN cleaning the temple, offered bullocks and
rams and he goats as a sin Offering. The
children of Israel, when Hezekah took away
the strange altars, keptthe feast of uuleavened
bread days. Kings Ahasuerus had cham
berlains, and days feast, and sent for the
Queen on the 9TH day and in the 7th year of
his reign she was taken to him. Queen Esther
had maids to attend her. Solomon was years
building the temple, at the dedication of which
he feasled days; in the tabernacle were
lamps; days were appointed for an atonement
upon tho altar, and the priest son was ordained
to wear his fathers garments days; the
children of Israel ate unleayened bread7 days;
Abraham gave eve lambs to Abimelech az a
memorial Tor a well; Joseph mourned days
Tor Jacob. The rabbis say God employed the
power of answering this number to perfect the
greatness of Samuel, bis name answering the
value OF the letters in the Hebrew word, which
signifies Whence Hannah, his mother in her
thanks, says" that the barren had broug ught forth
the seventh" In the scriptures are enumer-
ated reSurreetiOns-the widow son, by Elias
the Shunamite's son, by Elisha the soldier who
touched the bones Of the prophet; the daughter
OF the ruler OF the synagogue; ; the widows son
of Main; Lazarus. and our blessed Lord Out
OF Mary Magdalene were cast devils. The
Apostles chose deaeons. Enoch, who was
translated, 9TH after Adam. and Jesus Christ
the 18th IL direct line. Our Saviour spoke
times from the crGsS, on which lac remained
hours; he appeared times; after times
law sant nj host Tnf fnoT
are Z petitions, expressed in times words,
omittDg those of mere grammatical connec-
ton. Within this number are contained all tho
mysteries OF the Apocalypse, revealed to the
churches OF Asia there appeared golden car
dlesticks, and stars that were in the hand
OF Him that was in the midst seven lamps
being the seven spirits Of God. The book with
seven seals; seven Kings seven thunders
thousand men slain. I he dragon with heads,
and the Z angels bearing vials of wrath
The vision of Daniel weeks; the fiery furnace
was made times hotter for Shadrach, Me
shack and Abedneyo; Nebuchadnezzar ate
grass of the field years. The elders of Israel
were 10. There are also numbered heavens
! planets, stars wise men, 7 Champions of
Christendom, notes in music, primary COL
ors, deadly sins, sacraments in the Roman
Catholic Church. The seventh son was con-
sidercd as endowed with pre-emiDent wisdom
the seventh son Of q seventh son is still thought
by some to Possess the power Of healing dis
eases spontaneously. Perfection is iikened to
gold times purified in the fire, and we vet
say, you trighten me out of my senses"
Anciently child was not named before days,
not being accounted fully to have life before
that periodical day. The teoth spring cut In
the seventh month and are renewed in the sew
enth year, when infancy is changed into child
hood. At thrice the faculties are developed
manhood commences, and we become legally
competent to all civil acts at four times man
Is In full possession of his strength at FIVE times
:, he IL fl for the business Of the world; at six
times he becomes grave and wise, or never !;
at seven times he is in his apogee, and from
that time he decays At eight times he is in
his first cllnactcric, or year OF danger; and
ten tunes Z, or three score years and ten has
by the royal prophet been pronounced the nat
ural period Of human life. There were Z chiefs
before Tbebes; the blood was to be spinkled
times before the altar; n canaan Was 60 be dipped
times in Jordan; Apuieius speaks of the dip
ping OF the head times for publication. In
all solemn rites OF purgation, dedication and
conservation, the oil Of water was times sprip-
kied. The house of wisdom, in Proverbs had
Z pillars.
An Old friend by onr side reminds us tha t
the war Of independence occupied years and
that BurgOyne surrendered to Gates in l177 :
80 that as Americans we have good reason to
cherish this hallowed number