The New York herald., 1871-02-27
ST. MARY,S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Rev. j. Mckee ON the Visions Of Fzeisiel.
WAsHINGToS. Feb. 20, 1871.
After the preliminary service OF the Episcopal
church this morning the pastor, Rev. J. NJ f. McKee,
took for his text the following passage from the
second verse OF the tenth chapter of Ezekies pro.
pnecy:-"The Lord spake unto the man clothed with
linen and said, Go in between the wheels, even
under the cnerub, and I'LL thy hand with Goals OF fire
from between the cherubim, and scatter them over
the CITY," The preacher, in opening his discourse,
touched on the character and mission Of the sacred
writer of the text. Ezekiel he said, was priest OF
the Jewish Church as well as prophet OF Jehovah.
Among the Jewish prophets he was conspicuous for
the great energy OF his character and vigorous style
OF his writings. His very name was prophetic
index Of his character. ''Ezekiep' meaning the
power OF God glrding with strength.
THE IMAGERY OF EzEKrEL's VISIONS,
though sometimes obscure In meaning. owing to
the mystic symbolism through whose sublime but
complex tracery the divine judgments and future
mercles were disclosed, like the glittering rainbow
lifting It's shadowy splendors out of the gloomy ele-
ments OF the Storm were at the same time srrlkingy
bold and beautiful in their embodiment. The
Prophet HabaKkuk adopts this halfconcealing half
disclosing form Of revelation when ne speaks OF
God as having beams coming out OF his nand ana
yet there was the hiding OF his power The preacher
then adduced some Of the fine aegories Of Ezekiel
to show the great strength and beauty OF the
prophets imagery Among these he referred to tie
VALLEY OF DRY BONES
wherein the resurrection OF that slain army by the
breath invoked from the four winus by Ezekiel was
not only figure or the conversion and restoration
to their native land OF the unbelevng and scattered
Jews. but was also an expressive symbol OF
the resurrection under the Christian dspensa-
ton OF sinful souls from the death of Sin to
the new birth OF righteousness by the
Spirit lie then showedihow Ezekiel developed itia the
oice OF Christ as the great shepherd and bishop OF
souls, IN the attractive allegory of the good shep
herd OF Israel who was to unite under his loving
and gentle sway the long vexed and envious mem
oers of the people of God as the typical tribes Of
Ephram and Judah He alluded to Ezekel's beau
tfu allegory OF the holy waters issuing
from under the threshold OF the Temple and
which widened and deepened as they all
vanced, aud along whose icrtliizing stream
ladeless trees and MOWERS, with their medicinal
leaves. grew In profuson, and in whose lifegiylng
tide disease was replaced by health and vigor. This
alegory OF the holy waters Is a fine emblem OF the
source and progress of the Gospel whose long pent
pie, the triumphant shout at Is fnshed,n broke
from the lips OF the Redeemer on the cross and as
1t flowed out or the dim, cold shadows OF the tenn
pie OF Judaism into the clear, light OF the sun
OF righteousness, carried into all lands
THE BLESSINGS OF TRUE CIVILIZATION
and the hopes Of eternal enjoyment beyond the
grave. Ezekiel was among the first OF the Jewish
captlves who, in the time OF Joachim, King OF
Judea, nearly six hundred years prior to the ad-
vent OF Christ were carried to Babylon by King
Nebuchadnezzar and were coonlzed on the shore or
the river Chebar, about two hundred miles above
the city OF Babylon, where Ezekiel ministered for
twenty years to his captive countrymen. The
idolatrous ana other sinful practices of the rem
nant OF his people lett behind amd the
desolation OF Jerusalem on the one hand. and the
impenitence and murmurngs OF MS fellow cap
lives on the Chebar on the other, stirred the right
eous soul Of Ezekiel TO It's depths. Jeremiah, who
for three years before the captivity had been the
contempofary OF EZekie ~ Jerusalem, had predicted
wickedness; but, unawed by the partial desoation
OF the city and Temple, the glddy remnant In Judea
began to grow sceptica OF the complete fulflment
OF Jeremiah's prediction against them, and plunged
with fresh reeklessness into the idolatry and foes
sending the Chaldean army OF Nebnchadnezzar to
invade and desolate their beautiful capital, desc
crate and rob their sacred Temple and carry the
most important OF their people into captivity.
While the righteous soul OF Ezekiel was thus vexed
within HIM by the
He was seated In his house the banks of the
Chebar as described in the eighth chapter when lie
is suddenly transported in vision to the city OF Jeru
salem, where he witnesses within the precincts of
the Temple, at the very gate or the altar, scenes OF
abomlnauon which account for the judgments that
God was visiting upon His chosen people. Having
gaZed for u While upon these abomlnatiOns,
and the terrible JUDGMENTS which followed
nem III ae tn 4en,s ne % i enpe e
eyes from these melancholy scenes in Jerusalem to
the heavens above HIM and benolds a sight Of be-
wilderng glory and grandeur 1t Is glimpse OF the
New Jerusalem, afterwards seen by ST. Jonn in Pat
mos ana described in his Book OF Revelation.
made with hands, within which sapphire throne,
arched with rainbow. on which God, IN the like.
with the glory Of the Lord IN the sembance of
A GREAT CURTAIN OF FIRE
unfolding ITSELF whose amber brightness disclOses
to the vision OF Ezekiel the startling forms OF four
cherubms, each with four faces and four wings,
while the entire body is filled with eyes. AS the
prophet continues gaze upon the singular specta-
Gle he notices that the four faces OF each or the
cheruom different IN species. the first being the
face Of man, to denote understanding; the second
ance, and the fourth the lace Of an
,c~ln acfr rY.
TO soar to great height. The prophet also notices
that eacE OF the cnerubim has beneath his wings the
est in the mind Of the prophet, as he gazes upon
this wonderful vision OF the cheruDn, Is their start
Each Is connected with two large wheels passing
through each other dagonay, thus forming the out
nss 50 swift s e. % e pTSaSe
like the movements OF the lightning and
always going and returning In straight line TO or
from the four points OF the compass. These large
wheels are filled with eyes, and in the wheels reside
the life and intelligence OF the cherubIm. AS the
prophet gazes In silence at this wonderful sight OF
the wheeled cherubm, and hears the rustic OF their
wings as they go and come on their swift mis-.
sion, he sees man clothed with linen and
throne and the prophet hears the voice OF the Man
sitting On the throne:-Say 10 the man Clothed with
linen, go in between the Wheels even under the
cherub, and rli thy hands with Goals Of hre from
between the cherubim. and scatter them over the
CITY," This vision of the wheel cherublm the
preacher regarded as magnificent figure OF the all.
seeing and allwse Providence OF God In its unity OF
perception and motion. The wheels filled with
eyes, In which dwelt the life and Intelligence
or the cherubim, represented the dealings OF God
with the analrs OF men on earth. The feathered
bodies or the cherublm symbolised HIS swift
angels, who exceled in strength, who fulfilled His
commandment and hearKened unto the voice OF
ais word, while the man clothed with linen was the
Coo Man Christ Jesus to whom was delegated by
the Father the task Of scattering the
sC0RCHtN0 GOALS or JUDGMENT
over che idolarous city of Jerusalem. Living said
tie preacher, in the present light of unOded reyel-
tion with the predictions Of jeremiah and Ezekiel
concerning the utter desolation OF Jerusalem, ful.
ned to the letter. and the symbolic Judgment OF the
man clothed with linen, scattering tho scorching
Goals over the doomed city, realized to the
full, does not the inspired prOverb OF the
wise solomon. that righteousness exalteth
nation but sin Is reprOach to any
people ~ connect itself in our thoughts with
Al aanranriat tenesS Ql its QYAs. Kha THOUGHTS W.: