The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-25
CONGREGATION B,NAI JESHU3UN.

Significance Of the Jewish PrIes.ly Gar.
menis-Whnt Judaism Has Lost and What
1t Still Retains.
The importance and Significance Of public places
of worship having been treated OF last week By Dr.
vidaver took up the significance Of the priests
garments under the old Jewish dspensation yester-
day. "Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron,
thy brother for glory and beauty" was the text
chosen Moses, he said, was learned In all the wis
dom Of the Egyptians, that he might be faithful In
the house Of GOd-the vast and glorious creation
and know and understand her laws. The Egyptian
priests were the only custodians and cultivatOrs Of
the mysteries and sciences OF that period. 1t is as
serted by some that the law or Moses was copied
from the statutes OF Egypt but only cOnceted igno.
will so maintain. One Of the greatest and most
popular German poets ventured 10 write on the mis-
sion Of Noses whose laws and institutions he repre-
scented as nothing but emanations from Egyptian
sources and too many also even OF Israeps
sons subscribe to that idea, and speak OF and
treat the Utora law) with levty and contempt
He need not, he SAID, prove the Ialacy, nay, even
the aDsurdity, OF such ideas. Ponder WELL said the
Doctor, It's precepts statutes and institutions, ana
you Will ind that not only did not the Divine Legis-
lator borrow anything from Egyprs statutes, but
that the very reverse Is the Moses was reared
ldoatry, that he might know their fallibiity alsy
ana utter defOrmity, and thus be able to enact
aEs and ssnse Sre a
page OF the Pentateuch we meet with laws whose
purpose Is to erase nom the peoples hearts all
MEMORIES OF EGYPT'S IDOLATRIES
and nominations. aye snail not 10 after the abomi-
nations OF the land OF Egypt Is one OF the precepts
Of the law. It was the win Of God. say the ancient
rabbles that the hearts OF the people should be
purified from all neathenisn stains which they had
gave many laws in common witch are the very op
posite OF those or the Egyptians they breathe the
pure spirit of love and eternal truth.
I'm M I'M raaef N no fQh
OF the peoples hearts all remembrance OF their for
mer life OF BONDAGE. On the contrary, he wished
now, in the keen air Of freedom, feel i'm.
rites. eye shall not vex the stranger within your
gates, for We were strangers IN the land OF Egypt"
the Institution of the SabbaGh, which God had
sanctined from the beginning, was re-establshed In
nd a aSese we're vi mi
scntng striking contrast to impress the Jewish
mind with the importance ana superiority OF
Hebrew over all other religious Institutions of those
times. Egypt had no place Tor public worship. IT,
deed, worship was
THE PECULIAR PRERoGATrvE OF THE PRIESTS
In that land. Not Only did not Noses borrow the
idea OF public house OF God from Egypt but by
instltutng the tabernacle, he aimed heavy blow
as Tor the priesthood, one glance beneath the
surface Will prove to US the very reverse The
and symbols ana It's internal significance and
purpose, was as vastly unlike the priesthood OF
u
high caste arstOcracy, rich and wealthy. 1t stood
above the people, but could not be approached by
by any. It cultivated the arts and sciences but did
not teach or instruct the people. priest In Israel
God and OF humanity, the guardian Of the institu.
lions in the midst of the people. aud sentinel to
guard the heritage Of Israel Moses established the
OF priests educators OF humanity. Hence the priest
leads The people, bearing IN his hands the torch OF
light, knowledge, faith and truth. The garments OF
the Egyptian priests were holy In themselves, but
| Moses was commanded to make garments Of hoi-
| ness mot holy garmentsI which should symD0lize
| the mission Of the priesthood. 'We cannot do
| without symbols ana ceremonies" remarked the
preacher; mo religion can do without them; but we
must remember tnat the SYMBOL is not the sub
stance and the garment s not the priest The exter-
nails may please but the Intervals are for glory and
the principal
GARMENTS OF THE JEWISH PRIEST
| were the ephOd the breastplate the robe and the
plate on the forehead. The precious stones In the
| eph0d symb0Ized the tribes Of Israel, and the
priest carried them his shoulder to testify that
his mission not an easy one, but rather yoke.
lie was not placed In this service that ne might en-
the his S
service being deemed sufficient inheritance for
him. He was to cultivate the soil OF human hearts
and TO labor necessarily In the vineyard OF the Lord.
The breastpate OF Judgment mad also twelve bril-
liant stones IN It, that the names OF the tribes OF
Israel might be borne near his heart as symbol
| that his mission was one OF love, and hence his
| yoke was not insupportable, because the balm OF
mus Israel has borne the yoke Of humanity ior hun
dreds OF years. The robe also mad golden
| bells, which were to remind Aaron that he was not
always to raise his voice ike the c0rnet nor yet
like the thunder, but he to the sweet golden
notes OF warning and adm0niti0n, to teAcn and TO
| preach, to nlumine the dark minds and to en-.
courage the weary and weak ones, and, whether
| the people would near or f0rDear, ne was to speak
TO them. Even long sermons are In some cases al
| l0waOle. Sometimes 1t may be necessary 10 purify
the moral atmosphere that the priest saouio roar
| like the tempest, nut .
1.-THE STILL SMALL VOICE
| Is the most effective with men. But ne must always
know whether God Is In the tempest or In the still,
small voice. knowledge Ia the fOundation OF Juua-
Ism, and the Synagogue wss estaDshed not Ioi
chanting long prayers therein, but Tor instruction 10
the law and In faith. And lsraeIs misery mas IN
varlably come upon her because she lacked kn0wl
edge. The Trim and the Thummlm mean simply
Judaism the light Of reason and the light OF faith
When the former Is obscured the latter springs up
within the soul. And though Israel has lost Paes
,ine y ana sne Temple and the priesthood, and the
the Thummim-the light of reason and of faitfl--
and hence carries all richest ana roa