Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-03
NOVEMBER @.
Lesson e.-The Day of Atonemont
LEvIrrcra IGi Ie-9O.

LEvIrfcus lG. 1e-30.
GoIpEx Thrive also 10Y iu God through our
Lord Jesas Christ, by whom we have now received
the asonement Rom. o; ii.
Central Truth BY his one sacrifice on
The cross Christ has obtained eternal re-
demption for us.
In the round OF the Jewish year the
great day was the ''Dsy of Atonement."
The Feast of Tabernacles, the grand
harvest festival, closed the festival cir.
Gle, and-since rightly to rejoice in the
gifts of God one must be at peace with
him-the Day of Atonement immedi.
ately preceded that joyous feast But
there were special things which made it
the greatest day in the year. The
truths it taught and the lessons it
brought home were of the very highest
Importance. II kept alive aud impress
ed the supreme facts of the holiness OF
God, the evil of sin, mans need OF
atonement and pardon, and the com
pleteness Of the pardon offered. These
things were more than limited at in the
other sacrifices, and in some of them
were unmistakably taught. But in the
rites of this day they were expressed
with peculiar distinctness and force.
The day was one of "holy convoca-
tion" or solemn meeting. On II no work
was to be done from even unto even"
From the command that every Israel.
ite should "affiict his soun it has been
inferred that it was kept as fast. On
this day the sacred rites were all per-
formed by the high priest alone, and
there was something significant in the
fact that he laid aside his usual splendid
robes, embroidered with threads Of gold,
for garment of simple white, thus i'm
pressively symbolizing the perfect puri.
ty with which one must enter the i'm
mediate presence of God.
The day began and ended with the
usual morning and evening sacritices,at
which the high priest wore his ordinary
dress. The morning sacrifices being
ended the high priest bathed his entire
person and put on his garments OF
white. First, with q bullock procured
at his own cost he made q sin offering
for himself and his associates in the
priesthood. The bullock having been
slain its blood was left standing in ba-
sin, while the high priest. with a censer
of live Goals from off the altar in one
hand and handfuls of incense in gol
den vessel in the other, proceeded to
the Holy of HOLES. Lifting the veil he
cast the incense on the Goals, and at
once the place was filed with fragrant
clouds Of smoke. Returning, he took
the basin of blood and again entering
the most holy place sprinkled first The
mercy seat, and then before the mercy
seat on the ground. This was his atone
ment for himself aud the priests and
for the more sacred parts OF the taber.
nacle in their relation to the priest.
hood.
Next followed the atonement for the
people. This was q complex rite for
which the two goats were already in
waiting. One OF these was slain and its
blood was sprinkled, as was that Of the
bullock, on and before the mercy seat
in the most holy place. This was the
atonemest for the people and for the
tabernacle in its connection with them.
The next thing was the cleansing,
with the mingled blood OF the bullock
and the goat, of the altar Of incense in
the holy place and of the altar OF burnt
Offering in the forecourt.
The atonement was now complete
with the exception OF single rite, which
was, however, most expressive and i'm.
poftant. IL was the part for which the
other goat was in waiting. Laying his
hands upon its head the high priest
made confession of all the sins of all
the people, thus symbolically putting
them upon the goat, which was then
sent away TO AzazeI, supposed by some
70 be ''the most desolate wild" Of all the
wilderness. This was not ceremonial
BY itself, but completion Of the atone.
ment already made. The two goats were
in effect one victim; the two being
made use OF TO express . complex idea
which could not be conveyed by one.
Together they expressed the truth that
sin, when cleansed by blood, is not sim.
ply covered but borne far away. Il was
the fulfillment beforehand of the prom.
ise, "As far - the east is from the west
80 far hath he removed our transgres.
sIons from us."
The parts Of the bullock and of the
first goat not destined for the sltar were
uow burned without the camp" and
thus the ceremonies peculiar TO the day
Pwere completed.
The great things signified by all this
snFe too plain TO be mistaken. God Is
holy and man Is sinner. Save a. his
zsin Is covered OF alonement Il made for
zit he cannot enjoy the blessing of the
Ztilyine favor. Nor is ii enough 70 find
an Offering for special errors and trans
zgressions. AZ : sinner in all that he
i and does be needs atonement and
pardon. To his ancient people God sent
bis home BY the special sin offerings OF
his great Day of Atonement, assuring
hem, By means Of these symbols, OF
bardon not less complete than if he had
east I'll their sins into the depths of
he sea-" And yet all these were gym.
ois only. The real efficacy was not 10
hem; Il was in that greater sacrifice
hieh they prefgured, in that one costly
nd precious Offering made In due time
= the cross. Ii Is and ever wac the Of
ering Of The seLamb slain from the
1undation OF the world" that truly ef.
H1ta afonement and procures pardon.
that offering the ancient jews saw