The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-10-26

its blood poured around the base of the
altar and sprinkled on its horns. In like
manner were the rams also slain-the
one as a whole burnt offering, and the
other for sacrifice of consecration-an
their blood sprinkled, part upon the altar
and part, mingled with the consecrated
oil, upon the priest. After this came the
holy amounting, which was effected by
pouring profusion of oil upon his head
and thenceforward he was known as "the
anointed one."
His sacerdotal dress was peculiar.
First, there was the mantle or outer gar
ment. The color of this garment was
blue, and the hem was embroidered with
pomegranates in purple and scarlet. Be-
tween the pomegranates were suspended
small bells of gold, which occasioned a
tinkling sound when the wearer of it
walked. Then came the sacred ephod
which was colored with crimson, purple,
and blue, and ornamented with gold !;
and where it crossed the shoulders it was
adorned with two onyx stones, on which
the names of the twelve tribes (six on
each) were engraved. And then lastly
came the breastplate, with its four rows
of precious stones on which again were
seen the names of the twelve tribes Of
Israel. Thus consecrated and thus ar
rayed this high priest presided over the
worship of the house of God And it was
the presidency of this sacred person that
sanctifed the peoples worship and guar
anteed it's acceptance. Thus their access
into the presence of God was through
him, or in consequence Of his mediation.
1t was he who received their offerings
and burned them upon the altar. 1t was
he who sprinkled with blood both the
mercy seat and the worshippers. 1t was
he who presented their prayers, mingled
with the holy incense. 1t was he who
made prevailing intercession for them
within the veil.
"Such High Priest have we, who is
set on the right hand of the throne of the
majesty in the heavens, minister of the
better sanctuary and of the true taber-
nacle, which the Lord pitched and not
man." made a priest, says Paul, not after
the law Ceremony of a carnal command
ment, but after the power of an endless
life: made or consecrated a priest, not
like those other priests who we've made
,0ithout an oath, but made so with the
oath of Him who said unto Him: "The
Lord swears and will not repent; Thou
art priest forever after the order of
Melchizedek."
Such an High Priest became us, who
is holy, harmless, undefled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heav-
ems, who needed not daily, as those high
priests to offer up sacrifices, first for his
own sins and then for the sins of the
people, for this he did once and for all
when he offered up himself; and now he
ever liveth to make intercession for us
within the veil.
Such is our Priest who presides over
all the worship of the house of God. And
it is the presidency of this great High
Priest that sanctifes the worship of his
people, and gives assurance that it will
be accepted. Our access into the pre-
sence Of God, therefore, is through him.
or In consequence of his mediation. 1t
is he who receives our offerings and laws
them on the golden altar before the
throne. 1t is he who sprinkles the mercy
seat and us with his own peace-speaking
blood. 1t is he who presents our prayers
and super-adds his own. What is i'm
perfect in our worship he takes away.
What is sin-marred he covers up and
hides with his own righteousness. And
by super-adding his merits, which the
ancients SO aptly syrnbolized, he makes
us acceptable to God-acceptable in our
persons and in our worship.
Such an High Priest have we, who
presides over all the worship of the Lords
house. We know not by what name the
angels called him before he came to
earth on his mission of love and mercv
but he is known now, and will be known
forever more as The Great High Priest