Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-10
Lesson Feast of Tabernacles.


Central Truth The mercies of God
should make Us grateful as we'll as glad.
II is q great mistake TO think of the
Old Testament religion as stern and
somhre. II did have its side of restraint
and sell. denial, and it is very we'll that
it did, for thence sprung much that was
best in the character OF the people. But
It also had its side of cheer and glad
ness. Each season, save winter, had its
own great festival. In the spring came
the Passover, in the summer Pentecost,
and in the autumn the Feast OF Taber-
nacles. Each was a joyful feast, but the
last was the most joyful OF all.
The first thing which strikes us in the
account OF the Feast of Tabernacles is
that it began and ended with "holy
convocation.n A holy convocstion was
religious meeting. The weekly Sab
bath was a day for such convocation,
the primitive place OF assembly being
under the open sky or wide-spreading
tree. As "holy convocations" the Jew
ish feasts were related to their Sabbath
assemblies much as our church assem-.
blies, conventions and festivals are to
our own. And it is worth observing
how large place in this particular
feast was given to strictly religious wor.
ship. From other Scripture accounts
we learn that its burnt offerings, which
we're expressive of praise and self con-
secration, were very numerous. Thus.
not only did the feast have its religious
side, but in it religion was primary and
all.pervading. There is in this fact
something most interesting and instruc-
tive. In our own festivals and national
holidays IL is the religious element that
gives them their chief value-which.
indeed, prevents them from becominga
curse. We shall do we'll to keep this in
mind. That there is so little OF spiritual
feeling and purpose in our Thanksgiving
and fast days and 4th of July, and even
in some OF our Just now so popular
camp meetings, is no good sign. Any
thing is good which helps to spiritualize
the people; anything is bad which
tends TO secularize religion.
Another thing to be noticed with re
lalion to this feast is that it was kind
of annual thanksgiving for the years
bounty. Hence its other name, the
"Feast Of Ingatherings." 1t came at the
end of the year, when the fruits had all
the olive and the grape hE1 all been
stored. 1t was good time 10 give
thanks aud sing. Some OF the most joy
full of all the psalms we're written TO be
sung at this festival. No doubt the
keeping of such q festival tended TO
perpetuate the sense of dependence on
Gods bounty. As the people poured
forth their praises in such words as
those of the sixty.fifth Psalm, "Thou
visitest the earth and wsterest It;
Thou crownest the year with thy good
ness and thy paths drop fatness," they
could not but remember that their
daily bread was all from him. Kept in
such q spirit of humble and grateful de-
pendence our own thanksgivings cannot
fail to be among the most valuable as
well a. most joyful of all the days in the
year.
By no means the least remarkable
feature of the Feast of Tabernacles Is
described in the last half of our lesson.
Certainly il was the most picturesque.
During seven whole days "ail that were
Israelites born" dwelt in booths or
tents of leafy boughs and OF branches
of fruit trees laden with fruit. In these
the people, deserting their homes, took
up their abode. The purpose OF all this
was TO keep in memory n remarkable
period Of their past history. When God
brought them up out Of Egypt he made
them TO dwell in booths. And now,
once year, they were TO live over those
days Of commingled haFdships and mer.
cies. No doubt the different materials
Of which the booths were made were in
tended to be reminders Of the different
stages OF the Wilderness journey the
branches of the palm trees" Of the
valleys and plains, the "boughs Of thick
trees Of the bushy mountain heights,
and the "willows" Of the refreshing
water brooks.
Doubtless the feast as a whole was in.
tended 10 keep alive the joyful side Of
religion. Il Is indeed called ''solemn
assembly," But TO be solemn is not OF
necessity 10 be grim. II is 10 be earnest,
and this is consistent with high Joy. OF
this same festival IL Is said (Deut. l6: ii:
ISL, Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast -
"Thou shalt surely rejoice" At later
period certain other than the original
observances we're added. There was q
far-reachipg illumination, and an even.
ing procession in holiday attire, aud
going Tor ~aser, which was poured out
&C the foot Of the altar. while the chant
arose. therefore with JOY shall ye draw
water out of the wells OF salvation
this last ceremony being supposed 70 be
type Of Him who, on the last great
day Of this very feast, stood and cried !:
.sIf any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink"
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/. God is not displeased with joyful
religion. He lays upon us obligations
and restraints, but this IL for our good.
He does not require u to be lugubrious
and sour, but bids US ''be Of good
cheer
2. Il should be specially noted that
this feast came just FIVE days after the
great Day Of Atonement, on which the
sin Of Israel had been removed and
covenant relations with God restored.