The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-18
SAORIFIOIAL sYMBOLRY.

The custom of bloody sacrifices was
common to all primitive religions, not
excepting the Hebrew. Whatever idea
we, of this century, may have of such
custom, we are sure, that to the He
brews of our Old Testament times it
had wonderful power and significance.
It is impossible for us to say how far
the real spiritual meaning of this, to US,
rather gross symbolry, was apparent to
this ancient people. But it is not diff
cult for us to see under it all grand
idea, one permanent and essential in
all religions, even the most spiritual.
And, moreover, we have reasons for
believing that these customs had a
most strong and bene6cent moral influ-
ence upon the people, even though they
could not comprehend to the full the
lesson of them.
One thought symbolized in these
sacrifices was the deadly nature of sin.
No people ever had so keen sense Of
the evil effects of sin upon the well-be-
ing of men as the Hebrews. Sin was
positively deadly in its results. The
sins of the people laid upon the head
Of an animal, and then that animal
sacrificed by fire, only deepened within
them the natural sense Of the awful
effects of moral turpitude. Sin was a
thing to be got rid of, to be expiated;
the animal upon whom the sin was
representatiyely placed must die. 1t
was the nature of sin to destroy the
person, or animal, upon whom it re-
manned; therefore the animal must die
as symbol of this moral death from
sin. There existed, therefore, always
the necessity of putting away sin, of
getting rid of it, and of being religiously
clean. Sin was moral impurity; this
impurity might be cleansed, but only by
the most solemn outward ceremonies as
symbolic of the inward necessity.
There is no question that the sacri-
fees, which with most of the primitive
nations were offerings to the gods for
the sake of propitiating favor, were,
with the Hebrews, the offerings of a
contrite heart, sensible of sin and Of its
deadly nature, designed, not to pur-
chase the favor of the Eternal, but to
cleanse and purify the soul of the peni-
tent sinner.
The idea that the Jewish blood sacri-
fees were typical of the sacrifice of
Christ on Calvary is not borne out by
any proof. The idea came, doubtless,
from the doctrine, that all the sacrifices
were done away in Christ's death
that he suffered once for all; that his
blood cleansed from sin, and, therefore,
no more sacrifcial ceremonies were
needful. All these expressions will be
understood if we recall the fact, that to
the early apostles, especially to Paul,
the universally of Christianity early
revealed itself. These apostles early
saw that Christianity was not a re-
formed, rejuvenated Judaism, but a
new and complete religion. In this
new religion there was no need of the
old sacrifices and ceremonies. The old
bottles could not hold the new wine.
The blood sacrifices must pass away.
Once for all time Christ had been of
fered to take away the sin of the world.
In his name, by his gospel, the impur-
ity of sin might be cleansed without the
intervention Of burnt-offerings and sin
offerings of animals laid upon the altar.
The Gospel of Christ was to become
the universal 'power unto salvation"
through his sacrifice, and there were to
be no other offerings for ever in the
name and under the light of Christian
ity.
Therefore, the symbolry of the Old
Testament is used in the New Tesla
ment both in it's objective and its subjec-
tive meanings. The act of offering the
sacrifices upon the sacred affairs was
done away with; Christian worship
was to know nothing more of any such
ceremonial rites. But the deadly ma
ture Of sin, the need of putting it away,
the obligation of pure heart, remained
in Christian consciousness as in Jewish.
Christ, through faith in him, became
the lamb of God, to take away the sin
of the world; the sacrifice for the propi-
tiation Of sin; the cleansing and heal
ing power applied to the soul through
a perfect love and trust. By means of
the old, familiar, symbolic rites, urged
to their highest subjective or spiritual
import, the apostles would apply the
truths of the Gospel to the moral and
religious needs of the world. Hence
forth in the religion of Jesus there was
to be no more shedding of blood and
Staying Of sacrifices. Christ had been
sacrificed once for all; in his name, by
his truth and grace was the penitent
sinner cleansed and healed.