The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-08-04
THE DAY OF ACHIEVEMENT.
THE OCCASION OF THE APPOINTMENT

Soon after having been installed in their
Office as priests of the Tabernacle, the two
sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, appear to
have been killed by lightning while violatin
the prescribed requirements of their office.
They offered strange fire before the LORD,
which he had not commanded Them" Moses
appears to have interpreted the event of their
death as a punishment for their unlawful
official doings tx. i'll. They appear to have
entered, or intended to enter the Hottest
place to burn incense before the Mercy Seat
as the polished gold plate on the lid of the
Ark was called, which was the symbol of
GoD's presence in the Tabernacle. This
fatal circumstance seems to have been the
occasion for the appointment of the Day of
Atonement, the ceremonies of which are
described in the Lesson. GoD spoke to Moses
by the sad event to the effect that Aaron
should be warned not to enter the sacred
apartment behind the veil, at all times-at
any time-lest he also die, and the time and
manner of such entrance is prescribed. The
penalty of death may have been declared for
wilful prestly violation of the ritual of wor-
ship. Only the high priest was permitted to
enter the Hottest Place one day in the year,
and he must observe the commandments,
that he die not before him who appeared in
the cloud of incense above the Mercy Seat.
THE MANNER OF ITS OBSERVANCE
The ceremony of observing the Day of Atone
ment appears to be as follows: The people
rested as upon the Sabbath. and "affiicted
their souls" that is, tasted and abstained
from their usual labors and pleasures upon
the pain of death (xxiii. 26-32); the high
priest alone conducting the ceremonies of
worship at the Tabernacle. Clothed in white
linen garments, having bathed his body
the symbols of holiness, he offered bullock
for sin Offering for himself and the priest
hood, and two goets for the people, one of
which was sacrificed, and the other symbol
ically laden with the sins of the people, and
sent away to be lost in the wilderness. Hay-
ing slain the bullock and one goat, he took
censor filled with burning Goals from the
altar, and two handfuls of incense, and went
into the Holy of Holes and burned the in-
cense, filling the place with cloud of fra
grant smoke. Then he took the blood of the
bullock and goat and sprinkled it separately,
upon the Ark, and the floor of the sacred
place, and likewise upon the affairs that we're
within the sacred Tent of Meeting. When
he had sprinkled all the symbols of Cons
presence in the Tabernacle, with the blood
of the sin offerings, he then brought the live
goat before the altar of burnt offering, and
placing his hands upon its head he confessed
all the sins of the people upon it and sent it
away to be let loose in the wilderness, by a
man appointed for the purpose, who, after
having washed his garments, and bathed
himself, returned to the congregation of the
people. When this was accomplished, the
high priest put off his white garments, and
again bathed himself, and put on the SPLEEN
did robes of his Office, and sacrificed the two
rams as burnt offerings for himself and the
people. At some time during the service,
probably at its conclusion, he may have pro-
nounoed the prescribed blessing upon the
assembled people Xxx. 2-23; Numbers vi. %
30. Other sacrifices were prescribed for the
people on this day, besides the ordinary
daily sacrifices Numbers xxx. I'D.
ITS sIGNIFIGANGE.-The ceremonies of
the Day of Atonement, recognized the Divine
holiness and human sinfulness, and symbol
lied the Divine forgiveness upon the condi-
tion of repentance aud righteousness. 1t