The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-31
LESSON STORY.

The day appointed for the dedica'
ton of the temple was in the autumnal
month of Ethanim, or Tizri, exactly
week before the Feast Of Tabernacles.
The design is apparent. The week given
to the feast of dedication was to be sup
plemented with the week given to booth
and tent life in the autumnal Thanks
giving; so that two weeks of extraordin-
airy celebration might commemorate the
completion of the temple.
The dedication was held according to
appointment; yet the final finishing of
the temple was not completed until
month later.
The erection of such building in the
space Of seven years is regarded as a
marvel of expedition. The combined
force, Israelitish and Pheuician, kept
continuously at work for the temple, in
forests, quarries and on the temple site,
was about two hundred thousand. That
such an army of builders could be kept
at work, the labor of each one contribut.
ing to the object of all, is evidence of
Solomon's orga nizing and executive
genius. Surely God gave him ability to
govern his people.
A summons was sent to the entire ma
ton. from "the entering Of Klamath to
the river of Egypt" to participate in the
ceremonies of dedication in Jeru salem.
1t was the season when the husband
mans labors 10 the field were we'll nigh
over; and to answer the summons was
only to anticipate by one week the regu-
lar return of the autumnal Tbanksgiv-
ing.
Ii all the men of Israel had come, or
the m en- alone, there would have been a
million and quarter in attendance.
But while many men of Israel were
doubtless absent. others brought their
families. This was customary at the
Feast of Tabernacles. The multitude
nov conferred in Jerusalem was, therefore
great beyond computation.
The temple area, after Herod's en-
largement, was about thirty five acres;
in Solomon's day it was about twelve
acres. This space was. in the earlier
period, divided into two courts; the one
nearest the temple being the court of the
priests. and the other being the court of
the people The temple faced the east.
By the doors OF it's porch stood two won
drous symbolic pillars = joachim and
Boaz-signifying that the temple was
established in strength. la the court
of the priests stood the brazen altar, the
brazen sea, the ten LAYERS. The brazsn
altar was for the Offering of burnt sacri-
fees; it was fifteen feet high and thirty
feet square. The brazsn sea was round
BASIN fifteen feet in diameter contain
log water for the priests to wash in; it
was elevated seven and half feet on
twelve brazen lions. This brazen sea,
with all its Recommendation, is represented
to have been the product of a single
casting. The ten LAYERS contained the
water necessary for the priestly prepare
ton of the burnt sacrifices.
In this space. front of the temple and
near to it, and Immediately before the
altar for burnt offerings on a temporary
platform of bror "a four and one half
feet high and seven and one-half feet
long. the king stood in his purple robes.
when he Dedicated the temple to the
worship of Jehovah. He was plainly be-
held. not by all the people, that was i'm
possible, but probably by the thirty
eight thousand priests and Levites who
thronged the court of the pr ests. and
OF the innumerable elders of the nation