The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-11-16


reason for embalmins the dead.
Sacrifice occupied a most important
place among the Semites. And there
are traces Of human sacrihces Whlcn
under the Christian dispensatlon nave
been offered only by heather. Inc
Semites living in tribes or clans had
local deity to whom they offered sacrl"
flee. he sat at the table and partook
of the slain animal.
II. The primitive Hebrew stage.
This period covers the patriarchal ana
nomadic epoch, while the people were
still wandering about. 1t is not sur.
prising to- discover many points OF
resemblance between this period and
the preceding. They were just emerg'
ing from the ancient darkness into the
later day. God had assigned them
leaders whose work it was to LEAD
them into the truth, but they were
slow to follow.
Being nomads they appointed wor-
ship wherever they We're. There was
no temple, tabernacle or ark. A rude
altar erected out Of the stones or the
ground was their temple. In JACOBS
family were found teraphim or house
hold gods.
Sacrifice still retained the social as
pect so that it meant little more than a
family gathering at which the local
deity was present. However. by this
time Jehovah was recognized as the
God of the Hebrews. Other acts OF
worship. such as prayer, vows ana
dreams were observed.
There were very few if any hymns
at this time. The law had not been
fully compiled. and limited literature.
III. This division introduces us to
the Canaanitish state. Great changes
took place during his epoch, because
the people of Israel discontinued Their
nomadic life and settled down in the
promised land among tribes OF foreign
faith. We naturally find that the cho-
sen people suffered no little contamin-
alton, of which subsequent history IS
evidence.
Sacred places increased in numbers
and the worship of Baal hourlSlled.
It seems to be time of degeneration,
for the worship of Jehovah was cor
rupted. The ark containing the two
tables Of stone was transported from
one place to another. Images were
erected to represent the deity, and the
Urim and Thummim were employed
to ascertain the will Of God.
Sacrifice was regarded as communion
with the deity. The burnt Offering
seems to havebeen used more than any
other. PRAYER, vows, visions were
still observed, while sorcery was los
ing it's hold.
Having discontinued their wandering
life they observed the Sabbath, the
feasts of the moon and OF harvest. 1t
appears. however, that they were not
free from corruption.
Music and dancing had its place. and
it is said of David as later time that
he danced. There were hymns. such
as the exodus song. the song OF De-
borah and the song of Hannah. Laws
we're assuming form as the outgrowth
of custom. They were not written by
Moses. but compiled or formulated by
him.
". The prophetic stage. This Pc
riod is 50 called because of the number
of prophets who exercised most
wholesome influence on the life OF the
people. This was done by teaching a
more enlightened conception of God.
Samuel, David, Elijah. Elisha, Isaiah
and Jonah were among those VINO
raised the standard of living.
The high places were still used Tor
the worship Of Baal, and at one time
the worship of Baal and Jehovah We're
consolidated. At the time OF David the
ark of the covenant was taken TO Je-
rusalem, and the temple was COM
pleted in the days of Solomon. which
produced a more orderly system OF
worship. Idolatrous practices were
not, however, entirely superseded, for
we read of golden calves ut Bethel
and Gilgal.
The completion Of the temple made
the most perfect organization ana de-
velopment of the priesthood impera-
tive. 10 this time no distinction was
known between church and state, put
the division of the monarchy IN 3'o
produced a complete separation.
The acts of worship continued about
the same as in the preceding period,
except that certain restrictions were
imposed. Sacrifice was offered to es'
tablish communion with God. There
was some human sacrifice. Praying to
God was becoming pleasure, and
VOWS were made by Nazarites. Ora
cles and dreams We're regarded as chan
nels through which Jehovah commu-
nicated His revelations. Sorcery was
practiced against the protests of the
prophets. A hymn book was in pro-
cess of compilation and the priests
were compiling law.
The attitude of the prophets toward
existing conditions will help us to aS-
preciate our theme and make its ap.
plication. ,
The prophets considered the high
places as detrimental to the religious
life of the nation. They maintained
that the temple was all they required
for the worship of the true God.
The prophets insisted upon purity OF
life among the people Of God, espe-
cially the priests. 1t appears from the
records that the sacred Office was not
entirely free from corruption.
They further insisted upon the true
worship of the heart. While admit
ting the place of forms, they contend
ed that the forms must be spiritual