Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-11-23
1t should BE borne IN m1nu that It is

1t Sh0uld De borne III MIND that 1t is
not my purpose to present the ideal
worship of the New Testament, but to
study the course Of religious develop
ment that eliminated in the service Of
the Christian church. In so doing we
snail encounter many things that are
very much below the Christian stand
ard. but We may not on that account
ignore them. since they are necessary
to illustrate the progress in which we
have now occasion to rejoice.
The evolution Of worship is too vast
a theme to cover in one discourse,
we shall therefore confine our atten-
ton to its rliest phases. G
+. The ancient Semitic worship.
This antedates the religion Of Israel,
and contains practices that would not
be endured by the church Of Christ,
though we must not forget that the
now unchristian land OF Arabia was
the mother Of religion. The Semitic
family has given the world the two
earliest known forms of civilization
Egyptian and Babylonian and the
three highest faiths. Judaism, Chris
tianity and Mohammedanism.
In the earliest period belief and life
constituted very Insignificant part of
worship. Then tile emphasis was upon
the forms. The amount Of ones rell-
gion was estimated by his devotion to
ceremony. 1t was not until very
much later time that doctrine and
practice were given the attention they
deserve.
At this time there were no states or
nations. The people were Joined to-
gether in families, tribes or clans.
They had no abiding place, but Jour.
neyed from place to place to furnish
their cattle with pasturage. The god
Of the tribe was supposed to be an an.
cestor. who determined their prosper.
ity or adversely.
Each tribe had its god. who could be
worshiped only by the members Of the
clan. II one united with another tribe
he was obliged to do homage to the
deity of it. Nor could the deity of one
clan bless outside Of its. own territory.
According to the most primitive con-
ception but little Importance was at
tached to the doctrine Of the Immortal
ity of the soul. Future life has ever
been tenet Of every religious system
but it was emphasized less than the
present life. since it was held that no
, service could be rendered the deity
beyond the grave. This explains the
rea son for embalming the dead.
Sacrifice occupied most important
| place among the Semites. And there
/ are traces Of human sacrifices which
under the Christian dispensation have
been offered only by heather. The
Semites living in tribes or clans had a
| local deity to whom they offered sacri-
! flee. He sat at the table and partook
Of the slain animal.
II. The primitive Hebrew stage.
I mis- period covers the patrlarchal and
nomadic epoch. while the people were
sill wandering about. 1t is not sur
| .risin. to discover many points OF
{ resemblance between this period ana
| 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 were There wa
no temple, tabernacle or ark. A rude
| altar erected out of the stones OF the
| ground was their temple. IN Jacobs S
! 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 tht
God of the Hebrews. Other acts OF
! worship, such as prayer, VOWS and
dreams were observed.
There were very few if any hymns
1 at this time. The law had not been
fully compiled, and limited literature
III. This division introduces us t.
the Canaanitish state. Great changes
took place during his epoch, because
the people of Israel discontinued thei;
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 il
violence. ..s.,s..1 =
/ Sacred places increased in numbers
and the worship of Baal fourished
1t seems to be time Of degeneration
FOR the worship of Jehovah was cor
'upted. The ark containing the tw'
tables OF stone was transported from
one place to another. Images wer
erected to represent the deity, and tn