Chapter I: AS THE islands of the Ægean Sea are often referred to in the Acts, (1)

especially in the account of Paul's voyage to Phoenicia, in his third missionary journey, we present a map representing them upon a larger scale, with those portions of Asia and Europe adjoining them. Such of the islands as are mentioned in the history have been already described. One of the smallest is brought to our notice in the book of Revelation, =Patmos=, to which the apostle John was banished. This lies 20 miles south of the island of Samos, 24 miles west of Asia Minor, and about 70 miles southwest of Ephesus. It is about 20 miles in circumference, and is rocky and barren. Its loneliness and seclusion made it a suitable place for the banishment of criminals; and to it the apostle John was banished by the emperor Domitian, near the close of the first Christian century: though some scholars give an earlier date, under the emperor Nero. A narrow isthmus divides the island into two parts, north and south. On a hill in the southern part is a monastery named after the apostle John, and near it is the cave where it is said by tradition that he received the vision of the Apocalypse. In the Middle Ages the island was called Patmosa, and it is now known as _Patmo_.

II. The term =Asia= was used by the ancients in varied extent of meaning. 1. Its earliest use in Homer refers only to a meadow near Troy (Troas), which was called the "Asian meadow." 2. The lands of Mysia, Lydia, Caria, and a part of Phrygia, were known as Proconsular Asia, as they formed the province of Asia under the Roman government. This was originally the dominion of the last king of Pergamos, whose title was "king of Asia"; and was by him bequeathed to the Romans. 3. Asia Minor, as a whole, was sometimes called by the name Asia, though not often. 4. The entire Asiatic continent was known by this name in ancient times; but this use of the word is not found in Scripture.

III. =The Seven Churches of Asia= were all located in Proconsular Asia, in the immediate neighborhood of Ephesus. There were other churches besides these, as Hierapolis and Colosse, both near Laodicea, and referred to in the Pauline Epistles; but these are named as the most important, and a group of seven is the arrangement most frequently found in the Bible, especially in its symbolical writings. To these Seven Churches were sent the messages in the opening chapters of the Revelation.

1. _Ephesus_ (Rev. 2:1) was the most important city of the district, its church was the largest, and it was the first addressed. (A description and plan of this city may be found on page 125.)

2. _Smyrna_ (Rev. 2:8) is north of Ephesus, about 40 miles in a direct line, though longer by the route of travel. It is on the Ægean Sea, at the head of the Hermæan Gulf, at the foot of Mount Pagus. The earliest city was built B.C. 1500, by the Greeks, and destroyed and rebuilt several times. From the time of Alexander the Great, who was one of its builders, it became an important city. Its earliest mention in Christian history is in the Revelation. Polycarp, a pupil of John, was martyred here A.D. 155. His grave is still shown on a hill near the city. Despite fires, earthquakes and wars, it has retained its importance, and is now the largest city on the Asiatic side of the Ægean Sea, having a population of nearly 200,000 people. The modern city is about two miles from the ancient site.

3. _Pergamos_ (Rev. 2:12), more properly Pergamum, was 60 miles northeast of Smyrna, in the district of Mysia, 3 miles north of the little river Caicus, and 20 miles from the Ægean Sea. It was the capital of a small but wealthy kingdom, which arose in the breaking up of Alexander's empire. It was celebrated for its large library, which at one time contained 200,000 manuscripts, but was by Mark Antony presented to Cleopatra, and removed to Alexandria. The city was devoted to the worship of Æsculapius, the patron divinity of medicine; and was, like most idolatrous places, corrupt in its morals. It is now a city of 25,000 inhabitants, called _Pergama_.

4. _Thyatira_ (Rev. 2:18) was a city in the province of Lydia, on the road from Pergamos to Sardis. It was founded by Alexander the Great, who planted it with people from Macedonia, which may account for the fact that "Lydia of Thyatira" was found by Paul at Philippi, in Macedonia. It was a prosperous manufacturing town, but never a great city, and its scarlet cloth still has a reputation throughout the Orient. It is now a place with a population of from 17,000 to 20,000, and is called _ak Hissar_, "white castle."

5. _Sardis_ (Rev. 3:1) lay 30 miles south of Thyatira, between the river Hermus and Mount Tmolus. It was the capital of Croesus, the wealthy king of Lydia, whose empire was overthrown by Cyrus the Great. After the time of Alexander it belonged to the kingdom of Pergamos, until its absorption into the Roman empire. It was a place of extensive commerce, which led to prosperity, and the worldliness of the Christian church, rebuked in the message of the Revelation. It is now a miasmatic region, with scarcely an inhabitant, and bears the name _Sert Kalessi_.

6. _Philadelphia_ (Rev. 3:7) was about 25 miles southeast of Sardis, on the river Cogamus, a branch of the Hermus. It was built and named by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamos, and was the centre of a rich farming region, which has kept it inhabited through all the vicissitudes of the centuries. It was destroyed by an earthquake A.D. 17, but rebuilt. Its population is now about 10,000, and its modern name is _Allah Shehr_, "city of God."

7. _Laodicea_ (Rev. 3:14) was the capital of Phrygia, and was 50 or 60 miles from Philadelphia, according to route. It was on the bank of the Lycus, near Hierapolis and Colosse. Its ancient name was Diospolis, but was changed by the Syrian king, Seleucus II., in honor of his wife, Laodice. In A.D. 62 it was destroyed by an earthquake; but its people were sufficiently rich to decline the aid of the Romans in rebuilding their city. Its worldly prosperity was reflected in its church, which received the sharpest rebukes of the Revelator. The Mohammedans destroyed the city, which is now a mass of ruins, surrounding a village called _Eski-hissar_.

It will be noticed, that, in the order of the Revelation, the Seven Churches are arranged in a circuit, as one would find them, starting from Ephesus, and traveling north to Smyrna and Pergamus, then southeast to Thyatira, Sardis and Philadelphia, until the southern and eastern limit is reached at Laodicea.

OUTLINE FOR REVIEW.

I. Let the teacher draw the outlines of the coast
of both Europe and Asia, and call attention to the
lands as already noticed under other maps. Then
locate and name the principal _Islands_,
especially those referred to in Paul's voyage to
Palestine (map on page 122), and _Patmos_.

II. Explain the four meanings of the name Asia, as
used by the ancients.

III. Locate and name the _Seven Churches_, as
given in Revelation. _Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea._

THE TABERNACLE.

I. =Its Origin.= The Tabernacle was the tent in which the emblems for divine worship were kept from the time of Moses to that of Solomon, 400 years. It represented the idea of God dwelling among his people, in the centre of the camp of Israel. The earliest institution for worship was the Altar, built wherever the patriarchs pitched their tents. Next we find a place consecrated and kept for the house of God, as Jacob's pillar at Bethel, to which the patriarch returned as to a sanctuary in after years. The Tabernacle arose when Israel was no longer a family, but a nation, needing a centralizing power and a system of worship as the uniting element among the tribes. It was erected under the direction of Moses, by divine command, while the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai.

II. =Its History.= During all the journeys of the Israelites through the wilderness, the Tabernacle stood in the centre of their camp, or, while on the march, was taken apart and carried by the Levites. At the time of the conquest, it remained at Gilgal, the fortified camp of Israel, near Jericho. After the war it was established at Shiloh, in the tribe of Ephraim, where it continued until the great defeat of Israel at Ebenezer (1 Sam. 4:1-11), when the ark was taken, and probably Shiloh was ravaged. The Tabernacle was removed to Nob, in the tribe of Benjamin, where it remained until Saul's slaughter of the priests. (1 Sam. 21:1-6; 22:18, 19.) It seems to have been at Gibeon, while the ark was in seclusion at Kirjath-jearim. (2 Chron. 1:4.) There is no mention of the Tabernacle after the building of the Temple; but a Jewish tradition is that its curtains were rolled up and laid away in one of the rooms connected with the Temple.

III. =The Departments of the Tabernacle.= This will require us to notice: 1. The Court. 2. The Altar. 3. The Laver. 4. The Tent. 5. The Holy Place. 6. The Holy of Holies. The dimensions of these are given in cubits; and, as the authorities differ as to the length of the cubit, we will consider it here as being about a foot and a half, or 18 inches, the length generally given.

1. _The Court_ was 150 feet long by 75 wide. It was separated from the camp by a curtain of fine linen, supported by 60 pillars, of which 20 were on each side, and 10 on each end. The pillars were probably of wood covered with brass. (There is strong reason for believing that the word "brass" in the Old Testament refers to copper.) They were fastened together by cords, and rested upon bases of brass, which were fastened to the ground, perhaps by spikes from the bottom. Each pillar was 7-1/2 feet (5 cubits) high, and was covered with a silver cap. The curtain was made of linen, in sections, extending from pillar to pillar, a distance of about 8 feet, and was fastened to the pillars by hooks of silver. The entrance was on the end toward the east, 30 feet wide, and consisted of an embroidered hanging, which could be raised or lowered at pleasure. None but the priests and Levites were allowed within the court; and the worshipers presented their offerings without at the entrance. (Review. 1. Dimensions. 2. Pillars. 3. Curtain. 4. Entrance. 5. Priests.)

2. _The Altar_ stood within the court, in front of the entrance, in the most prominent situation of the camp, and was the largest article of the tabernacle furniture. It was a plain structure, 7-1/2 feet square and 4-1/2 feet high, hollow within, and made of acacia wood, to avoid excessive weight; but covered with plates of brass, as it was exposed to the fire. Upon each corner projected a horn from the top, upon which the blood of the victim was sometimes sprinkled, and to which suppliants sometimes fled. Around the altar, midway between the top and bottom, was a "compass" (Exod. 27:5), or ledge, upon which the priest stood while sacrificing. There is mention also of "a grate" (Exod. 27:4), which was formerly supposed to have been placed inside the altar, so that the fire might be built upon it, and the ashes fall through it; but this is now by the best scholars considered to have been upright, and under the "compass," and not a grate, but a lattice-work of brass, surrounding the altar. It is believed that at each encampment the altar was filled with earth, and that upon this the fire was kindled, according to Exod. 20:24, 25. At each corner was a brass ring, and through the pair of rings on each side a rod was passed, by which the altar was carried from place to place during the marches of Israel. The fire upon the altar was kindled miraculously (Lev. 9:24), and was never suffered to go out, but was kept alive even on the march by live coals in a vessel. Twice each day the high-priest offered the general sacrifice for the people, besides the individual offerings of worshipers. In officiating, the priest approached the altar by an ascent of earth, as steps were forbidden (Exod. 20:26), and he stood upon either the north or south side, as the ashes were thrown out on the east side. (Lev. 1:16.) The utensils of the altar were five, all of brass. 1. _Pans_, used to convey the ashes outside the camp. (Lev. 6:10, 11.) 2. _Shovels_, for taking off coals of fire to put in the censers. 3. _Basins_, for receiving and carrying the blood of offerings. 4. _Flesh-hooks_, for placing the sacrifice on the fire. 5. _Fire-pans_, for carrying the fire while on the march. (Note for Review. 1. Situation. 2. Dimensions. 3. Horns. 4. Compass. 5. Grate. 6. Earth contents. 7. Rings. 8. Fire. 9. Sacrifices. 10. Approach. 11. Utensils.)

3. _The Laver_ is less minutely described than the altar. It was a large tank for holding water, an abundance of which was needed in the sacrifices, and was made out of the metallic "looking-glasses" of the women who worshiped at the Tabernacle. (Exod. 38:8.) It stood at the door of the Tabernacle, and west of the altar. (Exod. 30:18.) With it is mentioned "its foot," which was probably a lower basin, into which the water ran from above, made to prevent the earth around from becoming saturated with water. Its size and form are not stated in the account. (Review. 1. Purpose. 2. Material. 3. Place. 4. Foot.)

4. _The Tent._ This was the Tabernacle proper, to which the court was the adjunct. It stood as the representation of God's house, wherein he dwelt in the midst of his own chosen people. It was 15 feet wide and high, and 45 feet long, divided into two rooms by a curtain, or vail. Though many details are given, yet it is not possible to give certain conclusions either concerning its plan of construction, or even its general appearance. For example: some authorities conclude that the curtained roof was flat, or even sagging downward in the middle, while others are sure that it was pointed, by means of a ridge-pole, as represented in our engraving. We consider neither as certain, but incline to the latter opinion. The walls and rear end of the tent were made of upright boards, covered with gold, each 15 feet high, and 2 feet 3 inches wide; of which there were 20 boards on each side, and 10 in the rear, while the front was open. Upon each board were rings of gold, so arranged that, when the walls were erected, the rings were in three rows, and through them long poles were passed to hold the structure together. Each board was furnished at its lower end with two tenons, which fitted into mortises in bases of solid silver, each weighing nearly 100 pounds. These bases stood side by side, forming a firm and continuous foundation, and protecting the lower ends of the boards from decay. The roof of the tent was supported by pillars, of which there seem to have been five in the front (Exod. 36:38), and probably as many in the rear. These were covered with gold, and rested upon bases of brass. The covering of the Tabernacle consisted of four curtains, one over another. 1. A covering called the "tabernacle cloth," of linen, woven in various colors, and embroidered with figures of cherubim. 2. Over this was stretched a covering of cloth made from goat's hair, larger than the other, and therefore extending beyond it. 3. Next came a covering of "rams' skins dyed red." 4. Over all was spread a covering skin, called in the Hebrew, _tachash_, translated "badgers' skins," but supposed by many to mean _seal skin_, taken from animals found in the Red Sea, and intended to preserve the roof from the effects of the weather. The front, on the eastern end, was protected by a hanging of fine linen, embroidered in blue, purple and scarlet, and resting upon the five pillars named above. (Review. 1. Purpose. 2. Dimensions. 3. Form. 4. Walls. 5. Rings. 6. Bases. 7. Pillars. 8. Coverings. 9. Front.)

5. _The Holy Place._ This was the larger of the two rooms, and was separated from the smaller room within by the _Vail_, which was an embroidered curtain hanging upon four pillars. Its dimensions were 15 feet in width and 30 feet in length, with walls 15 feet high. There is no mention of a floor, and probably there was none. It contained three articles of furniture. On the right of a person entering, midway between the two ends of the room, stood the _Table_, made of shittim wood (acacia), covered with gold; it was 3 feet long, a foot and a half wide, 2 feet 3 inches high, and surrounded with a "crown," or ornamental band, of gold. On the corners were rings, through which rods were passed, to carry it from place to place. On this table were kept 12 loaves of unleavened bread, which were renewed every Sabbath. On the left, opposite to the table, was the _Lamp-stand_, generally called the Candlestick, but incorrectly, as it contained lamps, not candles. This was a tree of gold, probably 40 inches high, having three branches on each side of the central trunk, so arranged that the seven summits, each holding a lamp, stood in a horizontal line. It is uncertain whether the lamps were kept burning at all times, or only during the night. Directly in front of the vail, at the western end of the Holy Place, stood the _Altar of Incense_. This was of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, whence it was frequently called "the golden altar." It was a foot and a half square, and three feet high. It had horns on its corners, and rings for carrying, and an opening in the top, wherein was placed daily a censer full of incense, which was lighted by live coals from the altar of burnt offering in the court. The lighting of the incense with common fire was the crime for which the two elder sons of Aaron "died before the Lord." (Lev. 10:1, 2.) Into the Holy Place the priests entered daily, to trim and refill the lamps, and offer the incense. (Review. 1. Vail. 2. Dimensions. 3. Table. 4. Lamp-stand. 5. Altar of Incense. 6. Daily uses.)

6. _The Holy of Holies._ This was the inner room, at the western end of the building, entered only on one day in the year, the Day of Atonement, and only by the high priest. Its dimensions were those of a cube, 15 feet in breadth, length and height. It contained the most sacred _Ark of the Covenant_, which was a chest, the receptacle for the stone tablets of the Law, given by the Lord to Moses. It was of shittim or acacia wood, covered without and within with gold, 3 feet 9 inches long, by 2 feet 3 inches wide and deep; furnished on the side with rings, that it might be carried. The lid was made of gold, and was called the _propitiatory_,--in our version, "mercy seat." Upon it stood golden figures of the cherubim, and between them was believed to dwell the cloud which denoted God's presence. (Review. 1. Uses. 2. Dimensions. 3. Ark.)

OUTLINE FOR TEACHING AND REVIEW.

1. Draw upon the blackboard a diagram representing
the ground-plan of the Court of the Tabernacle,
and, within it, the Tabernacle itself. Tell the
class its origin and history.

2. Locate upon the diagram each of the parts
referred to, and describe them, following the
outline given at the end of each paragraph.

3. Review the facts given, frequently during the
lesson, and finally at the close.

THE TEMPLE.

THE Temple was the centre of Jewish thought, not only in Palestine, but also throughout the world. Even when it lay in ruins, Daniel, in the land of captivity, opened his window toward its site when he prayed; and the front of every synagogue looked toward it. It stood on Mount Moriah, which was originally outside the wall of the city, east of Mount Zion. In order to give room for all its courts, the surface of the hill was increased by building out from its sides on successive platforms, supported by immense substructions of brick and stone, so that the entire mountain is honeycombed with artificial caves.

There were three successive Temples. 1. _Solomon's Temple_ dedicated about 950 B.C. The accounts of this building are so meager, and the text is so uncertain, that it is impossible to construct its plan with any satisfaction. A conjectural ground plan is given on page 71. This temple stood until 587 B.C., when it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. 2. After a period of desolation of 50 years, _Zerubbabel's Temple_ was begun, 536 B.C., and finished 20 years after. Still less is known of its architecture; but it was probably on the same general plan as Solomon's, though less magnificent. It passed through many sieges, was desecrated by enemies, and reconsecrated by the Jews, but stood until 30 years before the birth of Christ. 3. _Herod's Temple_ was a restoration, enlargement, and improvement upon Zerubbabel's. It was built by Herod the Great, in sections, taking down the old and building the new part by part, so that it occupied many years, and was not completed until after Herod's death, and less than ten years before its final destruction. This was the Temple standing in the time of Christ, and referred to in the allusions of the New Testament. It was destroyed by the Romans under Titus, A.D. 70, and was never rebuilt by the Jews, though its restoration was more than once attempted. Its site is now occupied by the Mohammedan "Dome of the Rock," often, but erroneously, called the Mosque of Omar.

The Temple of Herod is the one usually described in works on the subject. The authorities are: 1. The Scriptures, from which we gather references to this Temple, and analogies from the description of the Tabernacle, of which the Temple was an enlarged copy. 2. The description given by Josephus, which was written 20 years after its fall, and gives general impressions rather than accurate details. 3. The tract Middoth "measures," in the Talmud, which gives precise measurements, but not complete information. 4. The allusions in ancient Jewish literature, of more or less value and authority. 5. The results of recent explorations under the Temple area, which are very valuable. Different investigators have come to very different conclusions concerning the Temple and its courts. We present in this description those of Dr. James Strong, in McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia, from which our diagram is taken, by permission. From the uncertainty of many dimensions, and especially the difference of opinion with regard to the length of the Jewish cubit, in which all the ancient measurements are given, most of our figures must be regarded as general estimates, rather than precise statements.

The Temple consisted of a building called "the House of God," surrounded by a number of open courts, the outer ones including the inner. On the north of it was the Tower of Antonia; east, Valley of the Kedron; south, Ophel; west, Valley of the Tyropoeon; and beyond, Mount Zion.

I. =The Court of the Gentiles= was the largest, and the first entered by a visitor from without. It was so named because it was the only part of the building in which foreigners were allowed; hence not regarded as sacred by the Jews. Speaking roughly, it was an open square, of about 1,000 feet on each side; more precisely, a quadrangle, whose inside measurements were 990 feet on the north, 1,000 on the east, 910 on the south, 1,060 on the west. On two sides there was a covered corridor; Solomon's Porch on the east, Herod's Porch on the south. It was entered on the north, east and south, by a single gate in each wall: north, the Gate Tedi, a staircase leading up to the Tower Antonia, from which Paul made his speech to the Jewish mob (Acts 22); east, the Gate Shushan, directly opposite to the altar, and leading to the Valley of the Kedron; south, the Gate Huldah, a subterranean passage through the floor of the court, which was here much higher than the ground outside the wall; west, four gates: the southern, near the angle of the wall, the Gate Shalleketh, or Kiponos, opening to a bridge over the Tyropoeon; next, Gate Parbar; then, the South Gate of Asuppim; and near the northern corner of the wall, the North Gate of Asuppim. On the floor of this court was a market for the sale of sacrificial meats, with "tables of the money changers"; twice broken up by Jesus in his ministry. (John 2:14-16; Matt. 21:12, 13.) [Notice, in this account: 1. Name. 2. Dimensions. 3. Porches. 4. Gates. 5. Market.]

II. =The Sacred Enclosure= was an elevated section in the northwestern part of the Court of the Gentiles, containing the sacred buildings. It was called by the Jews the _Chel_ (pronounced _Kel_). It stood 8 feet higher than the level of the surrounding court; and its outside measurement was 630 feet on the north and south, by 300 east and west. Its outer wall was a lattice wrought in stone, called Soreg, "interwoven," 4-1/2 feet high, containing inscriptions in many languages, warning all foreigners not to enter it, under penalty of death. A fragment of this wall, with its inscription, was recently discovered in Jerusalem. Within this wall was a corridor 24 feet wide, containing an ascent of steps 8 feet high; and above them the inner wall, which was like that of a castle, very thick, from 40 to 60 feet high, and more than once used as a fortress by the Jews. Through both the outer lattice and the inner wall were nine gates, four each on the north and south; one on the east, opposite to the altar; but none on the west. Though most of the worshipers came from that side, the rear of the Temple stood toward it, and the front faced the east. The Chel, then, was a terrace of 24 feet, between two walls, an outer lattice and an inner castle. Paul was arrested under a false report of his having led Gentiles into this Sacred Enclosure. (Acts 21:28, 29.)

III. =The Court of the Women=, often called "The Treasury," occupied a square in the eastern end of the Sacred Enclosure. Passing through the thick wall, the Jewish visitor (for none other was allowed to enter) found himself in an open court, about 240 feet square, surrounded by high walls, and 3 feet higher than the platform of the Chel. To this led four gates, or rather doors, in the middle of the wall on each side; that on the east, probably, being the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:2), and that on the west the Gate of Nicanor, because the head of Nicanor, a Syrian enemy of the Jews, had once been hung upon it. In each corner of the court was a room, open overhead, 60 feet square. That in the southeast was used for the ceremonies of the Nazarite's vow, and was the one where Paul was seized by the Jews (Acts 21:26); in the northeast, for the preparation of wood for the altar; in the northwest, for the ceremonies of cleansing for lepers; in the southwest, for the storage of sacrificial oil. Between these rooms were galleried cloisters, of which the upper story was set apart for women, who were not allowed to penetrate further into the Temple, but from the gallery over the Gate of Nicanor could witness the sacrifices. Around the wall were fastened 13 treasure-chests, for gifts of the worshipers, from which came the name "Treasury." (Mark 12:41, 42; John 8:20.) Under the floor of this court was a subterranean passage from the Tower of Antonia, by which soldiers were sent to quell riots among the Jews, the opening being by the Gate Beautiful, over which was a guard-room. Through this passage the soldiers came who rescued Paul from the Jewish mob. (Acts 21:31, 32.) Under the steps leading up to the Gate Nicanor were two rooms in which musical instruments were stored for use at the festivals. [Review. 1. Names. 2. Dimensions. 3. Doors. 4. Rooms. 5. Galleries. 6. Treasure-chests. 7. Underground passage. 8. Music-rooms. 9. Scripture allusions.]

IV. =The Court of Israel=, or Court of the Men, occupied the western end of the Sacred Enclosure, and was a narrow corridor surrounding the Court of the Priests. It was 10 feet higher than the Court of the Women; 320 feet east and west, by 240 north and south. The width of the corridor on the north and south was 16 feet, and on the east and west 24 feet. It was the place where the men of Israel stood to view the sacrifices. On the outside of it rose the high inner wall of the Sacred Enclosure; on the inside, a low balustrade sufficed to separate it from the space set apart for the priests. Three gates led up to it on the north; as many on the south; and one, the Gate of Nicanor, on the east. In the wall on the north were chambers used severally for treasuries, guard, the storage of salt, the storage of hides and of earthenware. On the south, at its eastern corner, was the session-room of the Sanhedrim, called the Hall Gazith, and beyond it rooms in the wall for guard, storage, etc. In the Hall Gazith, the elders sat on seats of stone arranged in semicircular form. [Review. 1. Name. 2. Location. 3. Dimensions. 4. Purpose. 5. Walls. 6. Gates. 7. Rooms.]

V. =The Court of the Priests= was a raised platform within the Court of Israel, and standing 3 feet above it. It was about 275 feet long, by 200 feet wide. It was mainly occupied by the House of God, in front of which stood the great Altar of Burnt Offering, built upon the stone which now rises under the Dome of the Rock. The altar was a rude structure of rough stone, whitewashed, and 15 feet high. From its southwestern corner an underground drain passed beneath all the courts to the brook Kedron. Opposite, also, to the southwestern corner, was the Laver, supplying water for the services and washings. Around the altar were marble tables for various uses in the sacrifices, and in the pavement were rings for securing the animals to be slain. [Review. 1. Name. 2. Dimensions. 3. Altar. 4. Drain. 5. Laver. 6. Tables, rings, etc.]

VI. =The House of God=, or Temple Proper, occupied more than half the space in the Court of the Priests. Its floor was 8 feet above the level of the surrounding court; and it had four parts. 1. The Porch, or Vestibule, extended across the front: it was 120 feet high, and consisted of several stories. Its roof was steep, and covered with golden spikes to keep birds from settling upon and defiling it. It was built of marble, and richly ornamented. 2. The Chambers were on each side of the house, but separate from it, and not attached to its wall. They were three stories high, and entered from the north and south by winding stairs. Their use was to furnish homes for the priests during their two weeks of service each year. 3. The Holy Place was 30 feet wide and 60 feet long, double the dimensions of the same room in the Tabernacle. It was entered from the vestibule by double doors plated with gold; and both floor and ceiling were covered with gold. On the right side of one entering was the Table, on which 12 loaves of unleavened bread were kept standing; on the left was the Lamp-stand, generally called (but incorrectly) the Golden Candlestick, for it held seven lamps, not candles; and at its further end was the golden Altar of Incense, lighted each day by coals from the Altar of Burnt Offering. In this room Zacharias received the promise of the birth of John the Baptist. (Luke 1.) 4. The Holy of Holies was a cube, each dimension being 30 feet. It was separated from the Holy Place by a vail, said to be 8 inches thick (but probably consisting of two vails 8 inches apart), which was rent from top to bottom at the hour of the Saviour's death on the cross. (Mark 15:38.) In the first Temple this room contained the Ark of the Covenant; but in the second and third Temples the place of the lost ark was taken by a marble stone, upon which the high priest laid the censer on the Day of Atonement, the only day in the year when the Holy of Holies was entered. The Roman conqueror, Pompey, insisted upon entering it, expecting to see some object of worship, and perhaps treasure, but was surprised to find nothing within the vail. [Review. 1. Porch. 2. Chambers. 3. Holy Place and contents. 4. Holy of Holies.]

OUTLINE FOR TEACHING AND REVIEW.

I. Let the teacher relate the history of the
Temple, with its three periods of building, under
Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod, and review the
class on the names and events.

II. Draw the elevations of the several courts and
buildings, showing how they successively rose one
above another, and, as each is indicated, give its
name, and its elevation above the preceding. 1.
Court of Gentiles. 2. Sacred Enclosure, 8 feet
elevation. 3. Court of Women, 3 feet higher. 4.
Court of Israel, 10 feet. 5. Court of the Priests,
3 feet. 6. House of God, 8 feet.

III. Draw next the ground plan of the six
departments as given, and describe each, following
the order given in the description above.
Frequently review the class upon the names,
dimensions and facts.

IV. Number the Scripture references given in the
description, write them on slips of paper,
distribute to the class, and call for them in
connection with the parts of the Temple to which
they refer. At the close call upon the class to
name the Scripture incidents connected with each
department.

LESSONS IN THE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE.

MORE than two-thirds of the events of Bible history are associated with the land of Palestine, and a knowledge of that country and its principal places is needed by every Sunday School scholar and Bible student. Any Superintendent who will take ten minutes of the Sunday School session for the purpose or teaching Bible Geography, can in less than three months give to his school a sufficient knowledge of Palestine for the general needs of Bible study. The requisites are: a blackboard; some crayons (of various colors, if possible to obtain them); a clear idea on the part of the instructor of what he proposes to teach; precise statements of the things taught, in as few words as possible; giving nothing except the important facts which are to be remembered; and frequent reviews, from the beginning, of all the facts acquired. The lessons here given have been taught many times in Sunday Schools and children's classes at Assemblies, and are now published in the hope that they may be made generally useful.

LESSON I. LINES AND WATERS.

I. Draw in presence of the class, in white chalk, the =two lines=, one representing the Coast Line, the other, the Jordan Line. Notice that the cape on the Coast Line is one-third the distance from the top of the map; that the second of the three lakes is directly opposite to the cape; and that the distance between the second and third lakes is just six times that between the first and the second. The teacher may draw the lines in advance of the lesson, with a soapstone slate pencil, which will make a faint mark, not distinguishable at a distance, but seen by the teacher, and easily traced in presence of the class with white crayon. Let the class repeat the names of the two lines. 1. Coast Line. 2. Jordan Line.

II. Locate the different =Bodies of Water=, indicating their names by initial letters. 1. The Mediterranean Sea, on the west, called in the Bible "the Great Sea." 2. The river Jordan, flowing from north to south. 3. Lake Merom, on the north. 4. The Sea of Galilee. 5. The Dead Sea, into which the Jordan flows. Show the class that this sea lies so low, that, if a canal were cut to the Mediterranean, the ocean would run in, instead of the Dead Sea running out. Drill the class on: 1. Lines. 2. Bodies of Water.

LESSON II. NAMES AND DISTANCES.

Draw the same map as in Lesson I., but omit the lettering, and review the Lines and Waters.

I. State and drill upon the =Names= by which the land has been known in different times. 1. In the earliest ages it was called _Canaan_, because its best-known people were the Canaanites. 2. After the Israelites conquered it, it was known as the _Land of Israel_. 3. In the time of Christ it was generally called _Judæa_ because the Jews were its inhabitants. 4. Its name is now _Palestine_. [Write an initial or syllable of each name, and recall it from the class.]

II. Give the =Distances=. 1. Begin with the country best known, and state first the distance from America to Palestine, 7,800 miles. [Write on the board A. P. 7,800.] 2. The Coast Line, from a point opposite the source of the Jordan to a point opposite the lower end of the Dead Sea, 180 miles. [Write C. L. 180.] 3. The Jordan Line, from its source to the lower end of the Dead Sea, 180 miles. [J. L. 180.] 4. From the Jordan to the Mediterranean, on the north, 30 miles. [J. M. 30.] 5. From the Dead Sea, at its southern end, to the Mediterranean, 90 miles. [D. S. M. 90.] 6. The most northern town in Palestine was Dan [mark D. on the map]; the most southern was Beersheba [mark B.]. Hence, to show the extent of the land, they said "from Dan to Beersheba," which was 150 miles in a straight line. [Write D. B. 150.] 7. Palestine, between the Jordan and the sea, includes about 6,600 square miles, which is a little smaller than Massachusetts. [Write S. M. 6,600.] Review the facts already given from the beginning. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Distances.

LESSON III. NATURAL DIVISIONS.

Draw, as before, the outline of the map, and review all the facts already taught. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. Test the memory of the class on these without giving the initials.

There are four Natural Divisions to Palestine; that is, four sections in the country, lying parallel with each other. Indicate them on the map in brown chalk, not making them very prominent.

1. We find the =Sea-Coast Plain= [S. C. P.] extending along the Coast from north to south, narrow at the north, and wider at the south.

2. Further inland, we come to the =Mountain Region= [M. R.], the backbone of the country, a section of hills and mountains, and the home of the Israelitish people.

3. Passing over the mountains, we find the =Jordan Valley=, a deep gorge, and deeper the further we travel southward, until, at the Dead Sea, it is more than 1,300 feet lower than the Mediterranean.

4. Still further eastward, we climb the steep mountains again, and reach the =Eastern Table-Land=, a lofty plain sloping gradually to the great desert beyond it.

Review, as before. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions.

LESSON IV. MOUNTAINS.

Review, as usual, from the beginning, before commencing the advance lesson. The events of the Bible are often associated with =Mountains=, of which there are many in Palestine. We select eight of the most important, group them in pairs, and state with each the fact which gives it interest.

On the north of the country, near the source of the Jordan, we find two mountains, nearly opposite to each other. 1. _Mount Hermon_, on the east, the highest mountain in Palestine, and the place where the Saviour was transfigured. 2. _Mount Lebanon_, on the west, famous for its cedars.

Next, we find two mountains nearly in line with the Sea of Galilee, one directly west and the other southwest of it. 3. _Mount Carmel_, by the Mediterranean, where Elijah called down fire from heaven upon the altar. 4. _Mount Gilboa_, where King Saul fell in battle with the Philistines.

In the centre of the country we find two mountains, where Joshua read the law to the Israelites. 5. On the north, _Mount Ebal_, the mount of cursing. 6. On the south, _Mount Gerizim_, the mount of blessing.

In the south, directly in line with the northern end of the Dead Sea, are two mountains. 7. On the west, _Mount Olivet_, or the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended. 8. On the east, _Mount Nebo_, where Moses died.

With each of these mountains the event associated might be briefly related. At the close, review as before. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Divisions. 6. Mountains. Be sure that the class can name the event with each mountain.

LESSON V. PLACES.

This lesson may well be divided into from two to four sections, according to the time which can be given to it. Draw the map, as usual, from the beginning; and, as each subject is presented upon it, review the pupils, until all their past lessons are clearly fixed in mind. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions. 6. Mountains. See that with each mountain, as it is located, the event connected with it is named.

We have now to fix the most important =Places= in Palestine. We locate them by their arrangement in the Natural Divisions, and name an event for which each place is remembered.

I. =Places in the Sea-Coast Plain.= [These may constitute one lesson, if desired.] 1. _Gaza_, where Samson pulled down the idol temple upon the Philistines and himself. This lies on the Mediterranean, directly in line west of the middle point of the Dead Sea. 2. _Joppa_, the seaport of Palestine, from which the prophet Jonah started on his voyage. This lies nearly half way between Gaza and Mount Carmel. 3. _Cæsarea_, where Paul made his defense before King Agrippa, and was a prisoner for two years. This is a little more than half way between Joppa and Mount Carmel. 4. _Tyre_, the city which sent ships to all lands; a little further north of Mount Carmel than Cæsarea is south of it. As each place is named, locate it on the board, and mark it by an initial letter.

II. Another lesson may include the most important =Places in the Mountain Region=. 1. _Beersheba_, the home of Abraham; opposite the lower bay of the Dead Sea. 2. _Hebron_, where the patriarchs were buried; opposite the middle of the Dead Sea, and in line with Gaza. 3. _Bethlehem_, where David and Jesus were born, 6 miles south of Jerusalem. 4. _Jerusalem_, the capital of Palestine, where David reigned, and where Jesus was crucified; directly in line with the northern end of the Dead Sea. 5. _Bethel_, 10 miles north of Jerusalem, where Jacob saw the vision of the heavenly ladder. 6. _Shechem_, between the twin mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, where Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria. 7. _Nazareth_, where Jesus spent his boyhood; directly in line with the southern end of the Sea of Galilee.

III. =Places in the Jordan Valley.= Two of these are near the northern end of the Dead Sea. 1. _Jericho_, west of the Jordan, where the walls fell down before the Israelites. 2. _Bethabara_, east of the Jordan, where Jesus was baptized. Two more are near the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. 3. _Capernaum_, where Jesus lived during his ministry, and wrought many miracles; on the northwestern shore of the sea. 4. _Bethsaida_, where Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves; on the north of the sea. 5. The last is at the source of the river Jordan, _Dan_, the most northerly town in Palestine.

IV. =Places in the Eastern Table-Land.= There are not many in this section, because few events of Bible history took place there. 1. _Machærus_, where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded; opposite the northern part of the Dead Sea. 2. _Penuel_, on the brook Jabbok, where Jacob wrestled with the angel. This is about midway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. 3. _Mahanaim_, where David wept over Absalom's death. This is about half way between Penuel and the Sea of Galilee. 4. _Cæsarea Philippi_, at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Jesus taught his disciples.

It may be desirable not to give these places in a single lesson, but to divide it into two, or even four sections, and give one at a session. In that case, with each lesson all the places already located should be reviewed, together with the events associated with them. If the places can be marked upon the board in bright red chalk, they will be prominent.

LESSON VI. PROVINCES.

Review from the beginning, as usual. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Names. 4. Distances. 5. Natural Divisions. 6. Mountains. 7. Places.

In this lesson we are to learn the Provinces, or parts of the country, in the time of Christ. We do not take the division by tribes; as that is more difficult to learn, and not often referred to in history. At the time when Christ was among men, Palestine was divided into five Provinces, though two of these were under one ruler.

I. Draw the boundary line of =Judæa=, and write its initial, J. This was the southern province, and the largest. [Review the names of the places contained in it.] Its people were the Jews, or men of the tribe of Judah, and its principal city was Jerusalem.

II. North of Judæa was the province known as =Samaria=, having Shechem as its principal city. Its people were the Samaritans, with whom the Jews had no dealings. In Christ's day Judæa and Samaria were under one government. It contained the twin mountains Ebal and Gerizim.

III. North of Samaria was =Galilee=, where Jesus lived during most of his life. Its people were also Jews, but were called "Galileans" by the Jews in Jerusalem; and in Christ's time it was under the rule of Herod, who slew John the Baptist. Notice the mountains and towns situated in it. Mountains: Lebanon and Gilboa; towns: Nazareth, Capernaum and Dan.

IV. On the east of the Jordan, and south of the Sea of Galilee, was the province of =Peræa=, a word which means "beyond"; so named, because it is "beyond Jordan." Here Jesus taught at one time during his ministry, and blessed the little children. The places which we have noticed in it are Machærus, Bethabara, Penuel and Mahanaim; and its mountain, Nebo. This province, in Christ's day, was also ruled by King Herod.

V. The province north of Peræa and east of the Sea of Galilee is not named in the New Testament. We will call it by its Old Testament name, =Bashan=, a word meaning "woodland." It was ruled by a brother of Herod, named Philip, whose title was "tetrarch"; hence it is sometimes called "Philip's Tetrarchy." The mountain we have noticed in it is Hermon, and the two places, Bethsaida, and Cæsarea Philippi, or "Philip's Cæsarea," to distinguish it from the other Cæsarea, by the sea-shore.

At the close of the lesson, review once more from the very beginning of the series; then erase the map, and, pointing to the places on an "invisible map," call for their names from the class. There can scarcely be too much reviewing of these leading facts, in order to impress them on the scholar's memory.

THE MEASURES OF THE BIBLE.

THE student of the Bible meets with some difficulty in adapting the names of weights, measures and coins, to the standards now in use, and finds that the authorities are not agreed upon the precise signification of the Bible terms used in relation to these subjects. These difficulties and discrepancies arise from three facts: 1. The Oriental mind has never been accustomed to the exactness of our systems of measurement. Among eight cubit measures found on the Egyptian monuments, no two were precisely alike. 2. The models or standards of weights and measures referred to in Hebrew history were long ago lost, and it is not easy to reproduce them. 3. The Jews adopted the measurements of peoples among whom they were dispersed, yet often retained the names of such of their own as were nearest to them in amount, so that at different periods in Bible history the standard was different. The same word may refer to different measurements at different times. We have adopted in this section the measurements of F. R. and C. R. Conder in "The Hand Book of the Bible," except where other authorities are specified.

I. =Smaller Measures of Length.= 1. The lowest dimension, as in our own table of linear measure, was the Barleycorn. 2. Two barleycorns laid endways made the Finger-breadth (Hebrew, Atzbah), two-thirds of an inch. 3. Four finger-breadths made the Palm (Heb., Tupah), 2-2/3 inches. 4. Sometimes the Hand-breadth and Palm are the same; elsewhere, the hand-breadth (Heb., Zereth) is double the palm, or 5-1/3 inches. 5. Three palms made the Span (Heb., Sit), 8 inches, the width of the outspread hand, from the end of the thumb to that of the little finger. 6. Four palms made the Foot (Heb., Regal), 10-2/3 inches. 7. Six palms made the Cubit (Heb., Ameh), 16 inches (Conder), or the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, when held in a straight line. The cubit, however, varied (just as the pound with us varies in troy and avoirdupois weight), as indicated in the expressions "the cubit of a man" (Deut. 3:11), "a great cubit" (Ezek. 41:8), etc. In the length of the cubit, authorities vary from 15 to 21 inches. We have adopted the general opinion, and place it, conjecturally, at a foot and a half, or 18 inches.

II. =Larger Measures of Length.= The cubit (reckoned more precisely at 16 inches) is here regarded as the unit of measurement. 1. The Fathom was 6 or 6-1/2 feet. 2. The Reed (Heb., Keneh; compare our word _cane_) was 4 cubits, according to Conder, but 6 cubits according to other authorities, thus varying between 5-1/3 feet and 8 feet. 3. The Furlong (named only in the New Testament) was a Greek measurement (Stadium), of 606-3/4 feet, or 53-1/4 feet less than our furlong. 4. The Mile (Matt. 5:41) was 1,618 yards. The Hebrew mile is not referred to in the Bible, but was of two kinds, "the small mile" (Heb., Mil), being about 1,000 cubits, or about a quarter of our mile; and "the long mile," twice as far. 5. The Sabbath Day's Journey is stated by Conder at 2,000 cubits, or half an English mile; but by most other writers at seven-eighths of our mile. 6. The Day's Journey was variable, from 10 to 30 miles; generally about 20 miles. So most authorities decide, but Conder gives it at 4-3/4 miles.

III. =Dry Measures of Capacity.= 1. The Cab (2 Kings 6:25), 96 cubic inches, or 675 thousandths of a quart. 2. The Omer (Exod. 16:36) contained 172-8/10 cubic inches, or about 2-1/2 quarts. 3. The Seah (in Greek, Modios) was the ordinary household measure of quantity, translated, generally, "measure" in our Bibles, but in Matt. 5:15 "bushel." It contained six times as much as the cab, or a little over a peck; according to Conder, 1.012 pecks; according to the Revised Version (Matt. 13:33, marginal note), a peck and a half. 4. The Ephah (Exod. 16:36) contained 3 seahs, or 10 omers; about three-quarters of a bushel. 5. The Cor contained 10 ephahs, or 7-1/2 bushels. The cor is also called "the homer" (Isa. 5:10), which is to be carefully distinguished from the omer, which contained one-hundredth of its quantity. The two words are not alike in the Hebrew. It will be noticed that the omer, the ephah and the cor (or homer) formed a decimal scale of measurement.

IV. =Liquid Measures of Capacity.= 1. The Auphauk (not named in the Bible) was the smallest, containing 6 cubic inches, or 675 thousandths of a gill. 2. The Log (Lev. 14:10), four times as large as the auphauk, was "six egg-shells full," 24 cubic inches, or a little more than half a pint (675 thousandths). 3. The Hin (Exod. 29:40) contained 12 logs, or a little over a gallon. 4. The Seah (see above, under Dry Measures) contained twice as much as the hin. 5. The Bath, containing 3 seahs or 6 hins, contained 1,728 cubic inches, or 6.036 gallons. Besides these, the New Testament names two Greek measures, the Metretes (John 2:6, "firkins"), equivalent to 10-1/3 gallons; and the Choenix (Rev. 6:6, "measure"), about a pint and a half.