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 G.o.d, 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 pa.s.sed 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 G.o.d=, or Temple Proper, occupied more than half the s.p.a.ce 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 cla.s.s 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 G.o.d, 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 cla.s.s upon the names, dimensions and facts.
IV. Number the Scripture references given in the description, write them on slips of paper, distribute to the cla.s.s, and call for them in connection with the parts of the Temple to which they refer. At the close call upon the cla.s.s 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 a.s.sociated with the land of Palestine, and a knowledge of that country and its princ.i.p.al 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 cla.s.ses at a.s.semblies, and are now published in the hope that they may be made generally useful.
[Ill.u.s.tration: LESSON I.]
LESSON I. LINES AND WATERS.
I. Draw in presence of the cla.s.s, 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 cla.s.s with white crayon. Let the cla.s.s 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 cla.s.s that this sea lies so low, that, if a ca.n.a.l were cut to the Mediterranean, the ocean would run in, instead of the Dead Sea running out. Drill the cla.s.s 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 _Judaea_ 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 cla.s.s.]
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 Ma.s.sachusetts. [Write S. M. 6,600.] Review the facts already given from the beginning. 1. Lines. 2. Waters. 3. Distances.
[Ill.u.s.tration: LESSON II.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: LESSON III.]
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 cla.s.s 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. Pa.s.sing 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.
[Ill.u.s.tration: LESSON IV.]
Review, as usual, from the beginning, before commencing the advance lesson. The events of the Bible are often a.s.sociated 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 a.s.sociated 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 cla.s.s 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.