ועשו
לי מקדש
ושכנתי
בתוכם:
And
they shall make unto me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among
them.—EXODUS, 28:5.
The
importance of these words, containing as they do a direct intimation of
the presence of the Divinity among our ancestors, in the place devoted
to His holy worship, mast strike even a superficial observer. The
tabernacle was to be set apart for the Omnipotent: His praises were there
to be sung; His greatness was there proclaimed; His mercies were here
solicited;—and provided the fervour of true belief accompanied the
offerings of the mouth, He graciously vouchsafed to promise that His
Divine Spirit should ever rest with His chosen people,—His presence
should ever render them a holy nation. How this promise was fulfilled, the
annals of our past history can tell; but now that we are, by our sins,
deprived of our sacred land, now that we have neither temple, nor
sacrifices, nor priests, to atone for us, how may we hope that the Eternal
will still dwell among us—that His Ineffable Essence will still sanctify
and hallow our prayers?
How,
but by a strict and punctual adherence to those points of the Law which we
are still able to perform in our exile. We know that the Eternal is
merciful; that He ever deigns to regard the invocations of those who call
on Him with purity of heart; and we, therefore, humbly trust, that the
same all-powerful Hand that redeemed our ancestors from Egypt—that
increased their prosperity in Judea—that would not permit their total
extermination, when, by their pride, backsliding and idolatry, they had
incurred his just indignation,—that stretched its protection over them
when Nebuchadnezzar triumphed, and imperial Rome sacked our
sanctuary,—that was not closed when the Inquisition, with its unheard-of
and almost incredible horrors, glutted itself with the blood of the
faithful,—was never withdrawn when blind ignorance, bigoted fanaticism,
and iron authority were exerted to their utmost stretch to destroy; that
that same Almighty but invisible Hand will still be our buckler and our
guardian, and like the “pillar of fire,” enlighten our long and
dreary, but not interminable night.
On
this cheering hope we must depend, and it is not a vain prop. “Put not
your faith in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no
salvation.” No, Israel, rely not on mortal aid, trust not to the
interposition of the magnates of the land; for they can avail thee
nothing;—look up to thy God with anxious but not despairing eyes—offer
up thy orisons devoutly and fervently to that Being who so long has
watched over thy ancestors and thee, and He will not disregard thy
supplications. We have no temple, but we still have holy places of
worship; therefore attend them:—we have no burnt offerings, but we have
prayers; therefore repeat them, not only with thy lips, (for the utterance
of the lips is like a bubble of air,—it vanisheth, and its passage is
not noted,) but with all thy heart, with all thy soul:—we have no
trespass offerings, but we have confessions of sins; therefore, say them,
and prove thy repentance by sinning no more:—we have no priests to
minister for us, but we have pious and devout men, who are able and
willing to teach us “the word of God that leadeth to salvation;”
therefore listen to their instructions, attend to their counsels, follow
their advice:—and thus shalt thou show, that though it hath pleased
Providence for a time to deprive thee of thy former blessings, thou art
still not unmindful of his innumerable benefits, but art ever ready to
acknowledge the justice of thy punishment, and maintain a firm, unshaken
reliance in His Holy Word. Let temptations assail, promises of worldly
advancement be given, plentiful as the sand on the sea-shore, bright as
thy dearest hopes could picture, thy wildest
dreams of ambition conceive;—but heed them not: recollect that man,
frail, perishable man, who is here to-day, tomorrow in his grave, makes
them, and remember, that though he may think to make thee happy, his
influence can only extend to things like himself, fragile and of no
permanent existence;—but that a strict adherence to the law of thy
Creator, though attended with taunts, contumely, and misfortune here, will
not fail to secure thee bliss eternal, and a crown of glory hereafter.
B.
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