Among the outward means by which the religion of Israel was preserved, one of the most

important was the centralisation and localisation of its worship in Jerusalem. If to some the

ordinances of the Old Testament may in this respect seem narrow and exclusive, it is at least

doubtful, whether without such a provision Monotheism itself could have continued as a creed

or a worship. In view of the state of the ancient world, and of the tendencies of Israel during the

earlier stages of their history, the strictest isolation was necessary in order to preserve the

religion of the Old Testament from that mixture with foreign elements which would speedily have

proved fatal to its existence. And if one source of that danger had ceased after the seventy

years' exile in Babylonia, the dispersion of the greater part of the nation among those manners

and civilisation would necessarily influence them, rendered the continuance of this separation of

as great importance as before. In this respect, even traditionalism had its mission and use, as a

hedge around the Law to render its infringement or modification impossible.

Wherever a Roman, a Greek, or an Asiatic might wander, he could take his gods with him, or

find rites kindred to his own. It was far otherwise with the Jew. He had only one Temple, that in

Jerusalem; only one God, Him Who had once throned there between the Cherubim, and Who

was still King over Zion. That Temple was the only place where a God-appointed, pure

priesthood could offer acceptable sacrifices, whether for forgiveness of sin, or for fellowship

with God. Here, in the impenetrable gloom of the innermost sanctuary, which the High-Priest

alone might enter once a year for most solemn expiation, had stood the Ark, the leader of the

people into the Land of Promise, and the footstool on which the Shechinah had rested. From

that golden altar rose the cloud in incense, symbol of Israel's accepted prayers; that seven-

branched candlestick shed its perpetual light, indicative of the brightness of God's Covenant

Presence; on that table, as it were before the face of Jehovah, was laid, week by week, `the

Bread of the Face1,' a constant sacrificial meal which Israel offered unto God, and wherewith

God in turn fed His chosen priesthood. On the great blood-sprinkled altar of sacrifice smoked

the daily and festive burnt-offerings, brought by all Israel, and for all Israel, wherever scattered;

while the vast courts of the Temple were thronged not only by native Palestinians, but literally by

`Jews out of every nation under heaven.' Around this Temple gathered the sacred memories of

the past; to it clung the yet brighter hopes of the future. The history of Israel and all their