" 1. First-fruits (f Fruit-trees. — It was directed that the first-fruits of every tree whose fruit was used for food should, for the first three years of bearing, be counted ' uncircumcised,' and regarded as unclean (Lev. xix, 23, 24). It was unlawfid to sell them, to eat them, or to make any benefit of them. It was only in the fourth year of bearing that they wore accounted 'holy,' and the fruit of that year was made an offering of first- fruits, and was either given to the priests (Numb, xviii, 12, 13), or, as the Jews themselves understand, was eaten by the owners of it 'before the Lord at Jerusalem,' as was the case with second tithe. After the fourth year all fruits of trees were available for use by the owner.
" 2. First-fruits of the Yearly Increase. — Of these there were several kinds : (1) The first-fruits in the sheaf (Lev. xxiii, 10). (2.) The first-fruits in the two wave- loaves (ver. 17). These two bounded the harvest, that in the sheaf being offered at the beginning of tlie har- vest, upon the loth of the month Nisan; the other at the end of the harvest, on the feast of Pentecost. These two are both called SniSIDri, tenuphoth', 'shake or wave offerings.' (3.) The first of the dourjh, being the twen- ty-fourth part thereof, which was given to the priests (Numb. XV, 20) ; and this kind of offering was not neg- lected even after the return from Babylon (Neh. x, 37). (4.) The first-fruits of the threshinfj-floor. These last two are called ri'l''21~!n. ferumoth', 'heave-offerings;' the one the ' heave-offering of the threshing-floor,' the other the 'heave-offering of the dough.' The words tenuphoth and teruinoth both signify 'shake-offering,' ' heave-offering,' or 'wave-offering;' but with the differ- ence that the terumoth was offered by a waving of ele- vation, moving the oblation upward and downward, to signify, as we are told, that Jehovah was the God both of the heaven and earth ; but the tenuphoth was offered by waving of agitation, to and fro, from the right hand to the left, from cast to west, from north to south ; which is alleged to have been in the way of an acknowledg- ment that Jehovah was the Lonl of the whole world (see Godwyn, Moses and A aron, vi, 2, p. 214, 215 ; also, Lewis, Orif/ines, i, 143-146)." — Kitto. See First- fruits.
OBLATION (Christian) designates an offering to God, in certain ecclesiastical senses.
1. In the sacramental service of the Church of Eng- gland the phrase "alms and oblations" occurs iu the prayer fur the C^hurch militant, and evidently refers to a very ancient custom. " In the primitive Church, at the administration of the Lord's Supper, communicants were required to bring certain oblations, Trpoaipopai, or presents, ciupa, of bread and wine. These were some- times presented by persons who did not communicate. The bread and wine were enveloped in a white linen cloth called 'fago,' the wine being contained in a vessel called 'ama' or ' amula.' After the deacon had said, ' Let us pray.' the communicants carried their offerings to- wards tlic altar, which were usually taken by a deacon,
and, having been delivered or presented to the bishop, were laid upon the altar or upon a separate table pro- vided fur their reception. Tliis custom of offering ob- lation ceased generally during the 12th and loth centu- ries" (Biddle).
Tlie rubric at the same time enjoins that if there be a communion, " the priest is then," just before this pray- er, "to place ujion the table so much bread and wine as he shall tliink sufficient." Hence it is clearly evident that by that word we are to understand the elements of bread and wine which the priest is to offer solemnly to God, as an acknowledgment of his sovereignty over his creatures, that from henceforth they may be pecul- iarly his. In all the Jewish sacrifices, of which the people were partakers, the viands or materials of the feast were first made (iod's by a solemn oblation, and then afterwards eaten by the communicants, not as man's but as God's provision, who by thus entertain- ing them at his own table declared himself reconciled and again in covenant with them. Therefore the blessed Saviour, when he instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, first gave thanks, and blessed the elements, i. e. offered them up to God as the Lord of the creatures, as the most ancient fathers expound that pas- sage; who for that reason, whenever they celebrated the Eucharist, always offered the bread and wine for the communion to God upon the altar, l)3'this or some such short ejaculation, " Lord, we offer thine own out of what thou hast bountifully given us." After this they re- ceived them, as it were, from him again, in order to con- vert them into the sacred banquet of the body and blood of his dear Son. Consonant with this, in the first; common prayer of king Edward VI, the priest was or- dered in this place to set the bread and wine upon the altar. But at the second review, to conciliate the ultra- Protestants, this ancient usage appears to have been thrown out. It was, however, restored at the last re- view of the Prayer-book in the reign of Charles II, when it was ordered that the bread and wine should be placed solemnly on the table by the priest himself. Hence it appears that the placing of the elements upon the altar before the beginning of the morning service by the hands of a lay-clerk or sexton, as is sometimes the practice, is a breach of the aforesaid rubric.