In the period after the exile arose the Essenes, who went further than the prophets, and retained of the out- ward ritual only the lustrations, not oftering sacrifices at all (Josephus, A nt. xviii, 1, 5). It is well known that all the ceremonial of sacrifice has been given up h\ the Jews, since they no longer possess the Temple moun- tain ; yet the Samaritans still yearly offer seven lambs on Mount Gerizim at the Passover (Robinson, iii, 98 sq.). — Winer. See Offkring.
The fact that every individual who brought a sacri- fice had to be present in the Temple when it was of- fered gave rise to the opinion that the daily morning and evening sacrifices which were brought for the whole congregation of Israel required that the congregation should be represented in the Temple at the offering of these national sacrifices. Hence the whole people was divided into twenty-four divisions or orders, correspond- ing to the divisions of the priests and Levites. Ev- ery division chose a number of representatives C^IUJit Toys), one of whom was appointed chief (l73"52n), and in turn sent up some of them as a deputation to Jerusalem to represent the nation at the daily sacrifices in the Temple, and pronounce the prayers and blessings in behalf of the people while the sacrifices were offered. They had also to fast four days (i. e. the second, third, fourth, and fifth day) during the week of their repre- sentation. Those of the representatives who remained at home assembled in a synagogue to pray during the time of sacrifice. See Temple.
It will be observed from the above notices that there was one grand point of difference between the Jews and the heathens: the sacrificial rites of the former were never stained with human blood, than which noth- ing could be conceived more abhorrent to all the attri- butes of Jehovah (Jephthah's daughter is no exception, for it cannot be proved with certainty that she was sac- rificed; on the contrary, many interpreters think that she was solemnly dedicated to the service of God). But the testimony of innumerable writers [jroves that no hea- then nation has been free from human sacrifices; such having occurred, even among civilized people, at some period of their history, especially on some great occa- sion, to expiate a great sin or avert some dreadful ca- lamity. Even to this day among the Hindus, whose tenets forbid blood-shedding, human self-immolations, or sacrificial suicides, are common. Another point of dif- ference is found in the animal sacrifices, which, among the heathens, were frequently of such as were particu-
SACRILEGE
231
SACRILEGIUM
larly forbidden in the Mosaic law — unclean animals and beasts of prey; such as dogs offered to Hecate, swine to Mars (in the SuovetdiiriUa), and wolves to Apollo. Heathens in their sacrifices poured oil over the beast, which the Jews did not; they (the former) burned only a portion of the frankincense presented; the Jews hurned all. The (Ireeks offered honey to the sun ; in Jewish sacritices it was forbidden ; and the Sa- bian idolaters ate the blood of their sacrifices, which Maimonides thinks was one of the reasons why it was so particularly^ prohibited to the Jews. Their bread- offerings also were leavened. Some points of similar- ity are to be found between the Jewish and heathen sacrifices. The heathens brought their victims to the temples, chose them without blemish, poured out liba- tions of wine, cut tiie animal's throat, flayed and dis- sected it, caught the blood in a vessel, and poured it on and round the altar; and they used salt by mixing some with meal, and sprinkling it on the head of tlie animal, on which the}' also laid their hands. In the early times the sacrifice was burned whole, the skin be- ing given to the priest; but later, part only was con- sumed and the rest given to the sacriticers (if it was an eatable animal) to feast upon. The thiglis and fat were the share of the gods. The victims among the Greeks and Romans were crowned with garlands and adorned with tillets and ribbons, and the horns of large animals were gilded. None of these decorations are enjoined in the Jewish sacritices. See Sacrifice.
Roman Sacrifice of the Suovetaurilia.
Sacrilege (IfpofroXtw, to rob n temple, Rom. ii, 22 ; so the noun lepoffuXoc, " robber of churches," Acts xix, 37), the violation or profanation of holy places, persons, or things. Though the word sacrilege is not used else- where than as above in our version of the canonical Scriptures, yet we find the crime itself often alluded to ; e. g. " profaning the sanctuary" (Lev. xxi, 22), " profan- ing hallowed things" (Lev. xix, 8), " profaning the cove- nant" (Mai. ii, 10). The first sacrilegious act we read of is that of Esau selling his birthright (Gen. xxv, 33), for which he is called " profane" by Paul (Heb. xii, 16). Instances of this inider the Mosaic economy (which sternly forbade it [Exod. xxv, 14]) were the cases of Nadab and Ahihu (Lev. x), the men of Beth- shemesh (1 Sam. v), Uzzah (2 Sam. vi, 67), Uzziah (2 Chron. xxvi). The Jews at a later period of their history were eminently guilty in this particular, inas- much as they withheld the tithes and offerings which God required of them (Mai. iii, 8-10), and converted his holy temple into a market (Maft. xxi, 12, 13). This profanation is forbidden in the Talmud (Lightfoot, ud loc). See Temple. Yet they pretended to be punc- tiliously scrupulous in their reverence for the interior building (Matt, xxvi, 61). So the grand accusation against Stephen was that he spoke disrespectfully of the Temple (Acts vi, 13). An uproar was excited against Paul in Jerusalem on the charge that he brought Greeks into the TemiJe and polluted the holy place (Acts xxi, 28, 29), though dailj' profanations were