EXPOSITION. CHAPTER xxxvn. ployment of the highest artistic skill on that which was the most precio118 of all objects Vers. 1-29.-TllE Jl'URTHER PROGRESS 01' connected with the new consttoction. THE WORK-THE CONSTRUCTION 011' THE Jl'UB- Ver. 7.-Beaten out of one pieoe. Rather, NITURE FOR THE HOLY OF HOLIES (vers. 1, 9)- " of beaten work," as the se.me word is trall8- AND FOB THE HOLY PLACE (vers. 10-28)- lated in the corresponding possage, eh. xxv. 18. THE MAKING OF THE HOLY OIL AND 011' THE Ver. 23.-Hia mu1l'era. Or, "tongs,"' as in eh. xxv. 38. INCENSE (ver. 29). On the history of the con- Ver. 26.-The Ul08D.le altar here occurs in stmction of the te.berna.cle follows naturally its right place, among the foruiture of the that of the construction of its furniture. The outer chamber of the tabernacle-not, as in- order of dignity is followed, as in eh, xxv., ch. xxx. 1-6, out of pla.ce. and the furniture of the holy of holies te.kon Ver. 29.-The holy anointiD.g oil For the composition of the oil, see eh. x.xx. 2-3---25 ; first. Vers. 1-9 correspond to vers. 10-20 for the uses whereto it was to be applied, ih. of eh. xxv. ; vers. 10-16 to vers. 23-29 ; 26-30. The pve inoeD.Be of aweet spices. vers. 17-24 to vers. 31-39 of the same; and The composition of the incense is given in eh. vers. 25-28 to vers. 1-5 of eh. x.xx. Ver. xx.x. 34, 35. It is there said to have been 29 is an abbreviation of eh. xxx. 23-26, and " a confection alter the art of the apnthecarv- tempered together, pure and holy.' The com- 34, 35. bination of artistic power with practical Ver. 1.-Besaleel made the ark. The know ledge in Beza.lee] and Aholi&b cells to particular maker of the various parts and con- mind cinque-cento Italy, and the wonderful t.ants of the tabema.cle is not elsewhere pointed grasp of art and science possessed by Michael out. Thus this mention of Beza.lee! is em• Angelo and Benvenuto Cellini phatic, and seems intended to mark the em-
HOMILETICS. Ver. 1.-..drt's highest efforts should be concentrated on what i-8 most essential to the work in hand. "Bezaleel made the ark." Dezaleel, "filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" (eh. uxv. 31), while he entrusted most of the rest of the work to others, reserved to himself the <;onstruction of the ark, with the cherubim and mercy seat. 'l'he ark was clearly the central object of the newly devised structure, that towards which the eyes of all would be directed, on which the thoughts of all would rest, which, itself unoeen, dominated the entire edifice and formed its material basis and raison d'etre. Shrined in the holy of holies, shrouded from sight by the veil, never seen but by the high-priest once a-year, yet known to occupy the innermost penet~ of the sanctuary, and to lie there in the light of the D!v_ine presence constantly, it._challeng?Cl the attention_ of all, and occurie,i 1 unique pos1t1on among the !;8.Cred obJects which the sanctuary ...-as to conrarn. 2 (' ~ 38B 'rHJ<, BOOK OF EXODUS. [c11. i.uvn. 1-29.
De7aleel, the Tnl\ster-llrti~t, felt thRt there was a call on him to conetn1ct it. What we<lltb of lo,·iug work be IRvi~hed on the conglruction, ,._;th what rich and delicate tracery of flluciful ornRment be adorned it, no one can eRy. The ark never returned from llahylon; and the master-work of the master-artiRt of these times has been I08t to humanit~·- But his choice aRserted BOme important principles, and deserves imitAtion through 11ll age,,. It pointed out- I. 'J'UAT THE l,AW OF OHNAMK1'"T 18 NOT ONE OF GENERAL UNIFORM ELABORATIO~ t'T TO A CEnTAIN HEIGH'!', BUT ONE OF SPECIAL OONCENTRATION UPON A POINT OR ro,~n;. C',ompare Magdalen Tower with the Hou!llls !.If Parliament, the western front of th~ Parthenon with the ordinary porch of a church of the Jesuits, the facade of St. Z<'no Rt Yerona with even the front of St. Mark's at Venice, and it will at once be seen h0w superior is ornament concentre.ted to orne.ment diHpersed, elabonltion of cert.e.in part6, Ret off by the compe.rstive ple.inness of others, to diffusion genenilly of etJ ual elaboration everywhere. A sense of hee.vineNs, of over-loading, of weariness, is producoo by the one 1ihm, a feeling of unmixed pleasure by the other. Ji. 'J'HAT THE OONCE:1-"TRATION SHOULD BE ON SUCH PARTB OF THE WOBB: AS ARE KOST ESSE!\'TIAL TO IT. If a campanile or bell-tower be the work in hand, the con- centration should be towards the chamhor in which the bells are hung, as in the great campanile of St. Mark's, Venice. If a college, towards the parts common to all, the chapel, hall, library; if a sepulchre.I monument, towards the tomb; if a palace, towards the st.ate-rooms ; and the like. Here, in this case of the tabernacle, the concentration was towards the holy of holies. Most properly. And on the ark: since, of the holy of holies, the ark was the glory. In Christian churches, according as preaching, or the administration of the sacraments, or the elevation of the thoughts to heaven, are regarded as the me.in object of sacred buildings, the concentration of artistic effort will naturally be towards the pulpit, or towards font and altar, or towards the root Examples of the first are common in Germany and Switzerland, of the seoond in Roman Catholic churches generally, of the third in English churches of the Tudor period, ~g. Henry the Seventh's Chapel in Westminster .6..bbey, and the like. For further Homiletics, see thoae on chs. xxv. and xxx.