CONVERSATION XXIX.

Olympas. HAVING had the lineage, birth, circumcision, education, and early circumstances of the Messiah under consideration, as also his early visit to the temple at twelve, his baptism, reception of the Spirit, temptation and victory, we shall now inquire into the theatre and nature of his employment after this time. Read, William, to the close of the fourth chapter from the fourteenth

verse.

[The chapter being read, William went on to say that]

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and began to "teach in their synagogues, being glorified by all." The cities of Galilee were then the theatre of his public instructions.

Reuben. I wonder that they let him preach in the Jewish synagogues. What were these syna

gogues?

Olympas. Places of meeting or holding public assemblies for the edification of the Jews.

Reuben. What was the order of worship in these synagogues?

Olympas. You can explain it, Thomas.

Thomas. I had better first, perchance, describe the places of worship among the Jews as I have gathered them from Josephus, the Bible, and the books I have read on the Jewish Antiquities.

Olympas. You may state all their places of meeting for religious uses.

Thomas. Their houses of worship and places of edification were the tabernacle, the temple, the colleges, the proseuchas, or oratories, and synagogues. The Tabernacle and Temple are fully described in the Bible: the Colleges, Proseuchas, and Synagogues are not fully described in the Bible. The schools of the Prophets and Colleges, if they were not the same, were very nearly related. I think you told me they were two names for the same institutions.

Reuben. I have never read one word of Colleges in the Bible.

Thomas. You have forgotten the books of Kings and Chronicles; for in one of each they are mentioned. So carly as the time of Huldah the Prophetess, who flourished in the reign of the good Josiah, about six hundred and twenty years before Christ, we find them named in 2 Kings xxii. 14, and again in 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22. And that persons of much divine learning were in those institutions-(that in Jerusalem occupied the inner wall, whence, perhaps, came "Esquires of the Inner Temple")-is evident from the fact that when the long-lost copy of the Law was found, it was expedient to send to the College for an interpreter. Thus Huldah, a Prophetess, connected with the institution, is brought into notice as an expounder of the volume.

Next to those in antiquity were the Oratories or places of prayer. They were located on the tops of mountains and on the banks of rivers, and in such sequestered spots. They had open tops through which to look up to heaven. Our Saviour spent a whole night in one of them, and the pious were wont to assemble there in the early dawn

and at the close of even for meditation and prayer. They were built not only in Palestine, but sometimes in foreign countries. Paul found one near Philippi where Lydia was converted.

The Tabernacles were another class of buildings commenced before, but greatly multiplied after the Captivity. With regard to the Synagogues, villages were distinguished by two names-the Koomai and the Koomopolis. The latter had synagogues, and the former none. It required ten families at the least number to constitute a synagogue. When less than ten resided, they had no synagogue; and when more, they had synagogues according to the number of inhabitants.

Olympas. Do you recollect how many were in Jerusalem and some other large places at or near the time of the Messiah?

Thomas. The city of Tiberias had twelve, and Jerusalem four hundred and sixty-five. They were located over the whole country, and were essential to every Jewish settlement abroad as well as in their own country.

Olympas. State their architectural peculiarities.

Thomas. They were very uniform, although of varying dimensions. They always consisted of two parts. The western end was used as a sort of sacred temple, called the Icel. There was kept the Book of the Law in a small chest. Its title was THE HOUSE OF THE BOOK. The body of the

building, or east part of it, was seated for the congregation, separated in the midst down to the pulpit (for they had each a pulpit of wood) by a wire lattice from five to six feet high. On one side sat the men, on the other the women.

Olympas. Repeat the names of the officers, give us a brief view of the services.

and

Thomas. Rash Eceneseth was the Hebrew name of the ruler of the synagogue, usually called in Greek Archisunagoogos. Of this class there were three in every synagogue. They were, because of their frequent adjudications of small civil offences, called THE COUNCIL OF THREE. They prevented all disorders in the congregation. They commanded the public readers how much to read every Sabbath, and the people when to say Amen. They had considerable power in the settlement of all questions of moral wrong. They were to decide on the admission of proselytes, and on the ordination of all public functionaries.

The second officer Shelih Hetsebur, or minister of the congregation, frequently called The Angel of the Assembly, laboured among them in word and teaching. He prayed and preached. He sometimes appointed the readers, and stood beside them to see that they read right. Hence he got the name of the Episcopos, or Overseer.

The Deacon, or Almoner of the Poor, was the next officer. Of these there were generally three. To prevent the suspicion of embezzlement, they generally officiated in concert, at least two of them always had charge of the collections and of the synagogue lekupe, or chest that stood in the house.

To these there were sometimes added interpreters of the readings into the languages of those who were in attendance. Besides these they sometimes had Doctors of Divinity Schools, who instructed even the interpreters; and these also had their own interpreters. But the three Rulers, the Angel of the Church, or chief Bishop, and the three Almoners constituted the regular officers. To which, if we allow all classes to be in attend

ance, the office-bearers were in all ten-the Bishop, the three Rulers, the three Deacons, the Doctor of the Divinity School, his Interpreter, and the Interpreter of the readings of the Law.

They attended many hours during the day, commencing about sun-rise and continuing till nine or ten. They always returned at half-past four, and sat till sunset. They were not only exempted from all civil liabilities, but had salaries assigned them, according to some Rabbies; but according to others, their services were devotional and without charge. But as the glory departed the synagogue officers were diminished in number; and finally, in the fourteenth century they became few and inconsiderable in rank and standing.

Olympas. Tell us now of their worship.

Thomas. The officers, ten in number, sat with their backs to the West, and the congregation having their backs to the East, had their faces towards the Elders. Between them stood the pulpit, in which the services of the day were performed.

In the morning the Angel of the Church ascended the pulpit, while the people rose from their seats and stood in the most devotional attention. He offered up their public prayers, same of which were written down. We have in Buxtorf many of these prayers still preserved. The eighteen said to have been composed by Ezra, and the great Synagogue, which were read in our Saviour's time, are still extant; but I cannot read them now. At the end of these prayers the whole congregation said Amen.

After the prayers of the morning came the repetition of their phylacteries, as a guard from