[=4] 



image of the earth \ it is sustained by four feet, answer- 

 ing to the summer, autumn, spring, and winter." The 

 shew-bread was placed on the table m front of Yah, and 

 was divided into twelve pieces, typical of the twelve 

 signs, as we find stated in Ex. xxv. 22 and 30 (literally 

 translated) : " And I will hang [or be deposited] there, 

 set [or sitting] before thee ; and I will talk to thee from 

 above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim, 



which are upon the ark of the testimony and thou 



shalt set shew-bread always upon the table in front of me." 

 The candlesticks, with three branches on each side and 

 one in the centre, having seven lamps burning on them, 

 represented the seven summer signs, including both the 

 equinoxial ones. Josephus tells us that the candlesticks 

 were divided into seventy parts, answering to the seventy 

 decans of the seven signs. The veil of the temple was 

 of blue, purple, and scarlet, and represented the atmos- 

 pheric vault of heaven tinged, as it frequently is, by the 

 sun's rays. The pomegranates represented the fixed 

 stars. The dress of the high priest was ornamented with 

 566 bells, corresponding with the days of the sidereal 

 year, with two bright emeralds and twelve precious 

 stones, which, according to Clement of Alexandria, re- 

 presented the sun and moon and the twelve signs of the 

 zodiac. 



Sufficient has been said to leave no doubt as to the 

 real meaning of the tabernacle and its appurtenances, 

 and, I think, to establish the truth of what I have pre- 

 viously stated viz., that the ancient religions were of 

 astronomical origin and abounding in symbolical rites 

 and ceremonies. It only remains for me now to repeat 

 what I have maintained before in other essays that 

 the Christian religion of to-day, although modified by 

 time and circumstances, having been considerably mani- 

 pulated so as to be brought within touch of modern 

 requirements, is nothing more or less than a rehash of 

 the Egyptian, Persian, Hindu, and Phoenician mytho- 

 logies an old worn-out faith, in fact, dressed in gaudy 

 and attractive garments. 



