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E. WALTEE MAUNDER, ESQ.^ F.R.A.S., ON 



immediate observation. This is nowhere laid down in the Law, 

 but can be surely inferred from the Law itself. And similarly^ 

 as already pointed out, it follows that the first day of the seventh 

 month was rigidly connected with the first day of the first month. 

 Twenty-five weeks and two days ^separated the two always, no 

 matter what the character of the year, even as they do to-day. 

 The month of the Passover was not fixed to be the first month, 

 and the index for all the great days of the year, by accident. 

 The new moon of spring-time would give the most decided 

 determination of any month in the year, for then the moon 

 is moving most rapidly northward, and consequently the interval 

 of time between sunset and moonset increases most rapidly from 

 one evening to the next. 



The determination of the first day of the month Abib 

 fixed the determination of the Feast of Trumpets, and of all the 

 days of holy convocation. The dates, therefore, of all the 

 religious observances of the Mosaic Calendar for any year were 

 fixed directly the beginning of its first month was determined. 

 But not of the following year : that must have been the subject 

 of fresh observation. Year by year, in the original calendar, 

 the state of the readiness of the crops, and of the lambs for the 

 Paschal feast, must have determined the time when the Passover 

 would be held, and consequently all the subsequent feasts of the 

 year. 



When did the Mosaic Calendar oeiginate ? 



The little table annexed may serve to give a more distinct 

 impression of the scheme of the Mosaic Calendar, and to bring 

 out its simphcity, harmony, and completeness. It is evidently 

 an essential unity, the product of a single mind : not the chance 

 coming together of diverse and unrelated tendencies. 



The Mosaic Calendar. 



Unit. 



Seven. 



Seven 

 times 

 Seven. 



Beginning. 



End. 



Beginning. 



Day. 

 Morning. 



Evening. 



Sabbath. 



Pentecost. 



Month. 

 New Moon. 



Feast of Trumpets, 

 Month of Worship 

 (with Day of 

 Atonement) . 



Year. 

 Spring 

 (Passover). 

 Autumn 

 (Tabernacles). 



Sabbatic Year. 



Year of Jubilee. 



