108 



PROFESSOR JAMES ORK, D.D., ON THE 



east. In the innermost half of this enclosure stood the 

 tabernacle itself. The tabernacle may be briefly described as 

 consisting of a framework of gilded boards, set in silver sockets, 

 over which were cast successive coverings — the first a beautifully 

 embroidered curtain, made of ten breadths, joined, in sets of five, 

 by golden clasps in the middle ; the next, a covering of goat's 

 hair, the tent-covering proper, made of eleven breadths, therefore 

 larger than the former, and overlapping it as it hung ; finally, 

 a rough covering of porpoise or dugong skins, to protect against 

 the weather. A chief problem about the tabernacle is, whether 

 these coverings were stretched flat-wise over the top of the 

 framework, hanging down at sides and back almost to the ground, 

 or, as Mr. Fergusson and others have ably argued, were raised 

 by a ridge-pole to form a sloping roof, corresponding to the 

 character of a tent. It is certainly in favour of the latter 

 conception that nothing could be less like a tent than the coflin- 

 like structure, with a pall thrown over it, which results from the 

 flat-roof theory, not to speak of the danger of sagging, and the 

 concealment by the curtain of the gilded work and bars of the 

 outer framework, also of the beauty of the curtain itself from 

 the view of those within. Professor A. K. Kennedy meets this 

 by a liypothesis that tlie framework did not consist of solid 

 boards, but of open frames, through which the curtain w^ould be 

 visible. The theory is ingenious, but has its own difficulties. 

 The mention of " pins " and other appliances of a tent support 

 Mr. Fergusson's view. However this may be, and it is immaterial 

 for the ]3resent argument, the main facts about the wilderness 

 sanctuary are clear enough. The tabernacle was not a large 

 structure — only 30 cubits (45 feet) long by 10 cubits (15 feet) 

 broad. It was divided, like tlie temple, into a holy and a most 

 holy place — of the dimensions of which I shall speak immediately. 

 A veil divided the two placi^s, andan embroidered curtain, hung 

 from five pillars, closed the entrance. 



Such was the tabernacle structure. In its outer court was 

 the altar of burnt offering — only 5 cubits (7-^ feet) square and 

 3 cubits (4-| feet) high (Kxodus xxvii, 1) — and the bronze laver 

 for the ablutions of the priests (Exodus xxx, 17-21). In the 

 holy place were the golden candlestick on the south side, the 

 table of shevvbread on the north side, and the golden altar of 

 incense, again quite small, 1 cubit square and 2 cubits high, in 

 front of the veil. The altar was regarded as belonging rather to 

 the most holy than to the holy place. In the holiest place, 

 finally, stood the ark of the covenant. It is not always realized 

 how very small this sacred object, with its covering of gold, or 



