strument of worship it was no better than any other "piece of brass.”

Whatever turns the soul from God and perverts or dims the truth, however sacred the use to which it has been applied, must be relinquished, and if needful be destroyed. God is "a jealous God."

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His glory he will not give to another, nor his praise to graven images." The holy city in which the people gather for his worship-the temple of his residence itself, however sacred and however magnificent as a work of art, he will forsake and utterly overthrow in avenging the honor of his name.

No richer field for relics was ever presented than is found in the early history of the Israelites; and if their tendency is good, we should expect no system of religion would use them more freely than the Mosaic, which addressed itself so much to the senses and the imagination. Yet under this system no relics were preserved by divine appointment except the pot of manna and Aaron's rod; and even these were concealed in the holy of holies from public inspection. The brazen serpent was preserved by human contrivance. At first no harm followed the interest with which it was regarded by the people; but in later ages, when religious feeling had declined, it became the occasion of idolatry. The history of relics is everywhere the No matter how pious are the intentions of those who introduce them, they soon lead to super

same.

stition and imposture. The greater the interest which attaches to a relic, the greater the danger of its abuse. How often has absurd veneration for a fancied piece of the wood on which the Saviour was crucified, been substituted for love to Christ himself! How many have rested their hope of heaven on perishing matter, instead of trusting in "the Son of man," who, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," was "lifted up" on the cross for the salvation of the world!

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CHAPTER V.

HEZEKIAH COMPLETES THE REFORMATION.

IN anticipation of the service in the temple which Solomon was about to erect, David formed the Levites into several divisions, and assigned to each division its distinct duties. He appointed twenty-four thousand to assist in the sacrifices, keep the temple and its courts free from whatever might pollute or be offensive, and perform other duties of a similar kind. He appointed four thousand of the same tribe to sing and praise God with musical instruments, day and night, in the temple. Each of these divisions was subdivided into twenty-four courses, which served in rotation, and were changed weekly. The priests, the descendants of Aaron, were also divided into twenty-four courses, which served a week each in rotation. This arrangement, which seems to have been disturbed by the neglect of worship in the temple, Hezekiah now set himself to restore. He appointed "the priests and Levites for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister and give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord." The buildings surrounding the temple, in which the priests and Levites were stationed, are here called "tents of the Lord," from their resemblance to an encampment.

The public daily sacrifices, as well as those for the sabbaths, the new moons, and other set feasts, were provided by the voluntary contributions of the people, or were furnished by the priests from the endowments to which they were entitled by the law. But Hezekiah did not choose to impose such a burden on them at present. They had been unaccustomed to contribute for this object during the prevalence of idolatry, and could not be relied on at once to bring enough into the treasury to meet the demand. He therefore chose to provide for the public sacrifices out of his own stated revenues. He knew that the best way to make the people liberal in their offerings, was to set them an example himself. This, too, would prove his sincerity, and render his motives less liable to impeachment. More than all, he loved the service of Jehovah, and delighted to lay on the altar a daily expression of his gratitude and faith. He did not wish to worship at other people's expense.

This liberality of Hezekiah should rebuke those in Christian lands who refuse to furnish, or furnish grudgingly, their share of what is needed for the enjoyment of religious institutions. "Will a man

rob God?" Yet some men attempt to rob him, and, as they think, with success. But they would do well to remember what he has revealed for our admonition in reference to this point: "Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him

that teacheth, in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." In attempting to rob God, men often rob their own souls and their families of the healthful influences of religion in this life, and of its unspeakable rewards in the life to come. Alas, that any who enroll themselves among the followers of Christ should refuse to contribute of their abundance for the support of his institutions, or should contribute so sparingly as to excite the contempt even of the world.

As the Levites were set apart by the law for public employments, civil, literary, and religious, and had but a small share in the territory divided among the tribes, the law provided for them a support from the first-fruits and tithes. The amount of the former was left to the liberality of each individual; though it is said that one-sixtieth part of the product was the least which any one thought of offering. A tenth part of the remainder of the fruits and grains and cattle, each year, was reserved for the Levites, and was carried to the temple at Jerusalem. The tithe of the fruits of the earth could be redeemed with money, adding a fifth part of the estimated value to the whole amount, in consideration of saving the expense of transportation; but the tithe of sheep, goats, and cattle, must be paid in kind. The tenth of the grain and fruits could be estimated easily by measuring. The ani