tains of blue, and purple, and scarlet cloth, were to be hung within around the sides of the tabernacle. The outside was to be covered with curtains made of goats' hair, and a covering of skins, dyed red, was to cover it on the top.

And the Lord commanded Moses to make an ark of wood. This ark was to be a kind of chest. It was to be covered with gold within and without. And long staves, or poles, covered with gold, were to be fastened to the ark with golden rings, that men might carry the ark without touching it. And inside the ark were to be placed two tables of stone, which God had said He would give to Moses. On these tables of stone God had written the ten commandments which He had spoken from mount Sinai in the hearing of all the people. This ark was to be called the ark of the covenant, because God had made a covenant with His people, that if they would keep these commandments, and obey His voice, He would be their God, and would dwell among them, and that they should be His people.

And upon the top of the ark was to be placed a mercy seat of gold, and golden figures of two cherubims. These cherubims were angels with their wings stretched out over the mercy seat which was upon the ark.

The ark of the covenant, with the golden mercy seat, was to be placed within the tabernacle, or house of God. And a vail, or curtain, was to be placed before the ark across the tabernacle, from side to side, to separate the place where the ark of God was to be, from the rest of the tabernacle. And God said, that He would always meet with Moses there, and would speak to him from above the mercy seat, from between the cherubims; there Moses should hear the voice of God speaking with him.

The part of the tabernacle which was within the vail, where the ark of God was to be placed, was to be called the holy of holies. The outer part of the tabernacle which was without the vail was to be called the holy place. And round about the tabernacle there was to be a court, or open space. And the wall of the court of the taberna

Chapter LV.

THE APPOINTMENT OF GOD'S PRIESTS, AND THE DUTIES OF THEIR OFFICE.

WHEN God had commanded Moses to make for Him a tabernacle or holy house, He taught him the way in which He willed that His people, the children of Israel, should worship Him.

God commanded Moses to take Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, that they might be His priests to minister before Him. Moses was to offer sacrifice for Aaron and his sons seven days, and to sprinkle them with the blood of the sacrifice, and then he was to anoint them with holy anointing oil, that he might set them apart for a holy service. And God said that He would sanctify them to serve Him in the priest's office.

And the Lord told Moses to make for Aaron holy garments, "for glory and for beauty." The

garments were to be made of fine linen, and of blue and purple, and scarlet and gold, with a breastplate of gold. And on the breastplate were to be precious stones, on which the names of the twelve tribes were to be written. This breastplate Aaron was to wear upon his breast when he went into the holy place to minister before the Lord. And Moses was also to make for Aaron's sons garments," for glory and for beauty," which they were to wear when they went into the tabernacle or house of God.

Aaron and his sons were to burn sweet incense before God upon the golden altar, which was within the tabernacle in the holy place, and they were to offer sacrifices to God on the brazen altar which was in the court of the tabernacle.

It was the priest's office to burn incense before God, and to offer sacrifice; no one but the priests might do these things. They were also to teach the people the will of God, and to explain His commandments to them, and to bless them in God's name. They only might go into the tabernacle of God, into the holy place; none but God's

priests might enter there. But Aaron alone was to go within the vail into the holy of holies, where the ark of God was; for Aaron was to be the high priest. No one but the high priest and Moses might look upon the ark of God.

There was to be but one high priest: and when Aaron died, his son was to be the high priest in his stead. And Aaron and his sons, and their sons after them, were to be God's priests for

ever.

Exodus xxviii. xxix. xxx. Deut. xvii. 12. Num. vi. 22-27. Exod. xl. 15.

Garments are clothes.

Brazen, means made of brass.

Incense was made of sweet-smelling herbs and spices. When it was burnt, it sent up a light cloud of smoke, which had a very pleasant smell.