Page:History of Art in Sardinia, Judæa, Syria and Asia Minor Vol 1.djvu/155

History of the Israelites and their Religion. 137 This dream of a handful of men, prophets and popular leaders, who from their exalted platform looked down upon sublunary matters with disdainful scorn, must have seemed as a mad desire never to be realized by the well-meaning, respectable classes that number stronger in all communities, whose limited understanding was incapable of grasping the idea that their souls could be saved by aught but abundant sacrifice and outward ceremony. A similar conception of their religious duties was not confined to the Jews alone ; it was shared by all the tribes surrounding them ; and the only difference for centuries between Canaanite and Israelite had been the name of the god on whom they called. As might be expected, the priestly order turned to its own account the straitened condition in which the people was placed ; its influence increased as that of the sovereign grew less. At the outset a Lévite had been attached to the head of the clan, and afterwards the king ; but his tenure of office had depended on the will of the latter. 1 After David and Solomon, however, the chief " cohen " or minister of the temple had assumed the title of "high priest," and become the directing power of a numerous priesthood, whether as ex- pounders of the law, sacrificers, or servants addicted to the service of the sanctuary. The high priest was on terms of close relation- ship with the scribes, the royal and civil secretaries, in whose keep- ing were the law as well as the private and public deeds. Through them he acted and controlled public opinion. Chronicles grew under his dictation, reflecting the life and mode of government of the Israelites from a sacerdotal standpoint. " I have found the book of the law," says Hilkiah to the scribe Shaphan, as he hands him over the scroll. It is read to King Josiah and to the people as a new revelation, and a religious reform is the result. 2 One who stands forth as God's messenger of Divine truth to his people must acquire paramount authority. Thus the high priest Jehoiada removes Athaliah, and places the boy Joash upon the throne ; whilst Hilkiah, a little later, governs during the long minority of Josiah. Here and there sovereigns tried to hem in the tide of such encroachments ; thus, for instance, Joash ordered the death of the high priest, Zachariah, son of Jehoiada, to whom he had been in- 1 1 Kings ii. 26, 27. 2 It is easy to recognize the "second law" of Deuteronomy in this new book of the covenant ; instinct with a spirit of pietism so well in harmony with the sur- roundings in which it was drawn up.