(Heb. viii. 4)--and with it all the old racial monopolies, all class
distinctions, being Himself of a tribe as to which Moses spake nothing
concerning priests (Heb. vii. 14). Every priest standeth, but this
priest hath for ever sat down, and even at the right hand of God (Heb.
x. 11, 12).

In one sense this priesthood belongs to Christ alone. In another sense
it belongs to all who are made one with Him, and therefore a kingly
priesthood unto God. But nowhere in the New Testament is the name by
which He is designated bestowed upon any earthly minister by virtue of
his office. The presbyter is never called _sacerdos_. And perhaps the
heaviest blow ever dealt to popular theology was the misapplying of the
New Testament epithet (elder, presbyter or priest) to designate the
sacerdotal functions of the Old Testament, and those of Christ which
they foreshadowed. It is not the word "priest" that is at fault, but
some other word for the Old Testament official which is lacking, and
cannot now be supplied.

CHAPTER XXIX.

_THE CONSECRATION SERVICES._

xxix.

The priest being now selected, and his raiment so provided as that it
shall speak of his office and its glory, there remains his consecration.

In our day there is a disposition to make light of the formal setting
apart of men and things for sacred uses. If God, we are asked, has
called one to special service, is not that enough? What more can earth
do to commission the chosen of the sky? But the plain answer which we
ought to have the courage to return is that this is not at all enough.
For God Himself had already called Paul and Barnabas when He said to
such folk as Simeon Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, "Separate Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (Acts xiii.
1-4). And these obscure people not only laid their hands upon the great
apostle, but actually sent him forth. Now, if he was not exempted from
the need of an orderly commission by the marvellous circumstances of his
call, by his apostleship not of man, by the explicit announcement that
he was a chosen vessel to bear the sacred name before kings and peoples,
it is startling to be told of some shallow modern evangelist, who works
for no Church and submits to no discipline, that he can dispense with
the sanction of human ordination because he is so clearly sent of
heaven.

The example of the Old Testament will no doubt be brushed aside as if
the religion which Jesus le