cism, and peculiarities of diet and clothing,
similar to the Essenes, which has led some scholars to believe that he
instituted the order, but this is evidently not the case.

The Kenite "King of Righteousness," _Melchizedek_, "a priest of the Most
High God," brought out BREAD _and_ WINE as a _sign_ or _symbol_ of
worship; as _the mystic elements of Divine presence_. In the visible
symbol of _bread and wine_ they worshiped _the invisible presence of the
Creator of heaven and earth_.[307:1]

To account for this, Christian divines have been much puzzled. The Rev.
Dr. Milner says, in speaking of this passage:

"It was in offering up a sacrifice of bread and wine, instead
of slaughtered animals, that Melchizedek's sacrifice differed
from the generality of those in the old law, and that he
_prefigured_ the sacrifice which Christ was to _institute_ in
the new law from the same elements. No other sense than this
can be elicited from the Scripture as to this matter; and
accordingly the holy fathers unanimously adhere to this
meaning."[307:2]

This style of reasoning is in accord with the TYPE theory concerning the
Virgin-born, Crucified and Resurrected Saviours, but it is not
altogether satisfactory. If it had been said that the religion of
Melchizedek, and the religion of the Persians, were the _same_, there
would be no difficulty in explaining the passage.

Not only were bread and wine brought forth by Melchizedek when he
blessed Abraham, but it was offered to God and eaten before him by
Jethro and the elders of Israel, and some, at least, of the _mourning_
Israelites broke bread and drank "the cup of consolation," in
remembrance of the departed, "to comfort them for the dead."[307:3]

It is in the ancient religion of Persia--the religion of Mithra, the
Mediator, the Redeemer and Saviour--that we find the nearest resemblance
to the sacrament of the Christians, and from which it was evidently
borrowed. Those who were initiated into the mysteries of Mithra, or
became _members_, took the sacrament of bread and wine.[307:4]

M. Renan, speaking of _Mithraicism_, says:

"It had its mysterious meetings: its chapels, which bore a
strong resemblance to little churches. It forged a very
lasting bond of brotherhood between its initiates: it had a
_Eucharist_, a Supper so like the Christian Mysteries, that
good Justin Martyr, the Apologist, can find only one