le of the Lord's Supper stood,
ever having been inaccessible to the common people; an idea that has in a
certain sort of way survived all the reformations, dissolutions, and
dissensions of sixteen hundred years; for do we not even yet see the
minister and _deacons_ of the most ultra-dissenting meeting-houses
appropriating to themselves the _table pew_? There has always seemed
something incongruous in the idea, that the minute instructions which God
himself thought it worthy to deliver unto Moses in the mount, for the
construction of a "tabernacle for the congregation," and to contain the
ark of the covenant, which also formed a model for the gorgeous temple of
Solomon, should be doomed to entire annihilation at any period of the
world's history.

As Jewish sacrifices, laws, and covenants, were types, pictures, of the
embodiments to be found in the Christian dispensation, when the anti-type
had appeared, surely it is possible that the tabernacle too was a type of
a real building of living stones, then to be formed and fitly framed
together, and which might have its outward symbol in the edifices of
worship in all ages. We may not pause to dwell upon this idea, further
than it was recognized by the early Christians, of which clear proof
exists.

For the nearest approach to a perfect development of it, we must look to
a later date, when Christianity was first adopted by Constantine, and
just prior to its alliance with the state; and although, from the lack of
authority in church government, errors had already crept in, and mingled
with many of the practices, we believe the modern copyist might find a
far more pure and perfect model there, than in the meaningless
observances and ornaments of the middle ages.

Churches had then grown large and magnificent; they were divided into
three parts, the porch, the nave, and the sanctuary. In the nave stood
the pulpit--preaching at that time being considered the invitation, or
preparation for the _church_, whose duty was _worship_. It was divided
from the sanctuary by a _lattice work_, or screen, behind which was often
a veil before the holy table, which answered to the Holy of Holies of the
temple, and within it none but the priests entered. The baptistery was
usually situated without the church doors, and contained a fount, and a
reservoir for washing the hands was always to be found in the outer court
that enclosed all the buildings. Some writers have traced this to
heath