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| Title | Page 8 |
| Creator | Holland, Frederick Whitmore, 1837-1880.
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| Description | Sinai and Jerusalem; or, Scenes from Bible Lands: Illustrated by Twelve Colored Photographic Views, Including a Panorama of Jerusalem, With Descriptive Letterpress. |
| Caption | AN EGYPTIAN TEMPLE AT PHILCE. the taint of the idolatrous worship practised hy those whose servants they were. Even at Mount Sinai, after G-od had declared Himself to them, in the absence of Moses they caused Aaron to make them a golden calf, the image of an Egyptian idol, and they worshipped it, and said, " These be thy Gods, 0 Israel, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt " (Exodus xxxii. 8). The temples of Egypt all belong to the same style of architecture, and were all, with certain modifications as to size and arrangement, built upon the same plan. An avenue of stone sphinxes led up to the pylon, or gateway, over which was carved the figure of the winged globe and serpent, the emblem of the Almighty. Sometimes there were two or three pylons, separated from one another by more sphinxes. The temple itself consisted of a portico, extending across its whole breadth, supported on columns, with strangely carved capitals ; then came the naos, or court; and at the end of this, or sometimes in its centre, stood the adytum, or sanctuary. This was the simplest form of temple, the number of courts and halls being often increased. These buildings were surrounded by a crude brick wall, enclosing a rectangular space, called "the Grove, " or "sacred enclosure, " which was entered by an outer gate, flanked by lofty pyramidal towers. The effect of the whole temple, with its massive walls and groups of columns and sphinxes, is very imposing. The whole expanse of wall, both of the gateways and the temple, is covered with sculptures, which record the histories of the kings who built them, and who are represented as bringing offerings to their gods, or slaying their enemies in battle: the kings being always made equal to the gods in size, towering above their subjects and enemies. The shape of the Egyptian temples reminds us of the plan of the tabernacle which Moses was commanded to make for the children of Israel. That consisted of an outer court, enclosed with hangings and pillars; the holy place, answering to the naos; and the holy of holies, where stood the ark, which was in the same position as the Egyptian adytum. We are inclined, perhaps, to wonder that God permitted in His tabernacle any likeness whatever to the temples belonging to so idolatrous a nation. It was, perhaps, allowed in merciful regard to the early associations of the children of Israel; but it suggests to us the lesson that " God dwelleth not in temples made with hands." |
| Date | 1870 |
| Publisher | London: Printed by Jas. Truscott and Son, Suffolk Lane, City. |
| Subject.Topical (LCSH) | Palestine -- Description and travel.
Sinai Peninsula -- Description and travel.
Jerusalem -- Description and travel.
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| Subject (Geographic) | Palestine
Sinai Peninsula
Jerusalem
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| Original Item Location | http://library.uh.edu/record=b3601783~S11 |
| Repository | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
| Use and Reproduction | This image is in the public domain and may be used freely. If publishing in print, electronically, or on a website, please use the citation button above. To request higher resolution images, please use the Request High Res button above. |
| File name | meast_201009_032.jpg |
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