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 TABERNACLE

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TABERNACLE

seven days (Lev., xxiii, 34-36). Every male Israelite was, according to law, obliged to go to Jerusalem, and "every one who was of the people of Israel" was bound to live in booths, which, though involving some discomfort, at the same time contributed much to the merriment attending the celebration. The distinc- tions between rich and poor were then somewhat oblit- erated in the general encampment, and thus the feast had a most beneficial social influence. The first day was held most solemn and considered a sabbath, all servile work being forbidden on that day (Lev., xxiii, 39; Num., xxix, 35); during the whole octave numer- ous sacrifices were offered (Num., xxix, 12-39) and on the eighth day [styled the great(est) day of the feast in John, vii, 37], was held a sabbath like the first and marked by special sacrifices of its own, the booths were broken up and the people returned home.

After the Exile, the feast was protracted to the twenty-fifth of the month, and two new rites were added to the old ceremonial. Every morning of the celebration a priest went down to the Siloe Foun- tain, whence he brought in a golden ewer water which was poured on the altar of holocausts amidst the sing- ing of the Hallel (Pss. cxii-cxvii) and the joyful sound of musical instruments. It was possibly the perform- ance of this ceremony (the institution of which may have been suggested by Is., xii, 3) which afforded to Our Lord the occasion to compare the action of the Holy Ghost in the faithful to a spring of living water (John, vii, 37-39). The other new feature added to the ritual of the feast was the illuminations of the women's court, together with the singing of the Psalms of the Degrees (Pss. cxix-cxxxiii) and the performance of dances or processions in the sacred precincts. On the eighth day a procession went seven times around the altar, the people carrying myrtle- boughs and palms and shouting: "Hosannah!" in memory of the fall of Jericho.

Every seven years, that is in the year of release, during the feast of Tabernacles, the Law was to be read before all the people according to the command found in Deut., xxxi, 10. But this enactment was probably soon found to be impracticable; and thus the Jewish authorities arranged to read on every sabbath, commencing with the sabbath after the feast of Tab- ernacles in one year of release and ending with the feast of Tabernacles in the next year of release, a por- tion of the Law so calculated that the whole Penta- teuch would be read through in seven years. Thus would in some way the commandment be fulfilled. Some time later, the Jews of Palestine lengthened the sections for each sabbath in such a manner that the entire Law could be read in three years (Talm. Babyl. Megillah, 29b). At present (and this custom seems to go back to the first century B. c.) the Jews have the Pentateuch so divided that they read it through every year, the first Parashah (division) being appointed for the sabbath after the feast of Tabernacles, and the last chapters for the last day of the feast in the next year, this being the day of rejoicing in the Law".

Green, The Hebrew Feasts (Cincinnati. 1886); Iken, ArUi- Quitates Hehraica: (Bremen, 1741); Reland, Antiquitates sacra: (Utrecht, 1741): Bahr, Symbolik des mosaischen CuUus (Heidel- berg, 1839); Benziqer, HerbrSische Archaologie (Frieburg im Br., 1894); Scbeqg, Biblische Archaologie (Freiburg im Br., 1894), 591 sq.; Wellhausen, Prolegomena zur geschichte Israels (4th ed., Berlin. 1895); Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah {New York, 1897), II. 149, 156-160, 165; Idem, The Temple, lis Ministry and Services (London, 1874), 232-49; Talmud, RooKiNSON (Boston, a. d.), IV, Tract. Succah; Kohtleitner, Archceol. Bibl. (Innsbruck, 1906), 99- 101; LESfcTHE in Vio., Did. de la Bible, V, 1961-66.

Charles L. Souvat.

Tabernacle Societies. — The Association of Per- petual .Viloration of the Blessed Sacrament and of work for ])Oor churches was founded at Brussels in 1S4S by Anne lie Meeds. By 1851 it had the approval of the liishops of Belgium. Within a few years a num- ber of its members formed themselves into a rehgioua

congregation, that of the Sisters of Perpetual Adora- tion (q. v.), Mdllede Meeds becoming the first superior general. In 1853 the society became an archcon- fraternity for Belgium, but quickly spread to the nearby countries where it met similar needs and re- ceived similar privileges, and in 1863 Pius IX granted the mother-society at Brussels the right to affiliate confraternities throughout the world, except in the city of Rome. This last restriction was removed when the mother-house of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration was transferred to Rome, which then be- came the centre of the association. An archcon- fraternity with the same name and purpose already existing at Rome, but founded subsequent to that of Brussels, was merged with the latter. The statutes of the archconfraternity were approved by the Con- gregation of Bishops and Regulars, 12 January, 1880, and Leo XIII by a Brief of 21 June, 1881, approved its transfer to Rome and right to affil- iate; and by a Brief of 30 July, 1895, granted it the title of Prima Primaria.

The members pledge themselves to spend an hour each month in adoration before the Blessed Sacra- ment and to pay yearly dues into a fund for the bene- fit of poor churches. The contributions are used to purchase materials for vestments which are made by women members of the society and given to poor churches. A great work is thus done and many churches have been benefited in Belgium, Germany, Austria, England, the United States, and the mission fields. The eleventh Eucharist ic Congress was held in Brussels in 1S9S in the church in which the society was founded, and on that occasion a glowing tribute was paid to its work. In Belgium alone it has nearly 200,000 members. Special mention should be made of the association as it is maintained in convents of ReUgious of the Sacred Heart. It was founded in the houses of the United States by Rev. Mother Hardey, then assistant superior general of the Society, on the occasion of her visit in 1874. She established it in connexion with the Sodality of the Children of Mary, and its marvellous growth and work for poor churches are attested by the annual reports issued by each house. Paris is the centre of the Archconfraternity of Perpetual Adoration and work for Tabernacles, founded there in the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1846 and with affiliations in the dioceses of France and Algiers. It was approved by Pius IX in 1856 and made a confraternity in 1858.

Behinoer. Les Indulgences, II (Paris, 1905). 130, 133; RuGGiERl, Uceuvre de V Adoration perpetuelle et de^ iglises pauvres (Brussels, 1881); Mart Alotsia Hardey, Religious of the Sacred Heart (New York, 1910).

Blanche M. Kelly.

Tabernacle Society, Notre Dame Convent, Phila- delphia, a society of persons affiliated with the Associa- tion of Perpetual Adoration and Work for Churches in Rome. The Philadelphia organization was begun by five graduates of the convent in 1866, who formed the first Sodality of the Children of Mary in t hat city, affili- ated with the Roman Sodality, who resolved to do some work for the altar. On 1 Oct., 1878, Archbishop Wood had the society affiliated to the Association of Perpet- ual Adoration and Work for Poor Churches in Brussels. This association was transferred to Rome in 1879, and the Philadelphia organization was aggregated to it 8 Oct., 1881. There are now 22 societies in the United States thus aggregated with the arch- association. The Philadelphia As.sociation is author- ized to affihate parishes, and these share in all the benefits. From the beginning until the present the Philadelphia Society has enrolled over 10,0(H) mem- bers. It now has 1800 active members in and around the city, and many more throughout the country in affiliated parishes. It has the approbation of 92 archbishops and bishops. It has helped about 4600 parishes and missions in every part of the United