Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/215

LEFT SACRIFICE 171 SADDUCEES God or to any deity or divinity; an im- molated victim, or an offering of any kind, laid on an altar or otherwise re- ligiously presented by way of thanks- giving, atonement, or conciliation. Sacrifices form an important part of all early forms of religion. Tylor traces three stages in the development of the rite: (1) The gift theory, in which the deity takes and values the offering for himself. (2) The homage theory, in which the submission or gratitude of the offerer is expressed by a gift. (3) The abnegation theory, in which the worshiper deprives himself of something prized. With regard to their nature, sacrifices are divided into (1) Bloody [(a) human; (6) of the lower animals], and (2) Un- bloody. The terrible custom of offering human sacrifices was very widely spread. It was known among the Greeks and the Romans; and is frequently mentioned in Scripture. As civilization advanced, human victims were replaced by symbols, or oxen or sheep were offered in their stead. Un- bloody sacrifices consisted of libations, incense, fruit, and cakes (often in the form of, and as substitutes for, real ani- mals). It is noteworthy that though the first sacrifice mentioned in the Old Testa- ment (Gen. iv. 3) belonged to this cate- gory, the first sacrifice accepted (Gen. iv. 4) was a bloody one. In the Old Testament sacrifices were of two kinds, bloody and unbloody. Those designed to atone for sin were of the former kind (Lev. i. 7; Heb. ix. 22). The idea of sacrifice first appears in Gen. iv. 3-5, and viii. 20, but the English word sacrifice does not occur in the Authorized Version till xxxi. 54. The paschal lamb is called a sacrifice (Exod. xxxiv. 25; Deut. xvi. 2). Even from patriarchal times sacrifices were limited to clean beasts and birds, and were offered on an altar (Gen. viii. 20). Many of these sacrifices were made by fire. A certain portion of the slain animal was reserved for the priest (Deut. xviii. 3). Under the law there were morning and even- ing sacrifices (I Kings xviii. 29; Ezra ix. 4, 5, Dan. viii. 11, 12, 13; xii. 11), besides weekly sacrifices on the Sabbath, sacrifices at new moons, annual ones, etc. Not merely were there stated sacrifices for the people at large, arrangements were at times made that private families also should possess the boon (I Sam. xx. 6, 29). Under the monarchy sacrifices were confined to the temple at Jerusalem (II Chron. vii. 12). Thanksgiving was called a sacrifice (Lev. vii. 12, 13; Psalm cvii. 22; cxvi. 17; Jonah ii. 9), so was praise (Jer. xxxiii. 11). In the New Testament, Abel's offering is now called a sacrifice, and its excel- lence is made to arise from the faith with which it was offered (Heb. xi. 4). In theology, the evangelical doctrine is that the sacrifices of the older economy were types and shadows of the atoning sacrifice made by Christ. It is held that when Jesus died, His sacrifice once for all satisfied Divine justice, and no other was requisite, or would, if offered, be accepted (Heb. ix. 12, 25-28, x. 10, 12, 14). SACRILEGE, in a general sense, the violation or profaning of sacred things; more strictly the alienating to laymen, or common purposes, what was given to religious persons and pious uses. Church robbery, or the taking things out of a holy place is sacrilege, and by the com- mon law was punished with more severity than other thefts, but it is now put by statute on the same footing with burg- lary or housebreaking. SACRISTAN, the same as sexton, which is a corrupted form of the same word; an officer in a church whose duty it is to take care of the church, the sacred vestments, utensils, etc. SACRISTY, the apartment in or con- nected with a church intended for the keeping of the sacred vestments and uten- sils while not in use, and in which also the clergy and others who take part in religious ceremonies array themselves for service. SACRUM, in anatomy, the bony struc- ture which forms the basis or inferior extremity of the vertebral column. SADDLE, a kind of seat for a horse's back, contrived for the safety and com- fort of the < rider. The modern riding saddle consists of the tree, generally of beech, the seat, the skirts, and the flaps, of tanned pig's-skin. Among the varie- ties are racing saddles, military saddles, hunting saddles, and side saddles for ladies. The name saddle is also given to a part of the harness of an animal yoked to a vehicle, being generally a padded structure by means of which the shafts are directly or indirectly supported. SADDLEBACK, a mountain in Cum- berland, England, 5 miles N. E. of Kes- wick; height, 2,847 feet. SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN, a moun- tain in Franklin co., Me.; reaches a height of 4,000 feet. SADDUCEES, one of the three Jewish sects. The current tradition, which was first published by Rabbi Nathan in the 2d century, is that the Sadducees derived their name from a certain Zadok, a dis- ciple of Antigonus of Soko (200-170 B. a). The Zadok from whom they derive their