PRIEST, Hebrew, Cohen. One who officiates in the ptblic worship of God, especially in making expiation for sin, being "ordained for men in things pertaining to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." • In the Old Testament the priesthood was not annexed to a certain family until after the promulgation, of the law by Moses. Before that time the first born of each family, the fathers, the princes, the kings, were the priests in their own cities, and in their own houses. In the solemnity of the covenant, made by the Lord with his people, at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses performed the office of mediator, and young men were chosen from among Israel to perform the office of priests. But after the Lord had chosen the tribe of Levi to serve him in his tabernacle, and the priesthood was annexed to the family of Aaron, the right of offering sacrifices and oblations to God was reserved to the priests of this family. The High-Priest was at the head of all religious affairs, and was the ordinary judge of all difficulties that belonged thereto, and even of the general justice and judgment of the Jewish nation. God had appropriated to the person of the High-Priest the oracle of his truth; so that when he was habited in the proper ornaments of his dignity, and with the Urim and Thummim, he answered questions proposed to him, and God disclosed to him secret and future things. He was forbidden to mourn for the death of any of his relations, even for his father or mother; or to enter into any place where a dead body lay, that he might not contract or hazard the contraction of uncleanness. He had the privilege of entering the sanctuary only once a year, on the day of solemn expiation, to make atonement for the sins of the whole people. In gepetal, no priest who had any corporeal defect could offer gErifice, or enter the holy place to present the shew-bread. The consecration of Aaron and of his sons was performed by Moses in the desert, with great and im posing solemnities. The garments worn by the High-Priest consisted of the following articles : Short linen drawers; over this was a shirt or tunic of fine linen, embroidered, reaching to the feet, and with sleeves extending to his wrists; over this again was another garment called the robe of the ephod, woven entire, blue, with an ornamented border around the neck, and a fringe at the bottom, made up of pomegranates and golden bells. Above all these vestments was placed the ephod, made without sleeves, and open below the arms on each side, consisting of two pieces, one of which covered the front of the body, and the other the back, and reaching down to the middle of the thighs. They were
joined together on the shoulders by golden buckles set with gems, and two large precious stones set in gold, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, six on each stone, according to their order. The material of which the ephod was wrought was extremely costly; of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen, with rich golden em broidery; also a girdle of fine linen, woven with blue, purple, scarlet and gold, passed twice around the body. Just above the girdle, on the breast of the ephod, and joined to it by golden chains attached to rings at the upper corners, was suspended the breastplate, which was made of the same rich material as the ephod; it was about ten inches square; the front of which was set with twelve precious stones, on each of which was engraved the name of one of the sons of Jacob; these stones were divided from each other by golden partitions, and set in four rows. Upon his head was the miter. This was made of fine linen or silk, blue, wrapped in several folds, in the manner of a Turkish turban. In front, and around the base of the miter, as a band, secured with blue ribbon, was a plate of gold, called the "plate of the holy crown of pure gold," upon which was inscribed, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD," in Hebrew characters. These vest ments should be worn by the High-Priest of a Royal Arch Chapter at every convocation, and when worn each of them will convey to the possessor important lessons of symbolical instruction. The various colors of the robes are emblematic of the graces and virtues which should adorn the human mind; the white, of innocence and purity; the scarlet, of fervency and zeal; the purple, of union; and the blue, of friendship. The miter is to remind him of the dignity of his office, and the inscription on its plate to admonish him of his dependence on God. Lastly, the breastplate, upon which is engraved the names of the twelve tribes, is to teach him that he is always to bear in mind his responsibility to the laws and ordinances of the institution, and that the honor and interests of the Chapter and its members should alwa3s be near his heart.* In the United States the High-Priest is the first officer of a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. He represents Joshua, the High-Priest, who, with his com ps.nions, Zerubbabel, Prince of Judah, and Haggai, the scribe, assisted in building the second temple.