Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ...But here for the first time in history, comes forth another order of priests, this mysterious Melchisedech offering bread and wine of the Last Supper and Mass. To him Abraham offered tithes--the tenth part of the fruits of his victory. Therefore Melchisedech's priesthood was higher than that of Abraham; it was to be eternal; it pointed to Christ's priesthood of the Last Supper and of the Catholic Church. The whole prophetic scene in that vale beside the sacred city was emblematic of the future. First dimly the bread and wine appear in patriarchal sacrifices, but brighter in the Temple ceremonial, and still clearer in the Passover. Beautifully S. Augustine explains prophetic Noe naked in his tent after taking the wine, an image of Christ crucified nearly naked. Ham, his son, reviling him, foretold the Jewish people mocking the dying Lord.1 To the wine his son Melchisedech added bread, and from that time the bread and wine were always offered with the bloody sacrifices of the Hebrew Temple. Who was Melchisedech? Early heretics hold he was the Holy Spirit himself, who in human form appeared as the "Just King." But this is wrong. Origen, Didymus and others of that age say he was an angel, but this we cannot hold.' It is certain he was a man. He was the king of Salem, as Jerusalem was then named, who offered bread and wine in sacrifice.' Others think him one of the Canaanite kings, who lived a holy life amid the awful corruptions of that age.' Coming into history to bless Abraham, to receive the tenth part of all he had, nothing given of whence he came, his history, his parents, his origin and end, of him St. Paul says: "Without father, without mother, without 1 S. Augustine, De Civitatf Del, L. XVI C. i. and Ii. S. Augustine....
