_Mark on the_, Ezekiel ix, 4. Mr. Maurice, speaking of the
religious rites of the Hindoos, says, Before they can enter the great
pagoda, an indispensable ceremony takes place, which can only be
performed by the hand of a brahmin; and that is, the impression of their
foreheads with the _tiluk_, or mark of different colours, as they may
belong either to the sect of Veeshnu, or Seeva. If the temple be that of
Veeshnu, their foreheads are marked with a longitudinal line, and the
colour used is vermilion. If it be the temple of Seeva, they are marked
with a parallel line, and the colour used is turmeric, or saffron. But
these two grand sects being again subdivided into numerous classes, both
the size and the shape of the _tiluk_ are varied, in proportion to their
superior or inferior rank. In regard to the _tiluk_, I must observe,
that it was a custom of very ancient date in Asia to mark their servants
in the forehead. It is alluded to in these words of Ezekiel, where the
Almighty commands his angels to “go through the midst of the city, and
set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh for the abominations
committed in the midst thereof.” The same idea occurs also in Rev. vii,
3. The divers sects of the Hindoos have a distinguishing mark of the
sect, by which they are known, on the forehead, of powdered sandal wood,
or of the slime of the Ganges. The mark of the Wischnites consists of
two nearly oval lines down the nose, which runs from two straight lines
on the forehead. The mark of the Schivites consists of two curved lines,
like a half moon with a point on the nose. It is made either with the
slime of the Ganges, with sandal wood, or the ashes of cow dung.
FOUNTAIN is properly the source or springhead of waters. There were
several celebrated fountains in Judea, such as that of Rogel, of Gihon,
of Siloam, of Nazareth, &c; and allusions to them are often to be met
with in both the Old and New Testament. Dr. Chandler, in his travels in
Asia Minor, says, “The reader, as we proceed, will find frequent mention
of fountains. Their number is owing to the nature of the country and the
climate. The soil, parched and thirsty, demands moisture to aid
vegetation; and a cloudless sun, which inflames the air, requires for
the people the verdure, with shade and air, its agreeable attendants.
Hence fountains are met with, not only in the towns and villages, but in
the fields and gardens, and by the sides of the roads, and of the beaten
tracks on the mountains. Many of them are the useful donations of humane
persons while living, or have been bequeathed as legacies on their
decease.” As fountains of water were so extremely valuable to the
inhabitants of the eastern countries, it is easy to understand why the
inspired writers so frequently allude to them, and thence deduce some of
their most beautiful and striking similitudes, when they would set forth
the choicest spiritual blessings. Thus Jeremiah calls the blessed God,
“the fountain of living waters,” Jer. ii, 13. As those springs or
fountains of water are the most valuable and highly prized which never
intermit or cease to flow, but are always sending forth their streams;
such is Jehovah to his people: he is a perennial source of felicity.
Zechariah, pointing in his days to the atonement which was to be made in
the fulness of time, by the shedding of the blood of Christ, describes
it as a fountain that was to be opened in which the inhabitants of
Jerusalem might wash away all their impurities: “In that day there shall
be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness,” Zech. xiii, 1. Joel predicted
the salvation which was to come out of Zion, under the beautiful figure
of “a fountain which should come forth out of the house of the Lord, and
water the plain of Shittim,” Joel iii, 18. The Psalmist, expatiating on
the excellency of the loving-kindness of God, not only as affording a
ground of hope to the children of men, but also as the source of
consolation and happiness, adds, “Thou shalt make them drink of the
river of thy pleasures; for with thee is the fountain of life,” Psalm
xxxvi, 7–9. In short, the blessedness of the heavenly state is shadowed
forth under this beautiful figure; for as “in the divine presence there
is fulness of joy, and at God’s right hand, pleasures for evermore,”
Psalm xvi, 11; so it is said of those who came out of great tribulation,
that “the Lamb that was in the midst of the throne shall lead them unto
living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes,” Rev. vii, 17.
religious rites of the Hindoos, says, Before they can enter the great
pagoda, an indispensable ceremony takes place, which can only be
performed by the hand of a brahmin; and that is, the impression of their
foreheads with the _tiluk_, or mark of different colours, as they may
belong either to the sect of Veeshnu, or Seeva. If the temple be that of
Veeshnu, their foreheads are marked with a longitudinal line, and the
colour used is vermilion. If it be the temple of Seeva, they are marked
with a parallel line, and the colour used is turmeric, or saffron. But
these two grand sects being again subdivided into numerous classes, both
the size and the shape of the _tiluk_ are varied, in proportion to their
superior or inferior rank. In regard to the _tiluk_, I must observe,
that it was a custom of very ancient date in Asia to mark their servants
in the forehead. It is alluded to in these words of Ezekiel, where the
Almighty commands his angels to “go through the midst of the city, and
set a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh for the abominations
committed in the midst thereof.” The same idea occurs also in Rev. vii,
3. The divers sects of the Hindoos have a distinguishing mark of the
sect, by which they are known, on the forehead, of powdered sandal wood,
or of the slime of the Ganges. The mark of the Wischnites consists of
two nearly oval lines down the nose, which runs from two straight lines
on the forehead. The mark of the Schivites consists of two curved lines,
like a half moon with a point on the nose. It is made either with the
slime of the Ganges, with sandal wood, or the ashes of cow dung.
FOUNTAIN is properly the source or springhead of waters. There were
several celebrated fountains in Judea, such as that of Rogel, of Gihon,
of Siloam, of Nazareth, &c; and allusions to them are often to be met
with in both the Old and New Testament. Dr. Chandler, in his travels in
Asia Minor, says, “The reader, as we proceed, will find frequent mention
of fountains. Their number is owing to the nature of the country and the
climate. The soil, parched and thirsty, demands moisture to aid
vegetation; and a cloudless sun, which inflames the air, requires for
the people the verdure, with shade and air, its agreeable attendants.
Hence fountains are met with, not only in the towns and villages, but in
the fields and gardens, and by the sides of the roads, and of the beaten
tracks on the mountains. Many of them are the useful donations of humane
persons while living, or have been bequeathed as legacies on their
decease.” As fountains of water were so extremely valuable to the
inhabitants of the eastern countries, it is easy to understand why the
inspired writers so frequently allude to them, and thence deduce some of
their most beautiful and striking similitudes, when they would set forth
the choicest spiritual blessings. Thus Jeremiah calls the blessed God,
“the fountain of living waters,” Jer. ii, 13. As those springs or
fountains of water are the most valuable and highly prized which never
intermit or cease to flow, but are always sending forth their streams;
such is Jehovah to his people: he is a perennial source of felicity.
Zechariah, pointing in his days to the atonement which was to be made in
the fulness of time, by the shedding of the blood of Christ, describes
it as a fountain that was to be opened in which the inhabitants of
Jerusalem might wash away all their impurities: “In that day there shall
be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness,” Zech. xiii, 1. Joel predicted
the salvation which was to come out of Zion, under the beautiful figure
of “a fountain which should come forth out of the house of the Lord, and
water the plain of Shittim,” Joel iii, 18. The Psalmist, expatiating on
the excellency of the loving-kindness of God, not only as affording a
ground of hope to the children of men, but also as the source of
consolation and happiness, adds, “Thou shalt make them drink of the
river of thy pleasures; for with thee is the fountain of life,” Psalm
xxxvi, 7–9. In short, the blessedness of the heavenly state is shadowed
forth under this beautiful figure; for as “in the divine presence there
is fulness of joy, and at God’s right hand, pleasures for evermore,”
Psalm xvi, 11; so it is said of those who came out of great tribulation,
that “the Lamb that was in the midst of the throne shall lead them unto
living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes,” Rev. vii, 17.