temple (1)

[ A.S.templ, tempel, from Low Lat. templum a temple, originally a part cut off and set apart for religious purposes, from the same root as Gr. temno to cut; cf. Greek temenos a sacred inclosure, Sp. & Port.templo; Ital. templo, tempio.] I. Literally: 1. An edifice erected and dedicated to the service of some deity or deities, and connected with some pagan system of worship. The term is generally applied to such structures among the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and other ancient nations, as well as to structures serving the same purpose among modern heathen nations. Among all ancient nations the usual plan of a temple was rectangular, seldom circular. Among the Greeks rectangular temples were cla ed in forms, according to their architectural peculiarities, viz.: (1) The temple in antis , in which the pteromata, or ends of the side walls, project so as to form plaster-like piers called antæ, between which are columns, generally two in number. The which the pronaos, or porch, is formed retire breadth i position of columns, generally four in number, so that the cor ner columns stand in front of the antse, with an in tervening space. (3) The amphiprostyle , in which both the front and back of the temple have the prostyle arrange ment. (4) The peristyle or peripteral , surrounded by columns on all sides, in which the front and back frequently have double rows of columns, and are both hexastyle. (5) The pseudo peripteral , occurring extremely rarely in Grecian architecture, in which the peripteral is imitated by columns attached to the walls. (6) The dipteral , surrounded by a double colonnade, with porticoes of from eight to ten columns in front. (7) The pseudo dipteral , which rarely occurs, is dipteral with the inner range of columns omitted throughout. The circular temples were of three kinds (1) The most usual was the peripteral , which had a circular cella, or cell, surrounded by a colonnade, (2) The monopteral , which was an open circle of columns supporting a roof or entablature, and consequently without a cella. (3) The pseudo peripteral , in which, as in the oblong pseudo peripteral, the columns were attached to the walls of the cella. These circular temples, which are far from common, and in which Corinthian columns are usually employed, were, for the most part, intended for the worship of Vesta. A further distinction was made in temples according to the number of columns in front; this number, however, was always an even one. They are called tetrastyle , hexastyle , octastyle , decastyle, ., according as they had four, six, eight, ten, ., columns. Among the Etruscans the form of the temples differed from the Grecian, the ground-plan more nearly approaching a square, the sides being in the proportion of 5 to 6. The interior of these temples was divided into two parts, the front portion being an open portico resting on pillars, while the back part contained the sanctuary itself, and consisted of three celle placed alongside one another. The inter-columniation was considerably greater than in Grecian temples. Among the Romans a temple, in the restricted sense of an edifice set apart for the worship of the gods, consisted e entially of two parts only-a small apart ment or sanctuary, the cella, sometimes only a niche for receiving the image of the god, and an altar standing in front of it, upon which were placed the offerings of the suppliant. The general form-whether circular, square, or oblong; whether covered with a roof, or open to the sky; whether plain and destitute of ornament, or graced by stately colonnades with elaborately sculptured friezes and pediments-depended entirely upon the taste of the architect and the liberality of the founders, but in no way increased or diminished the sanctity of the building. In so far as position was concerned, a temple, whenever circumstances was placed east and west, the opening immediately opposite to the cella being on the west side, so that those who stood before the altar with their eyes fixed upon the god, looked toward the east. The most celebrated temples of the ancients were those of Jupiter Olympus in Athens, of Diana (or Artemis) at Ephesus, of Apollo at Delphi, and of Vesta at Tivoli and Rome. 2. An edifice erected among Christians as a place of public worship; a church. 3. The name of two semi-monastic establishments of the middle ages-one in London, the other in 4027 Paris-inhabited by the Knights Templars. The Temple Church in London is the only portion of either now existing. On the side of the London establishment have been erected the two Inns of Courts known as the Inner and Middle Temples, which are occupied by barristers, and are the property of two societies called the Societies of the Inner and of the Middle Temple, who have the right of calling persons to the degree of barrister. II. Fig .: A place in which the divine presence specially resides. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?"-1 Corinth . vi. 19. The Jewish Temple : Jewish Antiquities: The building reared by Solomon as a habitation for Jehovah, though the king was aware that God could not be confined to an earthly edifice, or even to the heaven of heavens (1 Kings viii. 27). David had planned the Temple, but was divinely forbidden to erect it, as he had shed so much blood in his wars (1 Chron. xxii. 8). He, however, made great preparations for his son and succe or, who, he learned from the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. vii. 13), was destined to achieve the work. It was built on Mount Moriah (2) Chron. iii. 1), chiefly by Tyrian workmen, and had ma ive foundations. Its dimensions were 60 cubits (90 feet) long; 20 cubits (30 feet) wide, and 30 cubits (45 feet) high. The stone for its erection was dre ed before its arrival, so that the edifice arose noisele ly (1 Kings vi. 7); the floor was of cedar, boarded over with planks of fir; the wainscoting was of cedar, covered with gold, as was the whole interior. It was modeled inside on the tabernacle, which was Jehovah's appropriate dwelling while journey ings were continually taking place, as the Temple was now that these had ceased. There was therefore a Holy and Most Holy Place. The Temple was surrounded by an inner court for the priest. There was also a Great or Outward Court (2 Chron. iv. 9; Ezek. xl. 17), called specially the Court of the Lord's House (Jer. xix. 14. xxvi. 2). This temple was destroyed by the Babylonians during siege of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings xxv. 9; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 19). On the return from Babylon, a temple, far inferior to Solomon's, was commenced under Zerubbabel, B. C. 534, and, after a long intermi ion, was resumed B. C. 520, and completed B. C. 516, under Darius Hystaspes (Ezra iii. 7, vi. 15). The second temple was gradually removed by Herod, as he proceeded with the building or rebuilding of a temple designed to rival the first rather than the second. The work was was commenced B. C. 21 or 20; the temple itself was finished in about a year and a half, the courts in eight years, but the subsequent operations were carried on so dilatorily that the Jews reckoned forty-six years as the whole time consumed (John ii. 20). In the courts of this temple Jesus preached and healed the sick. It caught fire during the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, and notwithstanding his efforts to save it was burned to the ground. (Joseph us: Wars of the Jews.)