cent of our money each; the Roman coin mentioned in the original being in value one cent and a half of our own copper, and two sparrows were sold for one of these, or, as St. Luke tells us, five sparrows were sold for two farthings. Sparrows are supposed to have been used in the temple for the ceremony of purifying from leprosy, and were sold for that purpose. This rite was a singular one: two birds were required; one was killed with peculiar circumstances, the living bird dipped in its blood, and the blood then sprinkled seven times on the leper, after which the priest “shall pronounce him clean, shall let the living bird loose into the open field.” The flying away of the live bird, with the blood upon him, is supposed to be a type of the Atonement, like the scape-goat driven into the wilderness with the curse for sin on his head. Singular and obscure as some of these old Jewish rites appear to the happier Christian, nothing can be more clear than that each became of high import and dignity from the moment it was appointed by Divine authority; and if no common sparrow falls to the ground without our Father in heaven, ceremonies expressly ordained by Him, in which the humblest birds were employed as a means, must have been of grave importance, and blessed effect to all who faithfully kept them. It has been supposed, that after healing the leper, as recorded by St. Matthew, chapter viii., our Lord was pleased to order the man he had miraculously cured, to fulfill this same ceremony, when he bid him “Go show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift commanded by Moses.”
The sparrows of this continent differ more or less from those of the Old World, although, as a common, humble bird, their character is very similar. The European sparrow is, at times, mis-
