The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-12-21

former, as nothing. (Haggai ii. 81
But the prophet urged them to be
strong, and in good courage, by the
consideration that the spirit OF the
Lord, or his favor, should be With
them. And with the favor and peace
of God, they ought to be satisfied
though the external magnifcence OF
their house of worship should not an
swer all the demands of worldly
pride. Another consideration which
should lift up their hearts with JOY
was, that 10 short time there should
be shaking of the heavens and the
earth, and the desire of all nations
should come; and the Lord would fill
that house with glory, SO that its
glory should be greater than that OF
the former.
But the glory of this latter house,
which should exceed the glory of the
former, could not consist in external
appearance. This latter house was,
indeed, in after times, very much
beautifed and adorned by Herod;
and we find the disciples of Jesus
admiring the magnifcence of the
buildings of the temple; but it was
nothing in comparison with Solo
mons temple. And besides, the Jews
own that there were several Of the di-
vine glories of the first temple want
ing in this,-the ark, the Urim and
Thummin, the fire from heaven, and
the Shechinah;-so that we cannot
conceive how the glory of this latter
house, should in any thing exceed
that of the former, but in that which
would indeed excel all the glories of
the first house, the presence of the
promised Messiah in it,-his being
presented there, the Glory of his
people Israel, and the Desire of all
Nations. His presence in this second
temple was truly an exceeding glory
in it; and he introduced there the
doctrines of that second covenant,
whose glory so far excelled that of
the first covenant, that the glory of
that was by comparison, as nothing.
For st. Paul says, speaking of the
two covenants, Gwen that which was
made glorious, had no glory in this
respect, by reason of the glory which
excelleth. For if that which was done
away was glorious, much more that
which remaineth is glorious"
Thus the glory with which God
would fill this second temple excell-
ing the glory of the first, was the
presence in it of Emmanuel, God
with us, and the glorious doctrines of
his Gospel. For Christ did indeed
come while this second temple was
standing; and he wrought miracles
and preached his doctrines in it.
We come now, to consider the i'm
portant saying which constitutes the
text, "The desire of all nations shall
come"
l. 1t will help us to profitable
understanding of our subject, briefly
to inquire concerning the natural de-
sire of all nations. The nations of
the earth, finding themselves subject
to more or less evil, have generally
discovered an uneasiness in their
present condition, and longing for
some sort of deliverance, for blessed
emancipation and participation of
greater and more enduring good.
Without the light of direct revela-
ton on the subject, men have not ac-
quired a definite, substantial, and
satisfying hope, concerning the at
tainment of that greater good which
was the object of their wishes; but
the constitution of their minds, and
the circumstances in which they have
found themselves placed on earth,
have produced strong desire; and
this desire has led to the framing of
various philosophical systems, de-
signed to afford something to feed
the desiring mind.
Ancient philosophers quite gener-
ally accounted for the evil that is in
the world, by supposing an evil di-
vinity, or some evil principle, acting
against the mind of the supreme and
benevolent Deity, and SO becoming
the cause of evil to man. Zoroaster,
a famous philosopher of antiquity,
who is supposed to have lived about
the time of Abraham, imagined two
or powers, inferior to the
Deity, which were the causes
of good and evil. To the cause of
good he gave the name Oromasdes;
and to the cause of evil, Arimanists.
And the first fountain of being, the
Divinity, he called Mithras.
These two first mentioned subor-
dinate powers, he conceived to be