This appellation belongs to Him alone. We have here: I. A great fact stated. "The desire of all nations

shall come."

This does not mean that all nations were looking for and desiring His coming. There was; however, a very general expectation of his coming among all the nations of the civilized world. The hope of the Jewish nation had found its way among other nations. Tacitus says: "The generality had a strong persuasion, that it was contained in the ancient writings of the priests, that at that very time, the East should prevail; and that some who should come out of Judea should obtain the empire of the world." Suetonius says, "There had been for a long time all over the East a constant persuasion, that it was (recorded) in the Fates (books of the Fates, dreams, or foretellings) that at that time some who should come out of Judea should obtain universal "dominion." There was nothing in the mere person and appearance of Christ, that should make the world desire him more than any other being, and not so much as in some other cases. The prophet foretold how he would appear to the world. "He shall grow up before him as a tender' plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.' Isa. 53: 2.

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In all ages, and among all people there has been a yearning for such a deliverer as Christ; and the hope of a golden age has floated through all languages. "What heart, in what age or country, has not at some time or other, throbbed in the expectation of a Messiah, a "coming one," destined to right the wrongs, staunch the wounds, explain the mystery, and satisfy the ideal of this wondrous, weary, hapless and unin

telligible world-who shall reconcile it to itself by giving it a pure model of life, and a nobler principle of action-who shall form a living link, wedding it to the high and distant heaven-who shall restore the skies, the roses, and the hearts of Eden, and instruct us, by His plan of reconciliation, that the fall itself was a stage in the triumph of man? Humanity has not only desired, but has cried aloud for His coming. The finest minds of the Pagan world have expressed a hope, as well as a love of His appearing; it might indeed be proved that this "Desire of all nations," lies at the foundation of all human hope, and is the preserving salt of the world. From Earth to Heaven, the question was for ages reverberated, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" And, for ages, all earnest men wept much, because the volume remained shut. But in the minds of the Jews, this feeling dwelt with peculiar intensity and concentration. It rendered every birth a possible epoch; it hung a spell over every cradle. "In the Hebrew prophets it closed every vista, irradiated every gloom; it lay like a bright western heaven, at the termination of every prophetie day; it colored the gorgeous pages of Isaiah; gleamed through the willows where Jeremiah hung his harp; glared on the wild eyes of Ezekiel; mingled with the stern denunciation of Micah; tinged with golden edges the dreams of Daniel, and cast transient rays of transcendant beauty over the pages of Malachi.

In Christ are embraced all the blessings that all nations, in all ages, have desired; and in this sense He is the desire of all nations.

1st. All men desire light.

Light is the most beautiful object in the world, and

clothes the universe in robes of loveliness.

There is light for all. The mind needs spiritual light. There may be floods of light without, while all is darkness within. Spiritual light is as necessary to the health, happinesss, and growth of the soul, as physical light is to the body. Christ came to impart the light for which the heart of all ages has yearned. "For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 4: 6.

The light of science is good in its place, and has contributed largely to the happiness of man; but it cannot meet the wants of the spiritual man. The light of the sun illuminates the world around us, and by it we are enabled to walk without stumbling. Thu Christ has come as a spiritual light, to light up the pathway of life, and lead us safely through the dark and bewildering mazes of our earthly pilgrimage, to the land that knows no darkness.

2d. All men desire knowledge.

The ten thousand midnight tapers, gleaming out upon the darkness of the night from the windows of as many "studios;" the almost innumerable institutions of learning that dot the civilized world; the multitudes of earnest students poring over the pages of the great thinkers of the world, demonstrate man's desire for knowledge. Knowledge is the food of the soul. Man is an intellectual and moral being, and he needs knowledge that will satisfy his whole nature. A knowledge of the arts and sciences will satisfy the purely intellectual wants of the soul; but we must have spiritual knowledge to satiate the desires of our moral nature. We must have a knowledge of God, of

duty, of the way to pardon, and of the mighty future, that lies like an unexplored ocean before us. In the history of the late Mrs. Judson, we have an interesting account of a Burman female, "Mah Menla." For ten years her mind sought with an anxiety almost amounting to distraction, a satisfactory knowledge of the origin of all things, and of the character and laws of God. A tract written by Mr. Judson, brought the light, her soul yearned for. Millions are in this state of mind. Christ comes to impart this knowledge. In Him are treasured up the wisdom and knowledge that all nations desire. All knowledge is valuable, but the most important is that communicated by Christ. This will "make us wise unto salvation." Yonder is a shipwrecked mariner, cast on an uninhabited Island. It is a beautiful place, and being a learned man, he understands its Botany and Geology, and can read the wonders of the skies above him. This is interesting and important, but the most valuable knowledge to him, is how to provide the necessary food to sustain his life, and the means of escaping from his sea-girt prison. Thus it is with man. He is a ship-wrecked mariner on the turbulent ocean of time, and the most important knowledge to him is how to make the port of Heaven. This is the great desire of all nations. This knowledge is found in Christ. In solemn prayer to His Father, he said; "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John 17: 3.

3d. All men desire power.

This is demonstrated in the struggle of all men, in all ages, to gain power over others. What tremendous efforts men make to gain political power, and they have waded through seas of blood to reach the crown

and sceptre. But the greatest of all power, is the moral strength to govern our own hearts. "He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city." Prov. 16: 32.

In all ages, men have felt the need of more moral power. Painful experience has taught them their inability to resist the powers of sin, and live as conscience and God directs. This strength is furnished in Christ. "Without me," said Christ, "ye can do nothing." But Paul could say, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4: 13. The promise of God, to him, was: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." "Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me," said Paul. There is a wonderful power in the love of Christ, for us to subdue things within us and control the heart. Self-control is one of the most difficult of all things, except toward those whom we love, and who have learned to love us, and toward others whom they love; but just as soon as a man comes under the predominating influence of affection, all things are changed to Him. It inspires his soul with a new power. Yonder is a gay, giddy, thoughtless young woman, more like the butterfly for beauty and nimble nothingness than anything else. She courts admiration, is impatient of control, impatient of industry, self-indulgent, and seldom willing to practice self-denial. You have heard her sure and dismal end predicted by many of her acquaintances; and her parents are anxious about what will become of their darling child. The impetuous passions are uncontroled, and she is self-willed. But God sends an

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