The heathens considered it unlawful to build temples, because they
thought no temple spacious enough for the sun. Hence the saying, _Mundus
universus est templum solis_, “The whole world is a temple of the sun.”
Thus their god Terminus, and others, were worshipped in temples
open-roofed. Hills and mountains became the fittest places for their
idolatry; and these consecrated hills are the “high places” so often
forbidden in the sacred writings. As the number of their gods increased,
so the number of their consecrated hills multiplied; and from them their
gods and goddesses took names, as Mercurius Cyllenius, Venus Erycina,
Jupiter Capitolinus. To beautify these holy hills, the places of their
idolatrous worship, they beset them with trees; and thence arose the
consecration of groves and woods, from whence also their idols were
often named. At length certain choice and select trees began to be
consecrated. The French magi, termed Dryadæ, worshipped the oak; the
Etrurians worshipped an elm-tree; and amongst the Celtæ, a tall oak was
the very idol of Jupiter.
Amongst the Israelites, idolatry began under the judges Othniel and
Ehud, and became so common, that they had peculiar priests, whom they
termed the prophets of the grove and idols of the grove.
Christians, in the consecration of their churches, make special choice
of peculiar saints, by whose name they are called. The heathens
consecrated their groves to peculiar idols; whence in profane authors we
read of Diana Nemorensis, Diana Arduenna, Albunea Dea, &c., all
receiving their names from the groves in which they were worshipped. The
idol itself is sometimes called a grove--“Josiah brought out _the grove_
from the house of the Lord.” It is probable, that in this idol was
portraited the form and similitude of a grove, and that from thence it
was called a grove, as those similitudes of Diana’s temple, made by
Demetrius, were termed temples of Diana.
These customs appear exemplified by inscriptions on coins, medals, in
church-yards, and the various buildings commemorated by marble, flowers,
and durable and perishing substances.