The New York herald., 1870-12-12
NEW EgGLsN CONVERSATIONAL CHURCH.

NEW EEGLsND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Great Moral Lessons Touching Life and Its
Duties Drawn from the Engle's Nest-Self-
Reliance and It's Golden Fruits-Scrmon by
Rev. Merrill Richardson.
Another unusually large congregation, the aisles
being hled vita camp steois attended yesterday
mornings services AT the New England Congrega-
tiona church, corner OF Madison avenue and Forty
seventh street. Crowded as the church was. most
pleasantly ald prominently conspicuous was the
large number OF young people In attendance-very
many or this portion OF the asscmblage
having been attracted here TO hear the morning SER
mon by the new and popular minister, Rev. Merrill
Richardson, and which had been previously an
nounced as intended to be more specially directed
to them. First in order came the usual predatory
ercises prayer, reading the scriptures and singing
feature or these predatory exercises Is the running
comments made by the minister on The portions OF
the Scripture read. They are The
PRoAETHEAN SPARKS,
flashing out brilliantly from the spontapey of his
naturs-a portion so TO speak, OF bright and beaut
ful thoughts, ana IN harmonious unison with the
graceful and tasteful Gofa decorations fronting the
pulpit These comments equally feicltous and SEN
tentious also made upon the hymns as he reads
them These short, pretty and fervd utterances are
substantial feast to follow. Before entering upsn his
discourse, however, he announced that his sermon
next Sunday morning would be on theme appr0-
pirate 10 ''Forefatners' Day''-a New England syno-
Rym Tor the landing OF the Pigrims-and subject
which, while of special interest to the congregation
worshipping here, will, no doubt, be productive Of
one of his Dnesu pulpit efforts. Aud now We
come TO
THE SERMON
yesterday. which certainly In all respects was one
N
Few possess a happier faculty OF addressing
themselves TO young people. lie enters heart
aims, amnitiens and needs. With the vgor and
experience OF mature he unites the ire shness
t'SelIreiiance as Illustrated by the Eagles Nest"
His text was Deuteronomy xXxli las an eagle
stirreth up her nest, nuttereth over her young,
spreadsth broad her wings and taketh them and
beareth them ON her wings, so the LORD did lead
out OF Egypt and through the wilderness. lie
stirred up tae people r0m their servi!e condition;
Quoted them IN leir first attempts by the pillars of
cloud and OF nre; took them under his proectlen
taught taem how 70 use their powers, and bore
great poetic beauty or this comparison and then
showed the import OF the Illustration as manifested
THE EAGLES NEST.
The largest species OF this king OF birds found In
the East build their nests on the top OF high
mountains, and when their young are Old enough
to learn 10 ny the old birds stir up the nest
with Their beaks to force the young out and Gem
the dealings OF God with the people he saw an
eagle teaching its young TO ny. Look" said he;
surbed your carnal repose that He might teach you
a higher, nobIer llie.N They could never gain
complain OF hardshlps. the young eagles would
utter screams of distress But IL Was good for
them. God was tender Of HIS people, but He threw
might become men-t.ue, noble men. He did this
To inspire IN them hgn aims, tarreaching, heroic
endeavor. One miracle God never works; he never
develops men or nations without calling forth their
efforts. HIS object 10 TO teach all the duty Of
sei-reance.
what II the young eagles were content to doze In
the nestg
WHAT WAS THE UsEs
II was ignoble, lie degradation OF inertnesS The
eagle was the true disciplnara II taught Israel
and all men The great Importance OF relying on
victories they would win 10 the great battle OF life.
Had the young eagles remained in their nest they
would have been feeble, nalf-nedged, tnglerious
eagles lnsJeGd Of the arOnd nonarchs OF the air,
soaring away IN lofties igh and gazing IN the face
OF the midday sun From tills he went on to speak
OF some OF Its applications. he described the
ANCIENT 5Egisa NATION.
They rose TO be the tcachers OF the world on most
vital things. Beeln4ing ~ leebleness, GoJ, by
severe discipline, made them stlong and great We,
here to-day, are receiving impressions from their
history ana poetry, written thousands OF years ago.
THESE NERVES or INFLUENCE
reaching down through the ages and over oceans
and continents connect Us Of the nineteenth centu-
~ ter Christ with the Hebrew lawgyer nineteen
hundred years before Christ. Give an acorn time
and 1t VIII cover whole continent with oaks. Car
rying this Illustration iurther ne referred TO
GREECE AND ROME
in the palmy days OF their magnificent grandeur and
their great achievements In the arts and literature.
He spoke Of our country special example
Of Gods providence In discIpnng nations for great
upon these preliminary topics OF his discourse, he
showed how This Illustration OF the eagles nest was
most forcbe In Its application to the training Of the
young. it was often SAID that the
are Sons OF GREAT MEN
rarely excel. One reason is they are all ert too
long in the nest. They are not compelled TO use
their own powers. They are not taught selrere.
lance. Strength comes BY attempts to use our
powers. II child would not try to walk Its limbs
would remain feeble. No bird can fly till after many
trials Nothing is so fatal 10 young man a. TO get
the Impression that Ae can have enough without
his own exertons The parent may be too tender
and let them remain at ease. NO caglet could ever
secome an eagle in that way. The parent BIRD
In the air gives It PRIDE and JOY greater than It
ever experienced. Vita like zest does the young
man who has struegied win dlculnes meet WIN
brilliant utterancc he portrayed the struggles OF
young men 10 reach the TOP OF the ladder OF tnsr
ambition, aud then enforced that
sgLr-RELIANCE TEACHES
dependence On God Only in the use OF our wings
active and we are shut out from Gods plan OF help
He closed with exhertation to the young 70 learn
TO rely upon themselves be alsaySG oy no Gi @
BE not dumb driven cattle, but heroes in the STRIFE
Losk not mournfuly into the past. II cemeth not
time. Go forth 10 meet the snadewy future with 2
strsng and manly heart. Trust IN God. Coo VIII
neip those who help themselves
BRINSLEY SHERIDAN
said it was in hns, and by the help OF God II should
come out. Hope and faith IN the future are great
things. Once rallied, the young man spreads his
ninicns and scars away into the brilliant regions OF
a. TOO small for him. and you may rely 1t that he
ls too small for life Many men needed stirring up
n was this alone that would call cut their powers.
A man might stumble on goid 10 It iass LOT ior
4 ufetme but ir brought no character ana
discipIne with it, OF our statesmen, merchants,
artists, professional men and men OF greatest sue
IN any department OF life, the mosG have early