The New York herald., 1872-03-18
NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

The Necessity Or Going Forward-sermOn by
ilev. william Edwards Park.
The pulpit Of the New England Congregational
church. corner OF Madison avenue and Forty.
seventh street, was occupied yesterday morning by
Rev. william Edwards Park, OF Lawrence, Mass.
The attendance was large notwithstanding the un.
towardness Of the weather. Alter the usual intro
ductory MISUNDERSTANDING, prayer, reading the
hble-the reverend gentleman commenced his ser.
mon. His subject was "Move Forward" as based
upon Exodus XIV. l5-'Speak unto the children
OF Israel that They 20 forward" AT the
time when these words were uttered,
no began, the children of Israel nad
commenced their flight from their prosecutors. The
plaques Egypt mad suffered had Overp0wered Pha-
raoh not soi,ened his savage heart the slightest.
Under the leadership OF Moses the mighty host pre-.
pared to depart The last and most fearful plague
OF Egypt was appointed for the day Of departure.
THE ANGEL DEATH
was commanded TO slay the nrst-born OF every fam
lily In Egypt. AS signal for their own safety eacn
family was to sa; lamb, and to sprinkle the
door posts OF their houses with its blood. The
houses thus marked would be passed over. Tne
events OF that dreadful night are graphically
told "Pharaoa rose up in the night, he and
all his servants, and all the Egyptians,
and there was great cry in Egypt; for
u
not one dead" The naughty tyrant now
begged his captives to depart. The Egyptians
gladly lent them gold and silver. not expecting 10
get II pack; any price was<heap that could buy OH
the dreadful strangers. When. however, they found
tDat they had irretrevably lost the labor OF the
lsraelites their conscience reapsed little. Pha-
miiitary error III leaving The lstnmus Of Suez and
going tow ard the sea. He remembered that the
He had cavalry and chari0ts. He determined to
pursue. The lsraeites had encamped carelessly on
they cloud OF dust and hear tie SHOUTS OF the
vindictve pursuers Already they hear the clanK-
ing OF their chains; already they feel the
TASKMAsrER's WHIP,
and 10 their frantic despair and terror accuse their
deliverer. because there were no graves IN Egypt
hast thou taken us away TO die In the wllderneSaf'
Moses expostuiates with the people and calls on
God. Ama all this confusion comes the calm clear
go forward.n The rest OF the story is soon told.
The multitude went forward into the waves OF the
and they pressed forward to freedom. cloud Of
fire cast light on the path OF the Hebrews while 1t
Egyptians. When
THE LAST IsRAELIrE
had safely crossed Moses stretched his wand over
the sea, the tide turned, the wind changed, and the
Egy ptians were 0verwhelm med by the dreadful wa.
under which the words Of the text were uttered he
proceeded to SHOW that to induce men 10 act 1t Is
cessary to inspire hope ana rouse enthusiasm. Tell
man IN diniculiy TO 60 forward ana haf the DIM
Guilty Is The order 10 20 Forward chases away
iigion Inc wsest men would be the most religious
In tins sense II Is that God has chosen foolish thinRs
babe 'iiI'D in intcleciua, calbre and q giant
In faith. He has Just enough knowledge
70 sa1 m om ss pCns %reS 40 IN IN, ss o
more. When Napoleon, with an army tired out with
days march. came up to . bridge guarded with
nave delayed were fatal. Tne enemy would receive
relnIOrcemenls. AS 1t was ne gained the day. In
the affairs or this world he was the man who went
forward. There are times when We are on the shore
Of the
Across this VIC must 60. The rattle OF death Is be-
hind US. The decaying influence OF death Is behind
sumo US Il we hesitate 10 20 onward After enlarg.
Ing on tins part OF his discourse he proceeded 10
show that as tne israei,tes went forward the dil,
path through or around. Daniets course was
directly through the
but the angel OF the Lord went before him and
closed their mouths JACOB was called upon to
sacrifice his son, bur God did not INTEND letting nm
DO it. Ho merely wanted TO see the extent Of his
faith. The situation or men IN the path OF duty Is
similar to that OF Christian IN the "Pigrlms Prog
ress.D Chained lions are ali around MN. He how
ever, cannot see the chains. Christ SAID to mis- DIS
ciples, will make you equal to the danger. He
temptations. A half beleving Christian Is
IKE a tmid traveller going through the
the abruptly rising side OF the mountain and thinks
destruction inevitable; but when ne comes TO them
thsos Wien Urwsd u e pssa Of au1
We tnd OURSELVES masters OF powers until then @ un.
sion as water takes the form Of the vessel In which
It Is held. Tue command 0i the CHRISTIAN L. always
90 forward. Are VIC on the conaoes OF holiness OF
STEPPED IN INlQUITY,
the mandate Is still the same. Tue only soil Chris
| tianity needs Is the human neart, whether II DO
| CONCEALED at the north pole or s0itened ut the
| equator. Great things are SILENT The cannon,
| win O crash, SENDS the ball at the rate
| or 10000 feet O minute; eravitati0n noise
lessly hurls the world nineteen miles
second; small brooks are boisterous IN their little
channel; tile Mississippi Is silent. II you move for
ward this lie the golden gates Will open for you,