The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-11-26
THE UNITED CHURCH SERVICE
Large Attendance in the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
THE DENOMINATIONS REPRESENTED
An Able Discourse by Rev D. l. Evans
Revs. Heebner, oBoyle, Reitz and
Moore Take Part in the Services.
Collection Made For the
Pottsville Hospital.

bOlAcCgAOu MAUI IOl ghb
Pottsville Hospital.
The Union Thanksgiving services held in
the Methodist Episcopal church this morning
were very impressive and interesting and
we're attended by a large assemblage repre-
senting all the Protestant churches of the
town. Rev. Alfred Heebner pastor of the
church. opened the service and prayer was
offered by Rev I. J. Reitz, pastor of
the Bethany United Evangelical church,
after which Rev Robert O'Boyle, pastor
of the Trinity Reformed church, read
the scripture lesson. After the sermon
preached by Rev. d. l, Evans, pastor Of the
Welsh Baptist church, Rev. James Moore,
pastor of the Primitive Methodist church,
offered prayer, which was followed by an
anthem by the choir under the leadership of
Mr.. J. j. Price. Rev. Heebner then read an
appeal from the Pottsville hospital and while
the congregation sanga hymn collection was
taken up for the benefit of the institution.
The collectors were DR.. G.. f. Matter, Of the
Methodist Episcopal church John p.
Williams, of the Welsh Baptist church
Robert A. Glover of the First Presbyterian
church, and r. Stocker, Of the Bethany
United Evangelical church. The closing
hymn of the service followed.
Rev. Evans delivered a sermon upon a text
taken from Exodus XIV; 10 Speak Unto
the Children of Israel, that they 90 forward"
| The sermon was an able one and delivered
with equal effect. During the discourse, Rev,
Evans said Never, perhaps, was the
fortitude of man so severely tried as that of
Moses, the Hebrew leader in this crisis, ex-
| posed as he was to various and inevitable
dangers the most formidable Of which was
the vengeance of seditiOus and desperate
multitude But his meek, unruilled and great
composure presents one of the sublimest ex-
amples of moral courage to he found in
history. And whence did his courage arise
He saw the miraculous cloud still accompany
| ing them and his confidence arose solely from
the hope of a Divine interpOsitiOn, although,
perhaps, he might have looked for the eX-
pected delivennce in every quarter, rather
than in the direction of the sea. The spot
where Pharoah and his hosts overlook
the Israelites was near the Red Sea,
The hearts of the people melted with fear
Before them was watery grave, behind
them powerful army ready to destroy them.
Escape from both seemed impossible But
what is impossible with men is possible with
God. Moses turned to God in prayer. The
|
availeth much" And the Lord said unto
Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?'
Speak unto the children of Israel that they
90 forward and onward they went, God
opening a passage for them through the
mighty waters, while Pharaoh and his host
were overwhelmed by them, so that not one
of them remained to carry back the tidings
of their complete ruin. Believers are on
their way to their heavenly Cannon. Enemies
will pursue them difficulties oppose their
course, fears often intimidate Them but the
Captain of our salvation has one watchword
for all his followers and it is contained in the
text: GO Forward" our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ called upon disciples to practice
heroic virtue They were to follow the foot
steps of their leader through evil and good
report, honor and dishonOr. Nor were they to
disregard only the applauses and frowns OF
the world They were also to show an
attachment to the interests of truth
and mankind, which was stronger
than all temporal consultations and would
even reconcile them to the most painful
death. What could induce the Lord Jesus
Christ to expect that they should renounce
their ease, comfort and good name on His ac
count ? And why should they voluntarily
make such expensive sacrifices This
surely, cannot be accounted for upon any
other principle than a full conviction both in
the Master and in His disciples of the truth
of their cause. And if they were convinced
that their cause was true, we also are con.
strained to acknowledge the truth Of theil
doctrines, unless, indeed, we admit the i'm
probable suppOsition, that they were deCeivinl
themselves with respect to the facts of which
they had the clearest evidence of their owl
concurring senses. Hence it appears that tn,
state of suffering in which Jesus and Hi
apostles We're placed is powerful argument
to prove the truth of the religion which they
taught Hence, also, do we discover tn,
meaning Of the Apostolic exclamation, Goo
forbid that | should glory, save in the eros
of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom tn,
world is cruciied to me- and
unto the world The advice TIN
Lord Jesus Christ gave his disciple
is this, And | say unto you, my friends b.
not afraid of them that kill the body, am
after that have no more than they can dc
But | will forewarn you whom ye shall fear
Fear him which, after he hath killed, hat
power to cast into hell, Yea say unto you
fear him. Jesus Christ calls upon an hi
disciples to practice heroic deeds and virtue,
His word of command to-day is Fear not
Go Forward. First the command her
given; The reason we should obey this com
mand is that God is the speaker, lie con
mands. The command here given SEQ Foi
ward" We must go forward in the path tina
leads to God and eternal life, We must z
forward in dilgent search for knowledge
The lights and beauties Of physical science
for instance, are now thrown open to all, an
the present age is distinguished by the FIRE
and extended communication Of the pleasure
of its acquisition and the benefits of il
application. A young man, now, by the aid
which are supplied to him may attain I
the knowledge of the stars or O
the constituent parts of bodies, or O
the structure of the earth, and it is undeni
able that there is pleasure, aye. and
dignity, a high and positive satisfaction i
I an acquaintance with the solar system. O