The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-04

This Is the great Christian watch
word Of the Head Of the church militant
-"Go forward" Prepare for action,
follow the flag. Advance the whole line.
You remember the connection. Israel
was encamped near the sea. The tribes
had been commanded to turn aside from
the great eastern road which rounded
the extremity of the sea, and to make
their way southward and encamp on the
shore. Here, resting for little from
the excitement and toll OF their depart
ure from Egypt, they were appalled, by
| the rumoF that Pharaoh was advance
ing against them with his whole army.
Presently the rumor grew Into certain
/ ty. Behold! on the horizons verge,
line after line, horsemen and chariots,
the strength and glory Of the Egyptian
hosts were marching hard after them.
And now their destruction seems newt
able. Before them spreads the lmpas-
sable sea: behind them the all-con-
| quering enemy. To remain where
they were was to be cut to pieces. To
move either way was only to rush upon
destruction. And yet just then came
the command, Speak unto the children
Of Israel, that they go forward"
Now, you are all prepared to regard
the Exodus as a type OF spiritual life
either in the Individual Christian or in
the collective church; and II so, then
the text is our great Captains mandate
to all believers on earth, 60 forward.
need not Insist upon the importance
/ Of this theme; all men are convinced OF
| 1t. It is even now the law Of all noble
life. No matter what or where a man
Is. his watchword is still go forward.
When on that memorable May morning
(1S9S) Commodore Dewey sailed into the
harbor OF Manila, every sailor looking
| up through the early dawn saw one
signal hoIsted to the masthead. 1t
was this: Prepare for action; follow
the flagship" Most OF you here to-day
are prepared to follow the banner OF
Jesus Christ whithersoever 1t shall lead.
May we be prepared With the outgoing
of summer and the incoming Of autumn
for action In His name. May We have
such understanding Of our task, such
sympathy with the divine purpose and
the divine work In this world that our
actions shall be part Of Gods eternal
| action, and our life shall be EMBODIED In
His own eternal life.
Now, our text furnishes some Of Gods
own thoughts in regard to this matter
OF making progress. All spiritual pro-
gress-indeed all true human progress
Is seen here to depend upon a few plain
and simple conditions. There must be
a worthy object; there must be a fitting
energy; there must be an earnest move
ment; and 1t must be against seeming
obstacles, and in accordance with divine
laws. Without these there may be
agitation, excitement. iocomotion, but 1t
Will be all only n useless stroll on the
landau aimless drift on the water
the disastrous tossing OF ship on
stormy pillows without compass or
chart BY these, both the degree and
the value Of all progress is measured,
and on them depends.
And this leads US to consider the ma
ture OF such progress. And this Is al
together apparent. It Is simply an In
crease in all Christian Eraces. Here.
as elsewhere. the kingdom OF God
comes not with observation" The out
ward pomp and show and clrcumstan-
ces OF Israel were perhaps not even as
great when they pitched their camp by
the Jordan, In full view OF the promised
land as when they shouted In triumph
on the Red seas shore. And yet in all
these long years Of exodus they were
learning more and more about God, and
becoming better and better prepared
for the glorious inheritance OF Canaan.
And so II Is in things spiritual. Tue
progress Is measured, not by outward
cOnditioH,E but by inward character.
King David was Rodller man when he
put on sackcloth and bowed his sorrow
full face to the earth, than when cloth
ed in fine linen he danced before the
Lord with all his might. And GldeOn's
host Of thirty thousand warriors beside
the bright well of HaFod was OF less
account with God than his three hun
dred brave men in the passes of Jordan.
In any real progress, whether OF an
Individual or OF the church, all true
graces will be in constant development.
Faith will be increasing In Its strength,
and hope In Its steadfastness, and love
in Its fervors. Humility will be strik-
ing its roots deeper and trust in God
lifting its clinging branches higher;
Conscience will be more tender and
confidence more fllial, and knowledge
profOunder and conservation more per-
feet. The peace OF God will flow as
river, in ever deepening channels, and
good will to men will be more and more
manifest as a richer husbandry along
the Overwhelming current. All the
world will perceive in the whole life n
ioftier justice, and severSr temper
ance, and serener reliance, and a
more patient long-sufering; toward
man the outflow OF n more earnest be-
nevolence. and toward God the up
spring OF n more entire conservation.
So that under this divine law OF pro-
gress the Individual Christian Will eX-
hlblt more and more the eXcellencies of
the perfect man In Christ Jesus; and
the collective church assume more and
more the meek and gentle beauty OF the
Bride. the Lambs Wife.
In short, genuine spiritual progress is
like the development Of heavenly tree
manifest not go much In the eXuber-
nj or n q In tho gIFAngfh If the
branches and the richness OF the fruit;
or like the onhowlng OF n river-not
in the noisy rush and roar OF Its rapids,
but in the depth and the breadth Of Its
everlasting channels. A proGress-not
In the following OF the banner OF world
ly philosophy, but in humble obedience
to the divine mandate. which said,
Speak unto the children Of Israel, that
they go forward
Now this leads us to consider the mo-
tives to such a progress. And they
are all included In the thought that such
Is Gods law. The text Is not an en-
treaty, nor merely an encouragement.
nor an eXhortntion. 1t Ii n positive
command. II Is Il divine precept writ |
ten on all creation and on every mans
conscience. We live In conditions where
everything within and around us cries,
"go forward" We ure abroad in a
universe where all true life does go for |
ward; where human art, literature, sci |
ence. commerce, government, civiiiza- |
tlon, are in the excitement Of progress
where all that lifts man In his complex |
social economy above the brute, Is the |
result Of fiery impulse within all as
pIrIng spirits, driving the true man |
away from all good things possessed |
unto loftIcr and better things hoped for. |
And for man spiritually to stand still |
here. In his unbellef. Is only to ensure |
the fate OF the lnfdel lord OF Samaria, |