The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-12-20
We Have Fine Assortment Especially
Purchased for the Holiday Trade.

1877 says, "The angel of God, which
went before the scamp of Israel re-
moved and went behind them; and
the pillar of the cloud went from be-
| fore their face and stood behind
Them This may be an indication Of
the different sources from which this
wonderful history, all the narratives
of which we connect with the name
of Moses, was drawn by its author /;
but it is far more important as show
ing that the Angel Of God was none
other than Jehovah, the Covenant
God of Israel, manifestation, long
before Ethe Incarnation of the Eternal
Word, the Revealer Of the redeeming
love of God.
And now Moses stretches out his
hand over the sea- The great host
are near Suez, as is generally sup
posed, at the upper extremity of the
western arm of the.Red Sea. A strong
east wind blew all night and we
should thus observe, (see Speakers
Commentary that it is q natural
agency by which the going back of
the,waters is affected. That what we
call a purely miraculous element
enters into this account does not seem
to be taught, although it may have
been so. That the waters became
wall to Israel on their right hand
and on their left,' evidently means
that they served as protection from
attack on either side. Nahum (iii :'8)
speaks of waters as "wall'' and a
buwalrk, !" and such they often are
to armies and cities
But Pharaoh has recovered from
his panic and is following in hot pur-
suit. The Angel pillar of Gods pre-
sence which gives light to Israel is
darkness to the Egyptians. And so
the Gospel, which is fthe SAVIOUR of
Iife' becomes to them that reject it,
theyvery 'savour of death" q Cor.
ii: 16). They who love God walk in
the light They who reject His love
walk in darkness, and the Gospel be-
comes to them a message of judg-
ment. The Divine will is now again
asserted at a particular time and for
special object, and this, in sense, is
miracle. Judgment, not mercy, is
now the purpose. Moses stretches
forth his hand over the sea, the wa
tiers, no longer parted by the wind,
flow back and overwhelm the entire
army of Pharaoh.
One great truth stands out in this
lesson. 1t is the reasonableness of
FAITH. The last verse of the chap
ter says, The people feared the Lord,
and believed the Lord, and His SER
want Moses How could they help
believing in the power and love of
God, when they had seen such a won
drous display of these Divine attri-
butes? How, too, could they fail to
believe in His hatred of sin and in
the certainty of His judgments
against sin when they had witnessed
the ten plaques and the overthrow of
Pharaoh and his army. And it is
quite as reasonable to trust Gods
love today and to fear to sin against
Him. We know not only from this
old history, but from all past and
present experience, from the teaching
of the Scriptures and the testimony
of our own hearts, that we cannot sin
without losing the JOY of fellowship
with God. And we know because He
has spoken to us through His Son,
that If we do love and serve Him He
will be with us in the hour of sorest
need. The lesson to all men is in the
words of Jesus to His disciples, when
he had given them reasons for their
faith, Be not faithless but believ-
ing.
Grand Regent Bown of Hoboken,
Vice-Grand Regent Washburne, Grand
Secretary Robert Alberts, r. D. Van
Cleve of Newark, and delegation of
twenty members from North Jersey
Council of Madison, headed by s. p D.
Harrington, visited Loantaka Council,
No. 1888, r. A. O., of this city on Tues
day night, when six candidates carried
the usual pilgrims load.' Refresh
ments and addresses followed. che re-
marks of the Grand officers were of