Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-16
The Story Of Ruth.

suppose all the little folks have heard Of
the g1sshoppers that came, like a great
black cloud, and settled down ON many green
fields ia Kansas, last fall, and when they
bad flown away not one green thing was lett
behind for the people to eat. No wheat, no
corn, no vegetables not even grass. When
such a thing happens, and all the food OF the
country is destroyed We say, There is a
famine in that land"
Now, in Canaan, the land where Gods
people lived, after Joshua was dead, there
came a mighty famine. There was no food
for the men and women, and even the little
children went hungry The cattle and
sheep found very little grass to feed them,
for it was all dry and dead.
There was one man who said, | love my
wife and my two SONS too dearly to see them
stlve, and since cannot find bread for
them here, III take them to a country where
there is bread
So they crossed over the river, and over
the fields once so green. over the rocks and
stones till they came to the country of Moab.
Now the people of Moab worshiped idols,
built affairs to them and did many wicked
things, vet they were kind to this man and
his family and let them live and earn their
bread among them
/" In those days a great many people had
names that meant something. Samuel E"
meant, Asked Of God !" " Moses" meant,
Drawn out Of the water" Deborah "
meant, "a bee" Maybe when this mans
wife was little girl, she was so bright and
happy, her parents said, We must call her
Naomi, for that means pleasant"
Now, they lived in this land several years
| till Naomis husband died. Then her heart
was very lonely, but She had her two sons
left and they were growing up to be men,
strong men, able to take care Of her Byand
/ by they each married woman, who lived in
Moab. The name of the wife of one was
/ Orpha the others name was Ruth Both
/ of these women worshipped idols DO You
not think these men told their wives about
/ the wonderful God they worshiped? DO
| yon not think, when Opha and Ruth were
| helping their mother Naomi about their
work, she told of the mamma God sent for
[ His people TO eat of the water that came
out of q rock Tor them when they were
/ thirsty: of the walls of jericho falling
down | think She must have told them
/ all these things, aud warned them TO put
| away their idols and worship God. And
/ then both of Naom's sons died, and she was
more lonely than ever; and when she heard
/ that there was bread in her own country
/ again, she said, 81 will 90 back and die
! there" So she started on her long journey,
/ but Ruth and Orpha said, We will go with
/ You little way"
After q while, Naomi said. Now You
1 must go back to your fathers house. You
| have been kind to me and to those who are
I dead. May God be kind to you, and give
/ you again a happy home"
Then they all wept together and kissed
one another, and Orpha turned and started
/ TO go back but Ruth chung still to her
mother,
Then Naomi said " See, your sister has
| gone back to her people and her gods Go
! thou, also
But Ruth said {" No Thypeople shall
/ be my people Thy God my Cod"
/ So these two women went together till
| they came to the little village of Bethlehem,
whore Naomi had lived when the famine
came, so many years after Jesus was born.
I The people had not forgotten her, but all
/ came out TO meet her, saying "Is this
/ Naomi "
! But her heart was full Of sorrow, and she
! said " Call me not Naomi, for that means
\ pleasant call me Mara, for that means
I bitter for God has been very bitter to me"
She didnot know how good He was in giving
her this daughter Ruth SO they both lived
in this little town, They were poor, very
poor, and Ruth worked for her mother all
tne day long II she had stayed in her
lathef house, she might not have had to
WORK ior her bread but now she went ont
WIN the othef inaidens' and followed behind
me men VINO cut me gram, and gathered up
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