The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-21

anything more unimportant than the
coming OF poor woman from Moab to
Judah? Can you imagine anything more
trivial than the fact that this Ruth just
happened to alight-as they say---just
happened to alight on that field of Boaz?
Yet all ages, all generations, have an
interest in the fact that she was TO become
an ancestor OF the Lord Jesus Christ, and
all nations and kingdoms must look at that
one little incident with thrill of unspeak-
able and eternal satisfaction. So ii is in
your history and in mine; events that you
thought OF no Importance at all have been
of very great moment. That casual con-
versation, that accidental meeting you
did not think OF il again for long while;
but how il changed all the phase OF your
lifel
II seemed to be OF no Importance that
Jubal invented rude instruments OF music,
calling them harp and organ; but they
were the introduction OF all the worlds
minstrelsy; and as you hear the vibration
OF stringed instrument, even after the
fingers have been taken away from IL, 30
all music now OF lutte and drum and cornet
is only the long continued strains Of Jul
balls harp and Jubal's organ. II seemed
TO be matter Of very little importance
that Tubal Cain learned the uses OF copper
and iron, but that rude foundry OF ancient
days has its echo in the rattle Of Birming.
ham machinery, and the roar and bang OF
factories on the Merrimac.
IL seemed TO be matter Of no import
ance that Luther found Bible in
monastery; but as he opened that Bible,
and the brass bound lids fell back, they
Jared everything, from the Vatican to the
furthest convent in Germany, and the
rustling OF the wormed leaves was the
sound Of the wings OF the angel OF the re-
formation. II seemed TO be matter OF
no importance that woman, whose name
has been forgotten, dropped tract in the
way OF a very bad man by the name OF
Richard Baxter. lie picked up the tract
and read il, and II was the means OF his
salvation.
In after days that man wrote book
called "The Call TO the Unconverted, !"
that was the means OF bringinga multitude
TO God, among others Philip Doddridge.
Philip Doddridge wrote book called
"The Rise and Progress OF Religion,
which has brought thousands and tens OF
thousands into the kingdom Of God, and
among others the great Wilberforcc. Will
beriorco wrote book called "a Practical
View OF Christianity" which was the
means OF bringing great multitude 10
Christ, among others Leigh Rich
mond. Leigh Richmond wrote tract
called "The Dairyman's Daughter"
which has been the means OF
tudes. And that tide OF influence started
from the fact that one Christian woman
dropped Christian tract in the way Of
Richard Baxter-the tide OF influence roll
ing on through Richard Baxter, through
Philip Doddridge, through the great Will
bcrforce, through Leigh Richmond, on, on,
ON, forever, forever. So the Insignificant
events OF this world seem, after all, to be
most momentous. The fact that you came
up that street Of this street seemed 10 be Of
no importance 10 you, and the fact that
you went inside OF some church may seen
TO be n matter OF very great insigniiicancc
10 you, but you will find II the turning
point in your history.
8. Again: | see in my subject an illus
traiion OF the beauty Of female industry
Behold Ruth toiling In the harvest iielC
under the hot sun, or at noon taking tn,
plain bread with the reapers, or eating the
parched corn which Boaz handed 20 her
The customs Of society, Of course, have
changed, and without the hardships and
exposure 30 which Ruth was subjected
every intelligent woman will find some
thing TO DO.
know there Is sickly scntimentality
on this subject. In some families there
are persons Of no practical service 10 thC
household or community; and though
there are 10 many woes all around about
them in the world, they spend their time
languishing oyora new pattern, or burst
ing into tears at midnight over the'story o
some lover who shot himself They
would not deign 10 look at Ruth carrying
back the barley on her way homo 10 hef
mo,her.in.law, Naomi AL this fastid
iousness may seem 10 do very well whil'
they are under tho shelter Of their father
house; but when the sharp winter OF mis-
fortune comes, what Of these butterflies
Persons under indulgcnt parentage ma!
get upon themselves habits Of Incidence
but when they come out into practical III
their soul will rccoil with disgust and cha
grin. They will feel in their hearts wha
the poet 40 severely satirizod when h
said:
i
They're elegantly paincd from morning unt
| night"
Through that gate Of Incidence hol
many men and women have marched
useless on earth 10 q destroyed eternity
Spinola said 10 Sir Horace We're: &c
what did your brother dicg" 'Of hayin
nothing 20 do" was the answer "Ah,
said Spinola, that's enough 10 Kill an
general OF ~" OH can II be possible !
this world, where there IL NO much suffer
ing TO be alleyiatcd, 80 much darkness I
DC enlightened, and 10 many burdens
be carried. that there N any person VIII
cannot find anything 10 do?
Madame de Staol did world Of work J
her time; and one day, while she WI
seated amid instruments Of music, oil {
which she had mastered, and amid many
script books which she had written, SON
one said TO her GLOW do you ind tim
10 attend 10 all these thingg" "Oh," Nh
replied, these are not the things ! al
proud o. My chief boast Is In the ia'
that have seventeen trades, by any on
OF which | could mako livelihood II me-
cssary." And II In secular spheres tibet
Il 10 much 10 be done, In spiritual wor
how vast the field We want moro All
, gals, more llannahs, more Rebecca
, more Marys, more Dcborahs consccraiod
body, mind, soul-to the Lord who bougl
, them.
! o. Once more. ! learn from my subie'
the value Of cleaning. Ruth goif
r into that harvest field might has
/. said: There Is a straw, and there
q straw, but what is a straw | can Z 3
/ any barley for myself or my moiher-in.la