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

and in the world, that through darkness
and storm, and trouble, men, women,
churches, nations, are developed.
2. Again, | see in my text the beautiful,
unfaltcring friendship. ! suppose there
were plenty Of friends for Naomi while she
was in prosperity, but OF all her acquaint-
ances how many were willing TO trudge off
with her toward Judah when she had TO
make that lonely journey? One-the
heroine OF my text. absolutely one.
suppose when Naomi's husband was liv-
ing, and they had plenty OF money and all
things went well, they had great many
callers; but l suppose that after her hus-
band died and her property went, and she
got old and poor, she was not troubled very
much with callers. All the birds that
sung in the bower while the sun shone
have gone to their nests, now the night has
fallen.
Oh, these beautiful sun1owers that
spread out their color in the morning hour
but are always asleep when the sun is
going down! Job had plenty of friends
when he was the richest man in Uz; but
when his property went and trials came
then there were none 80 much that pes
tered as Elphaz the Temanite, and Bildad
the Shuttle, and Zophar the Naamathite.
Life often seems TO be mere game,
where the successful player pulls down all
the other men into his own lap. Let sus-
picions arise about a mans character, and
he becomes like bank in panic, and all
the imputations rush on him and break
down in day that character which in due
time would have had strength to defend
itself. There are regulations that have
been half a century in building, which go
down under some moral exposure, as q
vast temple is consumed by the touch OF q
sulphurous match. A hog can uproot
century plant.
In this world, so full Of heartlessness
and hypocrisy, how thrilling II is to find
some. friend as faithful in days of adyer-
sity rs in days of prosperity David had
such friend in IIushai; the Jews had
such friend in Mordecai, who never for
got their cause Paul had such friend in
Onesiphorus, who visited him in Jail;
Christ had such in the Marys, who adj
hered 10 Him on the cross; Naomi had
such one in Ruth, who cried out EN-
treat me not TO leave thee, or 10 return
from following after thee; for whittier thou
goest, / will 90; and where thou lodgest,
will lodge; thy people shall be my people,
and thy God, my God; where thou diest
will die, and there will be buried; the
Lord do so to me, and more also, II aught
but death part thee and me.
3. Again: | learn from this subject that
paths which open in hardship and dark
ness often come out In places OF Joy. When
Ruth started from Moab toward Jerusa-
lem, 10 20 along with her mother-in-law,
suppose the people said: "0h, what q
foolish creature TO 90 away from her
| fathers house, 10 20 of with a poor old
woman toward the land Of JUDAH They
won't live 10 get across the desert. They
will be drowned in the sea or the jackals
OF the wilderness will destroy them" IL
was a very dark morning when Ruth
started off with Naomi; but behold her in
my text in the harvest field Of Boaz, 10
| be allianced toone Of the lords Of the land,
and become one OF the grandmothers OF
Jesus Christ, the Lord OF glory. And so
| Il often Is that path which starts very
darkly ends very brightly.
When you started out for heaven, oh,
! how dark was the hour OF conviction
how Sinai Numbered, and devils tor
monted and the darkness thickcnedl All
the sins OF your life pounced upon you,
and Il was the darkest hour you ever saw
| when YOU iirst found out your sins. After
awhile you went into the harvest field OF
Gods mercy; you began 10 CLEAN in the
fields Of divine promise, and you had
more sheayes than you could carry, a. the
voice Of God addressed you, saying
blessed Is the man whose transgressions
are forgiven, and whose sins are covered "
A very dark starting in conviction, very
bright ending in the pardon aud the hope
| and tho triufn nh of the pOsDpn
so, very often In our worldly business OF
In our spiritual career, we start of on 9
very dark path. We must 20. tn,
flesh may shrink back, but there Is Q
voice within, or n voice from above
saving: "You must go;" and we have e
drink the gall, and We have 10 carry the
cross, and we have TO traverse the desert
and we are pounded and failed Of mis-
representation and abuse, and We have e
urpe our way through ten thousand Oh
slacles that must be slain by our own RICH
arm. We have 30 ford the river, we hay,
10 climb the mountain, We have 10 storm
the castle; but. blessed be God, the day o
rest and reward will come. On the tip
top Of the captured baltlcmenis We vii
shout the victory; II not In this world
then In that world where there Is no gal
10 drink, no burdens TO carry, no battle /
b fight. How do know ~ Know ~
: know II because God says 20 They shal
3 hunger no more, neither Thirst any more
, neither shall the sun light ON them, no
any heat, for the Lamb which u In th
midst Of the throne shall lead them 20 u,
, ing fountains Of water, aud God shall wip
! ali tears from their eyes"
, II was very hard for Noah 10 endure Oh
= scolIing Of the people In his day, while h
Q was irving 10 build the ark, and was ever
! morning quizzcd about his old boat tbs
! would never be Of any practical use bu
! when the delugc came, and the tops OF th
{ mountains disappeared like the backs I
: sea monsters, and the elements, lashed u
In fury, clappcd their hands over
: drowned world, then Noah In the ark n
0 ioiced IN his own safety and In the saici
g Of his family, and looked out on the wreC
d Of a ruined earth.
}. Christ, bounded Of Prosecutors, denied
i pillow, worse maltrcatcd than the THEW
= on either side OF the cross, human ha
9 smacking liz lips In satisfaction after i hs
q been draining Ills last drop Of blood, u
n shcclcd dead bursting from the sepulchr
9 nj Ills crucilxion. Tell me, q, Geihs
y name and Golgoihal were there oy
u darker times than those7 Like the boor
!. ing Of the midnight sea against the roc
Y the surgcs Of Chnst's anguish beat again
70 the gates Of eternity, 10 bc echoed back
% all The thrones OF heaven aud all q
u dungeons Of hell. But the day OF rcwa
y comes for Christ; oil tho pomp aI
= dominion Of this world are " he hung I
Ia tt...n. ....w.....I l..Ia aro "a Ia