Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-05-31
nificance to you. but You will find it the

nihcance to You. but you will find it tn
turning point in your history.
Fifth-Again: see in nv subject an /
lustration Of the beauty Of female industry
Behold Ruth toiling in the harvest field u,
der the hot sun, or at noon taking plain brea
with the reapers, or eating the parche
corn which Boaz handed her. The custom
OF society, OF course, have changed, an
without the hardships and exposure Z
which Ruth was subjected, every intell
gent woman will find something to do.
know there 10 sickly seniimentalit,
on this subject. In some families Their
are persons Of no practical service 10 th
household or community; and though Their
are SO many woes all around about them IL
the world, they spend their time languish
ing over new pattern, or bursting int,
| tears at midnight over the story Of som,
lover who shot himself. They would no
deign to look at Ruth carrying bacl
the barley on her way home to he
mother-in-law, Naomi All this fastid
lousness may seem to do very wei
while they are under the shelter o.
their fathers house; but when thu
sharp water Of misfortune comes
what Of these butterflies! Persons under
indulgent parentage may get upon them
selves habits Of indolence; but when they
come out into practical life their soul viii
recoil with disgust and chargin. They will
feel In their hearts what the pet q
severely satir.zed when he said:
Folks are so awkward. things SO impolite,
They're elegantly panied from morning until
night"
Through that gate of indolence how
many men and women have marched, use
less ON earth, to destroyed eternity
Spinola said to Sir Horace We're: ''Of what
die your brother die3" 'Of having moth.
ing to do" was the answer. .'Ah," said
Spinola, ''thaJ's enough to kill any General
Of u.s." o! can 1t be possible in this world,
where there is 80 much suffering to be
alleviated, so much darkness to be ealight-
ensi, and SO many burdens to be carried,
that there is any person who can not find
something to dol
Madame de Stael did a world of work in
her time. sni one day, while she was seated
amid instruments Of music, all Of which she
had mastered, and amid manuscript books
which she had written, some one said to
her: ''How do you ind time 10 attend to all
these things" co." she replied, "these
are not the things am proud of. My chief
boast is in the fact that l have seventeen
trades, by any one Of which could make a
livelihood il necessary" And if in secular
spheres there is so much to be done, in
spiritual work how vast the field! We
want more Abiga Is, more Hsnnahs, more
Rebecca,, more Marys, more Deborahs con-
secrated-body, mind, soul-to the Lord
who bough. them.
Sixth-Once more: l learn from my sub
jsCt the value Of cleaning. Ruth going
into that harvest field mi ,ht have said:
There IS q straw, and there is a straw.
but what ia straw l can't get any bar
ley for myself or my mother-,n-law out Of
these separate straws." Not 50 said Ruth.
She gathered two straws, and she put them
together, and more straws. until she got
enough to make q sheaf. Putting that
down, she went and gathered more straws,
until she had another sheaf and another,
and another, and another, and then she
brought them all together, and she thresh-
ed them out, and she had an ephah Of bar
ley, nigh busbel. On, that we might all
be cleaners
Elihu Burritt learned many things while
toiling in blacksmith shop. Abercrom-
bic, the world renowned philosopher, was
u philosopher in Scotland, and he got his
philosophy, or the chief part Of it. while, as
q physician, he was waiting for the door Of
the sick room to open. Yet how many
there are in this day who say they are
so busy they have no time for mental
and spiritual improvements; the great
duties Of life cross the field like
strong reapers, and carry off all the
hours, and there is only here aud there a
fragment left that Is not worth cleaning.
Alb, my trends, You could 90 into the
busiest day and the busiest week Of your
life and find golden opportunities. which.
gathered, might At least make whole
sheaf for the Lords garner. 1t is the stray
opportunities and the stray privileges
which, taken up aud bound together and
beaten out, will ut last fill you with abound
ng joy.
There are few moments left worth the
cleaning. Now, Ruth, to the field! May
Zach one have measure full and running
'ver! o. you cleaners, to the field! And
there be IN your household an sgei one
n sick relative that IS not strong enough
o come forth and toll in this field, then let
Ruth take home to feeble Naomi this sheaf
Il cleaning: HE that eoeth forth and
veepsth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless ceme again with rejoicing. bring
ng his sheaves with him." May the Lord
icd Of Ruth and Naomi be our portion for
,v0rl