The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1890-07-04

II
poor Religion did very we'll for in
valids and the aged, but they had no
desire for it Suddenly a change came
upon their soul They found that's some
| thing must be done. Every night there
was thorn in their pillow. There was
gall in their wine. They found that
their pleasures were only false lights of
swamp that rise out of decay and
death. Losing their self-control, they
were startled by their own prayer:
God be merciful to me a sinner.
They did not expect it, but the Holy
Ghost was in their soul Without
thinking what they were doing, they
brushed the dust off their family Bible
The ground did not feel as firm under
them nor did the air seem as bright.
| They tried to dam back the flood of
their emotions. but the attempt failed,
and they confessed their anguish of soul
before they meant to. The secret was
outl They wanted to know what they
must do to be saved.
With Ruth and Naomi, weeping,
Orpah started for the land of Bethle-
hem They longed for the Sabbath to
come. Straight as an arrow to the mark
the sermon struck them. They thought
the minister must have heard of their
case and was preaching right at them.
They thought the sermon was very
short, nor did they once coil themselves
up in their pew with their eyes shut
and head averted with an air of I'M
moved dignity. They began to pray
with an earnestness that astonished
themselves and astonished others. SHOW
ing the plane or writing up accounts or
walking the street when you might
have thought their mind entirely upon
the world, they were saying within
themselves ''Oh that were a Chris
tian!' Orpah is fully started on the
road to Bethlehem. Christian friends
Observing the religious anxiety of the
awakened soul say: "He must certainly
be Christian. There is another sol
der in Christ's ranks, another sick one
has been cured of the leprosy." The
observers turn their attention another
way; they say: 'Orpah is safe enough,
she has gone to Bethlehem"
Alasl Alas! Starting out for Heaven is
a very different thing from arriving
there. Remember Lots wife. She looked
back with longing to the place from
which she came and was destroyed.
| Half way between Sodom and the City
of Refuge that strange storm comes
upon her, and its salt and birthstone
gather on her garments until they are
so stiffened she can not proceed, nor
can she lie down because of this dread
| full wrapping around her garments and
limbs, and long after her life has gone
she still stands there so covered up by
| the strange storm that she is called a
| pillar of salt as some sailor on ships
| deck in the wintry tempest stands COW
cred with mail of ice. Ten thousand
times ten thousand men have been de-
stroyed half way between Sodom and
| the City of Refuge. Orpah might as
we'll never have started as afterward to
turn back. Yet multitudes have walked
in her footsteps. Go among those the
least interested in sacred things and
you will find that they were once out of
the land of Moab. Every one of them
prayed right heartily and studied their
Bibles, and frequented the sanctuary,
but Lots wife looked back wistfully to
Sodom, and Orpah retreated from the
company of Ruth and Naomi. 1t is an
impressive thought that after Orpah
had gone so far as actually to look over
/
back and died in Moab.
Again, let our object impress upon us
| the truth that those who have once felt
| it their duty to leave their natural state
can not give up their duty and go back
| to hardness of heart 'yithout a struggle.
| After Orpah had thoroughly made up
her mind TO 60 back to the place from
which she started, she went through the
sad scene of parting with Ruth and
Naomi My text says: ''They lifted
up their voices and wept" All, my
| nearer, it requires more decision and
| perseverance to stay away from the
| kingdom Of God than to enter it. AL
| though she did not know it, Orpah
passed through greater struggle in
turning back into the land of Moab than
| would have been necessary to take her
clear through to bethlehem. Suppose
you that those persons who have re-
manned in their evil ways have had
no struggle? Why, they have been
obliged to fight every inch of their
way. Tho road to death is not such
easy travelling as some ministers have
been accustomed to describe it. From be-
ginning to end it is fighting against the
sharp sword of the spirit. 1t is climbing
over the cross. 1t is wading through
the deep blood of the Son of God. 1t
is scaling mountains of privilege. 1t is
wading through lakes of sorrow. 1t is
braking over communion tables and
baptismal fonts and pulpits and Bibles.
! 1t is wedging ones self through be-
tween pious kindred who stand before
and press us back and hold on to us by
their prayers even after we have passed
them in our headlong downward career.
No man ought to think of undertaking
to 60 back into Moab after having come
| within sight of bethlehem unless he
have a heart that can not be made to
quake, and a sure foot that will not
slip among infinite perils, and an arm
that can drive back the Son of God
who stands in the center of the broad
road spreading out His arms and shout
| ing into tho car of the thoughtless
pilgrim: ''Stopl Stop!'
The Bible says, in regard to the place
where Jesus was buried, 'in the midst
of the garden there was a sepulchre;"
and in the midst of the most flowery en-
joyments of the unpardoned there is
chilliness Of death. Although they may
pull out the arrows that Strike their
soul from the Almighty's culver, there
remain sting and smarting. If men
| wrench themselves away from Christ
they will bear the mark of His hand by
| which lie would have rescued them.
| The pleasures of tho world may give
temporary relief from the upbraidings
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