Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-07-04

Alasl alasl Starting out for heaven Is a
very different thing from arriving there.
Remember Lots wife. She lookei back
with longing to the place from which she
came and was destroyed. Half way be-
tween Soiom and the city OF refuge that
strange storm comes upon Ler, and its salt
and birthstone gather on her garments un-
I'll they are so stiffened she cannot proceed,
nor can she lic down because OF this dread-
tul wrapping around her garments and
brnbs and long after her life has como she
still stands there, 50 covered up by the
strange storm that she Is called a pillar Of
alt, as some sailor Oh sap deci Ia t.
wintry tempest stands covered with u mail
IL ice. Ten thousand times ten thousand
men have been destroyed half way between
6odom and the city OF refu ye. Orplh might
as well never have started as afterwari 70
turn back. Yet multitules have Wake in
her footsteps. Go among those tho least in
lercsted in sacred thin ys, AMI yau will 1al
that they were olco oIt of the lll OF IolS.
Every ono or them prayCi right heartily AMI
studied his Bible ani frequeIt.l tIs sane.
euary but Lots wife looked hac,; wiSt'ully
to Sodom, and Orrah retrented froal ths
company OF Ruth aud Naomi II is nm i'm.
pressiye thought that after Orplh had gone
20 far as actually to look over into the land
OF Bethlehem she turnel back AMI dicl in
Moab.
Again, let our subject impress u7on us thu
truth that those who havo onca felt IL their
duty to leave their natural state cannot give
Up their duty aud 60 back to hardness OF
heart without struggle. After Orplh hal
thoroughly made uD her mind to 81 back 10
the place from which abe started she went
through the sal scene OF parting with Ruth
aud Naomi. Ny text says; They llftot up
their voice and wept." Ah my hearer, 1t
requires moro decision AMI perseverance, to
stay away from the kingdom Of God than to
enter it. Although shs did not know II,
Orpah passed through a greater struggle in
turning back into the land OF Moab than
would have been necessary to tako her clear
through to Bethlehem. Suppose You that
those persons who have remained in their
evil ways have had no struggled Why, they
have boon obliged to fight every inch OF their
way.
The road to death is not such easy travel.
ing as some minister's have boel accustomed
to describe it. From be- naiuc to end it is
fighting against the sharp sword OF the
Spirit, 1t IS climbing over tho cross. 1t is
wading through the deep blood OF the Son OF
God. 1t is scaling mountains OF privieg,.
/ 1t is vadinS throu yh lakes of sorrow. II is
! breaking over communion tables and hap
tismal fonts and pulpits and Bibles. 1t is
wedging on1's s,t through between p.ous
! kindred who stand before and press us back
! and hold on to us by their prayers even after
we have passed then in our headlony down.
| ward career. No man ought to think OF uu.
/ dertaking to 60 back into Moab after having
! como within sight Of Bcthehen n unlc he
! have q heart that cannot be ma IL to quake,
/ md a suro foot that Will not slip anolg ina-
nits perils aud an arm that can drive back
the Son OF God "do stands in the centre Of
the broad road spr, allng out His arms AMI
shouting into the car OF the thouSatleS5 p.l-
grim, stop! stop.'
We talk about taking up tho cross AMI
following Jesus but that cross is no. half 50
heavy as the burden which the sinner car
ries Il is a very solemn thing to DO Chris
tiau, but it is a moro solemn thing not to b,
q Christian. There nro multitudes who,
afraid OF the self denial3 OF the Christian,
| rush into the harder self deaials of tho unhe
lever. No yoke but Chrlsts, however tight
and CALLING Orplh gols back TO her idola-
tries, but she returns weeping, and all who
follow her will find tho same SORROWS. Just
In proportion as Gospel advantages havl
been numerous will be the disturbance OF tho
heart that will not como to Christ.
The Bible says in regard 70 the pllcD wh1re
Christ was buried: In the midst OF ths gar
den there was sopulcher;" AMI in toe midst
of the most lowery enioymcnts OF the un-
pardonei there is a chillinc3s OF death. Al
though they may pIll out tho arrows that
strike thoir soul from the Almighty quiver,
-
wrench themselves away from Christ they
will bear tho marx OF His hand by which Ho
would have rescued thCn. Tho pleasures OF
the world may give temporary r. iet from
the upbraidings Of conscience, but arc lSo
supplying drugs that dull the pain oliy
temporarily. Ahab has great king
dom. anl you would think ha
ought TO DO happy with his courtiers
AMI chariots and pLlacaS yet ho gooj t. bel
sick because Naboth will not sell him his
vineyard. Haman Is prime minister OF tho
greatest nation in thJ world, ani yet ons
poor man who will not bow the held makes
him utterly miserable. Herod moaopolizai
the most OF ths worlds bOnor, and yet Is
thrown into rago because they say little
child is born in Bethlehem who may after
awhile dispute his authority. Byron con-
auered the world with his pen, AMI yet said
that no felt more unhappincs5 from tha
criticism of tho most illiterate reader than
he experienced pleasure from tho praise OF
all the talented.
In the last century in England livoi tbs
immortal Snenstone. Portions Of his life
were given to tis writing Of poetry, but this
was not evidently the field for which nature
had equipped him. His namo will never b1
forgotten because OF the home which he
adorned AMI boeutflel until there probably
never has been So bright a spot sincs the
Garden of Eden us what no loved to call
"The Leasowes." In addition to the marve!S
which nature had wroughth he aided tho per
fection of art. ArOor5 AMI terrace and Slope
and rustic temple and reservoir and urn and
fountain here had their cr0wning. Oak and
yew and hazel put on their glory OF verduro
What tho greenneS5 of deep grass and tht
foam of cascade AMI tho glitter OF the still
lake could give Of beauty were added. NJ
life was more dilig gent and NJ soul was norJ
ingenious than thoSa OF ShenStoue, and nj
- liz ...t~ 60 \,
, adornment OF that treasured spot. Wha
more could one want 10 make home happy
Yet there is ono mal who sits signing IL
those bowers, and casting gloomy looks upon
those parks, and tle mirCh OF le1ping water
falls makes no meloly in hi3 ear. 1t /
Shenstonc, the owner OF the Leasowes. g
! have lost my road 10 happiness" snys th
> despondent man. II am angry and envious
and detected and frantic AMI disregard al
: present things just as 1t becomes n madmci
to do" My friends, there is no solid hap
piness In anything but religion. caro- moi
how bright home Orpah has III Moab wher
she turns away from duty sho turns away
from peace. Amid the bacchaualia of Bel
shazzar's feast and tho glitter OF chalice
there always will como out n handwriting
on tho wall fearfully omnOus: "Tekel-
weighed in the balances and found wanting.
Again, this subject teaches that a religion
: choice and the want OF 1T frequently dlvid
families Ruth and Orpah and Naomi wer
tenderly attached They were all widow;
and their life had been consecrated by u bap
, tism Of tears. In tho Of lire trial their aifec
tious had been forged. Together they wer
t so pleasantly uniteJ you can hardly imagin
: them separated. Yet fatal line il draw
dividing them from each other, perhaps fol
ever. Naomi cannot live in heather couu
try. She must go into Bethlehem, that the"
among the pious she may worship tho tru
, God. Ruth make a similar choice, but o.
I pah rebels "And they lifted up their voic
( and wept again, and Orpah kissed he
Q mother-in-law, but Ruth clayo unto her,
/ Tho history Of this family OK Elimelech
' the history Of many families of this day
4 How often 10 is that in circle OF relative,