The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-06-28

blood of the Son of God. 1t is scaling
mountains of privilege. 1t is wading
through lakes of sorrow. 1t is breaking
over communion tables and baptismal
fonts and pulpits and Bibles. 1t is
wedging ones self through between
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.
We talk about taking up the cross and
following Jesus, but that cross is not
half so heavy as the burden which the
sinner carries. 1t is a very solemn
thing to be a Christian, but it is a more
solemn thing not to be "a Christian.
There are multitudes who, afraid of the
s~elf-denials of the Christian, rush into
the harder self-denials of the unbeliev-
er. No yoke but Christ's, however tight
and CALLING! Orpah goes back to her
idolatries, but she returns weeping; and
all who follow her will find tho same
SORROWS.
The Bible says in regard to the place
where Christ was buried: 'In the midst
of the garden there was a s~epulchre;'
and in the midst of the most howery en-
joyments of the unpardoned there is a
chilliness of death. Although they
may pull out the arrows that strike
their soul from the Almighty's culver,
there remains a sting and a smarting.
If men wrench themselves away from
Christ they will zeal the mark of His
hand by which He would have rescued
them. The pleasure of the world may
give temporary relief from the upbraid-
ings of conscience, but are like stupe-
flying drugs that dull the pain only EN-
porarily.
In the last century in England lived
the immortal Shenstone. Portions of
his life were given to the writing of po-
etry, but this was not evidently the
field for which nature had equipped
him His name will never be forgotten
because of the home which he adorned
and beautified, until there probably
never has been so bright a spot since
the Garden of Eden as what he loved to
call 1.-The Leasowes." In addition to
the marvels which nature had
wrought he added the perfection of
art. Arbor and terrace and slope and
rustic temple and reservoir and urn and
fountain here had their browning. Oak
and yew and hazel put or their glory of
verdure. What the greenness of deep
grass and the foam of cascade and the
glitter of still lake could give of beauty
were added. No life was more diligent
n no soul more ingenious than those
of Shenstone, and all that genius and
diligence were directed to the adorn-
ment of hat treasured spot. What
more could one want to make home
happy? Yet there is one man who sits
signing in those bowers and casting
gloomy looks upon those parks, and the
mirth of leaping waterfalls makes no
melody in his ear. 1t is Shenstone, the
owner of Leasowes. Il have lost nv
road to happiness" says the Respondent
man. 81 am angry and envious, and
detected, and frantic, and disregard all
present things just as it becomes a mad
man to do" My friends, there is no
| solid happiness in any thing but relig-
ion. / care not how bright a home
Orpah has in Moab, when she turns
away from duty she turns away from
peace.
Again: This subject teaches that a
religious choice and the want of it FREE
quently divide families. Ruth and Or
pah and Naomi were tenderly attached.
They were all widows and their life had
been c~onsecrated by a baptism of tears.
In the fire Of trial their affections had
been forged. Together they were so
pleasantly united, you can hardly i'm
agine them separated. Yet a fatal line
Is drawn dividing them from each other,
perhaps forever. Naomi can not live in
a heather country. She must GO into
Bethlehem that there among the pious
she may worship the true God. Ruth
makes a similar choice, but Orpah
rebels. "And they lifted up their voice
and wept again, and Orpah kissed her
mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto
her." The history of this family of
Elimelech is the history OF many fam
lilies of this day. How often is it that
in a circle of relatives, while they look
alike, and walk alike, and talk alike,
there is a tremendous difference. Out
wardly united in the affectional rela-
tions of this life, they are separated in
the most important respects. Some now
are the children OF light and others the
children Of darkness. These are alive
in Christ and those are dead in sin.
/ tkHbu III hO ldiu u iSbhICLoLut oTpdu
Ia Moab.
Agaipi This subject suggests to me
two of the most prominent reasons why
people refuse the kingdom OF Christ,
There may have been many other
rensons why Orpab left her sister and
mother-in-law and went back home, but
there are two reasons which | think
were more prominent than the rest. She
had been brought up in idolatries. She
loved the heather gods which her an
cestors had worshiped, and, though
these blocks of wood INC stone could not
hear, she thought they could hear, and,
though they could not see, she thought
they could see, and, though they could
not feel, she thought they could feel. A
new religion had been brought to her
attention. She had married q godly
man. She must often rave heard her
mother-in-law talk of the God of Israel.
She was so much shaken in her original
belief that she concluded to leave
her idolatries, but coming to the
margin of the land OF Bethlehem, her
determination failed her, and speedily
she returned to her gods. This is the
very reason why multitudes OF persons
never become Christians. They can not
bear to give up their gods. Business Is
the American Juggernaut that cFushes
more men than the great car Of the
Hindoos. To it they say their morning
and evening prayers. A little of Christ's
religion may creep into the Sabbath, but
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday, are the days
devoted to this American idol. Every
hour there is a sacrifice on the altar.
Home duties, health Of body, manly
strength and Immortal affections must
all burn in this holocaust. Men act as
though they could take their bonds and
mortgages, and saws and trowels, and
axes and day books with them into the
Kingdom Of Heaven. There are many
who have no nnholy thirst for gold, yet
who are devotipg themselves to their
worldly occupations with a ruinops ia:
tensity,
1T is possible to devote ones self even
to o lawful calling until it becomes sim
full. There is no excuse on the earth or
under the earth for the neglect of our
deathless spirit, But there are others
who, while their worldly occupation has
no particular Ease nation oyer them, are
entirely absorbed in the gains that
come to that occupation. This is the
worship of mammon. The ring of dol
lars and cents is the only litany they
ever utter. Though in the last day the
earth itself will not be worth a farthing,
o heap of ashes scattered in the whirl-
wind, they are now giving their time
and eternity for the acquisition of SO