Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-08-29
DR. TALMAGES SERMON.
He BREACHES ON THE cowARDLy
pAueHTER-lN-LAw.

sermon I'm FULL
u u B.coKLYs, June 22-Dr Talmag
! gives another evidence of his genius il
: his sermon for today. The Book o
! Ruth has furnished the subject TO
, many sermons, but they have natural
= iy been concerned with the centra
: character of that beautiful story; it re
manned for the popular Brooklyn di
vine to find In the character of the les
conspicuous widow material for spirit
ual lessons. His text Is Ruth !, IA
"And they lifted up their voice and weep
again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in
law; but Ruth clave unto her." Fol
lowing is the sermon:
j Moab was heather land. Naom
ID about to leave it and go into the land
of Bethlehem She has two daughters
in-law. Ruth and Orpah, who conclude
to go with her. Naomi tells them they
had better not leave their native land
and undertake the hardship OF the
journey, uttbey will not be persuaded
They all three start out on their jour
ney. After awhile Naomi. although
she highly priced the company Of her
two daughters-in-law, attempted again
to persuade them to go back, because OF
the hardship and self denial through
which they would be obliged to go.
| Ruth responds In the words from
which once disconrsed to you: EN-
treat me not to leave thee, nor to re-
turn from following after thee, for
where thou goest will go, and where
thou iodgest 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 If anght but death
part thee and me-" Not so with her
sister Orpah. Her determination had
already been shaken. The length and
peril Of the Journey began to appall her,
and she had worshiped the gods of
Moab so long that it was hard to give
them up. From that point Orpah
turned back. the parting being de-
scribed In the words Of my text: And
they lifted up their voice and wept
again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-
law, but Ruth clave unto her.
LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF oRpAH
Learn from this story Of Orpah that
some Of those who do not leave the
Moab OF their iniquities are persons of
fine susceptibility. 1t was compassion
for Naomi in her widowhood and sor-
row that led Orpah to start with her
toward Bethlehem. 1t was not because
OF any lack Of affection for her that she
turned back We know this from the
grief exhibited at parting / do not
know but that she had as much warmth
and ardor of nature as Ruth, but she
lacked the courage and persistence of
her sister. That there are many with
as fine susceptibility as Orpah who will
| not take up their cross and follow
Christ is truth which needs but little
demonstration. Many of those who
have become the followers of Jesus
have but very little natural impressi-
bility. Grace often takes hold of the
hardest heart and the most unlovely
character and transforms it. 1t is a
hammer that breaks rocks.
In this Christ often shows his power.
1t wants but little generalship to con
quer fiat country, but might Of artil-
lery and herosm to take fort manned
and ready for raking cannonade. The
great Captain of our salvation has
forced his way into many an armed
castle. doubt not that Christ could
have found many fisherman natural
ly more noble hearted than Simon Pc
ter, but there was no one by whose con
version he could more gloriously have
magnitied his grace. The conversion
of score of Johns would not have
Illustrated the power of the Holy
Ghost as much as the conversion
of one Peter. 1t would have been
easier to drive twenty lambs like John
into the fold than to tame one lion like
Peter. God has often made some of
his most efficient servants out of men
naturally unimpressionable. As men
take stiff and unwieldy timbers, and
under huge handed machinery bend
them into the hulk of great ships, thus
God has often shaped and bent into his
service the most unwieldly natures,
while those naturally unreasonable
are still in their unchanged state
HOW MANY NEVER BECOME cHRIsrIANsl
Oh, how many like Orpah have warm
affections and yet never become Chris
tiansl Like Orpah they know how to
weep, but they do not know how to
pray. Their fineness of feeling leads
them into the friendships of the world,
but not into communion with God.
They can love everybody but him, who
is altogether lovely, All other sorrow
rends their heart, but they are I'M
touched by the woes of n dying Christ.
Good news fills them with excitement,
but the glad tidings of great Joy and
salvation stir not their soul. Anxious
to do what is right, yet they rob God.
Grateful for the slightest favors, they
make no return TO him who wrung ont
the last drop of blood from his heart to
deliver them from going down to the
pit, They would weep at the door of a
prison at the sight of wicked captive
in chains, but have no compassion for
their own souls, over which Satan, like
a grim iailer, holds the lock and key.
When repulsive, grasping, unsylnpa.
thetic natures resist the story of
Saviours love it does not excite our
surprise; but it is among the greatest
OF wonders that so many who exhibit
Orpah's susceptibility also exhibit Or
nabsS iInyanifapcv