The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-07-04
ORPAH'S, STRUGGLE.
a LESSON FROM THE STORY OF
NAOMPS DAUCHTER-lN-LAW
lbr. Talmage's Striking Sermon on a Strlk-
Ing Chapter I'm Bible History.

DR.. Talslagc took for his
text on Sunday Ruth i, II:
"And they lifted up their voice
and wept, an Orpah kissed her moth
er-in-law, but Ruth clave' unto her"
rcNowing is the sermon:
Moab was heathen land. Naomi
is about to leave it and go into the
land of Bethlehem. .Sho has two
daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah,
who conclude to so with her. Naomi
tells them they had better not leave
their native land and undertake the
hardship of the journey, but they
will not be persuaded. They all
three started out on their Journey.
After awhile, Naomi, although she
highly piized the company of her two
daughters-in- law, attempted again to
persuade them to go back because of
the hardship and self-dcnial through
which they would be obliged to go
Ruth responds in the words from
which once discoursed to you: EN-
treat me not to leave thee, or to re-
turn from following after thee, for
where thou goest I will go, and where
thou lodgest 1 will lodge, thy people
shall be my people and thy God my
God, where thou diest will I die and
there will 1 be buried, the Lord do
SO to me and more also if aught but
but death part thee and me. Not
SO with her sister Orpah. Her de-
termination had already been shaken.
The length and peril of the journey
began to appeal her, and she had
worshipped the gods of Moab SO long
that it was hard to give them up.
From that point Orpah turned back,
the parting described in the words Of
my text: And they lifted up tn. :
voices and wept again, and Orpah
kissed her mother in law, but Ruth
clave unto her.
Learn from this story Of Orpah
that some of those who do not leave
the Moab of their iniquities are per-
sons of fine susceptibility. It was
compassion for Naomi in her widow
hood and sorrow that led Orpah to
start with her toward Bethlehem. It
was not because of any lack of affec-
ton for her that she turned back.
ut parting. I do not know'but that
of nature as Ruth, but she laohori THO
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 de-
monstration. 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 unlovcly
character and tarr storms it. 1t is
hammer that breaks rocks. In this
Christ often shows His powers. 1t
wants but little generalship to con-
quer n flat country, but might of AZ
tillcry and heroism to take fort
manned and ready for raking can
onnade. The great Captain of our
salvation has forced his way into
many an armed castle. / doubt not
that Christ could have found many a
fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon, Peter, but there
was no one by whose conversion
He could more gloriously have mag
niged His grace. The conversion of
score of Johns would not have IL
lustrated the power of the Holy
Ghost rs much us the conversion of
one Peter. It 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 natur-
ally impressionable are still in their
unchanged state.
Oh, how many, like Orpah, have
warm affections and yetnever become
Christians? 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 in communion with
God. They can love everybody but
Him, who is altogether lovely. All
other sorrow rends their heart, but
they are untouched by the woes of o
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 out the
last drop of blood from His heart to
deliver them from going down to the
pit. They would weep at the door of
prison at the sight of wicked cap
tive in chains, but no compassion for
their own souls, over which satan,
like grim jailer, holds the lock and
key. When repulsive, grasping, un-
sympathetic natures resist the story
of Saviour's love, it docs not excite
our surprise; but it is among the
greatest of wonders that so many
who exhibit Orpahs susceptibility
also exhibit Orpah's impenitency. We
are not surprised that there is bar
renness in desert, but strange
Il