Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-06-23


startled by their own prayer, 'God be
merciful to me. q sinner" They did
not suspect it, but the Holy Ghost was
in their soul. Without thinking what
they were doing they brushed the dust
off the 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 out! They wanted
to know what they must do to be saved
THE START FOR BETHLEHEM.
With Ruth and Naomi weeping Or
pah started for the land of Bethlehem
They longed for the Sabbath to come
Straight IS 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 unmoved dignity
They began to pray with an earnestness
that astonished themselves and aston
ished others. Showing 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,
ooh, that / were a Christianm Orpah
is fully started on the road to Rethle-
hem Christian friends observing the
religious anxiety of the awakened soul
say, "He must certainly be a Christian.
There is another soldier 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"
Alas! Alas! Starting out for heav-
en- is very different thing from arriv
ing there Remember Lots wife. She
looked back with longing to the place
from which she came and was destroy
ed. Half way between Sodom and the
city of Refuge that strange storm
comes upon her, and its salt and brim-
stone gather on her garments until
they are so stiffened she cannot pro-
coed, nor can she lie down because of
this dreadful wrapping around her gar
ments 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 tenn
pest stands covered with mail of ice
Ten thousand times ten thousand
men have been destroyed half way be-
tween Sodom and the city of Refuge.
Orpah might as well never have started
as afterward to turn back. Yet multi
tudes have walked in her footsteps. Go
among those the least interested in sa-
cred things and you will find that they
were once out of the land of Moab.
Every one of them prayed right heart
lily and studied their Bibles and fire.
quented 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 into the
land of Bethlehem she turned back and
died in Moab.
TO TURN BACK MEANS TO STRUGGLE.
Again, let our subject impress upon us
the truth that those who have once felt
it their duty to leave their natural state
cannot give up their duty and go back
to hardness of heart without a strug-
gle. After Orpah had thoroughly
made up her mind to go 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 voice and wept." All,
my nearer, it requires more decision
and perseverance to stay away from
the kingdom of God than to enter it.
Although 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 remained in their evil ways have
had no struggle? Why, they have
been obliged to fight every inch of their
way The road to death is not such
easy travelling as some ministers have
been accustomed to describe it.
From beginning to end it is fighting
against the sharp sword of the Spirit.
1t is climbing over the cross. 1t is wad-
ing through the deep blood of the Son
of God. It is scaling mountains of
privilege. 1t is wading through lakes
of sorrow. 1t is breaking over com
munion 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. No man ought to think of I'M
dertaking to go back into Moab after
having come within sight OF Bethlehem,
unless he have heart that cannot 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
shouting into the ear of the thought
less pilgrim, "Stop! stopp
THE SINNERS BURDEN HEAVIER THAN
THE CROSS.
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 Christian, but it is a more
solemn thing not to be a Christian.
There are multitudes who, afraid of
the self Genials of the Christian, rush
into the harder self denials of the I'M
believer. No yoke but Christ's, how
ever tight and CALLING! Orpah goes
back to her idolatries, but she re-
turns weeping; and all who follow her
will find the same sorrows. Just in
proportion as gospel advantages have
been numerous will be the disturbance
of the heart that will not come to
Christ
The Bible says in regard to the place
where Christ was buried: I'm the midst
of the garden there was a sepulcher;"
and in the midst of the most flowery
enioyments of the unpardoned there is
a chiIliness 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 he would have rescued