The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-09
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: lessons From the History
Of Orpah."

/
tUept again; and Orpuh kissed her mother
in-IaU; but Ruth Glaze unto her."-Ruth L.,
| Il.
Moab was heatnen land. Naomi is about
to leave it and go into tia land Of Bethle-
hem. She has two daughters-in-law, Ruth
and Orpah, who conclude to 60 with her.
Naomi tells them they had better not leave
their native land and undertake the hard
ship of the journey, but they will not be per-
suaded. They all three start out on their
journey. After awhile Naomi. although she
highly prized the company Of her two daugh-
ters-in-iaw, attempted again to persuade
self denial through which they would be
obliged to 40. Ruth responds in tho words
from which once dlscoursed to you:
''Entreat me not to leave thee,
nor to return from following after
thee, for where thou goest I will 60, and
where thou lodgest 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 mora
also If aught but death part thee and me-"
Not so with her sister 0rpah. Her deter
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 described 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.
Learn from this story of Orpah that some
Of those who do not leave the Moab Of their
iniquities are persons Of fine susceptibility.
It was compassion for Naomi, in her widow
with her toward Bethlehem. 1t was not be-
cause 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 cour-
age and persistence Of her sister. That there
are many with as fine susceptibility as Or
pah who will not take up their cross and fol-
low Christ is truth which needs but little
demonstration. Many Of those who have be-
come the followers Of Jesus have but very
little natural impressibiity. Grace often
takes hold Of the hardest heart and thu most
unlovely character and transforms it. 1t is
hammer that breaks rocks. In this Christ
often shows His power 1t wants but little
generalship to conqner fat country, but
might Of artillery and heroism to take fort
manned and ready for raking cannonade.
The great captain Of our salvation has
forced His way into many an armed castle.
I doubt not that Christ could have found
many a fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but there was no
gloriously have magnifed 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 unwieldly 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 ma
lures, while those naturally impressionable
are still in their unchanged state.
Oh, how many, like Orpah, have warm af-
fections and yet never become Christiansl
Like Orpah, they know how to weep, but
they do not know how to pray. Their fine
ness 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
the woes Of 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
Cod 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 a prison at the
sight Of wicked captive in chains, but have
no compassion for their own souls. over
which Satan, like grim jailer, holds the
lock and key. When repulsive, grasping,
unsympathetic natures resist the story Of a
Saviour's 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 Orpah's impenitency.
We are not surprised that there Is barren
ness in desert, but strange thing is it that
sometimes the Rose Of Sharon will not grow
in garden. On summer morning we ara
not surprised to find rock without any dew
on il, but if going among flock Of lilies we
saw in them no glittering drops ne would
say: "What foul sprite has been robbing
these vases" We are not surprised that
Herod did not become Christian, but how
strange that the young man Jesus loved for
His sweetness of temper should not have
loved his Redeemer. Hard-hearted Felix
trembled, proud Nebuchadnezzar repented,
and cruel Manasssa turned unto the Lord;
but many nature, affectionate and gentle,
has fought successfully against divine influ-
ences. Many dove has refused to come in
the window Of the ark, although finding no
rest for the sole Of her foot
Again, the history Of Orpah impresses upon
me the truth that there are many who make
q good starting, but after awhile change
their minds and turn back. When these
three mourners start from their home in
Moab there is as much probability that
Orpah will reach Bethlehsm as that her sis.
ter Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi will
arrive there. But whlls these continue in
the journey they commenced, Orpah after
awhile gets discouraged and turns back. This
/, the history Of many a soul. Perhaps itwas
during a revival Of rel gion they resolved
upon q Christian life and made preparations
to leave Moab. Before that they vera indif-
ferent to the sanctuary; churches were nec-
essary evils The minister almost always
preached poor sermons, because they had not
the heart to hear them. They thought the
bread was not good because thsir appetite
was Door. Religion did very VEL! for inva-
lids and the aged, but they had no desirs for
it.
Suddenly change came upon their soul.
Thew found that something must be done:
Every night there was thorn In their pill
low. There was gall in their wins. They
found that their pleasures were only false
lights Of O swamp that rise out of decay and
death. Losing their self-control they were
startled by their own prayer: "God Do
merciful to me sinner" They did not suS-
Without thinking what they were doing
thew brushed the dust OFF the family Bible.
The ground did not feel as firm under them,
nor did the air seam as bright. They tried
to dam back the food Of their emotions, but
the attempt failed, and they confessed their
anguish OF soul before they meant to. The
secret was outl They wanted to know what
they must do to be saved.
With Ruth and Naomi weeping Orpah
started for the land Of Bethlehem. They
longed for the Sabbath to como. Straight
as 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