The Opelousas courier., 1890-08-02

aor can she lie down because of this dread
full wrapping around her garments and
limbs, and, long tftet her lifs has gone she
still stands there, SO covered up by the
strange storm that she is called G pillar OF
salt. as some sailor On ships deck in the
wlntry tempest stands covered with a mail
OF ice. Ten thousand times ten thousand
rnen have been destroyed hklf way between
Seldom and the city of refuge. Orpak might
as well never have started as afterWard to
turn back. Yet multitudes have walked in
her footsteps. Go among those the least in
terested in sacred things, and you will find
that they were once out of the land Of Moab
Every one of them prayed right heartily and
studied his Bible and frequented the sane
tuary, but Lots wife looked back wistfully
to Sodom, and Orpah retreated from the
company of Ruth and Naomi. It is an I'M
pressive thought that after Orpah had gone
SO far as aetually TO look over into the land
Of Bethlehem she turned Back aid died ID
M6ab.
Again, let our subject impress upon US tho
truth that those who nave once felt it their
duty to leave their natural state caHnot give
ND their dnty and &c back to hardness of
heart without a. struggle. 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 a greater struggle in
turning hack into the land of Moab than
world have been necessary TO take her clear
through to Bethlehem. Suppose you that
those persons who have remained in their
evil ways nave had no struggle? Why, they
lave been obliged to fight every inch OF their
way.
The road to death is not such easy travel
iig as some ministers nave been accustomed
to describe it. From beginning to end it is
fighting against the sharp sword OF the
Spirit. It is climbing over the cross. 1t is
wading through the deep blood of the Son OF
God. It is scaling mountains OF privilege.
It is .wading through lakes Of sorrow. 1t is
breaking over communion tables n bap-
tismal fonts and pulpits and Bibles. 1t Is
wedging ones self through between piots
kindred who stand before and press us back
and hold on to us by their prayers ever after
we have passed them in our headlong down
ward career. No man ought to think Of IN
dertaking to go back into Moab after hav1ng
come within sight of Bethlehem unless ne
have a heart that cannot be made to quake,
dHI a u 1OOu lAO f1A AC0 sat ANO-S
mite perils. and an arm that can drive back
the Son of God, who stands In the centre OF
the broad road spreading out His arms and
shouting into the ear OF the thoughtless pill
grim, ''Stopl step"
We talk about taking up the cross and
following Jesus, but that cross lie not half SO
neavv as the burden which the sinner car
ries, 1t is q very solemn thing to be q Chris
Liam. but it is a more solemn thing not TO be
d Christian. There are u1ultitides. who
afraid of the self denials Of the Christian,
rush into the harder self denials OF the noe
lever. No yoke but Christ's, however taghG
and gallingl Orpah goes back to her idoia-
tries, but she returns weeping, and all VINO
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 SIN the midst Of the gar
den there was a sepulcher;.n and in the midst
of the most 1owery enJoyn1ents OF gne IN
pardoned there is a chilliness Of death. Al
though they NAV pull out the arrows that
strike their soul from the Almighty's culver,
there remain a sting and q smarting. II men
wrench themselves away from Christ they
will bear the mark of His hand by which He
would have rescued them. The pleasures OF
the world may give temporary refer from
the upbraidings Of conscience, but are 1ke
stupefying drugs that dull the pain only
temporarily. Ahab has d great king
dom, and you would 0nlhk ne
ought TO be happy with his courtiers
and chariots and palaces, yet he goes to bed
sick because Naboth will not sell him his
VINEYARD. Haman is prime minister of the
greatest nation in the world, and yet
poor man who will not bow the head makes
him utterly miserable. Herod m~onopolzes
tbe most OF the worlds honor, and yet is
thrown into a rage because they say a little
child is born in Bethlehem WI may after
awhile dispute his authority. Byron con.
ouered the world with his pen. and yet said
that he felt more u-nhappiness from the
criticism of the most initerate reader than
he experienced pleasure from the praise OF
all the talented.
In the last century in England lived the
Immortal Shenstone, Portions of his life
were given to the writing of poetry. but this
was not evidently the field for which nature
had enuiuped him. His name will never be
forgotten. because of the home which he
adorned and beautified until there probably
never has been SO bright q spot since the
Garden of Eden as what he loved TO caH
ssThe Leasowes.n In addition 30 the marvels
which nature had ~wroughthe added the per-
lection OF art. Arbors and terrace and slope
and rustic temple and reservoir and urn and
fountain here had their crownlng. Oak n
yaW and hazel put on their glory OF yerdure.
W nat the g-reenness of deep grass and the
foam Of cascade and the glitter of the still
lake could give of beauty were added. NO
life was more diligent and no soul was more
inrsnious than those of Shenstone, n all
that genius and diligence directed to the
adornnent Of hat treasured spot. What
more could one want TO make nome nappyi
Yet there is one man who sits signing in
those bowers, and casting gloomy looks upon
those parks, and the mirth of leaping water
falls makes no melody in his ear. Ii Is
Shenstone. the owner of the easowes. II
have lost my. road to happiness = says the
RESPONDENT man. n am Angry and envIous,
and detected and frantic, n disregard all
present things, just as it becomes a mailman
to do.n Ny friends. there is no solid hap
piness in anything but religion. ! care not
how bright a home Orpah has in Moab when
she turns away from duty she turns away
from peace. Amid the bacchanaia of Bel
shszzarss feast and the glitter of chalices
there always will come out q handwriting
on the wall fearfuIly omino1s; "Tekel-
weichedin the balances andfound wanting"
Again. this subject teaches that q religious
choice and the want of it frequently divide
families. Ruth and Orpah and Naomi were
tenderly attached. They were all WIDOWS,
and their life had been c-onsecrated by a bap-
tism of tears. In the of fire trial their ahec-
tions had been forged. Together they were
SO pleasantly united you can hardly imagine
them separated. Yet a fatal line is drawn
dividing them from each other, perhaps for
ever. Naomi cannot live in q heather cos1n-
try. She must go into Bethlehem, that there
among the pious she may worship the true
God. Ruth male a similar choice, but Or
pahrebels. .And they lifted mp their voice
and wept again, and Orpah kissed her
mother-in-law. but Ruth clave unto herr
The history Of this family Of Eimelech is
4hn hie+nrT If many f~anliIins of this daY.