The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1890-07-04
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
An Interesting Discourse CuIled
From tho Book Of Ruth.
The Story of Orpah. the CowardIY Daugh-
ter-in-Law. Likened Unto Those
Who Seek the Narrow Road
Only to Turn Back.

following discourse in the Brooklyn
Academy of Music from the text:
And they lifted mp their voices and wept.
and Orpah kissed her mother in-law, but
Ruth clave Into her.-Ruth l., a.
Moab was heather land Naomi is
about to leave it and 60 into the land of
bethlehem. She had 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 hardships of the jour
ney, but they will not be persuaded.
They all three start out on their journey.
After awhile Naomi, although she high
IL priced the company of her two daugh-
ters-in-law, attempted again to per-
suade them to go back because of the
hardship and self-denial through which
they would be obliged to 20. Ruth re-
spends in the words from which /
once discoursed to you: ''Entreat
me not to leave thee, nor to re-
turn from following after thee, for
where thou goest / will go, and where
thou lodgest / will lodge; thy people
shall DO my people and thy God my
God; where thou diest viii / die and
there will be buried; the Lord doso to
me and more also of aught 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 appal 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 being described in the words of
my text: And they lifted up their
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 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. 1 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 these 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 uulovely
character and transforms it 1t is a
hammer that breaks rocks. In this
Christ often shows His power 1t wants
but little generalship to conquer fiat
otrrr Int oh of ri nd
heroism TO take a fort manned and
ready for raking cannonade. The great
Captain of our salvation has forced His
way into many an armed castle. j
doubt not that Christ could have found
many fisherman naturally moro noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but there
was no one by whose conversion He
cOuld more gloriously have magnified
His grace. The conversion of score
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 serv-
ants out of men naturally uaimpres-
sionable. As men take stiff and I'M
wieldy 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 unwieldy natures, while those
naturally impressiona0le are still in the
unchanged state.
On, how many, Ike Orpah, have
warm affections, and yet never become
Christiansi 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 every body but Him, who
is altogether lovely. All other sorrow
rends their heart, but they are I'M
touched by the woes of a 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 a
prison at the sight Of wicked captive
in chains, but have no compassion for
a grim taller, holds the lock and key.
When repulsive, grasping, unsym-
pathetic natures resist the story of a
Saviour's love, it does not excite our sur
prise; but it is among the greatest of
wonders that so many who exhibit Or
pah's susceptibility also exhibit Orpah's
impenitency. We are not surprised
that there is barrenness in DESERT but
a strange thing is it that sometimes the
Rose of Sharon will not grow in a gar
den. On a summer morning we are not
surprised to find a rock without any
dew on it, but, if going among flock
OF lilies, we saw in them no glittering
drops, we would say: "What foul sprite
has been robbing these vases?" We
are not surprised that Herod did not be-
come a Christian, but how strange that
the young man Jesus loved for his
sweetness of temper should not have
loved the Redeemer. Hard-hearted
Felix trembled; proud Nebuchadnezsar
repented. and cruel Manasseh turned
unto the Lord; but many a nature, af-
fectionate and gentle, has fought sue
cessfully against Divine influences.
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 a good starting, but after a
while change their minds and turn
back. When these three mourners
s+ort for THAR home in Moab there is as