Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-23
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
o. TALMAoe oELWEHe A foRclBLE
eGHMoN FROM RUTH B. a.

"ns The Road 10 Happiness IL Fu1
~ Stumbling Gisnea
bnooKLyA, Jane %. Dr. TJImage give
Smother syidnnce " bis genus ia his ser
mon Tor today. The Book Of Ruth has fur
nsshed the subject fDr many aerrn,,ns. btIt
they haye naturally been CONCERNED with
The central character OF that IaautIfu
story II remained for this popular Brook
lyn divine 70 End IN the character of the
iena conspicuous widow material for spirit
unl iaaaOfs His text IL Ruth 1. "a. dAnd
they lifted up their voice, and wept again
And orpnh kissed her m0therin-law; but
Ruth cinye unto her" Following IL the
sermon
Moab was heather land Naomi n
about 70 leave II and 20 into the land OF
hetblehem. She hiss two daughters-in-
law, Ruth and Orpah, who conclude 10 20
with her. Naomi tells them they had bet
Ger mot leave their native land and under
take the hardship Of the Journey, but they
will not DO persuaded. They all three start
out on their journey After awhile Naomi,
although she highly priced The company Of
hcr two dauRhters-in.law, attempted again
~ persuade them 20 gc back because Of the
hardship and self denial through which
they would be obliged 20 20. Ruth re-
spends IN the words from which once dis
c0ursed 10 you "Entreat me not to leave
thee, nor 10 return from following after
thee, for whore thou goest will 20, and
where thou lodgest will lodge; thy people
shall be my people and thy God my God,
whore thou diest will die and there will
b. buried; the Lord do 80 to me and more
also II aught but death part thee and me. /"
Not 20 with her sister Orpah Her deter
minetion had already been shaken. The
length and peril OF the journey began to
appall her, and she had worshiped the gods
Of Moab 30 long that II 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-ln-law, but Ruth clave
unto her.
oRPAHs COMPASSION FOR NAOMI
Learn from this story of 0rpah that
some Of those who do not leave the Moab
Of their iniquities are persons Of fine sus-
ceptibillty. II was compassion for Naomi,
In her widowhOod and sorrow, that led
Orpah to start with her toward Bethlehem.
II was not because 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 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 those who have become the fol |
lowers OF Jesus have but very little natural
imprezsbIlity. Grace often takes hold of |
ths hardest heart and the most unlovely |
character and transforms It. 1t is ham |
mer that breaks rocks In this Christ often |
shows his power It wants but little gen |
eralshlp TO conquer fiat country, but |
might OF artillery and heroism to take |
fort manned and ready for raking cannon |
ade.
The great captain of cur salvation has
forced his way into manS an armed castle.
l doubt not that Christ could have found
many fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but there was
no one by whose conversion he could more
gloriOusly have magnifed hiJ 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 It would have been easier to
drive twenty lambs like John into the
fold than to tame one lion like Peter
0OA htaS oAtth btiIAb VI Ills DlDSL |
efficient servants out of men naturally
unimpressionable. As men take stin
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
unwieldy natures, while those naturally
impressionable are still In their unchanged
state.
COMMUNION WITH GOD.
oh, how many, like Orpah have warm
affections and yet never become Christiansl
Like Orpah, they know how to weep, but
they do not know how 10 pray. Their fine
ness of feeling leads them into the friend
ships OF the world, but not into commun-
ion with God. They Gun love every body
but him, who Is altogether lovely All
other SORROW rends their heart, but they
ara untouched by the woes of dying
Christ. Good news fills them with excite
ment, but the glad tidings of great JOY and
stir not their soul Anxious to
do what Is right, yet they rob God Crate
full for the slightest favors, they make no
return 70 him who wrung ont the last drop
OF blood from his heart to deliver them
from going down TO the pit. They would
weep AZ the door Of prison at the sight of
a wicked captive In chains, but have no
Satan, like "a grim jailer, holds the lock
and key. When repulsive grasping, UNI
natures resist the story of
Savlour's love 10 does not excite our sur
prise, but It Is among the greatest OF won
iars that SO many who exhibit Orpah's
susceptibility also exhibit Orpah's impeni {
fency. {
we arg not surprised that there is bar 1
...,,,,ama In a desert hnt IA stranOe thing ia IL
hat sometimes the Rose of Sharon will S
not grow in garden. On a summer (
morning we are not surprised TO find |
rock without any dew ON it, but II going (
among a flock Of lilies we saw in them no 6
xlistering drops we would say, What foul {
,prite has been rohbing these vases" We {
are not surprised that Herod did not be-
solns a Christian. but bow strange that }
he yonng man Jesus loved for bis sweet a
as.s Of temper should not have loved the |
IaesisrSueE Hard hearted Felix trembled, /
proud NebnrhadnszzaP repented, and cruel O
aaaAsseh turned unto the Lord; but many y
nature, Rtfectionate aud gentle, has b
ought successfully against divine int1u- i
,nass Many dove has refused 70 como a
n The window of the ark, although finding q
10 rest for the sole Of her foot, n
THiRsTuSG FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT \
Again. the history OF Orpah impreSses a
lpon mo the truth that there are many :,
no make good starting but after awhile ,,
.hsnss their minds and turn back. When ri
hose thrssa mOurners start from their home
d Moab theFs j As much probability that
)rpah viii reacb Bethlehem as that her 4,
fsteF Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi =
siI arrive there But while these con :,
inue In ths journey they commenced, n