Connecticut western news., 1890-06-25
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON.
HE BREACHES ON THE COWARDLY
 DAUGHTER-lN-LAW.

The Brooklyn Divine Gives Another Evi.
 dence of His Genius in the Lessons He
 Draws from the Book of Ruth-The
 Sermon in Full.
 BROOKLYN, June 22.-Dr. Talmage gives another evidence of his genius in his sermon for today. The Book oi Ruth has furnished the subject fo1 many sermons, but they have natural ly been concerned with the central character of that beautiful story; it re- mained for the popular Brooklyn di- vine to find in the character of the less conspicuous widow material for spirit ual lessons His text is Ruth i, IA "And they lifted up their voice and wept again and Orpah kissed her mother-in. law; but Ruth clave unto her." Fol. lowing is the sermon:
 Moab was a heathen land. Naomi is about to leave it and go into the land of Bethlehem. She has 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 hardship of the journey, but they will not be persuaded. They all three start out on their jour- ney. After awhile Naomi, although she highly prized the company of her two daughters-in-law, attempted again to persuade them to go back, because o1 the hardship and self denial through which they would be obliged to go.
 Ruth responds in the words from which once discoursed to you: "En- treat me not to leave thee, nor to re- turn from following after thee, fol where thou goest will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people and thy God my God; where thou diest will I die, and there will be buried; the Lord do so to me and more also if 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 appan her, and she had worshiped the gods o1 Moab so long that it was hard to give them up. From that point Orpah turned back, the parting being de. scribed 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.
 LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF oRPAH.
 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 widowhood and sor- TOW that led Orpah to start with her toward Bethlehem It was not because of any lack of affection for her that she turned back. We know this from the grief exhibited at parting. I 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 a truth which needs but little demonstration. Many of those 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 unlovely character and transforms it. It is a hammer that breaks rocks.
 In this Christ often shows his power. It wants but little generalship to con- quer a, flat country, but might of artil- lery and heroism to take fort manned and ready for raking cannonade. The fofy cf hno forced his way into many an armed castle. 1 doubt not that Christ could have found many a fisherman natural ly more noble hearted than Simon Pe- ter, but there was no one by whose con- version he could more gloriously have magnifed his grace. The conversion of a 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. God has often made some of his most efficient servants out of men naturally unimpressionable. As men take stiff 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 unwieldly natures, while those naturally impressionable are still in their unchanged state.
 | HOW MANY NEVER BECOME CHRISTIANS!
 Oh, how many like Orpah have warm affections and yet never become Chris tians! Like Orpah they know how to weep, but they do not know how to pray. Their f1neness 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 rends their heart, but they are un. touched by 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 God
 Grateful for the slightest favors, they make no return to him who wrung ou1 the last drop of blood from his heart te
 deliver them from going down to the pit. They would weep at the door of 2 prison at the sight of wicked captive in chains, but have no compassion fol their own souls, over which Satan, like grim jailer, holds the lock and key
 When repulsive, grasping, unsympa thetic natures resist the story of 6 Saviours love it does not excite ou1 surprise; but it is among the greatest of wonders that so many who exhibit
 Orpah's susceptibility also exhibit Or
 pah's impenitency.
 We are not surprised that there i
 baroness in desert, but strang