The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-06-28

another soldier in Christ's ranks. another
sick one has been cured OF theleprosy., Tie
observers turn their attention another way;
they say "Orpah is safe enough; she has
gone to Bethlehem"
Alas! Alas Starting out for heaven is a
very different thing from arriving there.
Remember Lots wife. She looked back with
longing to the place from which she came,
and was destroyed. Half way between So.
dom and the city of Refuge that strange
storm comes upon her, and it's salt and brim-
store gather on her garments until they are
lie down, because of this dreadful wrapping
around her garments and limbs; and long
after her life has gone she still stands there
SO covered up by the strange storm that she
is called q pillar Of salt, as some sailor on
ships deck in the wintry tempest stands cover
ed with a mail of ice. Ten thousand times ten
men have been destroyed half way
bet ween Sodom and the city of Refuge. Or.
pah might as well never have started as
afterwards to turn bnck.
Yet multitudes lave walked in her foot
steps. Go among those the least interested
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
thrlr Bibles; and ~frequented the sanctuary,
but Lots vie looked back w~istfully to
Sodom. and Orpah retreated from the com
pany of Ruth and Naomi. 1t is an impress
sive thought that after Orpah had gone so
far as actually to look over into the land of
Bethlehem she turned back and died in
Moab. go
Again: let our subject Impress npon us the
truth that those who have once felt it their
duty to leave their natural state cannot give
up their duty and go back to hardness of
heart without a struggle. After Orpah had
thoroughly made up her mind to go pack to
the place from where she started, she went
through the sad scene of parting with Ruth
and Naomi. My text says, "They lifted up
their voice and wept." Al, M, hearer, it re-.
quires moro decision and perseverance to
stay away from the kingdom OF God than to
enter it. Although she did not know it, Or
pah passed through a greater struggle in
turning back into the land of Moab than
would have been necessary to. take her clear
through to Bethlehem. Suppose you that
those persons who lave remained in their
evil why's have had no struggle? Why, they
have been obliged to fight every inch of their
way. The road to death is not such cosy
travelling as some ministers have been accus-
toned to describe it. From beginning to
end it is fighting against the sharp sword Of
the Spirit. 1T is climbing over the cross. 1t
is wading through the deep blood Of the Son
OF God. It is scaling mountains ofprivilege.
1t is wading through lakes of sorrow. 1t is
breaking over communion tables and bap-
tismal fonts and pulpits and Bibles. 1t is
wedging one 8 self through between pious kin
dred who stand before and press us back and
hold on to Ms by their prayers even after we
have passed them in our headlong downward
career. y> by
No man ought to think of undertaking to
go back into Moab after having come within
sight o. Bethlehem unless he lave a heart
that cannot be made to quake, aad q sure
foot that will not slip among infinite perils,
and an arm that can drive back the Son of
God, who stands in the center Of tile broad
road spreading out His arms and shout
ing into the ear of the thoughtless pilgrim,
'"Stop! Stop!' ,
We talk about taking up the cross and fol-
lowing Jesus, but that cross is not half SO
heavy as the the burden which the sinner car.
ries. It is q very solemn thing to be q chris.
tian, but it is a more solemn thing not to be
achristian. There are multitudes, who, afraid
Of the self-denials of a christian, rush into the
harder selt-denials Of the unbeliever. No
yoke but Christ's however tight and CALLING!
Orpah goes back to her idolatries, but she
re r weeping; and all who follow her will
find the same sorrows. Just in proportion
as gospel advantages have been numerous
will be the disturbance of theart that will not
come to Christ. *> =.
The Bible says, in regard to the place where
Christ was buried, Gin the midst OF the gar
den there was a sepulchre;' and in the midst
OF the most f1owery enjoyments of the unpar-
doned there is a chillness of death. Although
they may pull out the arrows that strike
their soul from tho Almighty's culver, there
remain d sting n u smarting. If 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 given temporary relief from the
upbraidings of conscience, but are like stupe-
flying drugs that dull the pain only Temporal.
rily. Ahab has a great kingdom, md you
would think he 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. Hamun is prime minister
of the greatest nation in the world and yet,
one poor man who will not bow the head
makes him utterly miserable. Herod monop.
olizes the. most of the worlds honor, and
yet is thrown into a rage because they say q
little child is born in Bethlehem who, may
utter awhile dispute his authority. Byron
conquered the world with his pen and vet
said, that he felt more u%nhappiness from the
criticism Of the most illiterate reader, thai
he experienced pleasure from the praise of
all the talented.
In the last century in England lived the
immortal Shenstone. Portions Of his lie
were given to writing of poetry, but this was
not evidently the field for which nature had
equipped him. His name will never be for
gotten. because ofthe home which he adorned
and beautifed, until there probable never
has been SO bright q spot since the garden
of Eden as what he loved to call ttthe Lea
8sowes.n addition TO the marvels which
nature had wrought, he added the perfection
of art. ArbOr and terrace and slope and
rustic temple and reservoir and urn and
fountain here and there browning. Oak and
yeW N hazel, put on their glory OF verdure.
What the g%reenness OF deep grass and the
foam o cascade, and the glitter OF still lake
could give Of beauty were added. No life
was more diligent and nj soul more ingeni-
GUS, than those Of Shenstone, and all that
genius and diligence we're directed to the
adornment of that treasured spot. What
nor could one want to make home happy.
Yetthere is one man who sits signing in those
bowers, and casting gloomy looks upon
those parks, and the mirth ~ofleaping water
falls makes no melody in his ear. 1t is Shen-
stone, the owner OF the Leasowes. II V
lost my Q a to happiness" says the de-
spondent man, st am angry and %envious,
and detected, md f~rantic~and disregarding
all present things Just as it becomes q mad
to. do" Ny friends, there is no solid
happiness in anything but religion, | care
not how bright a home, Orpah has in Moab,
when she turns away from duty she turns
Belshazzar's feast, and the glitter Of chalices
there always will ccme out a hand writing N
the wall, fearfnily ominous; "Tekel"-
weighed in the balance and found wanting
Wheu you can reap harvests off bare rocks,
and gather balm out OF nightshade, and
make sunlight sleep in the heart OF sepul-
chres, and build a firm house on a rocking
billoW,.s then can IN unrardoned soul find
firm enjoyment amid its transgressions.
Then can Orpah go back to Moab without
weeping.
Again: This subject teaches us that a
religious choice and tho want OF 1t FREE
quently divide families. Ruth and Orpah
and Naomi were tenderly attached. They
were all widows, and their life had been con-
secrated by q baptism of tears. In the Are