Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-06-26

RPooKLYN. June Cdr Talmage gives
.ootber evidence of his genius in his SER
rson for today The Book of Ruth has fIlr-
risbed the subject for many sermons. but
tbey have naturally been concerned with
he central character of that beautiful
story. it remained for the popular Brook
len divine to find in the character of the
sss conspicuous widow material for spirit
nal lessons. His text is Ruth /. IA; "And
i tbey lifted up their voice, and wept again:
and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law: but
4 Ruth clave unto her." Following is the
4 sermon:
Moab was a heather land. Naomi is
4 about to leave it and go into the land OF
Bethlehem. She has two daughters-in-
law. Ruth and Orpah, who conclude to 20
with her Naomi tells them they had bet
Ter not leave their native land and under
Ike the hardship of the journey, but they
viii not he persuaded. They all three start
out on their journey. After awhile Naomi.
although she highly priced the company of
her two daughters-in-law, attempted again
Ia nersuade them to go back because of the
hardship and self denial through which
hey would be obliged to go. Ruth re-
sDouds in the words from which once dis
oarsed to you: "Entreat me not to leave
thee nor to return from following after
thee. for where thou goest ! will 20, and
4 where thou lodgest ] will lodge; thy people
4 stal be my people and thy God my God,
where thou diest will die and there will I
4 kburied. the Lord do so to me and more
also if aught but death part thee and me-"
No. so with her sister Orpah. Her deter
/ uination had already been shaken. The
length and peril Of the journey began to
sppall her, and she had worshiped the gods
Of Moab so long that it was hard to s.ye
them up. From that point Orpah turned
blck. the parting being described in the
words of my test: And they lifted up
their voice and wept again and Orpah
kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave
unto her
ogPAu's COMPASSION FOR NAOMI
Learn from this story Of Orpah that
some Of those who do not leave the Moab
q their iuiquities are persons of fine sus-
eptibity. It was compassion for Naomi,
IN her widowhood and sorrow, that led
0pah 10 start with her toward Bethlehem
L was not because of any lack of affection
for her that she turned back We know
this from the grief exhibited nc parting.
lido not know but that she had as much
warmth and ardor of nature as Ruth. but
she lacked the courage and persistence Of
ter sister That there are many with as
fine susceptibility as Orpah who will not
take up their cross and follow Christ is
mthwhich needs but little demonstration
Many Of those who have become the fol
lowers Of Jesus have but very little natural
mpressibilty. Grace often takes hold OF
he hardest heart and the most unlovely
character and transforms it. It is ham
/ uer that breaks rocks. In this Christ often
shows his power. II wants but little gen
saship to conquer fiat country, but
night of artillery and heroism to take a
ont manned and ready for raking cannon
ole.
The great captain of our salvation has
breed his way into many an armed castle.
doubt not that Christ could have found
many fisherman naturally more noble
hafed than Simon Peter, but there was
l one hy whose conversion he coull more
goriously have magnifed his grace The /
conversion of score of Johns would not
l2ge illustrated the power of the Holy |
Ghost as much as the conversion of one |
Peter 1t would have been easier 10
drive twenty lambs like John into the |
hld than TO tame one lion like Peter |
God has often made some of his most /
elcenr servants out of men naturally /
mimprassionable. As men take stiff |
ald unwieldy timher1. and under huge !
banded machinery bend them into the |
bulls Of great ships. thus God has often
shaped and bent into his se.vice the most /
mwieldy natures. while those naturally /
mpressionable are still in their unchanged /
gate
COMMUNION WITH GOD.
Oh how many, like Orpah, have warm
Elections and yet never become Clristians
Ike 0rplh they know how to weep. but
hey do not know how TO pray. Their line
tess Of feeling leads them int the friend
,iips Of the world, but not !nto commun-
on with God They can lovs every body
'u him. who is altogether lovely. All
gher sorrow rends their heart. but they
NJ untouched by the woes Of dying
Christ Good news fills them with excite
bent but the glad tidings of great JOY and
agation stir not their soul. Anxious TO
o what is right. vet they rob God Crate
'l for the Slightest favors, they make no
'grn 10 him who wrung out the last drop
g blood from his heart to deliver them
am going down TO the pit. They would
pepat the door Of prison at the sight of
wicked captive in chains. but have no
naassion for their own souls, over which
Tan, ike grim jaiier, holds the lock
1d key When re9ulsive, grasping, IN
mpathetic natures resist the story OF q
uoars love it does not excite our sur
Use but il is among the greatest OF Won
q thar 50 many who exhibit Orpah
'csptbjlity also exhibit Orpah imPeni-
aty
Neare not surprised that there Il bar
lness in desert. but a strange thing Is II
t sometimes the Rose of sharon viii
grow in garden. On summer
ming we are not surprised 70 find "A
without any dew on it, but If going
long flock Of lilies we saw in them nc
iiering drops we would say, What foul
lte has been robbing these vases. We
nat surprised that Herod did not be
ne a Christian. but how strange that
young man Jesus loved for his sweet
Of temper should not have loved the
nieemer Hard hearted Felix trembled,
oad Ncbuchadnezzar repenred. aad cruel
inas>eh turned unto the Lord. but many
atuna, aifectionate and gentle, has
III VIZ