Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-23
A Story Of the Cowarily Daughter-in-L and
the Lessons Tha. are Drawn From Il.
Says That Grace Often Takes Hold
Of the Hardest Hearts.
aeeial Tslearam 70 ne Reaister.

AOMliE - Ail' N'A mum
Moab was heather 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
90 with her. Naomi tells them they
had better not leave their native land
undertake the hardship of the journey,
but they will not be persuaded. They
all three start out on their journey.
After awhile Naomi, although she high
ly priced the company of her three
daughterS-in-law, attempted again TO
persuade them to go back
BECAUSE OF THE HARDSHIP
and sclf-denial through which they
i'm the words from which | once dis
coursed to you: "Entreat me not To
leave thee, nor to return from following
after thee, for where thou goeSt ! will
lodge, thy people shall be my people
and thy God my God, where thou dieSt
will die and there will be buried, the
Lord do 50 to me and more also if aught
but death part thee and me Not 81
with her sister Orpah. Her determine
tion had already been shaken. The
length and peril Of the journey began
To appal her. and she had worShipped
the goods Of Moab 50 long that it was
hard to give them up. From that point
Orpah turned back, the parting being
described i'm 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.
Learn from this story of Orpah that
some of those who do not leave the
Moab of their iniQuiticS are persons of
fine susceptibility. 1t was compassion
for Naomi in her widowhoOd and sorrow
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 eN-
hibitcd at parting. do not know but
that she had as much warmth and ar
dor or nature rs Ruth, but she lacked
the courage and persistence of her sis
ter. 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 demon
Stration. Many of those who have be-
come the followers of Jesus have
but very little natural imprcSSi-
bility. Grace often takes hold of
the hardest heart and the most un-
lovely character and transforms it. 1t
is a hammer that breaks rocks. In this
Christ often shows His power. 1t wants
but little gcneralShip to conquer Hat
country, but might of artillery and
heroiSm TO take fort manned and
ready for raking cannOnnadc. The
great captain of our salvation has
forced his way into many an armod
castle. doubt not that Christ could
have found many fisherman naturally
more noble-hearted than Simon Peter,
but there was no one by whose con-
version He cOq Id more gloriouSly have
magnified His 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. 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 NEST efficient servants
out Of men naturally unimpreSSionablc.
As men take stiff and unwicldy timberS,
aud 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.
Again, the history of Orpah imprcsSeS
upon me the truth that there are many
who make good starting, but after
awhile change their minds and turn
back. When these three mOurnerS start
from their home in Moab there is as
much probability that Orpah will reach
bethlehem as that her sister Ruth and
her mother-in-law Naomi will arrive
there. But while these continue in the
journey they commenced, Orpah after
awhile gets discouraged and turns back.
This is the history of many soul. Per-
hapS il was during a revival OF relig-
ion they resolved upon Christian
life. and made preparations TO
leave Moab. Before that they were in
different to the sanctuary, churches
were necessary evils. The minister al
most always preached poor sermons,
because they had not the heart to hear
them. They thought the bread was
not good because their appetite was
moor. Religion did very well for in
valids and the aged, but they had no
desire for il. Suddenly 4 change came
upon their soul. They found that
must be done. Every night
there was a thorn in their pillow.
There was gall in their wine. Ihey
fouud that their pleasures were only
false lights of swamp that rise out OF
decay and death. Losing their sell
control they were startled by their own
prayer. God be mercful to me SIN
ner." They did not suspect 1t, put the
Holy Ghost was in their soul. without
thinking what they were doing, they
brushed the dust off the family Bible.
The ground did no: feel as hrm under
them nor did the air seem as bright:
They tried to dam back the Hood OF
their emotions, but the attempt tailed,
and they confessed their anguish oil
soul before they meant to. The secret
was out, They wanted TO know what
they must do to be saved.
With Ruth and Naomi, weeping Or
pah started for the land of Bethlehem
They longed for the Sabbath to come.
rs an arrow to the mark the
sermon struck them. They thought the
minister must have heard of their case
and was preaching right at them. they
Thought the sermon was very short, nor
did they once coil themselves up in their
pew with their eyes shut
AND HEAD AvERTED
with an air of unmovcd dignity. They
began TO pray with an earneStneSS that
astonished themselves and astonished
others. Showing the plane or writing
M accounts or walking the street when
YOU might have thought their mind en-
tirelv upon the world. they were saying
within themselves "Oh that | were
Christian" Orpah is fully started on
the road to Bethlehem. Christian friends
observing the religious anxiety OF the
awakened soul say, ''lIe must certainly
he n Christian. There is another sol
dier i'm Christ'S ranks, another sick one
has been cured of the leproSy. The
observers turn their attention another
way: they say, "Orpah is safe enough
She has gone to Bethlehem.
IConiiauod on Third Pdge.l