The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-07-04

isneu themselves ana aScOnlShe0 others
Alas! Alasl Starting out for Heaven
Is 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 Sodom and the city
OF Refuge that storm comes upon her.
and its salt and birthstone gather on her
garments until they are so stiffened she
can not proceed. nor can she 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 pillar
OF salt, as some sailor on the ships deck
in the wintry tempest stands covered
with mail of ice. Ten thousand times
ten thousand men have been destroyed
half way between Sodom and the city
of Refuge. 0rpah might as we'll never
have started as afterwards to turn back.
Yet multitudes have walked in her foot
steps.
Again: Let our subject impress upon
US the truth that those who have once
felt it their duty to leave their natural
state can not give up their duty and go
back to hardness of heart without a
struggle. After 0rpah had thoroughly
made up her mind to go back to the
place from which she started, she went
through the sad scene of parting with
Ruth and Naomi My text says: They
lifted up their voice and wept." All.
my nearer, it requires more decision
and perseverance to stay away from the
Kingdom of God than to enter it. AL
passed through 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 have re-
NAMED in their evil ways have had no
struggle? Why, they hare been obliged
to fight every inch of their way. The
road to death is not such easy travelling
as some ministers have been accustomed
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. 1t is scaling
mountains of privilege. 1t is wading
through lakes of sorrow. 1t is breaking
over communion tables and baptismal
fonts and pulpits and Bibles 1t is
wedging ones self through between
pious kindred who stand before and
press US back and hold on to US by their
prayers even after we have passed them
in our headlong downward career.
We talk about taking up the GROSS and
following Jesus, but that cross is not
half so heavy as the burden which the
sinner carries. 1t is a very solemn
thing to be Christian. but it is more
solemn thing not to be Christian.
There are multitudes who, afraid of the
self-den1als of the Christian, rush into
the harder self-denials of the unbeliev-
er. No yoke but Chr:st's, however tight
and gallingi Orpah goes back to her
idolatries, but she returns weeping; and
all who follow her will find the same
sorrows.
The Bible says in regard to the place
where Christ was buried: "In the midst
VI lLC was q
and in the midst Of the most flowery en-
joyments of the unpardoned there is
chilliness of death. Although they
may pull out the arrows that strike
their soul from the Almighty's culver,
there remains sting and a smarting
II men wrench themselves away from
Christ they will bear the mark of His
hand by which He would have rescued
them. The pleasure Of the world may
give temporary relief from the upbraid-
ings of conscience, but are like stupe-
flying drugs that dull the pain only tenn
porarily.
In the last century in England lived
the immortal Shenstone. Portions of
his life were given to the writing of po-
etry, but this was not evidently the
field for which nature had equipped
him. His name will never be forgotten
because of the home which he adorned
and beautified, until there probably
never has been so bright spot since
the Garden of Eden as what he loved to
call THE Leasowes." In 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 had their browning. Oak
and yew and hazel put on their glory of
Terdure. What the greenness of deep
grass and the foam of cascade and the
glitter of still lake could give of beauty
we're added. No life was more diligent
and no soul more ingenious than those
Of Shenstone, and all that genius and
diligence were directed to the adorn-
nent of that treasured spot What
more could one want to make home
happy? Yet there is one man who sits
signing in those bowers and casting
gloomy looks upon those parks, and the
nirth of leaping waterfalls makes no
melody in his ear. 1t is Shenstone, the
owner of Leasowes. Il have lost my
Dad to happiness" says the respondent
nan. Il am angry and envious, and
detected, and frantic, and disregard all
present things just as it becomes mad
nan to do" My friends, there is no
'olid happiness in any thing but relig-
on care not how bright a home
)rpah has in Moab, when she turns
way from duty she turns away from
,eace.
Again: This subject teaches that a
choice and the want Of it fire.
Iuently divide families Ruth and Or
,ah and Naomi were tenderly attached.
They were all widows and their life had
'een consecrated by baptism of tears.
n the fire of trial their affections had
'een forged. Together they were so
pleasantly united, you can hardly i'm
CINE them separated Yet a fatal line
5 drawn dividing them from each other,
'erhaps forever. Naomi can not live in
heather country. She must go into
Bethlehem that there among the pious !