Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-07-03
STORY OF ORPAH.
DR.. Talmage Discourses on the
Oowerdly Daughter-in-Law.
Grace Net Always Strongest with the Best
SAtzTes-The Worship of Strange Gods
Hard to OvercOme-Mammons
Great Power.

And they lifted up their voices and
-wept, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-
law, but Ruth oiave unto her." He said:
Moab was heather lard Naomi
IS about 70 leave it and 90 unto 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 viii not be persuaded.
They all three start out on their tourney.
After awhile Naomi, although she high
Iy priced the company of her two daugh-
teIs-ln-law, attempted again to persuade
them to go back because of the hardship
and self-denial through which thew
we're Obliged to go. Ruth responds In
the words from which once discoursed
tOEou; 'Entreat me not 10 leave thee.
nor 70 return from following after thee,
for 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
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 pr ril of the Journey began to appall
her, and she had worshipped the gods
of (Ioab so long that it was hard to give
piem up From that point Orpah turned
back, the parting being described, in the
words of my text: And thew lifted m
their voice and wept agar, and Orpah
kissed her mOther-in-l2.w, but Ruth
clSve unto her"
Learn from this story of Orpah that
some OF those who do not leave the
Moao OF their tniquities are persons of
me susce ptihllity. 1t was compassion
Tor Naomi in her widowhood and sorrow
toat leo Orpah to start with her toward
BETH chem. 1t was not because of any
lack OF affection for her that she turned
o@-;&, We known this from the
grief exhibited at parting. l 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
arc many with as fine susceptibility as
0rpah who will not take up their cross
and follow Christ is truth which needs
but little demonstration. Many OF those
who have become the followers of Jesus
have but very little natural impress
s1bility. Grace often takes hold of the
hardest heart and the most unlovelv
character and transforms it. It is a
hammer that breaks rocks. In this
Christ often shows His power. 1t wants
out little generalship to conquer fat
country, but might of artillery and
-heCoism to take a fort manned and
ready for raking cannonade. The great
captain of our salvation has forced His
way into many an armed castle. l doubt
not that Christ could have found manv
fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but there
was no one by whose conversion He
could more gloriously have magnified
his grace. The conversion of a score of
Johns would not have illustrated the
powe', of the Holy Ghost as much as the
CON-. ersion of one Peter
o, how many, like Orpah, have warm
affections and yet never become
Christians? Like Orpah, they know
how to weep, but they do not know how
to pray. Their fineness of feeling leads
them into the friendships of the world,
but not into communion with God.
They can love every body but Him who
is altogether lovely. All other sorrow
rends their heart but they are I'M
touched by the woes of dying Christ
Good news fills them with excitement
but the great tidings of Joy and saliva
tion stir not their soul. Anxious to do
what is right, yet they rob God. Crate
ful for the slightest favors, they make
no return to Him who wrung out the
last drop of blood from His heart to
deliver them from going down to the
pit. They would weep at the door of a
prison at the sight of a wicked captive
in chains, but have no compassion for
their own souls, over which Satan,
like a grim jailer, holds the lock and
key. When repulsive, grasping, I'M
sympathetic natures resist the story of
"a Saviour's love, it does not excite our
surprise; but it is among the greatest of !
wonders that so many who exhibit Or
pah's susceptibility also exhibit Orpah's |
impenitency.
Again, the history of Orpah impresses
upon me the truth that there are many |
who make a 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 AMI |
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 9 soul. Per-
haps it was during a revival of religion
they resolved upon Christ an life and
made preparations to leave Moab. Be-
fore that they were Indifferent to the
sanctuary and churches were necessary
evils The minister always preached
poor sermons, because they had not the
heart to hear them. They thought the
bread was not good because their appe-
tite was poor. Religion did very we'll
for invalids and the aged, but they
had no desire for it Suddenly a
change came upon their soul. They
found that something must be done.
Every night there was thorn in their
pillow. There was gall in their wine.
They found that their pleasures were
only false lights of a swamp that rise
out of decay and death. Losing their
self cSntrol they were startled by their
own prayer. God be merciful to me,
sinner" They did not suspect it but
the Holy Ghost was in their soul With
out thinking what they were doing,
they brushed the dust off the family
Bible. The ground did not feel as firm
under them nor did the air seem as