The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-07-04
ships deck in tho wind \ te so,,t ! ,tan,|s :

tl,rir Bibles; and frequentcd the sanctuary.
hut Lots vie looked buck wistfully to
Sodonl. md Orpah rctrcated from the com
rany Of Ruth aud Naomi. 1t is an impress
siv' Thought that nfter orpah had gone so
inr ns actually to look over into the lind of
Bethlehem she turned back and died in
Moab.
Again: let our subject Impress npon us the
truth thnt those who have once .elt it their
duty to leave their natural state cannot give
up their duty and go back to hardness Of
heart without n struggle. After Orpnh had
thoroughly made up her mind to 20 back 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." All, my henrcr. it rc-
qnires moro decision and perseverance to
stay away from the kingdom oi God tllnn 10
pah passed through greater struggle in
turning back into the land OF Monb than
would have been necessary to take her clear
through to Bethlehem. Suppose you thut
those persons who have remnincd in thrir
evil ways have Ind no strugelc? Why. they
nhfe been Obliged to fight every inch of their
way. The road to death in not such easy
travelling us some minister's huve been accus.
TONED to describe it. From beginning to
end 1t 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
81 m God, It is sealing mountains ofprivilege
1t ia wading through hikes of sorrow. Ii ia
breaking over communion tables nn,l bnv
tismnl fonts and pulpits and bibles. IL il
wcdgng ones self through between pous kim
drcti who stand before and press us bnck and
hold on to us by their prayers even after we
have passed them In ourheadlong downward
career.
No man ought to think of unacr,ak aking to
go back into Moab utter having come within
sight of Bethlehem unless lie have 1, heart
thnt cannot be made to quake. nad sure
foot that will not slip among infinite perils.
nni an arm that cun drive back the Son Of
God. who stands in tho center OF the broad
rond spreading out His arms and shout.
Ing into the eur of the thoushtlcss pilgrim,
stop! Stop!"
We talk about taking up the cross and FOL
lowing Jesus, but that cross is not half so
heavy ns the the burden which the snuercar.
ries. 1t ia IL very solemn thing to he II chris.
tlan, but it is a more solemn thing not to lie
aclristian. There are multi.uics, who, n.rail
OF Inc scls-!ienials Of christian. hinto he
harder sci -'lcnials of the unbeievcr. No
yoke but Christ's however tight and CALLING!
orrah goes hack to her i.lolntrrs, but she
returns weeping: aud nll who follow her will
mud the same sorrows. Just in proportion
as gospel advantages hnvr been numerous
will be the disturbance of tI,eart that will not
co me- to Christ.
~ The Bible says. in regard to the place where
Chfist was buried. ''in the midst of the rar-
den there WAS sepulclre;" and in tho midst
ct the most tlowery enjoyments of the unpar-
doned there liz IL chllness of death. Although
they may pull out the arrows that strike
their soul from the Almighty's quivcr. there
remain sting and smarting. Ii men
wrench themselves away from Christ they will
bear the mark of His hand by which lie would
have rescued them. The pleasures of the
world may given temporary relicf from the
urbrnidings OF conscience, but are like stupc.
Tying drugs that dull the rnn only te,nporn.
r'ly. Ahnb has great Kingdom. and you
would think lie ought TO be happy with his
conrtlers and chnriots and palaces yet he
goes to bed sick because Nahoth will not sell
him his vineyard. Hamun is prime minister
o' the greatest nntion in the world aud vet,
one poor man who will not bow the hcad
makes him utterly miserable icrod monop.
olizrs the most Of the worlds honor, md
yet is thrown into rnge because they say n
tile child is horn in Bethlehem who. nav
after awhile dispute his authority. Byron
conquered tho world with his pen and vet
snl'!, that he felt more unhappincss from the
criticism OF tho most illiterate render, than
he experienced pleasure from the praise Of
all the talented.
In the Inst century in England lived the
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 ofths home which he adorned
and benutifed, until there probable never
l'na hecn 30 bright n spot since the garden
%! Eden as what he loved to call "tle Len.
sowes. In addition to the marvcls which
nature had wrought, he added the perfection
ot art Arbor and terrace md slope and
rustic temple and reservoir and urn and
fountain here and there browning. Oak and
y,cw and hazel, put on their glory Of vcr,lure.
Wlnt tho grecnncss o. deep grass and the
foam o. cnscadr, md the glitter o' still lake
wns more dligent md no soul more ingeni-
ons. than those Of Shenstonc, nnd all that
genius and diligence were directed to tho
adornment of that treasured spot. What
more could one want to make home happy.
fetthere il one man who sits signing in those
bowers, and cnsting gloomy looks upon
those parks, and the mirth OF lrnring water
falls makes no melody in his eur. 1t is Slcn-
stone, the owner Of the I.easowes. Il have
lost my road to happiness" says tho de-
spondent man, II am angry and envious,
and dejcctcl. and frantic. and disrcgnr,lng
all present 4hings Just az it becomes mad.
man to do" My friends. there il no solid
happiness in anything but religion. cnro
not how bright home Orpah has in Monb,
when she turns away from duty she turns
away from peace, Amid the bacclnnalin o.
Belshazzurs feast, and the glitter % chnliccs
there always will ccme out handwriting on
the wall, fearfuily ominous; "Tekel'-
When YOU can reap harvests off bare rocks.
and gather balm out OF nightslisdc, and
make sunlight sleep in the heart OF sepul.
chres, ind build IL firm house on II rocking
bilIow, then cnn nn unrnrdoncl soul find
firm enjoyment amid it's trhnsgressons
Then can Orpah go back to Moab without
weeping.
religious clioico and tho want of it ire.
quenty divide families Ruth and Orpah
and Naomi were tcnderly attached. They
were NIL widows mntl their life had been con.
secrated by a baptism of tears. In the fire
OF trial their affections Ind been forged
Together they were SO pleneantly united. you
can tnrdly imagine them separated. Yot .
fatal line is drawn dividing them from zach
other, perhaps forever. Naomi can not
live in heather country. She must 70 into
bethlehem that there among the pious she
may worship the true God. Ruth makes
similar choice but Orpah rebels "And
they lifted up their voice and wcpt ngnin.
Ruth clnve unto her." The history of this
fnmiIy Of Elimelech is tho history of many
families of this day. How often it in that in
II circle Of relatives, while they look alike,
and walk alike. and talk alike, there is a
tremendous difference.
Again: This subject suggests to me two oi
the prominent reasons why people refuse
the kingdom Of Christ There may have
been many othor reasons who Orpah left her
sister and mother-in-law, and went back
home, hut there were two reasons which
think were more prominent than the rest
She had been brought up in i.iolutries She
loved the heather gods which her ancestors
had worshiped, and. though those blocks o:
wood and stone could not hear, and. though
they could not nee. she thought they could
zee. and. though they could not feel. she
been brought to her attention. She had
married godly man. She mnst often have
heard her mother-in-law talk Of tho God of
Israel She was so much shaken III her Origi.
nal belief thut she concluded to leave her.
ilolatries, but coming to The margin Of tbs
land OF Bethlehem her determination failed
her, and speedily she returned to her solsL
muItitudes Of persons never becorn.
Christions. They cannot bear to give ur
their gods. Business 10 the American jugger.
naut that crushes more men than the great
car Of the Hindoos To it they soy their
morning and evening prayer. A little Of
Christ's religion may creep into the Sabbath,
but Monday, T1ssday. Wednesday: Thurs.
devoted to this American idol. Every hour
there is q sacrifice on the altar. Home du.
ties, health of body, manly strength and i'm.
mortal affections must all burn In this holo.
caust. Men act as though they could take
their bonds. and mortgages. and saws, and
trowels. and axes, and day.books with them
into the kingdom of heaven.
for gold yet who are devotin9 themselves
to their worldly occupation with 9 ruinous
intensity. Men Of tho stock exchange. men
o! the yard stick, men Of tho snw, men Of