Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-07-04
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S Sun,
DAY SERMON.
Subject: Lessons From the History
Of Orpah."

NOdD was q uEdIneu A6iils ~NF~OlAA - Az -
to leave it and go into the land Of Bethle-
hem. 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 hard
ship of the journey, but they will not be per
suaded. They all three start out on their
Journey. After awhile Naomi. although she
highly priced the company OF her two daugk-
ters-in-law, attempted again to persuade
them to 60 back because Of the hardship and
self denial through which they would be
obliged to 90. Ruth responds in the words
from which l once discoursed to you:
''Entreat me not TO leave thee,
nor to return from following after
thee, for where thou goest [ will GO and
where thou lodgest will lodge; thy people
shall be my people, and thy God my God,
where thou diest viii 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 deter
minatiOn had already been shaken. The
length and peril of the journey began to
appall her, and she had worshiped the gods
of Moab 50 long that it was hard to give
them up. From that point Orpah turned
back, the parting being described in 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
iniquities are persons Of fine susceptibility.
1t was compassion for Naomi, in her widO~-
hood and sorrow, that led Orpah to start
with her toward Bethlehem. 1t was not be-
cause Of any lack Of affection for her that
she turned back. We know this from the
-Grief exhibited at parting. do not KnOw
hut that she had as much warmth and ardOr
/ nature as Ruth, but she lacked the cOur-
-Sa and persistence of her sister. That there
are many with as fine susceptibility as Or
lah who will not take up their cross and fol-
low Christ is a truth which needs but little
demonstration. Many Of those who have be-
come the followers of Jesus have but very
little natural impressibility. Grace often
takes hold of the hardest heart and the most
unlOVely character and transforms it. 1t is
a hammer that breaks rocks. In this Christ
often shows His power. 1t wants but little
generalship to conquer fiat country, but
might of artillery and herOsm to take a fort
manned and ready for raking CannOnade
The great captain Of our salvation has
forced His way into many armed castle.
l doubt not that Christ could have found
many a 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 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 most efficient servants out of men
naturally unimpreSSiOnable. AS men take
stiff and unwieldly timbers and under huge
handed machinery bend them into the hulk
of great ships, thus God has often shaped and
bent into His service the most unwieldlY ma
lures, while those naturally impressionable
are still in their unchanged state
Oh, how many, like Orpah, have warm af-
fectionS and yet never become Christians!
Like Orpah, they know how to weep, but
they do not know how to pray. Their fine
ness of feeling leads them into the friendships
of the world, but not into communion with
God. They can love everybody but Him,
who is altogether lovely. All other sorrow
rends their heart, but they are untouched by
the woes of a dying Christ. Good news fills
them with excitement but the glad tidings
of great Joy and salvation stir not their soul
Anxious to do what is right, yet they rob
God. Grateful 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 grim jailer, holds the
lock and key. When repulsive grasping
unSympathetiC natures resist the story Of a
SaviOur's love it does not excite our surprise,
but 1t is among the greatest of wonders that
SO many who exhibit Orpahs susceptibility
also exhibit Orpah's impenitency.
We are not surprised that there is barren
sometimes the Rose of Sharon will not grow
in garden. On a summer morning we are
not surprised to find rock without any dew
on II, but If going among flock of lilies we
saw III them no glittering drops we would
say What foul Sprite has been rObbing
these vases% We are not surprised that
Herod did not become a Christian, but how
strange that the young man Jesus loved for
His sweetness of temper should not have
loved his Redeemer. Hard-hearted Felix
IRAN hi
and cruel ManasSeh turned unto the Lord;
but many nature atfectlonate and gentle,
has fought successfully against divine influ-
ences. Many a dove has refused to come in
the window of the ark, although finding no
rest for the sole of her foot.
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 sis
ter Ruth and her m2ther-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 a soul. Perhaps it was
during revival of religion they resolved
upon Christian life and made preparations
to leave Moab. Before that they were indif-
ferent to the sanctuary; churches were nee
esSarv evils The minister almost always
preache,l poor sermons, because they had not
the heart TO hear them. They thought the
bread was not good because their appetite
was poor. Religion did very we'll for inva-
lids and the aged, but they had no desire for
it.
Suddenly change came upon their soul
They found that something must be done
Every night there was thorn in their pill
low. There was gall in their wine They
found that their pleasures were only false
lights of a swamp that rise cut of decay and
death Losing their self-control they were