The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-24

dence of His Genius in G,o Lessons He
Draws from the Book of Ruth-Thc
Sermon in Full.
BRooKLYN, June 22.-Dr. Talmage
gives another evidence of his genius in
bis sermon for today. The Book OF
Ruth has furnished the subject for
many sermons, but they have natural
ly been concerned with the CENTRAL
character of that beautiful story; it Ne
manned for the popular Brooklyn di-
vine to find in the character of the less
conspicuous widow material for spirit
ual lessons. His text is Ruth !, Ii:
'And they lifted up their voice and wept
again: and Orpah kissed her mothe erin
law; but Ruth clave unto her." Fol
lowing is the sermon:
Moab was 4 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 concl ude
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 ont on their j ur-
ney After awhile Naomi, although
she highly priced the company of her
two daushters-in-law, attempted ag pin
topersuade them to go back, bccausd Of
the hardship and self denial through
which they would be obliged TO so.
Ruth responds in the words frpm
which once discoursed to you: En-
treat me not 10 leave thee, nor to re-
turn from following after thee, for
where thou goest l will go and whq IRE
thou lodgcst l 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 Orpali Her determination had
already been shaken. Tie length and
peril of the journey began to appa!l her,
and she had worsiliped the gods of
Moab so long that it WAS hard to give
them up. From that point Orpah
turned back, the parting being de-
scrbed i'll the words of my text: And
they lifted up their voice and wept
again, and Orpah kissed her mothcr-in-
law, but Ruth clave unto her.
LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF oHpAH.
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 widowhood and sor-
row that led Orpah TO start with her
toward Bethlehem. ltwas not because
of any lack of affection for her that she
turned back We know this from the
grief exhibited at parting l do not
know but that she had rs much warmth
and ardor of nature us Ruth, but she
lacked the courage and persistence of
her sister That there are many with
as fine susceptibility as Orpah who will
not take up their cross and follow
Christ is Il truth which needs but little
demonstration. Many of those who
have become the followers of Jesus
have but very little natural imprcssi-
bility. Grace often takes hold of the
hardest heart and the most unlovely
character and transforms it. 1t is
hammer thar breaks rocks
In this Christ often shows his power
1t wants but little generalship 10 con
quer flat country, buJ might of artil
lery and heroism 20 take Il fort manned
and ready for raking cannonadc. The
great Captain Of our salvation has
forced his way into many an armed
castle. l doubt not that Christ could
have found many a fisherman natural
ly more noble hearted than Simon Pc
ter, but there was no one by whose con-
version he could more gloriously have
magnifed his grace The conversion
of q score of Johns would not have
illustrated the power of the Holy
Ghost rs much us 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 unwieldy 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 natures,
while those naturally impressionable
are still in their unchanged state.
HOW MANY NEVER BECOME CHRISTIANS
Oh, how many like Orpah have warm
affections and yet never become Chris
tians Like Orpah they know how to
weep, but they do not know how to
pray. Their iineness 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 un
touched 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 ofa
prison at the sight of a wicked captive
in chains, but have no compassion for
their own souls, over which Satan, like
q grim jailer, holds the lock and key.
When repulsive, grasping, unsympa-
thetic natures resist the story of Il
Saviour's love it does not excite our
surprise; but it is among the greatest
of wonders that so many who exhibit