The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-06-25
THE STORY OF oRPAH.
Rev. DR.. Talnage breaches About
4 Naomi's Danghters-in-Law.
How the Cowardly Orpah Went Back to
Moab, While Ruth Went to Bothle-
hem-The Orpahs OF tho World
and Why They Do Not Be-
come Christians.

naturally been concerned with the CEN
tral character of that beautiful story.
1t remained for Rev. DR.. Talmage, in
recent discourse, to find in the charac-
ter Of the less conspicuous widow ma
terial for spiritual lessons His text
was Ruth l. IA: sand they lifted up
their voices and wept, and orpah kissed
her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto
her." Following is the sermon:
Moab was q heather land. Naemi Is
about to leave 1t and 20 into the land Of
Bethlehem. She has two daughters-in-
law, Ruth and orpah, who conclude to
60 with her. Naomi tells them they had
better not leave their native land and
undertake the hardships Of the journey,
but they will not be persuaded. They
all three start out on their journey.
After awhile, Naomi, although she
highly priced the company Of her two
daughters-in-law, attempted again to
persuade them togo back because Of the
hardship and self-denial through which
they would be obliged TO go. Ruth re-
spends in tho words from which / once
discoursed to you: "Entreat me not to
leave thee, nor to return from following
QAfter thee, for where thou goest will
20, and where thou lodgest will lodge,
thy people shall be my people and thy
God my God, where thoa diest will die
and there will be buried, the Lord do
30 TO me and more also II aught but
death part thee and me-" Not so with
her sister orpah. Her determination
had already been shaken. The length
and peril OF the journey began to appal
her, and she had worshiped the gods OF
Moab so long that 1t 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-lay, but Ruth
clave unto her. .rtsI
Learn from this story Of orpah that
some OF those who do not leave the
Moab Of their iniquities arc persons Of
fine susceptibility. It was compassion
for Naomi in her widowhood and sorrow
that led Orpah to start with her toward
Bethlehem. II was not because Of any
lack OF affection for her that she turned
back. We know this from the grief ex7
hibited 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 persistency Of her sister
That there are many people with as fine
susceptibility as 0rpah who will not
take up their cross and follow Christ is
truth which needs but little demon
stration. Many Of those who have be-
come the followers OF Jesus have but
very little natural impressibility. Grace
ofton takes hold Of the hardest heart
and the most unlovely character and
transforms It II Is q hammer that
breaks rocks In this Christ often shows
His power. II wants but little general
ship TO conquer fat country, but might
OF artillery and heroism to take fort
manned and ready for raking cannonade.
The great Captain Of our salvation has
forced His way into many an armed
castle. doubt not that Christ could
have found many fisherman naturally
more noble hearted than Simon Peter,
but there was no one by whose conver-
sion He could moro gloriously have
magnified His grace. The conversion Of
score OF Johns would not have illus
strated the power Of the Holy Ghost as
much as the conversion OF one Peter.
IL would have been easier TO drive
twenty lambs like John into the fold
than 10 tame one lion like Peter. God
has often made some OF His most efficient
servants out Of men naturally unimpres-
sionable. AS men take stiff and un-
wieldy timbers, and under huge handed
machinery bend them into the hulk Of
great ships, thus God has often shaped
and bent unto His service the most un-
wieldy natures, while those naturally
impressionable are still in their un-
changed state.
o, how many, like 0rpah, have warm
affections and yet never become Chris
tians2 Like orpsh. they know how 70
weep, but they do not know how TO pray.
Their hneness Of feeling leads them
into the friendship OF the world, but
not into communion with God. They
can love everybody but Him, who is al
together lovely. All other sorrow rends
their heart, but they are untouched by
the woes OF dying Christ. Good news
hlls them with excitement but the glad
tidings Of great Joy and salvation stir
not their soul, Anxious 10. DO what is
right yet they rob, God Grateful for
the slightest favors. they mako no 70.
turn 10 Him who -wrung out thslast drop
Of blood from His heart 10 deliver them
from going down 70 the pit. They would
weep At the door Of prison At the sight
Of wicked captive In chains, but have
no compassion for their soul over which
Satan, like grim jailey, holds the lock
and key. When repulsive. grasping,
unsympathetic natures resist the story
OF . Saviour's love, II docs not excite
our surprise; but II Is among the great
est Of wonders that so many who ex-
hibit orpah's susceptibility also exhibit
0rpah's impenitency. We arc not sur
prised that there 10 barrenness In DEB
srt but strange thing Is II that some
times tho Rose of Sharon will not grow
,ina garden. On . summer morning We
are mot surprised 10 and arock without
any dew on II. but II. going among q
flock Of lilies. we saw in them no gilt
tering drops, we would say, what foul
spirit has boon robbing those vascs3''
We are not surprised that Herod did NOT
become o Christian, but how strange
that the young man Jesus, loved for His
sweetness o>tomper, should not have
loved the odecmer. Hard-hearted