Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-07-04
TALMAGES SERMON.
Weekly Discourse OF the ors,i
Brooklyn Preacher.

uept again. and Orpuh kissed her mother
in-!atei but Ruth ctdre unto hcT,"-Ruth l.,
IA.
Moab was heathen land. Naomi Is about
TO leave it and 90 into the land OF Bethle-
hem. She has two dau5hters-;n-law, Ruth
and Orpah, who conclude to 20 with her.
Naomi tells them they had better not leavs
their native laud 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 daugh-
ters-in-law, attempted again to persuade
them to go back because OF the hardship and
self denial through which they would be
obliged to go. Ruth responds in the words
from which l oncs discoursed to you:
"Entreat me not to leave thee,
nor TO return from following after
thee, for where thou GoeSt l will 60, and
where thou lodGest l will lodge: thy people
shall be my people and thy God my God,
where thou diest will die AM 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 Or2ah. Her deter
mination had already been shaken. The
length and peril Of the journey began to
appall her, and she hal worshipe1 the gods
OF Moab so long that it was hart TO give
them up. From that point OTpah turned
back, tho parting being described in the
words of my texti And they lifted up their
voice and wept again and Orpah kisSei her
mother-in'law, but Ruth clave unto her.
Learn from this story of Orpah that some
of those who do not leave tho Moab OF their
iniquities are persons of fine suSc hptibility.
1t was compassion for Naomi, in her wido S-
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 Mt parting. do not know
but that she had as much warmth and ardor
0t nature as Ruth, but she lacked the cour-
lge and persistence of her SISTER That there
ire many with Us fine susceptibility as Or
pah 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
hammer that breaks rocks. In this Christ
often shows His power. 1t wants but little
Scneralship TO conquer fiat country, bul
might of artillery aud heroism to take fort
manned and ready for raking cannonade.
Tho great captain of our salvation has
forced his way into many an armed castle.
| doubt not that Christ could have found
many a fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but thcrc was no
one by whose conversion He could more
gloriouSly have mRgnitled His grace. The
conversion OF score of johns would not
have illustrated the power of the Holy Ghost
as much as tho conversion OF one Peter. IL
would have been easier 10 drive twenty
lambs like John into the fold than to tame one
lion like Peter. God has often made somo
OF His most efficient servants out of mon
naturally uuimpressionablc. As men take
stin and unwieldly timberS and under hu 5e
handed machinery bend them into the hulk
OF great ships, thus Gol has often shaped and
| bent into His service the most unwieldly ia
lures, while those naturally imprcssionable
are still in their unchanged state.
| Oh, how many, like Orpah, have warm az
/ 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 Al other sorrow
rends their heart but they arc untouched by
tho woes OF dying Christ. Good news iills
them with excitement, but the glad t!dings
| OF great joy AMI salvation stir not their soul.
| Anxious to do what is right, yet they roo
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 tho pit. Thoy
would weep at the door Of q prison at the
sight of wicked captive in chains, but have
no compassion for their own souls. over
which Satan, like q grim jailer, holds the
lock and key. Whca rcpusivc, grasplng,
unsympathetc natures resist the story of q
Saviours love it does not excite our surprise
but it is among the greatest Of wonders that
so many who exhibit Orpah's susceptibility
also exhibit Orpahs impeniten y.
We are not surprised that there IL barren
49, 4, t.g
sometimes the Rose of Sharon will not grow
in garden. On summer morning we ar,
not surprised to fad rock witaa2t .ay 2eN
on it, but if going among a flock OF lilies w
saw in them no glittering drops we woulC
say: "What foul sprite has been robbint
these vases" We arc not surprised tina
Herod did not become Christian, but how
strange that the young man Jesus loved fo
His sweetness OF temper should not hav
loved his Redeemer. Hard-hearted Fell,
trembled, proud Ncbuchadnezzlr repente1
and cruel Mauasseh turned unto the Lord
but many n nature, afP5ctIonlte and gentle
has fought successfully against divine indu
ences. Many dove has refused to come il
the window of tho ark, although finding N
rest for the sole Of her foot.
Again, the history Of Orpah impressss upoi
me the truth that there are many who max
a good starting, but after awhile chang
| tnelT MINUS anu turn blCh. w utu Lles
three mourner8 start from their hone Il
Moab there is as much probability tina
Orpah will reach Bethlehem as that her sis
ter Ruth and her m0ther-n-law Naomi wi
arrive there. But while these continue 1
the journey they commenced, Orpah atte
awhile gets discouraged and turns back. Thi
Il the history ot many soul. Perhaps il wa
during revival OF rel gion they resolve
upon a Christian life and made preparation
| a. nafn tI,nf tha,y f,Ai
ferent to the sanctuary; churches were nee
essary evils Tho minister almost alway
preached poor sermons, because they had nc
The heart to hear them. They thought tn
bread was not good because their appetit
wns poor. Religion did very well for lnvi
lids and the aged, but they had no desire fc
IL.
Suddenly change came upon their sou
They found that something must b3 done
Every night there was thorn in their pi
low. There was gall in their wine. The
found that their pleasures were only falls
lights of n swamp that rise out of decay an
death. Losing their self-control they wer
startled by their own prayer; "Goi b
merciful to me sinnern They did not su!
pect il, but the Holy Ghost was IN their sou
Without thinking what they were doln
they brushed the dust OF the family Bibl'
The ground did not feel ns firm under then
nor did the air seam as bright. They tre
to dam back the food OF their emotions, br
tho attempt failed and they confessed thei
anguish OF soul before they meant to. Tt
secret was outl They wanted 70 know wht
they must do to be saved.
With Ruth and Naomi weeping Orpa
started FOR tho land of Bethlehem. The
longed for the Sabbath to come. Straigt
as an arrow TO the mark the sermon struc
them. They thought the minister must hay
heard of their case and was preaching rigl
at them. They thought the sermon was yer
short, nor did they once coil themselves u
In their pew with their eyes shut and heo
averted with an air OF unmoved dignity
They began to pray with an earnestness tht
astonished themselves and astonished other
Showing the plane, or writing up account
"a, ,,aIkipo tha strpntQ whnn ynu might hay