The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-07-03

| many Il nature, a1tcctlOnatc and gen |
tie, has fought successfully against
divine influences. Many dove has |
refused to come i'll the window of the |
ark although finding no rest for the
sole of her foot.
| Again, thchistory of Orpah imprcs
scs upon me the truth that there are
many who make good starting, but
after awhile change their minds and
turn back. When these three mourn
crs start from their home in Moab
thorc is us much probability that
Orpah will reach Bethlehem as that
her sister Ruth and her mothcr-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 soul.
Perhaps it was during revival of
religion they resolved upon Chris
tian life, and made preparations to
leave Moab. Before that they were
indifferent to the sanctuary, churches
wcrc necessary evils. The minister
almost always preached 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 well
for inTalids and the aged, but they
had no desire for it. Suddenly a
change came upon their soul. They
found that something must be done.
Every night there was II thorn in their
pillow. There was gall in their
wine. They found that their pleas
urcs were only falscliGhts of Il swamp
that rise out OF decay and death.
Losing their self control they were
startled by their own prayer. "God
be mcrciful to me sinner They
did not suspect it. but the Holy
Ghost was in their soul. Without
thinking what they were doing they
brushed the dust off their family
Bible. The ground did not feel as
firm under them nor did the air seem
as bright They tried to dam back
the flood of their emotions, but the
attempt failed, and they confessed
their anguish of soul before they
meant to. The secret was ont. They
wanted to know what they must do
to be saved.
Alas! Alas! Starting out for heaven
is II very different thing from arriv-
ing there. Remember Lots wife.
She looked back with longing to the
place from which she came, and was
t destroyed. Half way between Solonl
l. and the City of Refuge hat strnng,
o storm comes upon her, and its sail
. and brimStono gather OH her .ar
2 mcnts until they are SO stitl'cnc,! she
t cannot proceed, nor can she lie down
because of this dreadful wlappina
= around her garments and limbs; and
, long after her lifo has gonc sho still
) stands there SO covered up by the
strange storm that she is called Il
pillar Of salt as some sailor on ships
III the wlntry tempest stands covered
with mail of ice. Ten thousand
times ten thousand men have been
destroyed half way between Sodom
and the City of Refuge. Orpuh
might as well never have started as
afterwards to turn back. Yet multi
tudcs have walked in her footsteps.
Go among those the least interested
III sacred things andyOu will find that
they were once out of the land of
Moab. Every one of them prayed
right heartily and studied their Bi-
, blcs; and frcqucntcd the sanctuary,
C1'
su,,, e. pp1'oli' Io "ni Oll'a'l rStrc'Ic!'
r. ioa' ~; oo',.p"iis oi ilullin ni'I' N,o''I'
ter Orpah had gone so far as nc
t tually to look over into the land OF
!. bethlehem she turned back and died
, III Moab.
. We talk about taking up the cross
/ ana foilowIng Jesus, but that cross
IS not hnli SO heavy as the burden
winch the SINNER carries; 1t iSa very
" solemn thing TO be q Christian, but
1t IS moro solemn thing not to be n
! ChrlStlan: ih"ro are multitudcs
l who, alrald OF the sclt~dcnlalS of the
Chrlstlan, rush INTO the harder self
demnjH OF the unbclicvcr. No yoke
but Christ $, however tight and gall
lns Orpah goes back to her idoln
. tries, but she returns wrrping;and nlI