Connecticut western news., 1890-06-25

u0rIdklIlS uO go Ddck uCO MOaD dlIei having come within sight oj Bethlehem, unless he have a heart that cannot be made to quake, and a sure foot that will not slip among infinite perils, and an arm that can drive back the Son of God, who stands in the center of the broad road spreading out his arms and shouting into the ear of the thought less pilgrim, Stop! stopw
 THE SINNERS BURDEN HEAVIER THAN
 THE CROSS.
 We talk about taking up the cross and following Jesus, but that cross is not half so heavy as the burden which the sinner carries. It is 8 very solemn thing to be Christian, but it is more solemn thing not to be 8 Christian There are multitudes who, afraid of the self denials of the Christian, rush into the harder self denials of the un- believer. No yoke but Christ's, how ever tight and galing! Orpah goes back to her idolatries, but she re- turns weeping; and all who follow her will find the same sorrows. Just in proportion as gospel advantages have been numerous will be the disturbance of the heart that will not come to Christ
 The Bible says in regard to the place where Christ was buried: 'sIn the midst of the garden there was a sepulcher;;" and in the midst of the most flowery enjoyments of the unpardoned there is a chilliness of death. Although they may pull out the arrows that strike their soul from the Almighty's quiver, there remain @ sting and smarting. If men wrench themselves away from Christ they will bear the mark of his hand by which he would have rescued them. The pleasures of the world may give temporary relief from the up- braidings of conscience but are like stupefying drugs that dull the pain only temporarily.
 Ahab has a great kingdom and you would think he ought to be happy with his courtiers and chariots and palaces, yet he goes to bed sick because Naboth will not sell him his vineyard. Haman is prime minister of the greatest nation in the world and yet one poor man who will not bow the head makes him atterly miserable. Herod monopolizes the most of the worlds honor and yet is thrown into a rage because they say little child is born in Bethlehem who may after while dispute his authority Byron conquered the world with his pen and yet said that he felt more un- happiness from the criticism of the most illiterate reader than he expert the talented.
 ALEssoN FROM sHENsToNE's LIFE. In the last century in England lived l the immortal Shenstone Portions of his life were given to the writing of l poetry, but this was not evidently the field for which nature had equipped him. His name will never be forgotten, because of the home which he adorned and beautifed until there probably 1 never has been so bright a spot since the Garden of Eden as what he loved l to call 1.-The Leasowes. <" In addition to | the marvels which nature had wrought he added the perfection of art Arbor and terrace and slope and rustic tenn | pie and reservoir and urn and fountain here had their crowning. Oak and yew and hazel put on their glory of verdure. What the greenness of deep grass and the foam of cascade and the glitter of still lake could give of beauty were added. No life was more diligent and no soul more ingenious than those of Shenstone, and all that genius and 1 diligence were directed to the adorn- ment of that treasured spot. What more could one want to make home happy?
 Yet there is one man who sits signing in those bowers, and casting gloomy | looks upon those parks, and the mirth of leaping waterfalls makes no melody in his ear It is Shenstone, the owner of the Leasowes. ''I have lost my road to happiness" says the Respondent man. II am angry and envious and dejected and frantic, and disregard all present things, just as it becomes a madman to do." My friends, there is no solid happiness in anything but re igion. care not how bright home Orpah has in Moab, when she turns away from duty she turns away from peace Amid the bacchanalia of Bel shazzar's feast and the glitter of chal ices there always will come out hand writing on the wall fearfully ominous ''TekeF'-weighed in the balances and found wanting. When you can reaI harvests off bare rocks, and gather balm out of nightshade, and make sun light sleep in the heart of sepulchers, and build a firm house on rocking pillow, then can an unpardoned soul find firm enjoyment amid it's trans gressions. Then can Orpah go back to Moab without weeping.
 FAMILIES DIVIDED BY RELIGION.
 Again, this subject teaches that a religious choice and the want of it ire quently divide families Ruth and Orpah and Naomi were tenderly at tached. They were all widows and their life had been consecrated by a baptism of tears. In the fire of trial their affections had been forged. To gether they were so pleasantly united you can hardly imagine them separated Yet fatal line is drawn dividing them from each other, perhaps forever Naomi cannot live in heathen coun try. She must go into Bethlehem, that there among the pious she may worship the true God. Ruth makes similar choice, but Orpah rebels. ''And they lifted up their voice and wept again and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law but Ruth clave unto her'' The history of this family of Elimelech is the his