Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-23
THE WISDOM OF RUTH
A Beautiful Lesson From the Story
of the Moabite Sisters.
CHRISTIANS WHO START BRAVELY
But Whose Timidity, Like That of 0rpah,
Prevents Them From
CONTINUING TO THE JOURNEYS END

4.
another evidence of his genius in his sermon
for to-day. The Book of Ruth has fur
nlshed the subject for MANY sermons, bu
they have naturally been concerned with the
central character of that beautiful story; il
remained for the popular Brooklyn divine
to find in the character OF the less conspicu-
Gus widow material for spiritual lessons.
His text is Ruth i, IA: "And 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 a heather land. Naomi is about to
leave it and go i-to the land of Bethlehem.
She has two daughters-in-law, Ruth and
Orpah, who conclude to go with her. Naomi
tells them they had better notleaye their native
land and undertake the hardships of the jour.
ney, 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 to
60 back because OF the hardship and self-denial
through which they would be obliged to go.
Ruth responds in the words from which / once
dIscoursed to y0n: "Entreat me not to leave
thee, nor TO return from following after thee,
for where thou goest will 20, and where thou
lodgest will lodge; thy people shall be my peo-
pie and thy God my God; where thou diest will
l 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 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 it was hard to give them up.
From that point Orpah turned back, the part
ing being described in the words of my text /:
And they lifted up their voice and wept again,
and Orpah kissed her mother-inIaw, but Ruth
claVe unto her.
THE LESSON OF THE STORY.
Learn from this story of orpah that some of
those who do not leave the Moab of their
inquiries are persons of fine susceptibility. 1t
was compassion for Naomi in her widowhood
and sorrow that led Orpah to start with her
toward Bethlehem. 1t was not because of any
lack of affection for her that she turned back.
We know this from the grief exhibited at
parting. i do not know but that she had as
much warmth ard ardor or nature Ruth.
but she lacked the courage and persistence of
her sister. That there are many with as fine
susceptibility rs Orpah who will not take up
their cross and follow Christ is a truth which
needs but little demonstration, Many of those
who have become the followers of Jesus have
but very little natural impresslbility. Grace
often takes hold of the hardest heart and the
most unlOVely character and transforms il. 1t
is a hammer that breaks rocks. In this Christ
often shows His power 1t wants but little
might of artillery and heroism to take a fort
manned and ready for raklng cannonade.
The great Captain of our salvation has forced
His way into many an armed castle. l doubt
not that Christ could have found many fisher
man naturally more noble-hearted than Simon
Peter. but there was no one by whose conversa-
tion He could more glOriously have magnified
His grace. The conversion of a score of Johns
would not have illustrated the power of the
Holy Ghost as much as the conversion of one
Peter. 1t would have been easier to drive 20
la MI lie nh int he oil fo for
lion like Peter. God has often made some of
His most efficient servants out of men naturally
unimpressiOnable. As men take stiff and un-
wleldy timbers, and under huge-handed ma
chinery bend them into the hulk of great ships
thus God has often shaped and bent into His
service the most unwieldy natures, while those
naturally impressionable are still in their un-
changed state.
THEY IGNORE THE SAVIOR.
Oh. how many, like Orpah, have warm affec-
tions and yet never become Christians! Like
Orpah. they know how to weep, but they do not
know how to pray. Their fneness 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 untouched 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
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 of prison
at the sight of a wicked captive in chains, but
have no compassion for their own souls over
which Satan, like grim jaIler holds the lock
and key. When repulsIve, grasping, unsympa-
thetic natures resist the story of a Savior's
love, 1t does not excite our surprise; but it is
among the greatest of wonders that SO many
who exhibit Orpah's susceptibility also exhibit
Orpah's impeniteDcy.
We are not surprised that there is barren
ness in desert, but strange thing is it that
the Rose of Sharon will not grow in |
a garden. On q summer morning we are not
to ind a rock without any dew on it
but II, going among flock of lilies, we saw in |
them no glittering drops, we would say What |
foul sprite has been robblng these vases?n |
We are not surprised that Herod did not be- |
come a Christian, but how strange that the |
young man Jesus loved for his sweetness of |
emper should not have loved the Redeemer.
dard-hearted Felix trembled: proud Nebuch- |
ldnezzar repented, and cruel Manasseh turned /
INTO the Lord; but many nature. affectionate |
md gentle. has fought successfully against 4
iiVine influences. Many dove has refused to
,ome in the window of the ark although finding
10 rest tor the sole of her foot.
THE FAINT-HEARTED.
Again, the history of Orpah impresses upon
ne the truth that there are many who make q
rood starting but after awhile change their
minds and turn back. When these three
nourners start from their home in Moab there
; as much probability that Orpah will reach
Bethlehem as that her sister Ruth and her
nother-in-law Naomi will arrive there. But
While these continue in the journey they COM
nenced, Orpah after awhile gets discouraged |
nd turns back. This is the history of many a
oul. Perhaps il was during a revival of reiig-
On they resolved upon Christian life and
1ade preparations to leave Moab. Before that |
hey were Indifferent to the sanctuary. churches
Tere necessary evils.
Alas! Alas! Starting out for heaven is a very
ifferent thing from arriving there. Remem-
,ot's wife. She looked back with longing to
be place from which she came, and was de-
troyed. half way between odom and the
ity of refuge that strange storm comes unon
er and its salt and b imstone gather upon
er garments until they are SO stiffened she
annoJ proceed. nor can she lie down because
this dreadful wrapping around her garments |
nd limbs; and long after her life has gone she |
till stands there so covered up b. the strange |
5Orm that she is called pillar of salt, as some
lilor on ships deck in the wintry tempest |
lands covered with mail of ice. Ten thou
and times 10000 men have been destroyed half
-ay between Sodom and the city of refuge |
'rpah might as well never have started as af- |
erwards to turn back. Yet multitudes have |
'alked in her footsteps. Go among those the
EAST interested in sacred things and you will
nd that they were once out of the land of
loab. Everyone of them prayed right heartily
no studied their Bibles, and frequented the
anctuary, but Lots wife looked back wist-
ully 10 Sodom, ana Orpah retreated from the
ompany Of Ruth and Naomi. 1t is an impress
We thought that after Orpah had gone so far
actually 20 look over into the land of Bethle-
EN-, she turned back and died in Moab.
DANGER IN TURNING BACK.
Again: let our subject impress upon us the
nth that those who have once felt it their duty |
} leave their natural state cannot give up their
uty and go back to hardness of heart without
struggle. Alter orpah had thoroughly made
p her mind to go back to the place from which