The Russellville Democrat., 1890-07-03

and they confessed their anguish of soul 1 before they meant to. The secret was outl They wanted to know what they must do to Dc saved.
 With Ruth and Naomi, weeping, orpah started for tho land of Bethle- hem They longed for the Sabbath to come. Straight as an arrow to the mark the sermon struck them. They thought the minister must havo heard of their case and was preaching right at them. They thought the sermon was very short, nor did they once coil themselves up in their pew with their eyes shut and head averted with an air of un- moved dignity They began to pray with an earnestness that astonished l themselves and astonished others. Show ing the plane or writing up accounts or walking the street when you might have thought their mind entirely upon 1 the world, they were saying within themselves ''oh that were a Chris tian" Orpah is fully started on the road to Bethlehem. Christian friends observing the religious anxiety of the awakened soul say: He must certainly | be q Christian There is another sol l dier in Christ's ranks, another sick one
 has been cured of tho leprosy." The | observers turn their attention another way; they say: "Orpah is safe enough, she has gone to Bethlehem"
 Alasl Alasl Starting out for Heaven is very different thing from arriving 1 there. Remember Lots wife. She looked
 back with longing to the place from which she came and was destroyed. 1 Half way between Sodom and the City of Refuge that strange storm comes upon her, and it's salt and birthstone 1 ga ther on her garments until they are so stiffened she can not proceed, nor can she lie down because of this dread
 full wrapping around her garments and 1 limbs, and long after her life has gone she still stands there so covered up by | the strange storm that she is called a l pillar of salt as some sailor on ships deck in the wintry tempest stands cov- l cred with mail of ice. Ten thousand times ten thousand men have been de- stroyed half way between Sodom and the City of Refuge. Orpah might as we'll never have started as afterward to turn back, Yet multitudes have walked in her footsteps. Go among those the least interested in sacred things and l you will find that they were once out of the land of Moab. Every one of them prayed right heartily and studied their Bibles, and frequented tho sanctuary, l but Lots wife looked back wistfully to | Sodom, and 0rpah retreated from the company of Rtrh and Naomi. It Is an impressive thought that after Orpah had gone so far as actually to look over into the land of Bethlehem she turned back and died in Moab.
 Again, let our object impress upon us the truth that those who have once felt it their duty to leave their natural state can not give up their duty and go back to hardness of heart without a struggle. After Orpah had thoroughly made up
 her mind to go back to the place from which she started, she went through tho sad scene of parting with Ruth and Naomi. My text says: They lifted up their voices and wept." An, my nearer, it requires more decision and perseverance to stay away from the kingdom of God than to enter it. AL bs passed through greater struggle in | turning back into the land of Moab than would have been necessary to take her clear through to Bethlehem. Suppose you that those persons who have re- nlained in their evil ways have had no struggle? Why, they have been obliged to fight every inch of their way. The road to death is not such easy travelling as some ministers havo been accustomed to describeit From be- ginning to end 1t is fighting against tho sharp sword of the spirit. It is climbing over the cross. It is wading through the deep blood of the Son of God. It is scaling mountains of privilege. It is wading through lakes of sorrow. It is braking over communion tables and baptismal fonts and pulpits and Bibles. It is wedging ones self through be- tween pious kindred who stand before and press us back and hold on to us by their prayers even after we have passed them in our headlong downward career. No man ought to think of undertaking to go back into Moab after having come within sight of Bethlehem unless he have heart that can not be made to quake, and 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:arm and shout ing into the ear of the thoughtless pilgrip: "Stop! Stop"
 Tho Bible says, in regard to the place h fin ha Aot of the garden there was sepulchre;" and in the midst of the most fiowery en- joyments of the unpardoned there is a chilliness of death. Although they may puu out the arrows that ssrilxe their s from the Almighty's quiyer, there ryffiain 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 tho upbraidings of conscience, but are like stupefying drugs that duft the pain only tempo rarily. Ahab has a great kingdom, and you would think he ought to by happy with his courtiers and chariots and pal aces, yet he goes to bed sick because Naboth will not sell him his vineyard. Haman is Prime Minister of the great est nation in tho world, and yet ono poor man who will not bow the head makes him miserable. Herod monop- olizes the most of the worlds honor, and yet is thrown into rage because they say little child is born in Bethle- hem who may after awhile dispute his authority Byron conquered the world with his pen, and yet said that he felt more Unhappiness from the criticism of the most illiterate reader than he ex- perienced pleasure from the praise of all the talented.
 In the last century in England lived the immortal Shenstone Portions of his life were given to the writing of poetry, but this was not evidently the field for which nature had equipped him. His name will never be forgot ten, because of the home which he