The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-06-28
STORY OF ORPAH.
DIR. TalmaRe Discourses on the
Cowardly Daughter-in-Law.
Grace Not Always Strongest With the hest
Natures-The Worship of Strange Gods
Hard to OVERWHELMINGLY
Great Power.


tect: 1.-The Cowardly Daughter-in-Law
-Orpah." His text was Ruth, /, Ia:
''And they lifted up their voices and
wept, and orpah kissed her mother-in-
law, but Ruth clave unto her." He said:
Moab was a heather land. Naomi
Is about to leave it and go unto the and
OF Bethlehem. She. has two daughters
in-law, Ruth and Orpah, who conclude
to go with her. Naomi tells them they
had better not leave their native and
and undertake the hardship Of the
journey, but they will not be persuaded.
They all three start out on their journey.
After awhile Naomi, although she high
ly priced the company of her two daugh-
t~ers-in-law, attempted again to persuade
them to go back because Of the hardship
and self-denial through which they
were obliged to 60. Ruth responds in
the words from which l once d~iscoursed
to you: "Entreat me not to leave thee,
nor to return from following after thee,
for where thou goest / will go and
where thou lodgest 1 will lodge, thy
people shall be my people 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 IL 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 appall
her. and she had worshipped the gods
of Moab so long that IL was hard to give
them up. From that point Orpah turned
back, the parting being described in the
words Of my text: "And they lifted up
their voice and wept again, and Orpah
kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth
olave unto her."
Learn from this story Of Orpah that
some Of those who do not leave the
Moab Of their iniquities are persons OF
fine susceptibility. 1t was compassion
for Naomi in her widowhood and sorrow
that led 0rpah to start with her toward
Bethlehem. 1t was not because Of any
lack Of affection for her that she turned
back. We known this from the
grief exhibited at parting. I do
not know but that she had as
much warmth and ardor of nature
as Ruth, but she lacked the courage and
persistence OF her sister. That there
are many with as fine susceptibility as
Orpah who will not take up their cross
and follow Christ Is q truth which needs
but little demonstration. Many of those
who have become the followers Of Jesus
have but very little natural impress
sibihty. Grace often takes hold of the
hardest heart and the most unlovely
character and transforms it. 1t 10 a
hammer that breaks rocks. In this
Christ often shows His power. 1t wants
but little g~eneralship to conquer a fat
country, but might of artillery and
heroism to take q fort manned and
ready for raking 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
o fisherman naturally more noble
hearted than Simon Peter, but there
was NO n by whose conversion He
could more gloriously have magniied
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.
o, how many, like Orpah, have warm
affections 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.
Again, the history Of orpah impresses
upon me the truth that there are many
who make q good starting, but after
awhile change their minds and turn
back. When these three mourners start
from their home in Moab there is as
much probability that orpah will reach
bethlehem as that her sister Ruth and
her mother-in-law, Naomi, will arrive
there. But while these continue in the
journey they commenced, Orpah after
awhile gets discouraged and turns back.
Thisis tho history Of many a soul, Per-
haps 1t was during q revival OF religion
they resolved upon@a Christian life and
made preparations to leave Moab. Be-
fore that they were indifferent to the
sanctuary and churches were necessary
evils. The minister always preached
poor sermons, because they had not the
heart to hear them. They thought the
breed was not good because their appe-
tite was poor. Religion did very we'll
for invalids and the aged, but they
had no desire for it. Suddenly q
change came upon their soul. They
found that something must be done.
Every night there wa 0 thorn in their
pillow. There was gall In their wine.
They found that their pleasures we're
only false lights of q swamp that rise
out Of decay and death. Losing their
self control they vert startled by their
own prayer, God be merciful to me. a
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