The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-23

nerclful TO me. u AiOJ AoS
suspect it. but the Holy Ghost was in their
soui Without thinking what they were
doinO they brushed the dust off the
family Bible The ground did not feel as
firm under them, nor did the air seem as
bright. They tried to dam back the HOOD
of their emotions, but the attempt failed.
and they confessed their anguish OF soul
bafora thew meant TO. The secret was out!
They wanted TO know what they must do to
with Ruth and Naomi. weeping Orpah
started for the land of Bethlehem. They
longed for the Sabbath to come. Straight
as an arrow to the mark the sermon struck
them. They thought the minister must have
heard of their case and was preaching right
at them. They thought the sermon was
yerv short, nor did they once coil them
selves I'D in their pew with their eyes shut
and head averted with an air
of unmoved dignity. They be-
gan to pray with an earnestness
mat astonished themselves and astonished
others. Showing the plane or writing up &C
counts or walking the street when you
might have thought their mind entirely
unOn the world, they were saying within
themselves: "Oh, that l were christianW
Orpah is fully started on the road to Bethle-
hem. Christian friends, observing the
religious anxiety OF the awakened soul, say
s'He must certainly be a christian. There Is
another soldier in Christ's ranks, another
sick one has been cured of the leprosy."
The observers turn their attention another
way; they soy: "Orpah is safe enough, she
has gone to Bethlehem"
Alas! Alasl Starting out for heaven is
a very different thing from arriving there.
Remember Lots wife. She looked back
" it'll longing to the place from which she
came, and was destroyed. Half way be-
tween Sodom and the city of refuge that
str ange storm comes upon her, and its salt
and birthstone gather on her garments
until they are so stiffened she cannot pro-
coed nor can she lie down, because OF this
dreadful wrapping around her garments
and limbs; and long after her life has gone
she still stands there so covered up by the
strange storm that she is called pillar of
salt. as some sailor on ships deck in the win
try tempest stands covered with mail OF
ice. Ten thousand times ten thousand
men have been destroyed half way between
Seldom and the city Of refuge. Orpah
might as well never have started as after
ward to turn back. Yet multitudes have
walked in her footsteps. Go among those
the least interested in sacred things and 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 the sanctuary, but Lots wife
looked back wistfully to Sodom, and Orpah
retreated from the company of Ruth and
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 subject impress upon us
the truth that those who have once felt it
their duty to leave their natural state
cannot give up their duty and go back to
hardness of heart without a struggle. After
Orpah had thoroughly made up her mind
to 90 back to the place from which she
started, she went through the sad scene of
parting with Ruth and Naomi. My text
says: "They lifted up their voice and
wept." All, my hearer, it requires more
decision and perseverance to stay away
from the kingdom of God than to enter it.
Although she did not know it, Orpah 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 per-
sons who have remained in their evil ways
have had no strugglesl Why. they have
been obliged to fight every inch of their
way The road to death is not such easy
travelling as some ministers have been
accustomed to describe it. From beginning
to end it is fighting against the sharp sword
of the spirit. 1t is climbing over the cross.
1t is wading through tho deep blood of the
son of God. Ii is scaling mountains of
privilege. 1t is wading through lakes of
sorrow 1t is breaking over communion
Bibles. 1t is wedging ones self
through between 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 head
long downward career No man ought to
think of undertaking to 60 back into Moab
after having come within sight of Bethle-
hem unless he have heart that cannot be
made to quake, aud 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 thoughtless pilgrim, "Stopl StopP'
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. Ii is very solemn thing to be
christian, but it is a more solemn thing not
to be a christian. There are multitudes
who, afraid of the self-denials of. the
christian, rush into the harder self-denials
of the unbeliever. No yoke but Christ's,
however tight and galhngl Orpah goes
back to her idolatries, but she returns Weep
ing; 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
20 Christ.
The Bible says, in regard to the place
where Christ was buried, ''in the midst of
bue SdIueu There was a SepulCDr6," ana IN
the midst of the most flowery enioyments
OF the unpardoned there is a chiiliness of
death. Although they may pull out the
arrows that strike their soul from the Al
mightys culver, there remain sting and a
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 tenn
porary relief from the upbraidings of con-
science, but are like stupefying drugs, that
dull the pain only temporarily. Ahab
has 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. Ha-
man is prime minister of the greatest nation
in the world, and yet, one poor man, who
will not bow the head, makes him utterly
miserable. Herod monopolised the most Of
the worlds honor, and yet is thrown into a
rage because they say a little child is born
In Bethlehem who may after awhile dispute
his authority. Byron conquered the world
with his pen, and yet said ne felt more I'M
happiness from the criticism of the most
illiterate reader than he experienced 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
h.