Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-08-07

o. society OF course nave changed, anC
without the hardships and exncs'-> -
which Ruth was subjected, every intellt
gent woman will find something to do.
know there is a siekly sentimentality on
this subject. In some families there are
persons Of no practical service to the house
hold or community, and though there are
so many woes all around about them ia
the world they spend their time anguish
ing over new pattern or bursting into
tears at midnight over the story Of some
lover who shot himself They would not
deign TO look at Ruth carrying back the
hurley on her way home TO her mOther-in-
law, Naomi
All this fsstidiousness may seem TO dc
very well while they are under the shelter
of their fathers house; but when the SHARP
winter Of misfortune comes, what Of these
butterfies2 Persons under indulgont par
entage may get upon themselves habits OF
Incidence, but when they come out int
practical life their soul will recoil with dis.
gust aud chagrin. They will feel in theiI
hearts what the poet so severely satirized
when he said
Folks are 50 awkward. things so impolite,
They're elegantly panied from morn till night
Through that gate Of Incidence how
many men and women have marched, use
less on earth, TO a destroyed eternity
Spinola said 20 Sir Horace We're; "Of what
did your brother diei" "Of having nothing
to do" was the answer. "AhW said
Spinola, that's enough TO XIII any gen
eral OF u.s." Oh, can it be possible in this
world, where there is so much suffering to
be alleviated, so much darkness to be en-.
hghtened, and so many burdens to be car
ried, that there is any person who cannot
find anything to do"
THE BOAST OF MADAME DE sTA,EL.
Madame de Stael did world Of work in
her time; and one day, while she was
seated amid instruments Of music, all Of
which she had mastered, and amid manu-
script books which she had written some
one said to her, How do you find time TO
attend to all Of these things?" "Oh," she
replied, these are not the things / am
proud Of Ny chief boast Is Ia the fact chat
have seventeen trades, by any one OF
which / could make livelihood If neces-
sary." And If in secular spheres there is
so much to he done, in spiritual work how
vast the feldl How many dying all around
about us without one word of comfOrtl
We want more Abigails, more Hannahs,
more Rebeccas, more Marys, more Deb
orahs consecrated-body, mind. soul-to
the Lord who bought them.
Once more / learn from my subject the
value Of cleaning. Ruth going into that
harvest field might have said; 'There Is a
straw and there is a straw, but what is
straw? l can't get any barley for myself
or my mother-iu-iaw out Of these separate
straws." Not so said beautiful Ruth She
gathered two straws and she put them to
gether, and more straws until she got
enough to make sheaf Putting that
down she went and gathered more straws
until she had another sheaf, and another
and another and another, and then she
brought them all together and she threshed
them out, and she had an ephah of barley,
nigh a bushel Oh, that we might all be
gleanersl
THE STRAY PRIVILEGES COUNT.
Elihu Burritt learned many things while !
.oiling in a blacksmith's shop. Aber- |
,rombie, the world renowned philosopher, |
was a physician in Scotland, and he got |
his philosophy, or the chief part OF it, whilo |
Is physician he was waiting for the door
IF the sick room to open Yet how many
here are in this day who say they are so
busy they have no time for mental or
spiritual improvement; the great duties of |
life cross the field like strong reapers and
,arEs-ofr all the hours, and there is only /
lere and there fragment left that is not /
worth cleaning -.Ah, my friends you |
,ould 60 into the busiest day and busiest !
week of your life and find golden oppor |
unities, which gathered might at last /
make a whole sheaf for the Lords garner. |
It is the stray opportunities and the stray |
privileges which taken up and bound to /
yether and beaten out will at last fill you
With much joy.
There are a few moments left worth the
cleaning. Now, Ruth, to the feldl May |
ach one have measure full and running
,ver Oh. you cleaners, to the feld And
( there be in your household an aged or a
lick relative that is not strong enough to
ONE forth and toll in this field, then let
Ruth take home to feeble Naomi this sheaf !
# cleaning, "He that goeth forth and
yeepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubt
ess come again with rejoicing bringing
lis sheaves with him." May the Lord God
f Ruth and Naomi be our portion foreverl