The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-08-13
SERMON IN THE WEST.
TALMAGE DlSCOURSES FROM A CHAP.
TER IN RUTH.

GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS, COL,
Aug. 2.-Dr Talma"c preached here to-
day 10 an immense audience. His West
crn tour has E~>-n one continued ovation.
Never before has he been so enthusiastic
cally received or have the people come
to hear him in such vast numbers. He
arrived here from Pueblo, which city he
left on Wednesday last in car provil.
ed by the railroad company exclusively
for the use OF DR.. Talmage and his sec
retary. In this car he will visit cities
III Colorado, minnesota, Wisconsin,
Kansas and Utah. 1t Is side-tracked at
places where DR.. Talmage has arranged
to stay to preach or to lecture. His
sermon reJolcnt with the breath Of the
great harvest field ofthe West. indicates
that the popular preacher has read in
his surrounding suggestions Of Gospel
lessons. His text is taken from Ruth
ii; 3: And she went and came and
CLEANED in the field after the reapers;
and her hap was to light on part of
the field belonging uuto Boaz who was
OF the kindred OF Elimclech."
Within few weeks l have been in
North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvan-
ia, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Canada,
indiana. Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri.
and they arc one great harvest field, and
no season can be more enchanting in any
country tl!an the season of harvest.
The time / hat Ruth and Naomi arrive
at !}cthlchct.. is harvest time. 1t was
the custom when sheaf fell from load
in tic harvest field for the reapcrs to re-
iusc TO gather it up; that was to be left
ior the poor who might happen to come
that way. If there were handluls of
grain scattered across the field after the
main hal vest had been reaped, instead
OF rakng il, aa farmers do now it was,
by tie custom OF the land, left in its
place, 50 that the poor, coming along
that way. might CLEAN it and yet their
bread. But, YOU say, "What is the use
Of all these harvest fields to Ruth anC'
Naomi: Naomi is 100 old and feeble to
90 out and toll in the sun; ana can You
expect that Ruth, the young and the
beautiful, should tan her cheeks and
blister her hands in the harvest field?"
Boaz OWNS Il large farm, and he goes
out to see the reapers gather in the
grain. Coming there, right behind the
swarthy, sun-browned reapers, he be-
holds il beautiful woman glcaning-a
woman more fit to bend to harp or sit
upon throne than to stoop among the
SlSNNNHs L1lls IiIiG "uo all CfCllCltll QdS
IT was love at first sight. Boax forms
an attachment tor the womanly cleaner
AN attachment full of undying interest
to the church OF God in all ages while
Ruth, with an ephah. or nearly bushel
Of barley .oes home to Naomi to tell
her the successes and adventures Of the
day. That Ruth, who left her native
land OF Moab in darkness, and jOurneyed
through an undying affection for her
mOthcr-n- law, is j.. the harvest-field of
Boaz, is allianced to one Of the best fam
lilies in Judah, aud becomes in aftcr-time
the anccstress of Jesus Christ the Lord
OF glory! Out of so dark night did
there ever dawn SO bright morning.
| learn, III the first place, from this
subject how trouble dcvelopes charac-
ter. 1t was bereavement, poverty and
exile that developed. illustrated and an
nounccd to all ages the sublimity OF
Ruth's character. That is very uu-
fortunate man who has no trouble. 1t
was sorrow that made John Bunyan the
better dreamer, and Doctor Young the
better poet. and O'Connell the better
orator, and Bishop Hall the better
preacher, and IIavclock the better SOL
dicr, and kiltO the better cLcyclopedist,
and Ruth the better daughter-in-law.
| once asked an aged man in regard to
his pastor, who was a very brilliant
man: "Why is it that your pastor, 80
very brilliant, seems to have 80 little
tenderness in his sermuns?" "Well." he
replied, 1.-The reason is, our pastor has
never had any trouble. When mis!or-
tune comes upon him, his style will be
different" After awhile the Lord took
child out Of that PASTORS house; and
though the preacher was just az bril-
liant as he was before, oh, the warmth,
the tenderness OF his discourscs! The
TACT is that trouble is great educator.
lon see sometimes musician sit down
1T an instrument, and his execution is
cold and formal and unleeling. The
reason is that all his life he has been
Prospcred. But let misfortune or be-
reavemcnt come to that man, and he
sits down at the instrument. and YOU
discover the pathos in the first sweep OF
the Keys. Misfortune and trials are
great educators. a Ioung doctor colnes
INTO a sick room whtr there is dying
chli!. Perhaps he is very rough in his
prescription, and very rough in his man
ncr, and rough in The feeling oi the
pulse, and rough in his answer to the
molheF's anxious question; but the
years roll on, and there has been one
dead in his own house; and now he comes
into the sick room, and with fearful eye
Inc looks at the dying child, and he say s.
son, how this reminds me of my Char.
lle!" Trouble, the great educator
Sorrow see its touch in the 3randes
painting; hear It's trcmor In the sweet
est song; feel its power in the might
est argument.
Grccian mythology said that the ioun
tain OF 1Iippocrene was struck out b,
the foot of the winged horse, Pegasus
l have often noticed in lie that Il
brightest and most beautiful fountains
OF Christian comfort and spiritual life
have been struck out by the iron-shot
hoOf of disaster ana calamity. l see
Daniels courage best by the flash .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS furnace. Isce Plul'.
prowess best when L find him on tho
laundering ship under the glare OF The
lightning IN the breakers OF Ms Lila. Coz
crowns his children amid the bowling o