The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-01-07


they may reasonably expect to en-
counter, and so the honest old
Jewess carefully sets before them
her true condition of loneliness and
poverty, as we'll as the probable life
of hardship and toll that lay before
her. She would not deceive them
in any way, and in this she strik-
ingly illustrates Gods dealings
with sinners. He exhorts them to
"count the cost" before they enter
his service and carefully reveals to
them the fact that his service calls
for toll and sacrifice and trial. He
distinctly tells us that discipleship
must be considered before natural
affection; that the claims of God
precede the claims of kindred, and
so a man must be willing to forsake
everything else if he would be a
true follower of Christ; and even
after they have started in his SER
vice, like Orpah and Ruth on the
way to Canaan, he turns to them
and asks, "Will We also go away"
as if to impress them with the fact
that he can and will accept none
but those who, having the require
ments of Christianity clearly be-
fore them, follow him voluntarily.
Under the influence of the dark and
forbidding picture portrayed by
Naomi, Orpah's resolution is soon
shaken. On the one hand, she sees
the difficulties of the journey, the
toll, the sacrifice and the poverty in
a strange land. On the other, she
sees the comforts and attractions of
a perhaps luxurious home, the as
sociations of friendship and the in
fiuences of her religion, and so
though it cost her an effort to
separate from one whom she fondlv
loved, yet she tears herself away
after an affectionate and affecting
farewell and goes back to an idola-
ter's home and an idolater's destiny,
thus sadly illustrating the character
and conduct of thousands of super
fetal Christians in all ages the
stony ground hearers" who are to
be found In every community and
congregation. Finding that Orpah
has thus forsaken her, Naomi turns
again to Ruth, and after calling her
attention to the conduct of her sis
ter-in-law, exhorts her to follow
her example, not because she was
DESTROYS of getting rid of her, but
because she wished her to feel per-
fectly free to do as she pleased; and
her subsequent choice was doubtless
very gratifying TO the sad heart of
tne old pilgrim Her love was strong
enough to stand the test, even though
Naomi purposely brought her
self and her God into sharp contrast
with Ruth's blood kindred and
Moab's gods. There was something
in the life of the noble old Jewess
that had produced a profound i'm
preston upon the mind and heart of
her daughter-in-law, and Ruth's
devotion and decision under these
trying circumstances furnish a
striking commentary upon, and
worthy tribute to the constancy and
conservation of Naomi to the service
of the true God.
In the great home circle there
had emanated from her life an in
Huence, like fragrance from a flower,
that drew the heart of the young
Moabitess to her with irresistible
power. From that life she had
learned of a religion that was in
finitely superior to that of her
idolatrOus country-a religion that
could console and comfort in the
dark hour of affection, and strength
en- and encourage amid the manifold
trials of the world and from those
loving lips she had learned to know
something of " Jehovah" the God
who was the author and source of
these heavenly influences. Over
against the ties of natural affection
stood these new and stronger ties
that bound her to the spiritual
world, while over against the shrines
Of idolatry stood the altar and
sanctuary of the living God. With
the issues thus placed before her,
though sped on rapid wing, and as her
mind took in the situation in all its
bearings, her decision was soon
reached and positively expressed.
To 90 back 20 Moab was not only to
separate from her beloved friend, !
but it was to cut herself off from
all those religious privileges which |
had become so dear to her heart. !
Her choice was, therefore, not only
free and deliberate, but it rested |
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