The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-12
LESSON STORY.

1.Orpah parts with her moth
er-in-law, vs. IA.
The point at which the story OF Ruth
begins in our lesson is where Naomi and
her daughters-in law, Orpah and Ruth,
are at the northern border of Moab, and
Naomi attempts to fulfil her purpose to
finally part with the two younger women,
and go back alone to her old home in
Bethlehem.
The story, up to this point, is briefly
this; Ten years before, Naomi with her
husband Elimelech, and her two sons,
Mahlon and Chiliop, had left Bethlehem
in time of great famine, and had made
their home among the Moabites at the
south,-a prosperous Bedouin tribe with
which the Israelites were then at peace.
But no improvement in visible fortune
attended these emigrants from Israel
Soon after reaching Moab Elimelech, the
head of the household, died. Following
this severe affliction another trial came to
Naomi's Hebrew heart, namely the mar
rige of her two sons to Moabite wives
a thing forbidden by the Mosaic law
In less than ten years these Affections
were followed by the death of both her
sons, bereavement which filled her cup
of sorrow to the brim. She was now
desolate indeed; widowed, childles, in
strange land, with only the two Moabite
widows of her sons left of her household.
Word having come to her that the fam
inc was over in Judah, she was possessed
by desire to return to her old home
and her distant kindred in Bethlehem
to return in repentance, because she as
a Jew believed that her misfortunes had
come to her because OF the disloyalty to
her country and her religion of which
she had been guilty. Her daughters-in-
law started to accompany her short
way on the lonely homeward journey.
When they approached the borders of
Moab, beyond which it could be scarce
ly safe for the young widows to go, Ma
omi would have parted with them. She
said, Go, each of yoat return to her moth
er's house, thereby confessing that she
had no claim of kindred upon them com
pared with that of their own mothers.
But in her parting words Naomi paid
such tribute to her daughters in law
as only pure and faithful women could
have won: The Lord deal kindly acith
go1, as ne haze dealt acith the dead and
Nth me. Pagans as they were. and
aliens from Israel, these women had
nevertheless been so devoted and true
in their homes as to win the benediction
of their husbands mother. Naomi
counselled them with great kindliness
as we'll as worldly prudence. They Of
fered to go with her to her people; but
they were young, and Naomi felt that
they should find husbands and have new
homes of their own. She told them she
had no more sons for them. She and
they were not unaware that in Israel
when a man died leaving a childless
widow it was legal obligation of the
brother of the departed one to take his
brothers widow and rear family in
his brothers name, that the family with
it's inheritance might not be lost to
Israel But this law would not avail to
bring husbands to these Moabite wild
ows. They, aliens from the common
wealth of Israel, could have no claim
under Israel's law. The thought Of her
helplessness, in her desire to do good to
her estimable daughters-in-la law, Wrung
from Naomi the confession; 1t grieUeth
me much for your sakes. for the hand
of the Lord is gone forth against me.
In the quaint language OF the old He
brews we are told: And they lifted up
their uoice and aoept again; and Orpah
kissed her mother-in laao: but Ruth
Glaze unto her.