The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-06

MEMBER OF the SCNOOl ~ 49,
Ihey hold it as a connecting INK us
tween the books OF Judges and or flfs'
Samuel Recent critics are disposed " d
later date, giving it to some utN'io"..
writer, whose chief purpose was, as etoS
think. to trace the pedigree OF LAM.
ruth, iv: 1920 The book has oeeh
highly and justly priced by an Gas y,
professor Steenstra. OF Camoli"5e
lsnity School, says what ihcst st1ue,i'o
will approve. that ut encioses s5ai"cti
Of roses as fragrant ard full or lnEst.c
calyxes as those which modern travel
crs find twining and blooming about the
solitary ruins OF israel and MOAB. us
delineations of character, It's descrlptiotis
of Oriental domestic life, its hisn moral
and religious tone, render It especlaiiE
valuable to students of human nature, Oh
archaeology and of religion.
STORY-The book will be best appre-
ciated if read entire at a single sitt'.i5.
Bot the following outline OF It's narIa'l'@
viii prepare Tor the study OF our selec e's'
passage. In the time OF the Judges The
cate not precisely known, severe iall-
inc caused Elimelcch. a resident OF Hetn-
letem-Judah, to emigraie 10 MOAB,
country lying east OF the DEAD oes.'
There after q brief residence. ne uleu'
leaving Wife and two sons Inc iattet'
contrary TO Mosaic law (peut.' VIZ: o.
married women OF the country. ana III d
few wears died With more than ofdl-
nary affection the three WIDOWS GYMS
together. At length. learning OF renewed
prrsuerity in their own land, Naomi. the
mother-in-law. resolved TO return thither.
and the MISUNDERSTANDING set out with
hey In the way considerations were pre-
scented which led Orpah to turn pach,
Ti,ile Ruth, resisting all argument. preesea
forward 10 make her home In Sethlehe.n.
There the two awakenet the sgn'pa'Hs
and surprise of the friends ana ne'shoo.s
Of the earlier years. Nhie SleSlll''S u.
the field Ruth makes the acquaintance Oh
Eosz a kinsman of her deceased nus
hand. Marriage follows, and their first
born Obed. becomes the grandfather U
David. the king.
pARTING-Our narrative opens IN the
ro;nt in the lesson where Orpah IS sep
alated from the others. They were coupl-
less approaching the border OF judah.
The Journey thus far may nave oeen ,e-
sarGed as a friendly escort SUI as .ie
purpose to proceed becomes evident, Ma
or1i was more anxious Tor the oaus ''tel
than for herself She was old and her
cup of sorrow was full; but they were
Young and might hope for better days.
she pleads with them, therefore. TO re-
ruru to their homes reminding thelh
fChron., I: $50 that by remaining IN NO
ali they might be welded again and flnd
rest in the home Of their husoands. Aai5
ple;. did not avail. With expressions OF
affection they declared their purpose
showing that in the land OF Juoah my
might no, expect marriage (verses ll-l5).
Al oriental woman to whom domestic
life is the goal OF all ambition. would
Ca. in this a future OF perpetual sorrow
and disappointment. So Orpah. WIN
tears and kisses, turned her steps home
ward but Ruth adhered to Naomi. nus
parting must have been particularly
painful to all.
ENTREATY-Once more Naomi re-
uewed her efforts with Ruth, moved oy
tre genuine desire of a true mother to
n,cet the natural lodgings of the young
heart. In single sentence she pre-
scented a three-fold argument, Ihy sis
ter-in-law has gone back, she SAID. W
diua1ily the example Of a young asso-
ciate would be more influential than al
lection for one who is many years oioer.
Gone back to her people, Naomi con-
t,cled. This must have awakened many
emotions Father and mother, brothers
and sisters. kindred and friends or else
their graves-these were all IN the iaho
ttev we're leaving. The remembrance OF
tl,nse among whom Ruth had associated
jr wears gone by, with whom she aad
held sweet converse it is expected would
n,eyent her from moving to strange
land Naomi added further, gone PACK
TO her GODS to Chemosh and Badl-Peor
C!uSges ii: 24). Woman RESPONDS most or
all to the influence OF religion and cllnss
tcniciously to the gods OF her ancestors
(.Numbers, ri: 800. Here, then. were the
p,werful motives to turn Ruth from her:
partnership. the remembrance OF native
land, the hopes and joys of religion
EESCLEE-Ruth was unmoEed. Her
answer was beautiful, prompt, concise.
conclusive. respectful. She begged Ma
omi to cease her cntreatics thrice made,
the very thought of separation berg
painful Every consideration, personal.
national, religious, Convinced her that
her choice was wise; and every argument
cny confirmed her choice. she mao re-
solved 10 accompany her mothcr-il-laW
al all hazards: to adopt her nome, ner
peopIe and her God. She would even
make her grave in the same land. sepa-
rated only by death Itself. That deter
n,iration involved q total abandonment
of all that she had cherished in early
life, it's memories ana hopes It's pleas
rres and rewards duke, xlv:aa), ana the
acceptance of privation, sorrow, poverty,
arc whatever might cone in the iand
where her lot would be cast. To render
her words more emphatic, she caliSd
C;cl to witness the sincerity of her in
tenttons using form of oath common
among Orientalists q Sam, ii:iO. In
al this it is evident t:lat Ruth's heart
Is conferred III Naomi. The personal pro-
noun thse and thy occurs seven times
in her speech indicating the defniteness
Of her thought
JOURNEY-Thsr was no need for
further argument. The hearts of the
two women being knit toseti1er. their
lives must henceforth flow into one chan
rel. Nanni y,,liei to the stea.Gfsst
mind OF her yor,ls companion t4Acts,
xsi:14). They proceeded tosstner until
trey co'n,c unto Bethlehem The bre!.-
& " oa 3.r'oture narrative is wonderful.
i-.;,ge sections uron which any purely
human author would dwell with interest
ing dctail are omitted altogether Hsre
tbs insured silence shuts out from our
story what al nl;e't innocenf N zn@;'re 10
k;?ow: what. II fact vel! sr'dsd ma
GRAFTON might rrotita bly, SUPPLY. 20
ceeding around the southern end or the
lead Sea the two passed. on pursuing
thence g-ne-a' ncr.hw aste~ly course
through the sp,rse'y settled nof'loH.
ftNr