The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-06
cT Ruth and Naomi. Ruth, /: 1922
BE Kindly Affectioned One 10 Another.

Bet.3ehedn at the beginning OF barl'y
harvest CEN, ix:3l-32). about the first
OF April, q most delightful season. when
the JOY OF inSatherins filed the land.
The homecoming of one we'll known,
after ten years of absence, would excite
Interest in any community. Among East
err people of simple and darnonstratVe
n,snncr the whole city was moved
Matt, XXi:I0.) AS the tidinSs spread
from lip to lip that Naomi, who went out
in the famine, had returned, old friends
So tfered about and looked curloUsiy into
the sad faces Of the beTeaVGd- The Light
had gong out Of hsr eye, the smile had
departed from her face. and the looi1
III detection had succeeded that hopeful.
trustful expression which belongs to the
tappy wife and mother. is this Ma
cnli?' the women inquired. Qsa. S%lh:
~ Can this be our friend. whose name
sianifying pleasant, tsutaiuilS rep't.so
hsr disposition in other days! 1t vas
not wonder alone that led to the ques-
ton There was in it something OF that
evil spirit that comes into the heart OF
many wasn others. once prosperous, nave
met adversely. (Psaltns. N,,xv:21p
soRROW-The heavy heart of Naomi
was near to breaking at these words
from old neighbors. She made no apoi-
ce.i or defense, either for her appearance
or mistakes With comuendable humility
size desired that her name might be
changed q common custom in that day
Gen, xvii:5). to express her misfortunes-
victims, TO be known in the village IS
Mara eek. xv:23), that is bitter. With
NJ tient resignation she assigned ali her
trouble to Divine providence. Dob i:2l.l
She had gone out full accompanied by
y husband and two sons. blessings
enough for one woman, treasures more
T.. be priced than silver and sold. ana
she had come home empty-her loved
c:les sleeping in foreign graves, and sne
a weary, lone pilgrim, bearing heavy
burdens. Is is strange that IN TINS express
sion OF her poverty she made no reference
:, Ruth. the one who had. with beauti-
fuI devotion. consecrated her all to be-
come her comfort and support. 1t is pos
sible that the greater SORROW FOR the time
quite drove out of her thought this soil
i;.l.v source OF consolation; and II IS
eyeD possible that the presence OF the
Mcabitess at that time, in view OF the
uncertainty of the future. was cause 1or
added sorrow. Tender and sympathetic
souls are grieved when they can do noth-
ing for those who confde in them.
CONCLUsION-The centra! figure in
our lesson is Ruth. It is very proper to
give her name to the whole book, for
She is its heroine. The great thought Is
not the power of love between man and
Woman the theme of the move !st (song
Vii TO- not love of ma n for man q Sam,
Wild. the theme OF fraternity, not the
love Of God to man Gohn, iil:l6), the
theme of redemption, but the love OF
woman for woman. Ruth's affection for
Naomi recognized in Beth chem (Ruth,
iv:l5l. was of the purest, most unse!tisf.
NEST extraordinary kind, a widow for a
widow, caughter-in-iaw for mother
ic-!aw, a Moabitess for a Jewess. It en-
d,ired the severest test and made the
largest possible sacrifice. Whence came
that love? What caused it to spring
Ut in the heart of one who had been
raised outside the household Of faith.
who had worshiped idols? Was it a pro-
duct of welded life? Did Chiffon. the
a,rented husband carry into his home
such reverence for God and mother as
TO win his wife? Was Naomi SO beau
tiful and loving as to draw out these
emotions like the tendrils Of the vine?
lid Divine grace work in this woman $
heart? Or was she a beautiful flower
arrearing to show the rarely possible OF
TIE hesthen world? Whatever the origin
i. Is worthy OF place in the inspired
Book Il John. iv:7. 81