The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. r. H. CARSON.
Subject: The Story of Ruth.

ing from the book Of Ruth. Among
other things be said:
We miss Il great deal of the beauty
and power of the Bible because or
the manner in which we are accus-
toned to read it. There are very few
who take time to read whole book
through at q single sitting. We dip
into Scripture us if it were book or
fate, reading q verse here and another
there. so it is not surprising that we
rise from the exercise having received
but little help and spiritual refresh
ment There is no royal road to
knowledge. There is 10 way to gar
ner the lessons which Holy Scripture
teaches save through that steady and
persistent searching Of which our Saw
ious spoke when He said, Search the
Scriptures. for they are they which
testify of Me-
1t is our hope this evening to point
out some of the beautiful lessons con-
tained in one little book of the Bible,
in one of the most delightful stories
ever presented for contemplation by
the mind of man. ! refer to the book
of Ruth. Its very place in the sacred
canon makes it memorable piece OF
literature. 1t is. rs you know, pre-
ceded by the hook of Judges, and fol-
lowed by the book of Samuel. These
books are concerned almost exclusively
with the national history Of Israel
with the wars. defeats, humilta.ions.
murmurings. conplainings. repinings
and repentances of the people. They
in,
Their pages are red with blood. and
violence. and rapine, and lawiess deedS.
the Interchangeable consequences or 4
nation forgetting God and neglecting to
do His will.
1t is 4 great pleasure, therefore. to
turn from these books that tell of the
ups and downs Of national life, and
fix the attention upon the charming
story OF Ruth. That little book pic.
lures domestic life; it gives us n
glimpse into the quiet. everyday habits
and customs of the men and women
of that time. and we see them in their
homes, in the harvest fields. at the
festivals, and at religious services.
Biography is, think, the favorite
reading matter. We are deluged with
a food of fictitious biography in the
shape of novels which come by thou
sands from the printing press every
year. 1t is an easy. but not very
profitable kind of reading. for in the
majority of cases there is great deal
Of unreaity. too great an absence OF
the lifelike, and too little of what we
know to be Il common experience.
1t is not so. however. in the book OF
Ruth. There we have life truly de-
picted; there we meet with men and
women rs we find them to-day-not an
gels and not demons. but erring, endur.
ing. faithful and not unblest.
1t is not my intention to enter upon
the story. l trust that you all know
it. or that if you do not. that you will
take a quiet half hour this very even
ing. and peruse that little book. which.
in its superiority, is as far removed
from our modern stories us the east
is from the west
In coming into touch. then, with this
piece of sacred literature, and conSid-
ering foc our edification some OF the
lessons which it teaches. we see first OF
all the superiority Of character. The
two chief figures in the story are Boaz
and Ruth, and it is their characters
that make them such. There is not
in the whole range Of literature bet
ter type of manly, healthy religion
than is exemplifed in the case Of Boaz.
You remember that scene in the har-
vest field. He went down to his reap
ers, and his salutation without any
cant CT insincerity, was. "The Lord be
with you" My friends. when such n
greeting rs that can take place be
tween master and men. it testifies to
the presence of a religion that leaves its
mark upon very act, and upon all the
conduct Of life. 1t is the men like
BoaZ who are the ornament and glory
Of religion; the men whose beliefs in
fuence them all in the manifold con-
Germs Of life, in the forum, in the mar
ket place, abroad as well rs at home.
Our Lord tells us who are to be nc
counted blessed 1t is not the mere
hearers of His word. nor they who can
cry, Lord, Lord firm that they
have prayed in p'. places. 1t Is
BLESSED are the doers Of the Word"
and blessed they alone. Such in lis
day was BoaZ-a man Of kindly feel
ings, pure heart. strong conviction. true
purpose. and the benediction of the
Most High was upon him.
Such, too, was Ruth. with her loving,
tender, considerate heart-one of the
fairest characters in the whole range
of Hebrew Scripture.
And the most noteworthy fact in this
connection is that these chara cterS
were produced amid surroundings and
an environment that would have dis
couraged the average person. 1t was
lawless time; restraints were weak
ened or entirely removed, and men be-
came law unto themselves. Such a
condition of society is not favorable to
the cultivation and development Of the
nobler virtues, and yet, amid such n
state Of things, we have the stirring
example Of these two who brayely
maintained the testimony and did the
right. 1t is not at all unusual to hear
men blame their surroundings for their
errors and mistakes; it is, indeed, the
common way by which We seek to con-
done our failings. but the excuse is not
valid Some men. it is true, are more
strongly tempted than others; some are
in places that require strong heart, q
firm faith. an unshaken confidence in
God and in the power Of Christ in
order that they may be kept from the
evil that prevails around them; but no
man, if his purpose be true, can ever
be wholly overcome. There is no
temptation that hath befalIen any man
but what is common. and always with
the temptation there is way Of es-
cape if, trusting in the grace divine and
in the strength omnipotent. our heart
and wills be set on delivery.
Amid surroundings most unfavorable