The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR DEC. s BY THE
REV. 1. W. HENDERSON.
Subject: Ruth's Wise Choice, Ruth
1:14-22 - Golden Text, Ruth
1:16-Memory Verses, 10, ~

1:16-Memory Verses, 16. IL
Read Ruth IA.
Leaving the Book of Judges and
opening the story of Ruth we pass
from vehement outdoor life, from
tempest and trouble into quiet domes-
tic scenes, says the Rev. r. A.. Wat
son, D. D. After an exhibition OF
the greater movements of a people.
we are brought, as it were, to q cot
tage interior in the soft light Of an
autumn evening, to obscure lives
passing through the cycles Of loss and
comfort, affection and sorrow. We
have seen the ebb and flow of a ma
tons fidelity and fortune, a few
leaders appearing clearly on the
stage and behind them q multitude
indefinite, indiscriminate, the thou
sands who form the ranks of battle
and die on the field, who sway to-
gether from Jehovah to Baal and
back to Jehovah again. What the
Hebrews were at home, how they
lived in the villages OF judah or on.
the slopes Of Tabor, the narrative
has not paused to speak of with de-
tail. Now there Is leisure after the
strife and the historian can describe
old customs and family events, can
show US the toiling f1ockmasters, the
busy reapers, the women with their
cares and uncertainties, the love and
labor of simple life. Thunderclouds
of sin and judgment - e rolled over
the scene; but they have cleared
away and we see human nature In
examples that become familiar so u.s.
no longer in weird shadow or vivid
lightning fash, but as we commonly
know 1t, homely, erring, enduring,
imperfect, not unblest.
And INTERCHANGEABLE Or ever is
her decision, charming : ever the
words in which it. is expressed. Be
hold" said Naomi, "thy: sister-in-
law is gone back unto her people,
and unto her god; return thou after
thy sister-in-law." Bnt Ruth. replied,
"Intreat me not to leave thee, and
to return from following after thee;
for whittier thou goest, / will go;
and where thou lodgest, I will lodge;
thy people shall be my people, and
thy God my God; where thou diest,
will I die, and there will ] be buried;
the Lord do so to me and more also,
II aught but death part thee and me,
Like David's lament over Jonathan,
these words have sunk deep into the
human heart. As an expression OF
the tenderest and most faithful
friendship they are unrivalled. The
simple dignity of the iteration In,
varying phrase till the climax ID
reached beyond which no promise
could go, the quiet fervor of the
feeling, the thought which seems to
have almost a Christian depthNal
are beautiful, pathetic, noble. From
this moment a charm fingers about
Ruth and she becomes dearer to us
than any woman of whom the Hebrew
records tell.
Dignifed and warm affection is the
first characteristic of truth, and close
beside. it we find the strength Of q
firm conclusion as to duty. 1t is
good to be capable of clear resolve;
parting between this and that OF OPP
posing considerations and differing
claims. Not to rush at decisions and
act in mere wilfulness, for wtlful-
ness is the extreme Of weakness, U
to Judge soundly and on this side
or that to say: Here ! see the path for
me to follow; along this and no other
conclude to 60. Unreason decides.
by taste, by momentary feeling often
out of mere spite or antipathy. But.
the resolve Of a wise, thoughtful PEI.
ton, even though it bring temporal
disadvantage, Is a moral gain, q step
towards salvation. It is the exercise.
of individuality Of the soul.
Life has many parttngs, and we.
have all had our experience OF some
which without fault on either side
separate those well fitted to serve.
and bless each other. Over matters
of faith, questions of political order
and even social morality separations,
will occur. There may be no lack
of faithfulness on either side when
at a certain point widely divergent
views of duty are taken by two who
have been friends. One standing
only a little apart from the other
sees the same light reflected from a
different facet Of the crystal, stream
ing out in a different direction: AS
it would be altogether a mistake to
say that Orpah took the way OF
worldly selfshness, Ruth only gong.
in the way of duty; so it is entirely
a mistake to accuse those who part
with us on some question OF faith
or conduct and think Of them as
finally estranged. A little more
knowledge and we would see WITH
them or they with US. Some DAY
thew and we shall reach the truth
and agree in our conclusions. Sepa-
rations there must be'for a time, lor
az the character leans to love or JUS
tice, the mind to reasoning or emo
ton, there is a difference In the VlsloH
of the good for which a man should
strive.
Yet one difference between men
reaches to the roots Of life. The COM
many of those who keep the straight
way and press on towards the llgn'
have the most sorrowful recollection
of some partings. They have had tc
leave comrades and brethren behind
who despised the quest OF hoilneSs
and immortality, and had nothing DuI
mockery for the Friend and saviour
of man. The shadows of estrange-
ment falling between those who are
of Christ's company are nothing
comnared with the dense cloud wh1Sb
divides them from men pledged to
what Is earthly and ignoble; and sc
The reproach of s~ectarian division
coming from irreligioIs persons
needs not trouble those who have as
Christians an eternal brotherhood.
Three-Footed Bear Killed.