The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-12-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR DEC. s BY THE
REV. I. w. HENDERSON.

- TIN DLOs . nI IEU
REV. /. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Ruth's Wise Choice, Ruth
1:14-22 - Golden Text, Ruth
1:16-Memory Verses, 16, IT,
Read Ruth La.
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 a 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 ma
tons fidelity and fortune, few
leaders appearing clearly on the
stage and behind them a 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
Hebrews were at home, how they
lived in the villages of Judah or ON
the slopes of Tabor, the narrativel
has not paused to speak of with de-,
tail. Now there is leisure after the,
strife and the historian can describei
old customs and family events, can
show us the toiling fiockmasters, the,
busy reapers, the women with their
cares and uncertainties. the love and
labor of simple life. Thunderclouds
of sin and judgment have rolled over
the scene; but they have cleared
| away and we see human nature in
examples that become familiar to us,
no longer in weird shadow or vivid
lightning fash, but as we commonly
know it, homely. erring, enduring,
| imperfect, not unblest.
And Ruth-memorable for ever is
her decision, charming for 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." But Ruth replied.
"Intreat me not to leave thee, and
to return from following after thee;
for whittier thou goest, I will go;
and where thou lodgest, / will lodge:
thy people shall be my people, and
thy God my God; where thou diest,
will l 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 shave 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 is
reached beyond which no promise
could go, the quiet fervor of the
feeling, the thought which seems to
have almost Christian depth-all
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.
Dignified and warm affection is the
first characteristic of Ruth, and close
beside it we find the strength OF a
firm conclusion as to duty. It 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 wilful-
ness is the extreme Of weakness, but
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 go. Unreason decides
by taste, by monetary feeling often
out of mere spite or antipathy. But
the resolve Of wise, thoughtful per-
son, even though it bring temporal
disadvantage, is a moral gain, a step
towards salvation. 1t is the exercise
Of individuality of the soul.
Life has many partings, 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 Wilen
at 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 mistake to
say that Orpah took the way OF
worldly SelfSnneSS, Ruth only going
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
they and we shall reach the truth
and agree in our conclusions. Sepa-
rations there must be for time, for
as the character leans to love or JUS
tice, the mind to reasoning or emo
ton, there is difference in the vision
Of the good for which man should
strive.
Yet one difference between men
reaches to the roots of life The COM
pany of those who keep the straight
way and press on towards the light
have the most scrrowful recollection
of some partings. They have had to
leave comrades and brethren behind
who despised the quest OF holiness
and Immortality, and had nothing but
mockery for the Friend and Saviour
IF man The shadows nf pctY4nOa.