Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-03-24

LESSON TEXTBOOK of Ruth
GOLDEN TEXT-Thy people shall be
my people and thy God my God,-Ruth
1;16.
PRIMARY ToPIc-rhe Story of
Ruth.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Ruth and Naomi.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Ruths Choice and Its Outcome.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
1C-The Secret of Ruth's Noble Life.
l. Ruth's Connection With Naomi
(Chapter :1-15). on account Of famine
in Bethlehem of Judah. Naomi with her
husband and two sons sojourned in The
land of Moab. After the death of her
husband her two sons married Moabit-
ish women After d time her sons died
also. After the death Of her sons
Naomi resolved to return to her home
land, having heard that the Lord had
visited His people in giving them
bread. They went to Moab to escape
trouble but only got into more. 1t
was not until Naomi was thus chas-
tised that she resolved to return.
Naomi had the good sense to recognize
that the hand Of the Lord was upon
her for good When the time came
for her to go Ruth and Orpah accom-
panied her, for a distance. This she
permitted but. determined to place be-
fore them frankly the difficulties which
would necessarily confront them. 1t
was this frank presentation Of the diff
ticulties and her repeated urging them
to so back that called forth from Ruth
the expression of her noble choice.
II. Ruth's Noble Choice Q:16-1S).
Much as Naomi loved her daughters-in-
law, she would not have them go into
this matter blindly. She told them the
worst that could come upon them. This
principle ought to be carried out by us
in all our relations in life In busi-
ness the spirit of frankness should be
manifest. At home we should deal
with each other in the most straight
forward way. The same thing should
characterize our behavior in the
church and society Note the difficulty
which confronted Ruth:
/. No Chance to Marry Again.
Naomi told her that she had no more
sons for whom she could wait. In that
day to be unmarried was the greatest
disgrace. Society differed then from
now.
2. She Must Renounce Her Gods.
Her idolatrous worship could not be
carried op in the land where Gods
people dwelt. This was delicately
touched upon when Orpah went back
". 49,. Orpah went back when it was
plain there was no chance to get a
husband. Now Naomi puts an addi-
tional test upon Ruth, that of giving
up her religion. Ruth was equal to the
occasion. Her mind was fully made
up. She was willing TO accept as her
God the one who was able to produce
in his subjects the nobility Of character
she had observed in Naomi. NaOmi's
very frankness in dealing with her
caused Ruth to be more determined to
cast her lot with her. Ruth's position
was so definite and unfaltering that
the very expressions have come down
10 us in words which mo poetry has
out-rivaled, and no pathos has ex-
ceeded and which has gone through
centuries with the music that will not
let them be forgotten" She was de-
termined to share Naomfs journey, her
home, her lodge, her lot in life, and her
grave in death, whatever that would
be. To crown it all she would re-
nounce her heather gods and worship
Jehovah.
III. Blessings Which Attended Ruth's
FaithfuIness. Ruth was never sorry
for her choice, because
l. She Found the True God Il :16).
Instead of her heather gods who were
unable to help her she now had
living God, the God of Israel, as her
God
>. She Found Human Friends.
(Chapter y. AS she went to CLEAN in
the field she was led to the field Of
Boaz, a man Of wealth and grace. The
servants of Boaz treated her with con-
sideration. Even Boaz gave instruc-
tions for special consideration to be
given her.
3. A Good Husband and a Happy
Home (3-4). She not only secured a
husband, but man Of God who had
an abundance Of this worlds goods.
4. An Honored Place in the Israel
itish Nation (4:13-1O. Though she
had to forsake her own people she be-
came one of a nobler people.
s. She Became a Link In the Chain
of Christ's Ancestry (4:18-22 compare
Matthew i ~. The one who fully de
cides for Christ and gives up all for
him shall get a hundred-fold in this
life, and in the world to come eternal
life.
Sharing Misfortunes.