The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-07-22
Great Personages
of the Bible
BY
REV. LEONARD A. BARRETT
Ruth

cumstances associated with the
character of Ruth. The city of Beth
lehem is famine stricken. Elimelech
and his wife, whose name was Naomi,
together with their two sons immi-
CRATE, because of the famine, to the
land of Moab. 1t was a very unusual
occasion for an inhabitant of Beth
lehem to move to foreign soil. 1t was
not unlike going into a land of strange
gods In the land of Moab this i'm
migrant family did not prosper
Elimelech died shortly after their ar
rival in the land of Moab, leaving
Naomi a widow. Her two sons, whom
they had taken with them on their
migrating journey, married and offered
no support to their widowed mother.
The two sons subsequently died, leav-
ing Naomi without husband or chill
dren. Her only relations in the new
land were her two daughters-in-law,
Orpah and Ruth. A very important
decision on the part of Naomi to re-
turn to her native land led to meet
ing of farewell with her two daugh-
ters-in-law. She told them that there
was no future hope for her in the
land of Moab, and that the wisest
thing for her to do was to go back
home, and under no circumstances
were the daughters-in-law to go with
her. They were both young and beau
tiful. Fortunes awaited them if they
would remain in the land of Moab A
very unusual thing happened. Ruth,
one of the daughters-in-law, volun-
tarily agreed not to remain in the land
of Moab, but to return to Bethlehem
with her mother-in-law. Naomi did
not ask her TO go with her. Ruth's
decision was simple, direct, and en-
tirely of her own free choice. 1t was
a wonderful confession of loyalty.
Being daughter of foreign soil, it was
a sacrifice for Ruth not only to give
up her opportunities in Moab but also
to return to land she had never seen
and where she would be regarded as
stranger of another land. The words
in which Ruth expressed her loyalty
to Naomi have become a choice pas
sage in literature. "Entreat me not
to leave thee nor to return from fol-
lowing after thee. Where thou goest,
/ will go, where thou lodgest, will
lodge. Thy people shall be my peo--
pie, and thy God my God Where
thou diest / will die, and there will
be buried. The Lord do to me, and
more also if aught but death part thee
and me-" So Ruth went with Naomi
to Bethlehem.
A decision in an important crisis
in life is not difficult to make If one
has the moral reserve strength suf-
ficient for both the surrender and sac
rifice. Ruth possessed this quality.
The experience of her daily life was
of such character as developed those
qualities which made her a strong,
noble, and brave woman, woman
who possessed decision and poise.
She knew how to make up her mind
and also to act upon her decision.
Such a quality of character reaps its
own reward. 1t was true in the ca
reer of Ruth. With Naomi she ar
rived in Bethlehem in the season of
the barley harvest. In order that she
might not become a burden to Naomi
she CLEANED in the fields of Boaz. The
romance between Boaz and Ruth was
beautifully tender. A rich owner of
barley fields fell in love with woman
of the very poor class. The marriage
of Boaz and Ruth not only brought
supreme happiness to both, but also
through their marriage they became
direct ancestors of the Messiah. Ruth
solved her life's problem not because
she was beautiful or intellectually bril-
liant. or even clever. She won the
victory in battling with the problems
Of life because she had the courage to
act upon the conviction which her
character was strong enough to make
(@ 1929, Western Newspaper Union.>