jn
ORPHA'S
EE.GRET
A STORY OF THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES
IN ISRAEL
Dy the "Hfahwpjr and Dy way" Preacher
(i'opyilyin.ivo;, Uy tlie.Auilioi , w.h. KJmiii.)
Scripture authority: Ruth 1:1-15,
especially versos 14 and 15.
SERMONETTE. J
A Choice That Determined a
Destiny. Orpha on the road
that led to the land of Israel
came7ac'c to face" with the turn
ing point of her life. The vision
hdd come to her of a new home
and a place among God's people
and obedient to the aspirations
for a better life and holler
things, she started with her
mother-in-law, Naomi, ana sisicr- i
ter-ln-law, Ruth, for the Prom- -
I sod Land.
Sn h. h.nrl nnne forth '"with T
i ..wy " a i
-f- Naomi and had come to the bor-
T derland" of Israel. There Naomi 4
uaused and wisely tested the I
i sincerity of purpose of the two
young women. They must count
the cost. It was no light thing
to choose God and God's people
as a future destiny. They must
T realize that It meant separation
11 from the old life and hardships
11 in the new. In substance, Naomi
said to Ruth and Orpha what
11 Jesus said to those who would
become his disciples. "Which of
11 you," lie exclaimed, after he had
declared that disclpleship meant
11 cross-bearing and fellowship In
hardship and suffering, "intend-
t ing to build a tower, sltteth not
X down first, and counteth the
cost, whether he have sufficient
to finish it. Lest napiy, atter
he hath laid ihe foundation, and
he Is not able to finish It, ail
that behold it begin to mock him,
:nviifi! This man ben an to build.
t--JVZ - --n - I
and was. not able to finish."
And Orpha bid her mother-!n-
-a. law a tearful adieu and turned T
T back. Turned back from the Z
light of which she had caught
T a n'iirricring. Turned back from
the higher purpose and destiny, t
Quenched the flickering flame of 4
spiritual aspirations, and turn-
ed back to the old life and the
old gods. Turned back to be
swallowed up by the world and
the things of the world. This
is the last word we ever hear of
Orpha. From that time forth
she was counted out of God's
reckoning. We can imagine
what her life may have been
after her return, and how when
the tidings came of the blessing
and prosperity which had come 1
to Ruth in the, to her, 6t range, 4
far-off land of Israel, there must T
4 have come the smartings of dis- "
appointment and regret that she 11
thad once been so near the bless- n
Inn imH barl liMlrtfa lecrlw anrl
Illy V I V4 I I MM kMWWIItlW BO I J Mil V
carelessly let the treasure slip T
from her. "For of all sad words -f
of tongue or .pen, the saddest are 11
these: 'It might have been!'"
Orpha and Ruth stood side by 11
I side that day at the dividing
4 line between the world and God. 11
x Orpha turned back, there ends "
the tale. Ruth went on, and to- 11
1', day we are rejoicing In the "
Christ who was of the house 11
II and lineage of David, whose
grandfather Obed was the son 11
1', of Ruth and Boaz. H
4 444444444444
THE STORY.
BY DINT of coaxing and netting Or
phu's friends had at Inst persuaded
her to accompany them to the festiv
ities in the village close at hand,
where for weeks the preparations had
been going on for the honoring of the
gods of the Moabites, and she was
HORSE THAT COULD REASON.
Fhysician Tells of Animal's Conduct
on a Stormy Night.
Tho best story told In an evening of
amusing talk at the Wlnshlp club
meeting this week was that of Dr.
Paul about his partner In business for
a score of years or more, his horse.
When the doctor and he were 20 years
younger'ln practice Dr. Paul received
a "hurry" night call from ono of the
best families In his circle. They lived
a mile or more away In a rural neigh
borhood and although It was late at
night and storming tho, doctor rushed
out there at full speed.
On arriving in the yard at the house
he threw the blanket hastily upon or,
rather, at the horse (who never re
quired hitching), for it was found af
terward lying on the ground at his
side, and dashed Into tho house with
his case of ' Instruments. It turned
out' that tho aged grandmother of tho
family had had a fall,, that nor should
er was dislocated, that ethor had to bo
administered the pain was so great
busy getting ready for the start In
the early morning. It seemed strange
to them to have to coax Orphn to go,
for in fornler years she had boon ono
of the gayest at such celebrations, and
they had expected, now that the in
iluenco of her mother-in-law, Naomi,
was no longer present, that she would
enter ngniil heartily Into the life and
customs of her people.
On her return to her old home, after
the departure of Ruth and Naomi her
parents and friends had welcomed her
right royally, secretly rejoicing that
she was no longer to bo dominated by
the IaraelitlKh woman who had como
into their midst years before and who
had firmly and steadfastly refused to
share in their Idolatrous feasts and
practices, and the feelings of jealousy
and resentment which wore felt at
the lime of her marriage to the prom
ising young Hebrew, Chilion, were for
gotten in the realization thut she was
once more one of them.
Rut to Orpha something in the old
life was lacking. She could"not ex
plain why. She did not understand,
except that in the old homo and with
the old friends there was something
lacking, and a sense of disappointment
came to her. She tried to forget It,
and .-enter into the activities of the
home circle and friends with the old
time pleasure and vivacity, but she
could not forget the quiet, helpful, up
lifting influence of Naomi. Uncon
sciously she was constantly drawing
comparisons between the life sho had
known after becoming the wife of Chil
ion, and tho life her people lived.
When the time drew near for the fes
tivities attending tho worship of their
gods she had felt the old thrill of ex
pectant pleasure which she used to
know as she had planned and prepared
to share in the celebrations. Rut
this feeling soon passed and loft her
with that sense of unrest and dissatis
faction, so that at last ?nuch to the
surprise of her friends, she decided
that she would not go to the festiv
ities. It was then that they besieged
her with their pleadings until at last
she consented to go.
"What is the matter with mo any
way?" sho exclaimed, irritatedly as she
busied herself with, the preparations.
"Why shouldn't I go, and why
shouldn't I have a good time? Why
should I feel as I do?" Rut even
while she impatiently argued with her
self there kept recurring to her mind
the memory of her mother-in-law's
words, as repeatedly sho had heard her
say, when asked to attend the feasts:
"No, I have left my own land, but I
did not leave my God behind, and I
could not go up to the services that
would do honor to those which are no
gods at all."
She had felt a glow of admiration
for Naomi at that time for her brave
words, and down deep in her heart she
knew that the gods which her people
worshiped were false gods and not
like tho God whom the Hebrews wor
shiped. Rut now that sho had gone
back to her people once more and
was away from the strong, uplifting
Inlluence of that godly woman, she
had felt tho old desire to enjoy the old
life as she had formerly done, but
somehow she could not.
"Rut I will, I will, I will," she ex
claimed, as sho made her final prep
arations and started forth with the
merry group of friends who had
come to accompany her to the
place of the celebration. A3 they
moved on they chatted and laugh
ed gayly, and it was not long ere
the old spirit of gayety had complete
possession of her, and she forgot all
about tho struggle she had had and
the questions which had kept her In
so unhappy a state slnco her return to
the old homo.
Thus tho day sped swiftly on. The
festivities were at their height, and
the great throngs of people awaited
the coming of the solemn procession
of the priests, who In the presence of
all the people were to make their of
ferings to the gods and invoke their
blessings upon the people, following
which the damsels were to dance the
sinuous, dreamy figures which were
part of the religious ceremonies. Or
in short, the doctor could not take his
hand off his wprk for three hours.
All this time a driving sleet storm,
tho moisture freezing as it fell and
giving everything a coat of ice, was
beating upon his partner out in tho
yard.
When the doctor finally emerged in
the small hours t was to find tho horse
whero ho had left him, except that tho
rig was headed round for home. A
daylight examination revealed the
truth through the marks of the hoofs
and wheels of the buggy that during
his long wait of three hours in a pelt
ing and freezing storm, the horse had
a score of times made up his mind to
go homo and had gone down tho road
sometimes a quarter, sometimes half
of tho way, and then had thought this
hard on the doctor and had turned
back to wait as In duty hound.
If this is not a demonstration not
only of ronsoning .power but also of
moral consciousness, what Is It? It
Is needless to say that1 tho doctor re
spects his subhuman partner and
would no more think of parting with
him till death doth them part than
pha, arrayed in her filmy, festal robes,
had taken her plncq with tho other
dancers ready to play her part, whon
the time should come, as she had
boon wont to do In former years.
"Are you not ghul that you arc here
and not In tho land of Israel?" asked
one of her companions standing next
to her.
"Yes," answered Orpha enthusias
tically, "and I wish Ruth wero hero
to share In tho festivities with us."
"Foolish she was, indeed," was tho
reply of tho other. "What can she
find there but poverty and hardship"?
Havo you had tidings from her sinco
sho went away?"
At thcr mention of tho land of Israel,
and the nanio of Ruth a stranger
standing near had started and then
listened eagerly to tho conversation
which followed, but so cucupled' wero
Orpha and her friends with their con
versation that thoy did not note this.
Rut suddenly they wero aroused by an
abrupt Inquiry addressed to Orpha:
"Did you know Ruth?" he asked.
"Rrlng you word from her?" Orpha
asked, eagerly. "Is sho well? How
fares she?" and she continued to pour
out a rapid fire of questions, piling up
her inquiries .concerning Ruth.
The stranger lifted up his hand in,
helpless protest to stem tho fiood of
questions, Baying, as ho did so:
"Listen, for I havo just come from
Rothlehem and bring tiding of won
derful things which have come to
pass. Call her no longer poor, unfor
tunate Ruth, for she has becomo tho
wife of one of the principal men of
the city."
"What's that you say?" cried Or
pha, Incredulously, believing that her
eurs had misunderstood.
And thus Importuned the stranger
went on to explain and to glvo fur
ther details of her sister-in-law's life
slnco going to Bethlehem.
At this point tho conversation was
interrupted by tho passing of tlio
priests, mumbling their Incantations,
'whllo the people shouted the names
of their gods, crying:
"Great are tho gods of tho Moabites.
Whore are thoro gods like unto them,
and who can bestow blessing such as
they give to their faithful children?"
"Who, indeed?" thought Ohpha, bit
terly, ns . her thoughts sped back to
that day when she had stood in tho
roadway with Ruth and Naomi and
had finally turned back and left the
two to go on alono. Her gala attlro
seemed as though mocking her in her
distress. She thought of tho abhor
rence which Noami had had of the
faast days of the Moabites. What
would sho think of her now in tho
midst of that gayety? Sho knew that
the God whom Naomi had worshiped
and about whom sho had spoken to
her two daughlers-In-law, was tho true
God. She might have had him for her
God, but she hnd turned back. Thus
harrassed by the workings of her con
science, she turned and fled from tho
place, crying out as sho went:
"It might have been, but now it is
too late! Too late!"
Satire of a Logger.
In tho pine clad hills of California
tho country folk had gathered at a
neighbor's house to spend the evening
in social dance.
Tho male contingent of the gather
ing was composed of farmers, mill
men and logging hands; the fairer sex,
the wives, sisters and sweethearts of
the men and the district schoolteach
er, who Was the center of attraction
of the young men and who seemed to
be aware of her own popularity.
During the evening an awkward,
bashful and roughly dressed logging
hand was intorduced to the school
teacher and asked if ho might have a
dance with her.
The school teacher drew herself up
haughtily and said: "No, slr-ee; I am
particular with whom I dance."
Whereupon the logging hand replied,
with an air of indifference, "I am not,
a mite, or I would never have asked
you." Judge's Library.
Plautus Little do you know what a
gloriously uncertain thing tho law is.
ho would with any member of his fam
ily. His hack is bowed with tho weight
of 27 years; ho is no longer tho hand
som trotter he t once was, but ho is
tho doctor's "fidus Achates," just tho
same, and ho will not be supplanted,
in spite of tho public's smiles. Roston
Transcript.
Progress In New Zealand.
A number of great engineering pro
jects are under way in Now Zealand
looking to tho utilization of some of
tho many water powers of that coun
try. Tho most notable of these is the
harnessing of the famous Huka falls
at a cost of $8,000,000, which will sup
ply tho Auckland district with 70,000
horse power.
Marie Corelll on "Baby Talk."
Whon a man Is horn ho at onco dis
plays that fractious and fickle disposi
tion which is sp often significant of
his future development and woman
has to carry him up and down in her;
arms, talking nonsonso to him, or, as
it is callod, "baby language." Sho
knows she, has to begin that way, bo
cause he would not understand senso
ISRAEL ENSLAVED
IN EGYPT
Sunday School Lesson for May 19,1907
SpecUlly Prepued (or This Paper.
LKSS'tN TKXT. -Kxodus 1:1-11. Mem
ory vcrpos, 1:1, 11. '
GOLniJN 'ri5XT.-"Then they cried un
to tli Lord in their, trouhlc, and ho saved
them out of their distresses." Psalm
107:M.
T1M1C According to Psalter's chron
ology Jacob went down Into Kg.vpt about
170U H. C, and the sojourn In Egypt was
for 215 or 430 years from that time, For
tho length of captivity see Gen. 15:1:1, 14:
Ex. 1:40; Kings 0:1; Gnl. .1:17.
UULKltS. It 1h quite generally agreed
by scholars that the Pharaoh of tho
oppression wns Itiuueses II. , and tho
Pharaoh of the lOxodtis his son, Mcneph
tab T.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Chosen Family. Vs. 1-fi. "Tho
first seven verses are introductory to
tho whole book. In accordance with
tho almost Invariable custom of tho
writer, there is first a brief recapitu
lation of preceding events, and then a
statement of the actual condition of
affairs." Joseph Parker.
V. 1. "Those aro tho names." Tho
12 sons of Jacob only are given, tho
heads of tho families or clans. "Every
man and his household." "The 'house
hold,' according to tho Hebrew idea,
included not merely wife and children,
but men-servants and maid-servants,
dependents and retainers, oven hire
lings who might quit tho service and
go elsewhere when It pleased them."
Rawllnson. How numerous those
households wero can bo surmised from
the fact that Abraham could muster
111 8 ar,mcd men to rescue Lot (Gen.
14:11); Isaac was mightier than somo
of tho neighboring kings (Gen. 2G:1G);
Esau and Jacob had to separate be
cause their followers were so numer
ous (Gen. HG:G, 7).
V. 5. "And all . . . were 70 souls."
The list Is given In Genesis 4G, where
two women are Included, Dinah, Ja
cob's daughter, and Surah, a grand
daughter. Perhaps, as Canon Cook
suggests, these" wero named because
they remained unmarried. Dean
Payne Smith (Hampton Lectures) esti
mates that altogether, with their
households and retainers, they num
bered 11,000 souls. "That so large a
body should be fuvoraby received need
not excite surprise."
The Reasons for Removal. "There
was need for Jacob's family being re
moved from Canaan, ns some, of them
were becoming much tainted with the
Idolatry and pollution prevalent there.
In Egypt, on tho whole, life wns purer.
Then there was a risk of their amal
gamating by marriage with the doomed
Canaanltes; hut the Egyptians wero
so different a race that there was no
such risk with them. To he among tho
Egyptians would also bo a benefit to
them In other ways, for they would
learn much from a people- so skilled In
all the arts of lifo and so superior In
civilization." Rlalkie. Even tho af
flictions thoy wero to suffer there wore
not the least of their gains from the
stay In Egypt, as we shall seo.
A Period of Prosperity. Vs. G, 7. It
was u wise providence of God that In
troduced the period of bpndage In
Egypt with a period of liberty and
prosperity; otherwise, the Hebrews
would not have remained in Egypt
after the end of the famine.
A Period of Adversity. Vs. 8-14.
The period of prosperity through
which the Israelites passed was from
Jehovah; but so, no less 'certainly,
was the porlod of adversity which fol
lowed as soon as they wero strong
enough to endure it. Roth wero parts
of God's great process of development
and training.
Rameses II. as a Builder. "This
king wns the most enterprising builder
of all the Pharaohs, and that moans
the sacrifice of tens of thousands of
lives. He built temples and reared
monoliths and colossal statues. His
temples were approached through long
avenues of sphinxes. Out of the solid
rock at Ipsambul he hewed two spa
cious subterruncan temples, and set
up at their doors four human figures
GO feet high. Among his public works
was a chain of fortifications along tho
entire northeastern frontier of Egypt,
for 1G0 miles. Ry his command Im
mense dikes were built on the lower
Nile and in the Delta. Canals wero
dug and cities were built." Prof. E. P.
Humphrey.
The Climax of Cruelty. Ex. 1:15-22.
When Pharaoh found tho Israelites
nourishing even tinder this terrible op
pression, he resorted to measures still
more severe, ordoring tho destruction
of their male Infants as soon as they
wero born. The females wou!4 be
harmless, and would prove valuable
slaves. "A similar policy was pursued
by tho Lacedemonians toward tho
helots, by Mithridates toward his Ro
man subjects, and by the Caliph,
Hakem', toward tho Egyptians." F.
Johnson. When tho official midwlvos
ovadod tho king's command, "by a re
finement of cruelty to which tho Herod
of tho future wus not equal, ho re
quired parents to execute tho sentence
of death on their own children."
Humphrey. This was indeed the cli
max of aflllctlon.
CARE IN WASHING STOCKINGS.
Are Too OftenConsldered ns of Little
Importance.
Wo all know tho ordinary laundtess'
most "ornory" way of washing stock
ings, using the rln3lng water loft nfter
tho white clothes, which glvos them U
coating of whlto lint, both hoary and
disreputable. These things ought not
bo to be.
Tho first essential in .washing stock
ings is to havo an absolutely clear,
clean soap solution in topld water.
Shako tho stockings to remove all the
dust pusslble, put in right side out,
rub well, turn and rub on tho wrong
side. If the color Is at all delicate, rub
tho feet first, then tho legs, so ns not
to leavo long In tho wator. Rlnso
thoroughly, wring dry and hang from
tho tops of tho stocklng3, so that If
tho wator settles, leaving a llttlo dis
coloration, it will bo In tho too instead
ortho log.
Tho black stockings now aro usually
fast. If tho colored stockings show
signs of running or fading, thoy may
l)o sot with alum or salt, romomborlnr;.
however, that alum sots dirt ns woll
as color.
Silk stockings should bp wnshod
aud ihiBcd In lukewarm water and
wrung between towels. Iron stockings
from tho toe, following up to tho heol,
then fold the leg with the seam in tho,
middlo, leaving tho foot uncreased.
TO BROIL A STEAK.
Only Way If One Would Retain Dell,
cate Flavor.
Tew housewives understand the art
of broiling and consequently chops
and steaks aro ofton robbed of'tholr
dollcato llavor by frying In a pan.
A steak or chop properly broiled
should havo n thin, well-browned
crust. Reyond this crust tho meat
should bo red nnd Juicy, hardly a
shade less done In tho middle than
nenr tho surface.
If tho broiling bo dono on a range,
have tho firo very bright and clear.
Opon every draft that smoko and
llamo may be-drnwn up tho chimney.
Place the pleco of moat In tho double
broiler nnd hold It ns near tho coals
as possible until tho surface Ib brown,
turning frequently. It will take three
or Tour mintitoH for this. Now rniso
tho boiler soveral inches ahovo tho
bod of coals and continue .tho cook
ing until the meat is done;
Tho boiler must bo turned ofton.
A good rule is to count ten slowly,
then turn tho broiler. A steak or
chop cut a llttlo moro than an Inch
thick will cook nlcoly In ten minutes.
If liked woll dono it should bo cook
ed for 12 minutes.
Stewed Rhubarb.
Stowed rhubarb for breakfast or
luncheon must not fail whon It is tho
cheapest and best thing of tho vege
table world on tho market. Cut up
tho rhubarb, pour boiling water over
it and thon drain In a colandor and
cool. Pack tho piecos tightly in
quart cans; fill tho cans to overflow
ing with wntcr that has been boiled,
strained and cooled in ice. Seal
quickly whon tho can is overflowing
and tighten with tho can wrench. In
vert nnd put Immedlntoly In a cool,
dry place. When opened for winter,
use, drain off all the water and let
ihe fruit stand In fresh cold water
half an hour. This is by far tho
best manner of preserving this fruit
for winter pies or whero it is used
llko tho fresh variety. Strawberries,
oheries (not pitted) and red currants
aro canned in this way, but the other
methods aro better. Tho fruit is not
scalded first.
Ginger Ice Cream.
Three pints thin cream, one cup
sugar, one-fourth pound Carlton ginger,
one-fourth cup ginger sirup, three
tablespoons sherry. Cut tho ginger in
small pieces and mix with the other
ingredients. Freeze, using ono part
rock salt to threo parts finely crushed
ice.
Washing White Blouses.
The following Is a quick way of
washing a white silk blouse: Lot It
soak for two or moro hours in a basin
of cold watort Next prepare a hot
lather of soap and water and squoezo
the blouse in this. Change tho wator
when dirty. Whon tho lnthor romalns
clean rlnso the blouse In warm water
until It Is quite free from soap, and
finally leave It for ten minutes In u
basin of water to which a tablespoon
ful of methylated spirit has been add
ed. Roll In a towel for a few minutes
and Iron, while wet, with a hot iron.
To Stir Smooth Thickening.
All housekeepers appreciate tho dif
ficulties of mixing perfectly smooth
(lour thickening for gravies."
Ono of the best methods for success
Is to take a new wire dishcloth with
a handlo and keop it for a thickening
stirrer. Half a dozen Whisks with this
and your thickening Is all mixed,
much sinoothor than you could possi
bly do It with a spoon.
Hold tho stirrer for a moment under
tho faucet, hung on tho drier and It
iW require no more washings.