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RUTH—LOVE IN THE RARLEY YIELD
RUTH—LOVE IN THE BARLEY FIELD.
“Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife.” —Ruth
4: 13.
R
asked by some young* ladies to read to them the
most touching story he had ever seen. Substituting
modern names for the real ones he read to them
the book of Ruth. They were perfectly delighted
with the story.; said it was the finest they had ever/;
heard and asked who was the author. I commend
the story of Ruth to all readers. Our plan in
dealing with her will be that of a review of the
whole story. But in doing so we will keep in mind
that it is no fiction. It is as real as life itself. No
critic has denied its genuineness.
THE STORY OUTLINED.
The date of this beautiful story is about 1322 B.
C. Place: Bethlehem-Judah. Prominent characters:
Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon, Chilion, Orpah and
Ruth. It came to pass that there was a famine in
Bethlehem-Judah and Elimelech, the husband of
Naomi and the fathei* of Mahlon and Chilion, took
his family and went over into Moab, where it was
supposed there was plenty and to spare. Moab was
a heathen district, but this did not deter Elimelech
from taking his family there where there was a
prospect for material gain. He was like thousands
of men today. The average Christian never takes
such matters into account when he is seeking a
place to make his fortune. About all he wants to
know is, “How* much money is there in the deal?”
Some time ago a friend of mine was talking of
settling in a certain country, and I said to him,
“Have you considered the surroundings? Are they
congenial to the development of the religious and
moral life of yourself and family?” “Oh, no,”
said he, “a man can’t afford to have pious eyes
when planning for meat and bread!” “But,” said
I, “don’t you know the Master says, ‘Man cannot
live by bread alone’?” “Yes,” said he, “but busi
ness is business.” “Yes,” said I, “but you’ll find
yourself dumped in the end if you make business
your god.” Try it if you will; but let me tell you,
the man who shuts his eyes to his environments,
especially when he has a family to raise, will open
them some day to sorrow, and perhaps shame. God
Himself can’t make a good man out of one whose
life is mixed up with evil.
TROUBLE BEGINS.
After arriving in Moab we may conclude that
business prospects brightened, and if there had been
any misgivings on the ground of the religion of
the country, they all vanished and the aliens felt
compensated for lack of religious privileges by good
business prospects. I’ve known many a good Chris
tian snared in this way by the devil. Intoxicated
with a flourishing business, one can easily persuade
himself that he doesn’t have to be so regular in his
church life. A gentleman of splendid opportunity
for judging said to me the other day: “All this
talk about the gulf between the masses and the
church doesn’t apply to Atlanta —the gulf here is
between the church and the rich or prosperous peo
ple.” I believe it. I have observed that the people
who show their appreciation of the church most are
the so-called common people.
Like every other man who tries such a course,
trouble came to the Elimelech family when Elim
elech himself sickened and died. His death was
sad. It is always sad when death comes and divides
a devoted couple. But this was peculiarly sad.
Naomi was left a widow in a strange land with two
UTH is one of the few women who has
been honored by having a whole book
in the Bible to bear her name and
devoted to her life. It is not strange
when we are thoroughly acquainted with
her. Nowhere in literature is there to
be found a more interesting story. Dr.
Wharton tells of a distinguished liter
ary gentleman in England, who was
Tabernacle Sermon by Reb. Len G. roughton, D. D.
Steuographically reported for The Golden Age.—Copyright applied for
boys to rear. I’ve no doubt she wished a thousand
times she had not left the old land. But it is too
late to weep over mistakes when they have borne
fruit.
TROUBLE MULTIPLIES.
The only thing to comfort Naomi in her sad state
was her two fine boys, Mahlon and Chilion. They
grew up to manhood and then married. Mahlon
married Ruth, and Chilion married Orpah. They
were heathen girls at the time of their marriage,
but soon turned to Irsael’s God. Naomi became
very fond of her daughters-in-law. It fixed her in
Moab and made her feel much at home. It is really
something to be proud of when the children are
happily married and settled down in life. But oh,
this new-made tie is soon broken! These two noble
sons lived to enjoy their married life only about
ten years, when poor, unfortunate Naomi and her
daughters-in-law are left alone in Moab.
We talk about the sadness that came over Naomi
when she buried her husband, but she had never
known what sadness was until her two sons died
and left her in a strange land without a single blood
tie. Some of us know what it is to bury the com
panion of a lifetime. Home never seems like
home any more. But let the children be taken. Let
the last and only prop be knocked out and we are
prepared to know what sadness and gloom is.
Naomi knew something of this loneliness when
she was left in Moab without a husband or sons.
This brings us to the dividing line in her Moab
experience. She determined to go back to the old
home and to old friends. So early in the morning
she started out with her two daughters-in-law for
the land of Judah. But soon she thought of the
probable injustice she was doing these, her daugh
ters-in-law*, by influencing them to go with her,
and she told them they could return to their people,
and she would make the journey back to the old
land alone. The daughters-in-law would not hear
to her suggestion. Finally, however, Orpah yielded
and returned to her land and kindred and we never
hear anything of her again. Ruth acted differently.
Hear her tender appeal: “Entreat me not to leave
thee, or to return from following after thee, for
whither thou goest I 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 I be buried; the Lord do so to me,
and more also, if aught but death part thee and
me. ’ ’
Pathetic words these are. There is nothing like
them to be found in literature. First, they show
that at least one daughter-in-law appreciated her
mother-in-law. The world is too easy to take sides
against the mother-in-law.
Ruth puts the whole tribe of daughters-in-law to
shame by her consideration of Naomi. I wish we
could get the lesson to take root. There is not
enough consideration given them. They are the
mothers of our wives and husbands. No doubt they
get a bit too officious, but bear with them, for it’s
done in love.
Ruth also shows the right regard for Naomi’s
people. She says: “Thy people shall be my peo
ple.” I love to see a woman kind to her husband’s
people. I have heard of a woman who “got left”
the day before she was to be married, because she
spoke disrespectfully of the mother of her intended
husband. She said “I feel very sorry for myself.”
Said he: “Why?” “Because,” said she, “it will
be so hard for me to come down to the level of your
people. Your mother is a good woman, I’ve no
doubt, but she is very common.” “Then hear me,”
said he, “no woman can live under my roof who
thinks my old mother common.” He was right.
HOLDING ON TO RELIGION.
But the strong character of Ruth becomes strong
er than ever when we see her holding on to her
religion. She had turned from idolatry to the living
The Golden Age for July 16, 1908.
God, and now* didn’t propose giving up. I am
persuaded that many of our so-called Christians
would have lost hope under such trials. Not very
long ago one of our best women got in the dumps
and said to me, “Since I became a Christian and
have been trying to do my duty I’ve had so much
trouble that I feel like giving up sometimes.” I
tried to show her that her experience was not un
natural; that the devil was trying to get back what
he had lost. Ruth’s declaration ought to strengthen
such souls. She had certainly had a hard time since
she had professed living for God. Her husband had
died, and now she was going into a strange land.
But she was firm. She had no thought of recanting.
Her position was like that of Job, “Though He
slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Oh, for such
fidelity today! Much trouble would be averted if
we had it. Good people allow themselves to turn
from their church and duty because of such little
things. Perhaps they get their feelings hurt, of
they don’t like the way some little thing goes, and
they go. All the labor and thought of the past is
thrown away for such a trifle. Let us not forget
that God is on the lookout. He sees it all, and
as sure as heaven He brings correction. Stand by
your religion. Don’t let anything deter you. The
world will applaud you, and God will reward you.
CHANGED SCENES.
Naomi found Ruth intent upon going with her at
whatever cost, and so they started for Canaan. It
was a very disappointing journey. The country had
so changed since with Elimelech and her two sons
they came over to Moab. A few years make a
great change in the appearance of things. The
forests and the fields change. The people change.
Everywhere the shifting hand of time is seen.
But the greatest change was in Naomi herself.
This she felt more keenly than everything else.
Hear her pathetic cry, “I went out full, and the
Lord hath brought me home again empty.”
RUTH A WORKING GIRL.
We now come to the thrilling incidents occurring
after their arrival at the old home. When Naomi
left for Moab she was in good circumtsances, for
the times. When she returned she had nothing.
Ruth took in the situation and proposed to help
matters by going to work in the harvest • field of
Boaz, a rich old bachelor farmer of that country.
It may be said that her offer involved a plot to
break into the hard heart of this old bachelor; if
so, it only shows her to be closely related to her sis
ters who have followed her even down unto this
present day. Where is there a charming young
widow*, or a charming any kind of woman, who is
never guilty of some kind of plot to unlock the
closet door in some man’s heart? Women are not
to blame for wanting to get married. They don’t
w*ant to be alone in the world any more than a man.
I say, want to marry if you want to. Fix up and
look about as much as you please. I think, how
ever, I would not show it quite so plainly as some.
But say what you please of Ruth’s plot to catch
Boaz, the immediate course of her offer -was work.
She had to support herself and help support her
mother-in-law*. How noble in her! Many a young
woman today would not be so commendable as Ruth.
They would argue that it is beneath their dignity to
w’ork. There are half the women in our Southland
that need to work; and they would not hesitate to
do it if they did not fear the loss of their dignity.
This is the curse of our country. Unless our girls
can enter a profession they disdain work. Un
questionably much of this is due to the ever-vexing
race problem. Our girls feel that it is against them
to take a place previously filled by negroes. This
has been true to some extent, but it is fast chang
ing. AH classes of working girls in this country
today are honored and respected. I believe there
is more love and sympathy for them today than for
any other class of our people. Senseless pride
