to be recognised by the Hebrews. The which, however, are treated by the ,viiter as Moabites, however, ]h;ng within the lines a mere blank in his story. He hastens on, or "coB.Sts" of their own distinct territory, Ver. 5.-And, to make a long story short stood in quite 1t different relation. And M:achlon and Chilion died also both of them: while, for purity's s1tke, great restrictions "Like green apples," SB.VB Fuller, "cudgelled were to be laid upon all overtures for off the tree." But why~. cudgelled" f There n1tturnlis1ttion (Deut. mii. 8~), yet the is no evidence in the text of Divine dis- law could never be intended to apply to the pl~asure, and the Christian expositor, when families of Hebrews who were settlers in gorng beyond the text in quest of principles, Moab, or to Moabitish females living in should not forget the tower of Siloam and their own land, end rather awarding than the victims of l'ilate's bloodthirstines; (seo see1.ing the prerogatives of natives. The Luke xiii. 1-5). And the woman was left name of the one was Orpah, and the name of her two children and of her husband. of the other Ruth. No doubt native Moab- That is, "of her two children as well as of itish names. Much ingenuity has been ex- her husband." She became as it were their pended on that of the more interesting relwt too. She remained behind after they person. Some have unwarrantably assumed had gone on before. If all sentiment were that Ruth i~ a contraction of the Hebrew to be taken out of tho expression, it might word mp7 meaning a female companion or then be simply said, in very commonplace friend. Still more unwarrantable, though prose, she survived them. Poor woman ! more captivating to the resthetic imagina- "Of the two sexes," says Fuller, "the tion, is the signification which is given to woman is the weaker; of women, old women the word by Werner and Eadie, namely, are most feeble ; of old women, widows most beauty. It is founded on an impossible woeful ; of widows, those that are poor, their derivation from the Hebrew i1N,. Still more plight most pitiful ; of poor widows, those restbetica.lly captivating is th'; •conjecture of who want children, their case most doleful ; Cassel, that the name is the ancient Semitic of widows that want children, those that form of the Indo-European word rodon or once had them, and after lost them, their roae. " At all events," says he, " the estate most desolate ; of widows that have thonght of Ruth e.s the Rose of Morib is in had children, those that are strangers in a itself too attractive not to be proposed as a foreign country, their condition most com- conjecture." It is certainly most attractive fortless. Yet all these met together in and most admirable as a jeu d'e,spri,t;, but Naomi, as in the centre of sorrow, to make too imegine.tive to be vi.!idicated on grounds the measure of her misery pressed down, of comparative philology. And they dwelt shaken together, running over. I conclude, there. Or, "settled themselves there;" liter- therefore, many men have had affliction- ally, " sat there. " We still call a gentle- none like Job; many women have had tribu- ma.n' s mansion his seat. A.bout ten years, lation-none like Naomi."
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-The emi,grants and thei,r truds. We are introduced to the Hebre'\'f family into which the Moabitess Ruth was married. L The BEAUTIFUL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NA.MES of both the Hebrew parents. ll. THE WOLF OF HUNGER HAD COME PROWLING TO THE HEDREWS' DOOR. Jn those conditions of society in which there is little commerce to unite people to people, or when a city is in a state of siege, the consequences of famine are in- expressibly sad and harrowing. Examples :-The recurring famines in India; the famine in Jerusalem when besieged by the Romans, and as narrated by Josephus; the famine in Leyden, when that city was, in 1573, besieged by the Spaniards, and when one of the patriotic magistrates- a noble soul-said to the hungry and mutinous people, " Friends, here is my body. Divide it among you to satisfy your hunger; but banish all thoughts of surrendering to the cruel and perfidious Spaniard." As commerce, however, grows under the fostering care of those Christian influences that aim at realising the brotherhood of all earth's nations, local famines become more and more amenable to control and neutralisation. Ill. THE HEBREW FAMILY WAS CONSTRAINED TO EMIGRATE. Many tender ties get ruptured when emigration takes place. But the heart is pulled onward by new hopes. Consider the importance of emigration from old and over-crowded countries to the numerous rich fields lying fallow abroad. These fields are just awaiting the presence of the cultivator to pour forth into the lap of industry on. 1. 1-5.] THE BOOK OF RUTH. 5
overflowing riches of food for the teeming millions of mother countries, and corresponding riches of rnw mo.terio.l for the skilled o.nd skilful hands of manu- facturers. IV. TllE EMIGRANTS BEEM TO HAVE OOT A CORDIAL WELCOME IN M0AB. It was creditable to the Moo.bites. Kindness o.nd sympathy should always be shown to strangers, and to o.ll who are far removed from the sweet influences of home. V. MORTALITY BOON SADLY RAVAGED THE HEDREW HOME. All are mortal. All must die. But in Christ-" the Resurrection and the Life "-we may get the victory even over death. He has "brought life and immortality to light." He who believeth in Him "shall never see death" ( John viii, 51 ; xi. 26). He "hath," and "shall have," everlasting life.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS.