The Pulpit Commentary — Ruth — Section 31

It is made up. It is not open to every solicitation. It is negative to doubt and dis- trust. This is the right way, and nought can move it. The feeble and irresolute have a restless life. They are constantly balancing expediences and advantao-es. Christ our Divine Lord set hie face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem. The hardest journey of all to the shame and spitting, the awful darkness and the cruel cross. I£ we are firm and decided in our purposes we shall not be waating either time or 11trength upon the solicitations of the popular or profitable. A voice within will say, "This ie the way, walk ye in it."-W. M. S. Ver. 19.-" So they two went till they came to Bethlehem." "They two l" Some- ·dmee it is husband and wife. Sometimes it is two sisters commencing life together in the great city where they have to earn their bread. Sometimes it is two lovers who have large affection and little means, and who have to wait and work and hope on. Sometimes it is widow and child. '' They two l" What unr""IOrded histories of heroism there are written in God's book all unknown to us. I, HERE IS THE COMMENCEMENT AND CLOSE 011' A PILGRIMAGE. They went. They came. So is it of the life history itself. All is enfolded in these brief words. What a multitude of figures in Scripture suggest the brevity of life. A tale that is told. A post. A weaver's shuttle. The morning flower. So indeed it is. What a multitude of incidents would be included even in this brief journey of Naomi's ; but these are the two clasps of the volume of life. They went. They came. " Every beginning holds in it the end, as the acorn does the oak." II. HERE IS THE SIQHT OF A CITY. Bethlehem. Cities with them were not like cities with us. Even Bethlehem was called a city. But the old dwelling-places, after ten years, have a mute eloquence about them. Other feet come to the well. Little children who gathered flowers on the wild hills are now bearing pitchers to the well. But after a weary journey bow refreshing to the Eaetems was the glimpse of the white houses on the hills. We look for a city. A city which bath foundations. A city where our beloved are ; for God ie not the God of the dead, but of the living. We do not think of it in health and strength and excitement of human interest, but one day we shall look with quiet longing for the city gates. The evening of life will come upon us, and we shall pray, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." III. HERE IS A PILGRIMAGE ENDED. Better is the end of a thing than the begin- ning, said the wise man. And so it is. "I have finished my course." How much is included in that. When the battered ship comes into harbour we take more interest in her than the spick and span new vessel with trim decks, and untorn sails, and scarle8s masts. When the battle is over we think more of the shot-pierced flag than of the new banner borne out by the troops with martial music. We like to see the pilgrim start. But some pilgrims tum back. We like to hear Ruth's resolve. How much better is it to see the resolve written in letters of living history. We can call no man hero, no woman heroine, till the march is over and the victory won.-W. M. S. Ver. 19.-Never seemed there a sadder contrast. Naomi left Bethlehem in the full bloom of womanhood, with a husband and two sons. Elimelech, her hueband, died, we read, 11 and she was left and her two sons." They took them wives, and, as mothers do, she lived in the hopes and honours of their new homes; but, after dwell- ing in Moab about ten years, we read Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them, and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. A strange land is not so strange when we carry home with us ; but it is strange when all that made home home, is gone. We need not wonder, therefore, that not alone for the bread of harvest, but for the bread of love, she and her daughters-in-law "went on the way to return to the land of Judah." But, with 11, fine instinct, Naomi felt thut what would be home again for her would be an alien land to them ; and the tender narra- tive tells us how she suggested they should remain, and find rest, each of them, in the place of their peor,le. We well know the sequel to the words of Naomi, "Turn again my daughters ; ' for Ruth has become with us all o. beautiful picture of true- hearted womanhood, and a very household name. But it is with the question, " fa this Naomi?" that we now ho.ve to deal. She went out full. Not wealthy, perhap~, -though love is always wealthy, for it alone gives that which worlds want wealth  21i THE BOOK OF RUTH. [ce. 1. 15--22.