n11m (as thou nrt entitled to do), then act it, and buy the property" (ver. 4). 'l'he kinsnrnn seemed gl11d that he should have such an opportunity of adding to Ins putri- monial estate, and accordingly, in presence of the elders and other inhnbitants ho heartily said, "I will act the kinsman's part." As be thus spoke there would, i~ all likelihood, be murmurs of applause round and round. Who could object to the ki?sman getting ~he. estate if. he should offer t~ pay a _liberal price to the reduced widow? It v.·~s, m 1ts ow~ httle sphere o_f tl~mgs, qmte a crisis. Deep-drawing mterests, affections, and desires were trembling m the balance. Boaz looked grave. But it was evident to perceptive eyes that he had not yet unfolded the whole case to ,-iew. After the briefest possible pause he resumed, and said, in the presence of the judicial conclave, " In the day when thou buyest the land from Naomi, thou must buy it not from her only, but from Ruth also, as prospective heiress; and more, thou must buy it with R'ldh at prei;ent upon it, as ils inalienable appurtenant, in order that the name of her deceased husband may, by the blessing of the God of Israel, descend with it in the line of her posterity (ver. 5). It was only for a moment that the fate of the gentle Moabitess trembled in its scale. The kinsman was not prepared to accept the property on Naomi's terms. He feared that new interests would spring up to fritter into insignificant patches the property which he already possessed. Hence he said to Boaz, in the presence of the elders and the other citizens," I cannot act the part of the nearest kinsman; do thou it, Boaz, in my room" (ver. 6). Boaz would triumph in his heart; and so, when she became iRformed of the decision, would Naomi ; and so would Ruth. But some legal formalities required to be observed ere the renunciation of the prerogative attaching to the nearest kinsman became absolutely binding in law. "This,'' says the writer, "was formerly a custom in Israel on occa- sion of surrendering rights of kinship, or selling and buying land, in order to con- firm every matter. A man drew off his shoe and gave it to the contracting party. This was attestation in Israel" (ver. 7). Accordingly, the nearest kinsman in the case before us drew off his shoe and tendered it to Boaz, in testimony that he there- with resigned all right to walk upon the ground in question (ver. 8). After this formality had been completed, and Boaz had courteously, in presence of the assembled witnesses, returned the symbolic shoe, he seems to have sent for Naomi and Ruth, and to have finished with them, in the presence of the people, the arrangement which was the most momentous into which he had ever entered, and which promised to be big with blessing to others as well as to himself. It was not only a marriage settle- ,nent; it was a bridal ceremony. The antique benisons of the elders and the other citizens fell round him thick and fast (vers. 9-12), and that blessing which maketh rich, and to wLich no sorrow is added. the blessing of the God of families and of all family love, descended and crowned the union. V. It is infinitely becoming that all things in marriage should be dono "DECENTLY," "IN ORDER," and ABOVE-BOARD. Let everything clandestine be sensitively avoided. Whenever there is anything in marriage or its preliminaries that needs smothering up, the wind is sown, and the whirlwind will need to be reaped. VI. If stable HAPPINERS AFTER MARRIAGE be desired, care should be taken to have all preliminaries duly, clearly, and righteously pre-arranged, more particularly such as have reference to possessions, money, rights, or prerogatives. There should be .i.lso, es_pecially in these modern times, distinct preliminary arrangements regarding the chief manners and customs of the home, and the relationship that is to be, sustained to Churches, and Church assemblies and ordinances. Much indeed must be left to future and incidental adjustment; but great regulative principles l!hould be mutually settled. VII. if, in " the estate of marriage," there be, as there should be and might be, on both sides a continual aim after whatsoever things are true, honest, seemly, honour- able, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and praiseworthy, then the light of life will shine in the home and in the heart with inexpressible sweetness and brightness. But if there be suspicion, jealousy, hard authority, tyranny, a dictatorial spirit, or any grossness, or secret faithlessness, or the neglect of courtesy, or the extinguishment of kindness and daily benevolence, if there be hard selfishness, however glitteringly glozed over with a semblance of good manners, then the light of life will be not only partially, but ~.otally eclipsed. When the selfishness unmasks itself to the full, the l.aet feeble 'JHE BOOK Oil' RUTH. f,7
l111mo, flickering in the socket, will die out, und be succeeded by a darkness that i.~ tho very " bl11ckness of darkness." 'fhe true ideal of conjugal relationship is presented by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians (eh. v. 25-33). The husband's love should be as the love of Jesus to his Church. The love of the wife should be as the love of the Church to Jesus. Then the marriage is "in the Lord;" and, what is better still, the life after the marriage is life "in the Lord," and life to the Lord. It was from ages and generations " a great mystery," but now it is made manifest in every Christian home that is Christian indeed.