THE MOABITESS WIDOW, OR WE take it for granted, that the reader is familiar with the interesting history of the individual here alluded to. In consequence of a famine in the land of Judah, Elimelech of Bethlehem, with his wife and sons, sought the plenty of the land of Moab. In this thing he most undoubtedly was criminal; for the famine was not so extreme but that others could endure it patiently; and by removing from the privileges and the ordinances of God's worship into a heathen land, he exposed his sons to the temptations necessarily connected with such a situation. And they appear to have fallen into the snare; for, contrary to the express command of God, they took them wives of the Moabitish women.' From the history it is to be directly implied that Naomi, the wife of Elimelech, was a woman of eminent faith and piety, and she appears to have taken singular pains to bring her daughtersin-law to a knowledge of the true religion. In this respect she is worthy of special imitation; her success will be seen in the sequel. The domestic happiness in which they all appear to have lived, was broken up, however, by the death of Elimelech and his sons; and the widowed mother and her widowed daughters-in-law were left to mourn over the ruins of their earthly felicity. It was impossible that the pious Naomi could rest satisfied in a land of strangers and a land of heathen; and when the circumstances of the case permitted, she prepared to return to her beloved country. Orphah and Ruth, the widows of her sons, had endeared themselves to Naomi by the uniform correctness and affection of their deportment; for in what she meant as her parting benediction, she recognizes their fidelity and kindness: 'The Lord deal kindly,' says she, 'with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me.' But though she loved them, she would not exercise an unauthorized controul. G They had no natural ties in the land of Israel, as she had none in the land of Moab; and she wisely and prudently left them their choice, either to remain in their native land, or to follow her to hers. And here, as often in the mysteries of Providence, we observe the different influence of the same religious instruction. Orphah, though she loved her mother-in-law, and wept as they separated, yet loved the land of Moab and her idolatrous relations better; while Ruth, deeply impressed as it would seem with the true religion, determines to forsake all, and to follow the fallen fortunes of her mother-in-law. The difference in the religious dispositions of the sisters-in-law, is clearly discovered in the speech of Naomi to Ruth, as well as in the fact of Orphah's return: 'Behold,' says Naomi to Ruth, 'thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people and to her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law.' The answer of Ruth exemplifies the difference I have stated: 'And Ruth said, 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 ought but death part thee and me.' This short history is full of deep, and of touching, and of captivating interest. Few, if any, among the fictions of modern times can compare in any sense with the simple recital of this history of facts. But the circumstance which throws a charm over the whole, and spreads a lustre over the situation, fate and character of the parties principally concerned, is that Divine principle of piety, and affection, and devotedness to God, which presents Naomi and Ruth before us as worthy of especial admiration. We use this history as affording an apt illustration of some principles intimately connected with the welfare of every reader-an illustration as interesting as it is important. That religion is a matter of unbiassed choice, there can be no question in the mind of any individual, who is at all conversant with the sacred Scriptures. When Joshua, in his valedictory address, touched upon this subject, he uses this expressive language: Choose you this day whom ye will serve.' His predecessor Moses had also said, 'Behold I set before you blessing and cursing, life and death." A compulsory service can in no possible sense be acceptable to God. He desires the sacrifice of the heart, with its passions and affections; and the heart must be given up to him, else there is no real religion. But though religion is essentially a matter of choice, yet that choice is not a matter of indifference. It is not equally well with us, whether we choose the right or the wrong. Though the choice was with the sisters, yet there was something essentially erroneous in the determination made by Orphah. A correct and safe choice implies, that we weigh the interposing claims, and only decide on that which deserves to be preferred. Though Moses, in his address to the Israelites, had said, 'Behold I place before you life and death, blessing and cursing,' yet he does not follow it with the advice, choose either of these at your discretion; but he adds, "therefore choose life.' And it is in consequence of this that the choice made by Ruth was so much better than that determined on by Orphah. The choice between God and Mammon is with every reader; but let it be solemnly remembered, that the everlasting wel |