Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-16
&eadiug tur the $abbath,
.. CONDUCTED BY .-.-.
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOrlglnal.l
LUKE, i:19..31.

lorgnal.,
.... LUKE, xvi: 1871.
The portion of Scripture contained in the
passage referred to, is usually called the "par-
able Of the rich man and Lazarus" 1t is not
clear that it is parable. 1t no doubt, in
part at least, is a truthful record of facts, and
may be regarded as history. The name Of
one ofthe individuals is withheld, and the
other (Lazarus) is rather the name Of a class
ofpersons, than of single individual.
Lazarus is an abbreviated form of Eliezar,
which denotes poverty, or one dependant upon
God for assistance. Two representative per-
SONS are selected by the Saviour, and their
history briefly, yet minutely traced through
time into eteruity. So far as the things Of
this world are concerned, the two characters
form striking contrast. The one was rich
the other poor. One was known from the af-
huence by which he was surrounded and the
splendid luxury in which he lived. His
clothing was fine linen and scarlet, and his
table was loaded with sumptuous dishes. The
other was, no doubt, clothed in rags ; his body
WIS CUf0lcu Will ulCCIS, duu LILO AoiS Vuo Viz
crumbs thst fell from the others table, The
one was known throughout the community by
the ease and luxury in which he reveled. The
other was known, if known at all, by his
squalid poverty. In fact, we are led to infer
that Lazarus was unnoticed and uncared
for by any, and that the dogs that kenneled
around the rich mans house, were his kindest
friends. These creatures performed the kind
Office of a physician, in that they cleaused his
ulcers by licking them.
With regard to the moral character Of the
two individuals, not one word is said. 1t is
not said that the rich man was VIGOROUSLY
wicked, and Lazarus was devoutly pious.
Neither is it said that the rich man was a
hard man taking up that which he had not
laid down, and reaping that which he had not
sown. No censure is passed upon the rich
man because he was rich neither is any praise
bestowed upon Lazarus on account Of his
poverty.
1t may be asked in what did the sin of the
rich man consist, and what was there to COM
mend in Lazarus. The Saviour is illustrating
and enforcing what he had said in the 18th
verse aye can not serve God and mammon."
The rich man and Lazarus served different
masters. The rich man served mammon,
whilst Lazarus, as his name imports, depended
on God, or served God. s..
According to the law Of the Jews, it was
no crime to be rich. Neither is it q crime,
according to the precepts Of the gospel dis.
pensation. Itwas allowable for the rich man
to wear fine linen and scarlet. There was no
sin in this, according to the Jewish economy !;
neither is it sin to-day under the MONDAY
splendors of the New Testament dispensation.
The mans sin consisted in making god Of
the things of this world. For aught that is
said to the contrary, he may have been kind,
gentle, hospitable and charitable. Lazarus
may have been fed from his table, for by his
asking Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his
tongue, he seems to intimate that Lazarus was
under some obligation to him. His sin was
simply that he worshipped and adored his
riches as his God. His mind was set upon
them supremely, and in them he trusted. God,
in his providence, granted him the desires of
his heart, but the accomplishing of these de-
sres, whilst it may have been helpful to 9th
els, proved his own eternal ruin.
The only thing worthy of commendation in
Lazarus, was that he served God. The rich
man served mammon; grew wealthy, and
lived in regal style lazarus served God and
was poor and afflicted. This may seem
strange. We might be ready to conclude
that God would have made his servant, Laz-
arus, rich and happy, and blighted the devo'
tee of mammon with poverty and af1iction.
This would have been the case had the end of
both come when they died but since both
were probationers for another state Of exist
ence, God prepared Lazarus for bliss in anoth-
er world and since the rich man would serve
mammon he "let him alone" In the poverty
of Lazarus there was nothing either good or
evil. 1t was chosen by God as means by
which Lazarus might be fitted for heaven.
The contrast between the two individuals is
carried through time into eternity. Accord
ing to the fiat of the Almighty, both the rich
man and Lazarus died. The rich man, it is
said, was buried but the burial of Lazarus is
not mentioned. We may infer, however, that
he was buried. The laws required this to be
done. The contrast is presented again. The
rich man was buried with great pomp. A
long funeral procession followed the corpse,
and the bier was horne by the mobiles Of the
land. Poor Lazarus was taken out by some
persons appointed for the purpose and simply
buried. 1t is remarkable that the name Of
the rich man is not given but the name Of the
beggar is. By this little omission we are for
chilly reminded of the declaration Of God in
another portion of the Scriptures. "The men,
ory of the just is blessed but the name of the
wicked shall rot" Prov. 1917.
No doubt, during the life. time Of the two
individuals, Lazarus often wondered why it
was that his neighbor had so many good
things and he so many evil things. No doubt
he was envious when he saw the prosperity Of
his rich neighbor. When his spirit was re.
leased from his ulcerous body, visions of glo-
ry burst in upon his soul and all the past was
clear. Angels stood waiting to transport his
soul to heaven, and thu soul of his neighbor
was driven to the regions of torment. Then,
bliss inefable began to Lazarus, and weeping
and wailing and gnashing of teeth commenced
with the rich man. Lazarus was satisfied.
He was at Gods right hand, where there are
pleasures evermore. The rich man was mis-.
erable He was poor, indeed. His appetites
were strong and vigorous; but there was
nothing to satisfy them. His desire to be
clothed in fine linen and scarlet and to fare
sumptuously every day, was morbidly strong;
but in that drear region to which he was ban
ished, there were no royal robes nor regal VI
ands.
As a practical remark it may be added that
every community has in it rich man and
Lazarus. The former is serving mammcn
and will lose his soul the latter is serving
God and will one day be transported by an
gels to heaven.
N ~ IL L.