The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-06
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
AUGUST 10.
Lesson Text: "The Rich Man and
Lazarus" Luke xvi, 1881
Golden Text: Mark K, "a
commentary.

g1n OF tho h V. IQrlO2 SumpLuOuSly -
translated as "living in mirth and splendor.n
SO that we have before US one who had all
that heart could wish, as far as this world is
concerned, and he made the most Of It, and
was no doubt envied and sought otter by
many. An invitation to his house was some
thing desirable, and perhaps never refusedk
But In all the wealth and mirth and splendor
Of his home there was nothing pleasing to
God. Like the rich man Of chap. xii, ID, be
lived only for this world and what he could
get from it, he knew nothing Of durable
riches and Righteousness" or ''the substance
and treasures Of the Lord prov. will, 1921.
90, 81. "And there was certain beggar
named Lazarus which was laid at his gate,
full Of sores, and desiring to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich mans table;
moreover tho dogs came and licked bis
sores"
Perhaps there could not be greater con-
trast than the rich man in his luxury and
this poor beggar in his poverty and attic
tion, and no ordinary person would hesitate
moment if asked to choose for themselves
the position Of one or the other.
But when we consider the who,e lesson In
the light of here and hereafter, we shall see
that It might we'll be called THE story Of
the two beggars." Tho ono was q beggor
during the short time of his earthly pilgrim.
age, the other became q beggar for all
eternity. Lazarus was literally q companion
Of dogs loathsomc, pitiablo object to the
passer by; no one enyied him or desired his
Company. Yet observe that we know bis
name and it is recorded in tho Scriptures,
while we do not know the namo Of the rich
man. There is depth Of meaning In thu
words of the Lord to Moses, "Thou hasta
found grace in My sight, and I know thee bT
name" Ex. 11xiii., ~.
"And it came to pass that the beggar died
and was carried by tho angels into Abfe.,
hams BOSOM" Those who call this parable
take it upon themselves to dssume the re-:
sponsibility Of so doing. am not willing to.
do so, having no authority, and prefer to ac-
cept it as plain statement Of facts by one
who knew whereof He affirmed, and wds
capable Of giving us glimpse Of the unseen,
with which BE was perfectly familiar. The
the rich mans gate; the frail tabernacle, the
corrupt and loathsome body had lost its ten;
ant; Lazarus was dead. We are not told that
be had q burial; if he had 1t was paupsr'a
funeral and the mourners wore few. But u
he died on the street there would be, in few
moments, but little to bury III Kings IL, 33
-36). But let US follow Lazarus as he leaves
his poor tenement, What surprised What
an escort! Holy angels, Gods mfnistering ser
wants are waiting for him, and ho Is joyfully
borne in triumph to eternal rest and unaL
loyed happiness. Hc has forgotten his misery
and remembers it as waters that pass away
(Job 1i., ICY.
1.-THE rich man also died and was buried.n
His wealth could not prolong his life, nm
could his many friends and admirers detoin
leaving all his mirth and splendor behind
him. His body is we'll cared for, perhaps
embalmed, and probably he has O great fun
eral. Bullet us follow him:
%. "And in hell ([l. Y, hndes he lifts up
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abra.
ham afar or, and Lazarus in his BOSOM
No escort of holy angels awaited him, nor
does he find himself in rest and peace, much
less in mirth and splendor. Even while taey
are weeping over his body and tenderly car.
ing for it, he is in torment in that portion OF
Hades, or the place Of departed spirits, where
tho lost await the resurrection OF tho body,
the great white throne, and their everlasting
punishment in the lake Of fire Qlev. ~, 5,
ills: xxi, s.. The word shell" Is found
in the New Testament about twenty-thra
times: twelve times it is Gehenna, or -th5
place OF everlasting burnings, and eleven
times it is Hades or tho place OF depai ted
spirits between death aud resurrection.
a. II am tormented in this flame" Fer.
haps IN oil his life Oh earth he never asked
for mercy, did not need 1t from men, and
didnot think thathe needed 1t from God; bue
now he is in trouble and evidently recognizes
tie Justice Of his condition, for be does not
complain, but only cries for mercy.
25. '.Son, remember" Does not this seem
to imply that OF least part Of the agony Of
The lost will be the unceasiDg reAelnbrancs
Of past sins, past opportunities forever gone.
past ingratitude to God which can never be
remedied' Those who in this life gave them
selves up to pleasure, saying unto God: DE
part from us; for we desire not the knowl.
edge Of Thy ways will in due time TIM know
that are eh dh for " have s 5s4svsa y0
26. Between us and you there is o great
gulf fixed" Taking this verse as we find II,
the doctrine of probation after death Is swept
away; for according to this there Is no pass:
ing from the place Of the lost to the place q q
the blest. Heaven is above all fear, bel! y
below all hope. Jesus said to the unbelleV.
ing of His day, "Yo shall die in your sinst
whittier 60, 20 cannot come" John vni..
eN. "These shall 90 away into everlasting
,cnlsnmenu: Dur <u~rfgh v1ss::- into ;.!..s sser-
aal" Matt XIV, 49,. The punishment Is the
ame length as the life; for it is precisely the
same word in the Greek which Is applied to
zach. The Bible is very often difficult book
TO two classes Of people, those who do not
care to hear what it really says and thoss
who would like to find in it what is not there.
But to those who accept it all as arevelation
from God, and desire to know only what He
has said, there are few difficulties in it.
81. 2s. Send him to my fathers house,
for have five children; that he may testify
10 fhay, 1acf fhar o1co ipfn fhiQ nlaN6
| If torment" Here is lost soul anxious for
she salvation of those on earth who are, like
ne was Indifferent to their eternal welfare.
God help us to act as if we believed thaa
lnsaved people are on their way to etc.,
orment. This is said to be the only record
IN Scripture of prayer to a saint, and it
proved Intellectual.
90. Abraham saith unto him, They have
Moses and the prophets; let them hear
them." The word of God, even the Scrip
lures of the Old Testament are all sufficient
to guide US into the ways of peace, for there
IS but one way Of salvation revealed in the
whole Word of God. and that is salvation by
substitute, the innocent taking the place OF
the guilty
30. And he said, Nay father Abraham;
but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent So many think to-day
and say, How do we know? What evidence
have we? Has any one ever come back to
tell u.s. All who talk thus set aside these
words Of our Lord as Of no value, and de-
spise Him who came from heaven to Calvary
TO redeem us. The words Of Moses and the
prophets are the words Of the Holy Spirit OF
God through Moses and the prophets. yea.
the words Of God Himself tAcss xviii, Is;
Heb. l.. y. ., .,.
not Moses and the prophets neither WI
they be tersuaded though one rose rom tne
dead" We are apt to think thar seeing ls
believing, but Jesus says: blessed a5e NE, IfGssy
that have not seen, yet have believed" p;t. Syoan
11.. s9. And Peter says by the on, SRn1s'
though now ye see Him not, yet believing,
"a ra3oicn with ioy upspeakabfe and full OF