The Atlanta constitution., 1900-04-09

time. because 1t is fixed by. an Almighty
God. So fixed that the thunders and
groanings and curses Cf torment cant
move ii. Tie individual who Is so un-
fortunate as to get there will certainly
be there to spend eternity We mig IT
ir agine an individual trying to get out OF
perdition. lie can go no way 9ut 9, In the tn
tween heaven and hell. He hurls himself
over and down he goes, down, down.
down. until he finds himself kept by some
tormented with the flames Thus ne
must spend eternity without hope. All
of Us more or less have hope here. We
are buoyant with hope. We have some
whole pathway, unt.i the reaper time
with the scythe of death cuts us down
and we fan into the grave. But how
miserable 1t must be. because of the
fixed gulf, to know that it is a hopeless
easel Hopeless! hopelessi who can faith
om the meaning of that word TO its
depths? y, that / could by divine help
SO thunderIthe gospel above the land and
country in reference to the awfulness of
hall as To bring clouds laden with fruit
that would burst upon the hearts and
min DIS of those without Christ to that
extent they would flee from the city of
destruction. Make Your peace with God
today. After God has cut you down 1t
VIII be too late then, and throughout
eternity the gorges and ravines and pits
of perdition will echo and re-echo the
sound. too late. too late. too late! There
orc tNO HlOTt thoughts tnaI 4 WISH u
present To your minds-one directly and
one indirectly. The first Is in reference
TO the reality of hell. We have a great
many people this day and time who say
there Is no such thing as a hell / want
every one in this congregation to be
able to refute this argument of there
being no hereafter. Get the following
references fixed in your mind so that
you can refer to your Bible and get
them by heart: Luke xvi, 22-23: at came
TO pass also the rich man died and was
being in torments." Again. take the Old
Testament. Psalms TX, II: 1.-The wicked
shah be turned into hell and all the
nation who forget God" Again. take the
words of the Savior in the day of judg-
ment. Matthew XIV. Al: Then shall he
say also unto them on the left hand,
depart from me ye cursed into everiast-
ing fire prepared for the devil and his
angels" The certainty of the reality
of hell is infallble. There are, then. only
two destinations in the great beyond-in
Eternity! Eternity, where viii you spend
IL w nat shall L profit a man If ne
gam the whole world and lose his own
s%a5re SOU; or What Ta shan nan a. giye in eX
thought pervading this parable of Gods
word is the attitude of Jesus toward
riches. The question might be raised
why was Lazarus saved and the rich
man condemned? Was II because the poor
man WAS indeed poor and the rich man
was indeed rich? Not at all. 1t was be-
cause Lazarus was q gOdly man, ana
Dives was an ungOdly, WAS a very selfish
man, for everything he possessed he law
ished upon himself and house. Riches
within themselves are all right. If II had
not been so God never would have law
!shed them upon this old world. Had it
not been that IT was all right for men
To be rich, Abraham, who figures in this
lesson. never would have come in pos
session of the blessed kingdom, for he
was one of the richest men in the east.
II IS all right for 4 man to have plenty
of money. For the more money he has
tie greater power he can be for God
But let us all be careful. This world has
tendency to draw us away from Christ.
We may be SO taken up with the affairs
of this life, with our possessions that
we lose sight of God and heaven. Would
to God that every day in your business
affairs this warning might sound in your
ears. BE careful. be careful. Ye cannot
serve God ana mammon. 1t is all right
70 possess the goods of this world, but
II Is all wrong To be possessed by the
things Of this world. 1t is best to have
as the chief object of our lives the laying
uD of treasures in heaven, where moth
and rust doth not corrupt. Seek We first
the Kingdom of God and all these things
SHAH be added unto YOU"
Seek We first the Kingdom of God. y
Seek We first the kingdom of God" May
the holy spirit carry these words home to
yoLr hearts and conscences. Amen