Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-20

And In hell he lifted up MS eyes, DelnB IN
| torments and seeth Abraham afar off, and
Lazarus in his bosom. Luke 1923
The Scriptures tell us that our Lord spake
unto the people in parallels. and in dark
sayings, and that without parable spake ne
not unto the people. He declared that the
understanding of these parallels and dark
Unto you it is given To know the mysteries
OF the kingdom Of heaven but TO them
(outsders) 1 speak in parallels" Matt. lS'
1l-13.)
Many dear Christian people who are them
selves opposed to cruelty in every form sub
scribe to creeds of the dark ages which mis-
represent the heavenly Father as taking nend-
ish delight in creating millions of humanity
with the foreknowledge Of a precarious exist
ence in the present life of few years ana
their eternal torture. 1t is claimed by fore
ordination, at least Encouragement GOD
planned that all except the saints shall spend
an endless eternity in most horrible torture
some say in physical an dothers say in mental
torture worse. These Christian friends have
apparently failed to note that the Scripture
references which they believe teach eternal tor
mnt are all of this parabolic or symbolic char-
actcr-that there is not literal statement 10
such an effect from Genesis TO Revelation.
On the contrary, there are numerous scrip
lures which declare that the wicked shall be
destroyed" perish die and that Gods
provision Is that none can have eternal lie
except a gift and favor through Chris.
The wages of sin is death; but the gift II
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
II these matters were seen in @c9r true
light it would give new and needed force
and impetus to Christianity. Hell ana purSa-
tory are losing their power to control hu-
manity, as intelligence comes in. Skepticisn'
complete partial affects almost every hui
man being, because rejecting the absuFdltleS
of the dark ages" the people know nothing
reasonable or logical on which to anchor faith
Tho peoples pulpit stands for Gods Worj,
rejects the creeds and doGmas Of the dark
ages and seeks TO be guided from on high by
allowing one Scripture to assist in interpreting
another. Furthermore find the Scriptures
teaching that God has had purpose in per
hitting the Biz 20 be misunderstood for a
time; and In arranging that at the closing time
OF the gospel age and the dawning time CT
the Millennium an increase of light in re-
spect to tho Divine character and plan would
beg ranted-anc at the same time would be
shed upon all the affairs of life an electric
arc light as compared to the tallow dips OF
the past.
The masses, disguised with all doctrines, no
longer hope for anything reasonable or logical
in religion. Some, devoid of heart and reason,
are fully satsfed-let the doctrines alone But
others still hunger an4 thirst after righteous
ness. truth. Their hearts cry out after the
living and true Coda God Of justice, wisdom
love and power They realize that the Bible
must be His revelation of His own character
and purposes, yet are free to acknowledge that
they have never been able satisfactorily TO
understand it or to harmonic its doctrines
The message of present truth is Tor TINS latter
class, and all the world they are hearing
IL and being blessed, refreshed, comforted
strengthened. by Divine might in the inner
man Coming to clearer knowledge of the
Divine plan of the ages, they are finding II
SOUL satisfying and sanctifying. 1t Is this
to Instruct more perfectly respecting the Divine
character and purpose.
PARABLE OR A LITERAL STATEMENT.
We remind you that in the parable the thing
said is never the thing meant. For instance,
wheat and tares do not mean wheat and tares.
but children of the kingdom and children OF
the wicked one. Sheep and goats mean the
Lords people and those of a different spirit
or disposition. So in the parable under con-
sideration. We hold that the rich man and
Lazarus ard all the various things connected
win the story are parabolic The majority
of people, seemingly anxious to hold on TO
this parable a proof-teXt faVorng the eter-
nal torment theory, insist that II Is not
parable but a literal statement OF facts We
must pause. therefore, to show the lmpossl-
bility OF that view before we proceed TO
analyze the true meaning. We need mention
only a few points to show that IL could not
properly be understood as a literal statement
of facts. For instance, 1t is not stated that
the rich man was profane or immoral or wick
ed in any ordinary sense Of these words. The
whole account Is that he was rich, was clothed
in purple and fine linen and Jared sumptu-
ously every day. Viewed literally the imph-
cation would be that the wealthy who wear
purple apparel and who have bountiful sup
ply of provisions will by and by spend as
eternity of torture, regardless of their moral
characters. Surely such an Interpretation is
Likewise of Lazarus. we read not a word
about his good qualities his purity of hears.
his generosity to the poor, his reverence ior
Goa etc. but merely that he was poor, lay
at the rich mans gate, desired 70 eat the
crumbs from his table and was full OF sores
II these conditions are TO De uuutESbOou HNNi
ally II would signify that moral and religious
qualities have nothing to do with our admit
lance to a heavenly state, but merely pow
erty. sickness, etc, such as few OF US could
claim to have duplicated Moreover, literal
interpretation would imply Abrahams literal
bosom as the place Of bliss. And If Lazarus
got there and two or three since, II
would leave no room for any of u.s. unless
Abraham has larger bosom and longer arms
than any one we know. But enough OF trSs'
Every one whose eyes of understanding are
at all open to reason can see readily that this
narrative is a parat!e. The next thing VIII
US should be to scertGn what its various rig
ures symbolic and what is its lesson as
whole.
TIE PARABLE BRIEFLY EXpr AIMED.
We offer a suggestion as to the meaning
of the parable. We admit that since our Lord
aid not interpret it, anybody has the same
right ourselves to seek to find ana 10
make known an Interpretation which will fit
TO all the various parts of the parable and
be reasonable, scriOtural and harmonious Yet
we have never seen any lucid Interpretation
except that which We now present, 49,
The rich symbolizes the Jewish nation
For centuries that people were God peculiar
people, Of whom he said You only have 1
known (recoGnizedl of all the families Of the
St. Paul tells us that the Jews had much
advantage every way, Chiefly. because that
unto them were committed the oracles OF
God" (Rom 3;2) These Divine gifts, favors
blessings, promises, all symbolicalIy rep
resented in the rich mans condition.
Cd His clothing of purple symboically rep
u
ICED as His kingdom. AS we read, David
sat on the throne of the kingdom OF the
Lord" And again, Solomon sat on the throne
Of the kingdom of the Lord, in the room Of
his father David" Although this kngH power
was taken away from them in the days Of
ring Zedekiah nevertheless the soeptre OF
authority remained with them. The sceptre
shall not depart from Judah until Shi-
lob come" Messiah was, therefore, to come
to that nation, that it might have the great
| honor Of being his kingdom the channel OF
divine blessing to the world
ca The fine linen symbolically represented
| vine Arrangement. was reckoned to that holy
| nation, year by year continually for cen
| turtles. as a result of their atonement day
sacrifices.
(3l The sumptuous fare represented the grs-
cious promises of God through the law and
the prophets, and His covenants with that
nation.
Lazarus, the poor beggar full of sores, who
ate of the crumbs, symbolized the GenTiles who
were outside of the Jewish Covenant, "aliens
and strangers from the commonwealth of Is
symbolical of justification and harmony with
God. Their and rags represented their
degradation, sin and aliena ion from divine
favor and forgiveness. The eating Of the
crumbs from the rich mans table represented
that under divine arrangement every promise
AMI favor really belonged to the Jews and that
every blessing granted to the Genttlcs was FROM
Isrncl's funess. Such crumbs Of comfort were
the healing of tile centurion daughter and
the Gro PheniriaR wOman's daughter when
this mother asked relief for nor child. Jesus
answered, 1T Is not meet TO take the chill
drcns bread and to give II to the dogs Our
Lord thus used an aphorism of that time and
lou In oil