The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-29
"r11n pAMNAr1oN OF p1yns.p
(selected for Tho Times-Dispatch.)


"rIIE DAMNATION OF DIVES"
.(selected for Tho -Dispatch.)
And in hell he lift up his eyes,
being In torments."-Luke XVI. 23.
He has no name. He Is called the
rich man; or, as 1T Is in Latin. Dives.
1t is the beggar who is named. Our
Lord rarely named the persons whom
He introduced into His parallels. But
He did name this beggar and 1t presents
striking contrast. Every one knows
tho names of rich men; very few
know, or care to know. tho names OF
beSgars. But here we are told of a
certain nameless rich man, and at his
gate In dire poverty and pain lay "a
certain beggar named Lazarus"
At last to Lazarus on the curbstone.
and to the rich nameless man in his
palace. came the messenger, who is
! no respecter of persons. They both
died. The beggar died. and SO far as
this world was concerned. that was
| the enc OIL MIN. 1nc ElcH iiaA aiso
died and was buried; that
is. with pomp and ceremony
he had stately funeral. So,
| they slept, the rich man and the
beggar, and awoke in the world be-
You'd But there-what an amazing
change! The begGar is among saints
and patriarchs seated in place of
honor. It is q domestic picture. the
table is spread, and Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob are there at supper; and
the beggar Is a person of Importance
In the bosom of Abraham" This
| phrase refers to tho prevailing
! custom of that day and country when
| at meals. Each person reclining on
couch. rested himself on the left arm;
| first the host, and then next to him.
leaning on his breast. the most hon
ored guest. And there In Abrahams
bosom lay this poor beggar, comforted
and honored
On the other hand. the rich man ain
hell lift up his eyes. being In tor
ments." That fine gentleman. that
hospitable host and prominent citizen
| Ito this END has he come. and that
easy. successful, delightful life is for
ever gone!
Was it only because this man was
rich? Was that the offense for which
he fell into such deep misery?
Yet Abraham was very RICH" and
no was the friend Of God" Isaac and
Jacob were rich. but their chief pos
sessions were a deep and abiding faith
in God. David was rich, yet he was
"the man after Gods own heart" 1t
| could not, therefore. be that great
riches necessarily meant condemna-
ton. But there is always much spir-
| itual danger connected with great
wealth. All through tho Bible arc
| solemn warnings to those who have
! great possessions.
1t Is like the fears OF the insurance
companies about men who work In
| poWdcE IllllS, IEfS0 companies nave
[ no personal dislike for these men,
nor do they assert that they will
certainly be blown to pieces. But they
know that powder mill did explode
one day. and that other powder mills
have exploded before, and may do SO
again. and SO they decline to take the
risk.
The rich man is in spiritual danger
because 1t is SO easy and SO natural
for him to trust in his own
power and to be wholly occu-
/ pied and satisfied with things temper
al and material. Where tho treasure is
there will his heart be also. No man
can make a. great deal of money with
out giving much thought to It. He
must DO concerned With the present
and the practical. and lis. therefore, In
danger OF caring most for 1t. and be-
4 ing absorbed by 1t. That is the
i temptation, and the more money a
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