Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-07-15

lllASI0R RUSSElll text, AND in hell
he lifted up his
eyes. being in torments, and seeth
Abraham afar of aud Lazarus in his
bosom" luke xvi. 90 Addressing the
public Under the auspices of the IT.
tcrnational Bible students Associa-
ton. the speaker said
am not choosing my topic for this
occasion according Ia my own prefer
cnccs. nor do | wish TO do so. Reallz.
NJ that great cloud OF superstition
aud erroneous Interpretation of Gods
Word acts as an earth.born cloud TO
hide the heavenly Father from our
,yee of faith. nm continually address
ing .nysclf to the removal OF this bar
ricr. 30 the intent that the light OF
The knowledge of the glory Of God as
Il shines in the face of Jesus Christ
our Lord may shine into the hearts OF
all OF Gods dear people more efful-
gently than heretofore; TO the intent
that. with the clouds removed, our
eyes may behold the King in His
lcauty. and our hearts be- drawn 10
Him as 70 a Father as to God OF
love. rs 10 al Almighty Savior.
Time and again us | have delivered
an address setting forth the Divine
Ran Of the Ages from the Bible stand
l,olut. | have been approached after
aard by Christian brethren who said,
" hat You say. Pastor Russell. is
cheering. IS God-like. is just what our
hearts are hungering for and crying
fer bul-but cannot accept il be-
calise of the Lords Word respecting
the Rich Man and Lazarus. and His
description of their fatcs."
What | say 10 these privately never
reaches the ears Of others who have
The same query and the same obstacle
to meet. hence take this as my topic
on this occasion. not only for the bene-
lit of this audience. but for the bene-
III of the larger audiences TO whom
| speak weekly through the columns
uf the press If this land and Great
Britain and Australia numbering mil
lions All need 10 have this stumbling
stone removed from their pathway, and
by Gods grace we will remove ii. He
will remove II. using our stammering
lips for the purpose
Literal or Which?
II is not sufficient that / declare that
in the Scripture under consideration
the great Teacher WAS giving parable.
II is not sufficient that quote. with
out parable :'pake He not unto the
people" Some dear. earnest children
Of God would object, saying. ut reads.
there was a certain Rich Man, etc"
| must. therefore. prove that 1t is
parable and not Il literal statement by
showing that. considering Il as lit
oral statement. It would he untrue and
absurd After thus proving it TO be
parable I will discuss II ms such.
II II be statement of literal facts
then all the facts must he taken lit
orally. This would mean that because
n certain man was rich and Jared
hountifully every day and was clothed
in purple aud nne linen he would go TO
an eternity ~ torment. without sin
Gle charge being made against him
along the lines Of murder. or injustice
or blasphemy. for in the account moth
ing Of the Kind appears Furthermore.
nothing Is said Of the poor man as be-
ing godly man. q saint. but merely
that he wa poor. full Of sores. which
the dogs licked: and that he ate the
DIAL from "The Rich Mans" table.
II those he the grounds and condi-
iions upon which any of US have had
hope for eternal bliss. surely a com
paratlvely small number could claim
n Did we ever have such expert
enccs: II not. what ground have we.
recording e. this teaching. for a hope
of reaching Ahraham's bosom? And.
gddlfionnlly-if the statement Is n lit
craleone. Abraham and his bosom must
be considered literal also. and II only
two or three who were bcggars like
Lazarus were before us what hope
would we have .or room In Abraham's
bosom? But enough Of this, We see
glearly that the statement Is parabolic
ND we must look for such an interpre
,ation ms will Mt all conditions. And
here II ~.
Viewed as a Parable.
Viewing the matter as parable. our
difficulties all disappear MS soon as we
get the key. The great Teacher In
this parable was criticising the lead
ers Of the Jewish nation and fore
telling their fate. He Himself was an
outcast. so were Ills disciples and so
have all been since who have become