The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-05-01

GOLDEN TEXT-"A mans life consis-
teth not In the abundance Of the things
he possesseth." Luke H:l5
Last week we were study ING the fun
damental principles Of this new king
dom Jesus came to establish. Today
our study presents another OF his
seeming psradoxes, viz, The blessed
ness or the happiness Of poverty. hun
ger and persecution. Spoken primarl-
ly to the twelve, Jesus intended these
words for all the people--present n
prospective. Jesussis distinctly the
/ poor mans friend. He knew the mean
ing of hunger and thirst, Of weeping
and mourning, and so contrasts the
Joy that shall be to these, happy ones
with the "woe" that shall come to
those who from put Of their Joy and
their abundance fail to respond to the
needs of mankind.
What It Is and Why.
The last half of the lesson is intend
ed to illustrate the teachings of the
fist. Let us look at the illustration.
"A certain rich man He was not
of sufficient importance even to men,
ton his name. How few rich men ever
succeed in really perpetuating their
names. Not one succeeds In any meas
ure at all except as in some manner
he emulates the life and teachings Of
Jesus. How few monuments really
perpetuate names. Character alone Is
what lives. This rich man, however,
did not lose u simply because he was
a rich man. Verse Is tells us why he
was in anguish. His life had been that
Of a selfish seeker AMI he had had
hiD reward. Now conditions have
changed. Once clothed in purple and
faring s%umptuously, nov he Is the
beggar. Ignoring the cry of need at
his gate now he Is compelled to make
his cry afar off.
"A certain beggar numed Lazarus"
It is better to be a beggar vainly
seeking a few crumbs and TO rest In
Abraham's bosom than to live in lux
urious ease, ignoring the cry of the
needy and to live in hell hereafter.
Lazarus did not gain glory hereafter
because he was a beggar, but rather
because of his character. Angels an
nounced the coming Of the Son OF
Man, angels welcomed the returning
of this son of mankind. Which Of the
twain, Dives or Lazarus. really enjoyed
life? Eternity is a long time, it begins
where imagination ends3 The name
Lazarus really means "God-helps" and
God always does help the poor.
Lazarus had some friends for we
read that the dogs showed their SYM
pathy. 1t is always true that those
poor as poverty are most ready to re-
spond to the cry of need, and out Of
their penury will give the most album
dainty to relieve distress.
Leaves All Behind.
"The rich man died also. Thus
ended his life Of ease and luxury for
shrouds have no pockets. How much
did he leave? He left it ALL" All Of
his loved ones, all Of his hopes were
left behind. There is something ap-
pallingly sad in the death Of a rich
man who trusts only to his wealth,
having no faith in God. Millions for a
moment of time. The sarcasm Of
Jesus words is quite apparent, "and
he was buried" Only a clod of earth,
no longer useful, Of the earth, earthly,
bury him, get him out Of sight, But
did this end all? BY no means,
for when he reached the other side
he did not lose consciousness nor
reason. No soul sleeping there. He
saw, he observed, he felt, he remem
bered, he reasoned. Back upon earth
he had brothers who were following
his same mode of life. Here he was
suffering, crying for mercy" for an
| alternating touch of cold water, yet in
that cry there was no note Of repent
ance. He and his brethren had lived
for the tongue and had pampered 1t,
now 1t, the seat of taste, of bold words,
ETC., is crying for cooling relief. But
would those behind repent even If one
we're to rise from the dead? No, ex-
cept that they might escape a like tor
ment. The desires of their hearts
would be the same. Being out Of
states prison is of itself no particular
honor. The message Of Jesus strikes
deeper than outward forms and cere-
monies. 1t is the heart motive where
by we are to be judged. Dives sought
to excuse or to justify himself ". 30),
but Abraham tells him plainly that
both he and his brethren had had suf-
ficient light. If they will not listen to
Moses (the Pentateuch) and to the
prophets neither will they repent even
though one care from the dead.
The disciples were poor in both this
worlds goods and one of them, Mat
thew, adds that the happy ones are
those who are poor in spirit also. They
|. knew the meaning of hunger and Of
privation and were ready to learn of
him. Jesus Is not so much in this IL
lustration trying to give us a picture
of the hereafter, of the future life as
he is to show the results of our living
in this present life. He shows us
plainly that there are different states
over there and that these states are
the result of our conduct in the life
We now live. Riches are a temptation,
a temptation to gain by fraudulent
means and to spend foolishly. Many a
young man is cursed by great riches,
all honor 10 those who overcome that
l.1I,oa- FTh~ tar, NJ tinp for man &c