Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-04-01
(By Wightman F. Melton, in New
York Journal.)

his eyes and beheld Lazarus in Dives
bosom" Catching himself, he quickly
explained, q mean that Dives in he'll
lifted up his eyes and beheld Abraham
in Lazarus bosom" A litter ran
through the congregation, and he trie@
again: ooh, mean that Lazarus II
hell lifted up his eyes and beheld Abra
ham in Dives bosom!" A sanity
brother in the Amen Corner" laughed
outright, and the miserable young
minister, after getting it wrong two
more times, is said to have aGounced
tearfully, Brethren, l believe thc
whole business went to hell"
The world has heard so much about
poor Lazarus in heaven, and the rich
man C'Dives'D in hell, that the idea
SENS to have become prevalent that
heaven is the place where The poor
people go, and that hell is the final
abode of the rich.
The fact is, judging from the rec,
crds, olives" was only a sport a
spendthrift, who dressed in "purpie
and fine linen and Jared sumptuouslY
every day" while Abraham, in his
time, was the wealthiest man in the
world. His landed estate, instead OF
being bounded on north, east, south
and west, by so-and-so, extended north
east, south, and west, as far as Abra-
ham cared to go.
When Olives" begged Abraham Il
send him some water, by Lazarus
Abraham told him there was a great
gulf fixed between heaven and hell
across which there could be no pass
ing-either way; but Millions magma
ton either ferried or flung Mammon
out of heaven and into hell because his
looks and thoughts were always bert
downward, admiring more the golden
pavement than divine or holy things.
Human sympathy goes out to this
Dives" for he must have had a streaR
of liberality; a beggar knows at who's
gate to have himself placed. Further
more, Lazarus, who had received the
crumbs, let Abraham do all the talk
ing, and made no intersession, what
ever, for his former benefactor.
Another thing, all the fire and brim-
stone in hell had not ben able to burn
the heart out of olives remem-
bersd his five brothers and was willing
to remain in hell alone if Abrahar1
could contrive to get them saved. CT
is a happy thought that Abraham
while speaking OF a great gulf fixed
between heaven and hell mentions
nothing OF the kind between heaven
and earth.
Paul told his young friend Timothy
that The love Of money is the root o.
all evil, $50 the King James yersio
puts it, but better translation is: the
root of all sorts Of evil" 1t was not
money that damned Dives, nor thu
lack of money that saved Lazarus
Dives simply set his heart on fnt
clothes and something good to eat
things that money would buy-to the
exclusion of nobler things, ard h
suffered the consequences. Abraham
or the other hand, recognized the pow
{. to get wealth as the gift of God. He
feared the Lord, attended to business
enjoyed his good things on earth, an.
is still enjoying them in heaven.
1t is not money, in itself, that save.
or damns. 1t is not big money the
damns and little money that saves. I
is what man thinks of his money, bt,
or little, and the use to which he puu
il, that determines future issues. Ii
man make money-dcllar or billion
his god, it will plague him forever Xix
the devil. If man try to purchas
with material substance, an entranc
into Gods kingdom, he will get tn
answer Peter gave to Simon the Sor
cerer, "Thy money perish with thee
because thou hast thought that the gjf