Evening star., 1914-05-16
Death, Delight, Doom.

The picture changes with startling
swiftness. Death shifts the scenery from
the present to the hereafter. We need
to remember that in our lesson this week
We have the only parable spoken by our
Lord whose Imagery was built up on the
condition Of man between death and
Judgment. Inasmuch the imagery
Of Christs parallels whether based upon
| the natural order Of the world. or on
cotemporary manners and customs are
all true to historical conditions, We must
believe that the imagery Of this parable
represents at least the essential cond-
! tons of mans state between death and
the judgment. The scene that paints
the world Of the disembodied spirits are
painted necessarily In the words of this
life that can best represent the changed
places of the two men whose careers FUR
nished Jesus with His object lesson.
The beggar naturally because OF his
disease and lack of proper food and care
died first, but when the rich man died
he found that there had come a change
in their places. Conditions here do not
determine destiny hereafter. but charac-
ter that reveals itself by conduct and
consideration of the needs OF others does
determine our position in the future life.
There "a man goes to his own PLACE
and he will find separation betwees
souls as suggested by this as well a.
other parallels of the Master.
The lines Of cleavage will be SHARP
Death will fix irrevocably our destiny.
This Jesus clearly taught by His addi-
ton to current Jewish thought In the
startling picture that He painted OF tho
liked chasm which was an addition to tbs
traditional theme and conventional COL.
oring Christ evidently does not desire:
that we should minimize the dangers ~.
being condemned to a state Of tormeE
hereafter If we have lived without faitS.
In God or friendship for humanity -.
shutting our ears to the cry of the pcoS.
This parable illustrates the truth q:
the golden text of the lesson that teps
us that ..whosoever stoppeth his ears &f
the cry of the poor he shall also cry, bui
shall not be heard" The cry Of the rich.
man did not reveal change of characteT.
but 1t showed a continuation Of the sans:
spirit that characterized him during In.
whole earthly career. z
While We all must recognize that fSS.
and flames are the severest su6eYinG6.
that the human flesh Is called upon "a:
suffer, vet fire and flames could not az.
feet a spirit. The torments OF the future
for the person who rejects the messaes.
of God. however. with affect his spirit:
just as severely as fire would his hesh..:
The suffering hereafter is penal, not re-.
medal. Physical death is not annihilF:.
ton, for the rich man was conscious g:
the changed conditions that had come to:
the beggar well as himself.
There is not single grain of promfsA
for the man who rejects the Scriptures
that in the life beyond there will be given.
the second chance to repent. Jesus re-
fused to comply with the beggars peti-
ton because his five brethren had suffi-
eient light. If men will not take time to
prepare for the future today il is because
they are busy with the affairs of this
world and will not accept the revelations
of the resurrection of Christ from the
dead that there is life hereafter
Dunning correctly tells us that 1.-The final
truth, then. that Jesus taught in this par
able of a certain rich man is this: 1t is
love, unselfish love. for human souls thai.
makes life worth living. Those whose be-
ing can be described as lovers OF money
know nothing truly of what the gift is OF
life-eternal life through Jesus Christ our:
Lord But the greatest thing possible rD
bring men to love their fellows is tile
experience of their needA:
now in this world and patient wise ef
fort to relieve those needs. II you are
doing this with spontaneous motive. gem.
uine enjoyment. finding your reward In this:
doing then there cannot be an unbrdged
gulf beyond to separate you from tila-.
paradise where Lazarus lies in Abrahams )
bosom"