Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-19
Mr.. lEFFLER ON THE
RICH MAN IN HELL

Mr.. Letters lecture on The Rich
I Man in He'll Sunday morning IN
I Maths hall was well attended. The
/ speaker is well posted on bible ques.
! tions and handled his difficult subject
/ in a surprisingly positive and thorough
manner. He was brought here under
/ the auspices of the International Bible
I Students association
The quaint way of putting things,
the easy, co.loquial style of delivery,
the open and above-board manner of
the speaker and the unusual subject
n after. all combined to make the leo
ture a very pleasing affair. The
speaker said in part:
There was a time when the parable
Of the Rich Man in He'll caused us
10 shudder. We were perplexed at
the thought that the great Creator
could be lacking in sympathy. to say
nothing about justice. How 1t is pos
sible,' came the question TO our minds,
that a God who taught US to love our
enemies and TO bless even those who
curse us should be lacking in these
qualities Himself?'
The trouble is not that God Is IN
wise. or unjust, or lacking in SYM
pathy. but that we did not understand
His word. did not understand Him.
A close study OF the bible brings US
to an appreciation of the Masters
words. %, righteous Father, the world
hath not known Thee Few. indeed,
know the Father. and a still smaller
number understand His plan
The scriptures show that our Lord
was speaking in parallels and dark
saying when addressing the multi
tudes. We must, then, seek TO inter
pref these as parab.es; otherwise We
are making the word OF the Lord OF
nOn-effect and adding much TO our
own confusion. Let US briefly review
Gods dealings with the human race,
in order that we may be in a posi-
ton to understand the parable WITH
out the knowledge OF Gods dealings
with mankind It IS impossible to get
an appreciation even OF the clearer
statements OF His word. TO say moth
ing about those less clear.
We are not TO understand that
when our Lord referred to a certain
rich man that He meant q literal
man. any more than He meant literal
sheep and literal goats In the parable
Of the Sheep and the Goats
The rich man represents the
Jewish nation. As a nation they were
clothed with the white linen OF a
typical righteousness as result OF their |
typical sacrifices. They were also /
clothed in purple in that all OF the |
royal promises were theirs. But the |
lime came when, because or their \
hardness OF heart, they were rejecteS |
from all special favor and as a nation |
they died. For nearly nineteen CEN
.uries the Jews. although dead as
nation. are alive as a people and have
been persecuted numerically. Look
A. their condition in Russia, where a
arge proportion OF their race reside.
We are continually receiving reports
that their lot is one well
5ymbolized by fiery torments.
Let US now look for the Lazarus
lass Surely Il is as absurd to think
II Lazarus going to heaven because he
vas full OF sores and hungry and
jagged as It would be to think OF the
rich man going TO eternal torment
simply because he had plenty Of good
lothes TO wear and plenty 10 eat
Who was represented by Lazarus?
Who was II that, SO far as favors from
iod were concerned. were poor and
aged and full OF sores and were con-
idered by the Jews on par with the
ogs? These were the Gentiles. Just as
he Jewish nation died 10 all OF their
pecial favors. SO the Gentiles who ac- |
epted the Lord and came into har
noly with Him are represented as
eing In Abraham's bosom-in divine ,
avor. The great gulf would represent
be wide difference between the gos-
ei church and the Jews" 6