The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-16

II -
I for Lazarus. Jr., often becomes . ver3
offensive Dives, and Dives, Jr., q pooz
type Of mendicant. The noisily explo1e-
ed program for a looting Of those wno
have, to the enrichment Of th0se wno
have not, is not sound. by economic
social or Scriptural standards.
Taking Two Worlds Into Account.
The wonderful story told by Jesus,
in the face of the powerful party who
were turning up their aristocrat1c
noses at Him and His followers. be-
cause Of their pOverty-Quite as the
idle rich sneer at the poor as If lack
of money were a sufficient evidence
Of their unfitness-brought to bear q
mighty factor in the problem. of so
cial inequality. Jesus condemned
Dives. of course: unbrotherly wealth
cannot stand for a moment in the
clear light Of Christ's truth.
But Jesus said. in effect: Take
long look. Nothing Is settled until 1t
is settled finally; and in all questions
between man and man (Which are
also questions between man and Cody
another life than this must be taken
into account. Two worlds figure In
all Of Gods reckonings. Dives has a
momentary advantage and Lazarus a
momentary disadvantage. but let me
draw aside the curtain and show you
the next act" tt34Gr y
Here we have the principle, often
perverted by wealth in an attempt to
avoid present duty. but vital prin-
ciple, none the less. that heaven en-
ters into earth's affairs. The eternal
God is going to square all accounts,
and he has long time in which to
do it. The offenses of time must be
reckoned with in eternity. Dives.
wealth or social position. must stand
before the judgment seat Of God. AS
Henry Martyr said of the rich man
in the parable, Had he Remembered
on earth. he would not have been
called to remember In hell"
II the parable teaches anything. 1t
teaches the existence of a hereafter,
ment for the deeds done in the flesh.
Definitions may differ: but the fact of
a conscious eternity for mortal spirits
is inwrought in the teachings Of Je-
sus. 1t makes for philosophical
breadth and patience to contemplate
this earthly span as only an infini-
tesimal arc of tho circle Of our real
life.
Is Poverty q Passport to Heaven?
arus went to heaven, some shallow in
terpreters have assumed that the rich
are doomed to iperdition and the poor
destined to paradise. God is no snob.
He does not award mems future ac-
cording to their rating in earth's So
cial registers. 1t was not because of
his beggary and sores that Lazarus
found rest In the bosom of Abraham,
who in life was a wealthy sheixh.
Lazarus won to glory because of his
faith in God: he stored up his riches
in heaven. The miseries OF earth had
but led him to prize more dearly the
spiritual Inheritance.
The doom of Dives was due to his
disregard of his fellow man and OF
God. He had been false to both Like
millions of Kindred fools. he had
trusted to his wealth and power and
earthly state to provide him a high
place in two worlds. He had failed to
be a helper of men. Therefore the
keenest suffering in his eternal pun
ishment was to learn that his sense
of values had been all wrong; and
that those whom he had despised on
earth sat high in heaven. AS Thomas
Hood sang:
The blind and the cripple were there,
And the babe that pinned for bread
And the homeless man, and the widow
WIN oesSeO 10 pury u0r dead
The naked. alas! that I might have
clad,
The famished might have fed
The Present Warning.
If there be any thick-headed plu-
tocrat who thinks that before real
harm can come to him and his mOn-
ey-bags he will receive some special
warning. he has but to read this par
able of Jesus. It's clear closing teach
inn T0 hot L.
enough now to lead men to do right.
No special emissaries from heaven or
| hell could accomplish more than the
present gospel. 1t is not a new reli-
gion, not new gospel, not a specially
accredited teacher that this SHINING
| old world needs today, but a new
spiritual sense, a new open-minded-
ness. new attention to the clear
truth of God. The men who will not
| heed the present signs OF the times
and the present explicit teachings OF
social justice and of human brother
hood, will not hearken If the Angel
Gabriel and his cohorts come flyina
from heaven. We already have truth
| enough to save-Or condemn-the
| world.
Dives in hell had a thought for his
| brother But his social service idea
came too late. God gives no second
chance in the next world. although
the counsels Of heaven. evidently
now" and Opportunity are synony.
nous. This is our last chance t.
make things right with God and man
One ominous last thought. for con.
sideration in our present social crises
Jesus told His immortal story from
the angle Of the man who was poor
and oppressed. 1t was directed
straight at the affluent. supercilious
snobbtsh Pharisees. He took the sid
| OF the poor man. Evidently H.
thought that, in the relationship be
tween wealth and poverty, it i.
wealth that needs the more such {
tremendous lesson as the Parable o.
the Rich Man and Lazarus.
Living Life at Its Best.