The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-05-12
THE PARABLE OF POVERTY AND
WEALTH.
The International Sunday School Les
son For May Il Is 1.-The Rich Man
and Lazarus" Luke 1914. Is.

anu I"aA"Tus' LUXE 1919, ID,
by William r. Ellis.)
With deepening anxiety. thought
full men and women the whole world
around, are studying the problem Of
poverty and wealth. 1t is our days
sravest p~erplexity. In it turks more
of menace than in any other present
issue. Selfish n foolish partisans
of both sides are daily making blum
ders which increase the dangers of
the situation. Careless words are fly
ing about, like sparks in a powder
magazine. Beyond question. it is the
clear social, patriotic and religious
duty Of every sober-minded man and
women to give the most serious
thought of which he or she is capable
TO this question, especially with a view
TO its application to personal duty.
No lesson could be more timely than
this one upon the rich man and Laza-
rus, for that parable, related by Jesus
in answer to the sneers of the rich
churchmen of his day. is the worlds
best known and most powerful por-
trayal of the contrast be-
tween wealth and poverty. No orator,
poet, painter or author has drawn
h ever-present problem in such
gripping power as this parable of
Dives and Lazarus. The story itself
should first be reread with careful
ness, as told by DR.. Luke:
Inc ItlTOI dI1u III oSSd
And the PhariseeS, who were lovers
OF money, heard all these things; and
they ScoffeG at him. And he said
unto them, Ye are they that justify
yourselves in the sight Of men; but
God knoweth your hearts, for that
which is exalted among men is an
Abomination in the sight of God.
Now there was a certain rich man,
and he was clothed in purple and fine
linen, faring sumptuously every day;
and a certain beggar named Lazarus
was laid at his gate. full of sores, and
desiring TO be fed with the crumbs
that fell from the rich mans table;
yea, even the dogs came and licked
his sores. And il came to pass that
the beggar died, aEd that he was car
ried away by the angels unto Abra-
hams BOSOM: and the rich man also
died. and was buried. And in Hades
he lifted up his eyes, being in tor
n,cnts. and seeing Abraham affair off,
and Lazarus in his bosom. And he
cried and saith. Father Abraham,
nave ricrcy on me. and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger
Ill water, and cool my tongue; FOR ]
am in anguish in this flame. But Abra-
ham said. Son, remember that thou in
thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things. and Lazarus in like manner
evil things: out now here he is ON
forted, and thou art in anguish. And
teSlueS al. tnlS, between us anu you
there is d great gulf fixed, that they
may not lie able. and that none lnaJ
cross over from thence to us. AND
he said | pray thee therefore, father
that thou wouldeSt send him to M
fathers house; for ! have FIVE breth
rem: that he may testify unto them
lest they also come into this place o
torment. But Abraham saith, The,
have Moses and the prophets, lie
them hear them. And he said, Nay
father Abraham: but if one go t
them from the dead, they will repen,
And he said unto him., If they hea
not Moses and the prophets. neithe
will they be persuaded, if one ris
from the dead"
An Oriental Picture.
We have TO know something Of tn
Orient, in order to appreciate the hig
colors in this picture, for, thank Goo
the OCcident has got beyond the &C
tual conditions here described. an
the East is on the "a to more Chris
tian usaGes. Open, Haunting. boastf,
n lavish display of wealth an
power is typical of the East. Dives
true to type. Even more character
istic is the begGar. l have seen al
solutely naked men, diseased an
twisted. %grovelling on the bare higl
ways in the winter of North Chin,
NOTuS Idll I " utS1Il Ot liz AWFUL COZ
ditions, which l myself have witness,
among these creatures, worse off tina
Lazarus in balmy Palestine; eve
worse off han q stray cur would
permitted to remain in this land.
Let us take what comfort we ca
out OF a bad situation by remembe
ing that the Christian world h
made and is making immense pro
ress beyond the conditions of tn
parable. Consider the "laZar-house
and ''lazarettoes," which take the
name from this one poor leper Gas
probably was), and the multitude
other forms Of public and priva
ministry TO men and beasts who stuff
and are in need.
Also should we bear in mind I
truth that we a reached n sta
wherein Dives (for the word is mel
" the Latin for "a rich man") m,
Justify to the world his STEWARDSHIP
-.zy1 o1,oricnI multi ~ j0linDo