The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-05

understand the parable of the rich man and Laz-
arus They take this parable literally. Ignoring
the fact that in a parable the thing said is new
err the thing meant. II this parable is to be
taken literally. then all rich men so to eternal
torment and all poor men to Abraham's bosom.
How many could Abraham's bosom hold? Aoth-
ing In this parable Is said about either of these
men having faith, which is prerequisite 10 sal
walton, but the rich man went to he'll
Just because he had a plenty and the begear
went TO heaven because he had nothing and was
fun Of sores This parable represents two classes
of people, the Jews and the Gentles The rich
man represents the jews and Lazarus the Cen
tiles Anyone familiar with the Scriptures and
history can how this parable has been full
filled. as the Jews for eighteen hundred years
have been in cast off condition as nation
They as nation have been suffering since their
dissolution, and there is a great gulf fixed he
tween them and the Gentles.
If Lazarus went to heaven to Abraham s hos
ON | would like to know what our Lord Jesus
meant in John ana when he said, And no man
hath assembled M to heaven, hut he that came
down from heaven Peter said in ACTS 2 81
that David did not go to heaven. In the TWEEN
ty-uinth verse ne tells us that David is both
dead and buried. David is In the grave tsheol
or held waiting for the resurrenction All ~
the old prophets were dead when our Lord Jesus
came into the world and II said no man hath
assembled up to heaven. Then do not under
stand why some teach that the righteous 20 TO
heaven they die. and the Bible
teaches rs that no man goes 10 heaven until
after the resurrection
The final punishment of the wicked IS not
eternal torment. as some have been teaching.
but Is death. destruction. Thes 10 tells us
that the wicked shall he punished with ever
lasting destruction John tells t1st John
: 81 that there IS sin untn- dea1h--Dnc2- not
say eternal torment. Also, Romans 5:l2. James
i 3 and $50. The Apostle Paul wrote more in
the New Testament than any Of the apostles.
raul said. in Acts 2o27. "For / have not
Stunned to declare unto YOU all the counsel
Of God" Paul does not mention eternal tor
uent In any Of his writings: If there is such a
place. then Paul did not declare all the counsel
Of God Fcclesiastes rs; THE living know
that they shall die. but the dead know not
anything In the tenth There IS no
work nor device, nor knowledge. nor wisdom
! in the grave whittier thou goest.' Psalm
] 46; a; Ills breath goeth forth. he returneth
to his earth. in that very day his thoughts
perish" It certainly seems II men go to eter-
nal torment they should at least know they are
there. Eternal torment added to the
/ Scriptures by theoogians during the dark
| ages
Paul truly said: How they hear without
Il preacher" He preacher himself. and
he also said list Corinthians 9:1S) that he
preached the gospel of Christ without charge
The brother who wrote the article on April
goth refers to the preachers the shepherds
that the Lord has called to watch the sheep
world who would be more than glad to he shep.
herds, provided they could get salary OF 81 00f
I or $4,000 per year by doing. The preachers
seem TO be reaping their reward in this age
Very truly yours
G. r. CARPENTER