Evening star., 1923-01-27

Thrift week taught the lesson Of
saving money. This weeks lesson Is
Christ's teachings about the proper
use Of wealth. Jesus never did con-
denim the possession OF wealth. He
did. however, condemn the abuse OF
wealth. He emphasized the fact that
ones use OF his wealth was the prime
test of his character. He knew that
gold was q hard taskmaster. The
very hearts OF It's devotees are turned
into metal. drying up the streams OF
justice and abolishing the word
mercy" 1t blots out all thought for
others and breeds an atmosphere
poisoned with selnshness. Men pay
too high price for their love Of
money. You cannot serve God and
mammon."
Jesus understood the power of
money and it's peril. In the parable
of the shrewd or unjust steward, the
Great Physician prescribed the cure
for the money mania OF His day.
yet no better cure for this form Of
insanity has ever been discovered.
This cure, as stated in the golden
text, Is for men to set their hope on
God and not upon the uncertainty
OF riches Jesus called men to make
portunities. He taught them the
message Of stewardship. His funda-
mental teaching concerning property
was that everything belonged to God
If men would seriously consider their
personal responsibility for the proper
use Of the property which God has
intrusted into their keeping, the
peril OF money would be overcome.
The cynical, covetous Phsrisees,
who were lovers of money, derided
right use Of wealth. In answer to
their scoff1ng jeers. Jesus warned
them Of their danger in the most
vivid parable which He used during
his. entire ministry. The parable ls
timeless in its essential teaching. and
At the world in the days OF Christ. II
is a vivid and terrible exhibition OF
the psychological and social ano
spiritual laws that work out tho
penalties OF selflshness." In the open
ing part Jesus pictures the self1shnees
of the plutocrat. the suffering OF the
poor and the succor OF Providence.
Jesus presented a typical picture OF
a rich man, filled with the spirit OF
selfishness and deaf to the needs OF
humanity. His money bought for MN
priceless purple robes and soft linen
garments. His palace was hlled with
iuxuries. His table was spread with
the choicest foods. In his comfort,
laughter and licentiousness he forgot
his obligations to God and considera-
denim him for his wealth or for the
manner in which he obtained It but
for his inhunanity to his fellows. He
neglected the poor beggar who wait
ed at the palace gate, hoping 70 BE
fed with the crumbs which fell from
tho rich mans table.
The opportunities to help. AID ana
assist the poor are ever present. De-
cause the principles and processes OF
distribution have not Increased with
the production OF wealth. One has
we'll said that the poor have always
Church has always endeavored. with
more or less wisdom. to do them good
They are Gods poor. But too seldom
has such benefactions perfectly un-
derstood Jesus. and too often has 1t
hindered the realisation Of HIS more
sought not the amelioration but the
regeneration Of individuals and So
ciety. charity has for centuries been
too often the palliation Of sin and the
deadener Of conscienee. II patriotism
drel, charity has been q thousand
times the hypocrite's price Of heaven"
The callousness Of the rich man In
his unbrotherly behavior 10 contrast
ed with the compassion OF the street
gar. Lazarus. There Is indicated in
his name the real source OF help for
all who feel the pinch of poverty and
are called upon to struggle for their
daily bread. as God Is ever ready to
help. II 1t were not 50. many a saint
burdens Of life In the battle for ex-
istence. II man refuses to heed the
cry of the beggar at his door. there
ever remains the loving Father in
heaven. who will help the needy in
every hour Of distress u they call on
at the selfshness of Dives. the rich
man, ought to warn US to heed the
cry of the distressed in both Europe
and the near east Although Dives
might have claimed that he was not
personally responsible for the condi-
tion Of. Lazarus, that excuse would
not have lightened his responsibility.
Tho picture changes with startling
swiftness. Death shifts tho scenery
from the present to the hereafter
This lesson gives the only. parable
spoken by our Lord In which the
imagery was built upon the condition
Of man between death and Judgment
1nasmuch as the imagery Of Chrigt's
parallels, whether based upon the ma
tural order of the world or on the
SoIohpofdty NaHHoTo ana customs,
is true to historical conditions, we
must believe that the imagery OF
this parable represents. at least the
essential conditions OF mans state
between death and judgment. The
scene portrays the world Of the dis
embodied spirits. It was painted nee
essarily In the words. OF thfs- life
which could best represent the chang
ed condition OF this two whose careers
furnished Jesus with His object les
son.
1t was natural that the beggar, be-
cause Of his lack. Of proper food and
disease should die first When the
earthly life OF the rich man was
ended, he found q change in their
places Conditions hero do not de-
termine destiny hereafter. Character,