THE KING’S BUSINESS
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scenes are laid on earth, in Hell and in Heaven. The rich man is unnamed, perhaps for sweet charity’s sake, or to hint that it was not written in heaven and is to be forgot on earth. The beggar is named as well known in heaven and indeliby written on earth. “The rich and the poor meet together” (Prov. 22:2) but they do not eat together. Even in this life between them there is a great gulf fixed. All the socialistic econ omies can never fill it up. We must wait for the new order. But the chasm has been bridged. The rich may cross to the poor if they will, and some must cross whether they will or not. Even here the relations of the rich man and Lazarus may be reversed—let the rich remember that. See how the rich man fares, what he wears and how little he cares. But Jesus Was no demagogue pitting one class against another, all rich are not so covetous, all poor are not so worthy. “A certain rich man named Joseph’’ is honorably mentioned. (Matt. 27:57). But how skillfully Jesus contrasted them: Fine linen—sores; crumbs —sumptuous fare; and so through. It is as hard for a man full of sumptu ous living to sympathize with a beggar full of sores as it. is for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven. It is better to' cross the social bridge now than to change sides with the beggar then. The transition must be made if it takes a band of angels to bear the beggar up and a pack of devils to drag the rich man down. Great changes are wrought by death. He who scorned to recognize his neighbor here appeals to him by name there; who grudg ed a crumb from his sumptuous table, begs a drop of water; who would not lend a helpjng hind, would fain feel the touch of a finger-tip. While he who was flung at a1glutton’s 1gate is tenderly laid in Abra ham’s bosom; once covered with sores he now wrapped in his mantle; who was a beggar here, is heir of glory there. Even in hell Dives’ pride is not humbled, as' the tree falls so it lies: He has no notion but. that this sometime beggar has no more fitting use than to be a rich man’s servant, “Send Lazarus to cool my tongue.” 'Note that the man’s identity is preserved; his Consciousness clear; his sensibilities quick; his memory unimpaired even in hell. , But has he not more than five brethren? We have “Moses and the prophets,” and the poor always with us, and when we will wC may, do them, good, or, when we will, fhey cannot do us good. *' “Now is. the accepted time.”
‘‘Now is the Accepted Time” WILLIAM dOWPER T T E LIVES who lives to God,alone, “ And all are dead beside; , ' For other source than God is none
Whence life can be .supplied. To live to God is to requite His love as best we may; To make His precepts: our delight, His promises our stay. But -life, within a narrow ring Of giddy- joys comprised, .falsely named and ne .such thing, ■ ■ But rather death disguised.
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