Old Negro Spirituals #24

“There was a certain
rich man who was

clothed in purple and
fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 
But there was a
certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores,
who was laid at his gate, desiring to be
fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover
the dogs came and
licked his sores. So it
was that the beggar
died, and was carried by
the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man
also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he
lifted up his eyes and
saw Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his
bosom.

“Then he cried and
said, ‘Father Abraham,
have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus that he
may dip the tip of his
finger in water and cool
my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 
But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in
your lifetime you
received your good
things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things; but
now he is comforted
and you are tormented. 
And besides all this,
between us and you
there is a great gulf
fixed, so that those who want to pass from here
to you cannot, nor can
those from there pass
to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg
you therefore, father,
that you would send
him to my father’s
house, for I have five brothers, that he may
testify to them, lest they
also come to this place
of torment.’ Abraham
said to him, ‘They have Moses and the
prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said,
‘No, father Abraham; but
if one goes to them
from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to
him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded
though one rise from
the dead.’ ”

Luke 16:19-31

               Rock My Soul -

          Fisk Jubilee Singers