The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-04-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Notes on the Lesson for April
a The Ten Viz
gins"
From the Chicago stand ard. |

chapter OF Matthew.
WHAT rHH LESSON TEACHES
Then IL " . small word but worth mo-
menrs thought " refers To the tme OF unit
verssl acknowledgment Men hsten TO the
parallels now a. pretty stories In the day OF
our Lords appearing, whether they VISA or
no. they win be brought 70 personal reAlz.-
ferent world wlIl see the parabies in . new
light Are you prepared Tor the great clear
ing umes Are you living the noW in view
OF the them
Took their lamps IAmp-bearers are We
all. Not Christians merely hold lamps aloft;
Jews, Greeks, Barbarians, all OF us have
minded the natural law ana provided light
Tor the journey. Confucius had his lamp; II
burned well AZ nrsL Socrates lighted torch.
but II hickered and went our 1he followers
OF Theodore Parker have lamp, beautifully
embossed 1t has . largo base, though .
small burner. II looks well on the parlor
table in the daylight But ali, a. for the
night, It has not yet been fnliy tried We
Five we're FOOLISH Five out of ten. 1t is a
large proportion. Does 1t ove--estImate the
ratio of improvidence to-day! There Is
nothing OF Significance IN the number ten :;
there is startling import in the connected
number five" as representing the full half.
There IL little meaning to be read out OF the
word virgin" But tine fact that five of them
were @foolsh," witless, should give US grief.
Look at your circle in the school, in the So
clety, at the home. How many arc wise!
How many. alas, foolishy
Took no OIL They had not ~grace suffi-
cient" They had no reserve of goodness. A
great many people have little glows OF piety.
They are drawn for moment toward Christ
and they set their faces toward him, torch in
hand But it is not full determ ination, not
a complete conservation 1t Is like q Hash IN
the pan. the blaze OF an empty wick. They
have taken no oil with them.
Vessels acnh their lamps II was cumber-
some, no doubt. But tine extra vessel was
we'll worth the carrying. Lamps OF light and
vessels OF oil go together There Is too much
of a tendency to let impulse take the place OF
piety, and good resolutions stand for true re-
ligion. Men think because the truth has on CO
flashed In upon the mind that they are some
how on the safe side. Not 30. Work out,
says the Scripture, your own salvation with
fear and trembling" The Christian pilgrim
has burden in each hand.
They all slunbered and slept There was
nothing wrong about that All alike re-
sponded TO the demands OF tired nature. The
difference lay in the preparation that had
been made. Here 10 q test; in fact, thAe
ing The wise were prepared for the hour Of
waking and its glad call the foolish had no
fitness beyond the slumbering point Instead
OF getting themselves ready for summons
they had only equipped themselves for alum
Der. The Christian and the worldling go
their way much alike, rising and reclining at
the self-same hour. Presently you will hear
"a cry made" Then note the difference.
Behold the bridegroom. 1t is the crisis in
mons affairs that brings them to the test.
1t all looks forward to that grand climax In
the end Of days when the world shall be
brought to Judgment When men are tried
they show what strength they have. 1t Is on
the sudden call in an emergency that real
character is discovered What a moment Of
testing it will be when that midnight cry at
last rings out!
Trimmed their lamps That is what tests a
light Will it stand trimming! If 1t has oil
it will burn all the more brightly; il not, even
the feeble spark will fade. There are many
flame it may be called The secret is, the oil
Is out and the owner has gone TO sleep careless
of the fact All, they will not bear the trim.
ming. But here is another lamp turned very
low, perh1ps, but burning with q strong.
healthy radiance You can trim this sort
Gone out just about to go out They had
little life left, but not much; just enough to
make discontinue visible, as they flashed up
and expired 1t is not necessary for us TO in
sist with some that the tive were Indifferent
Christians or hypocritical professors. They
were simply people who were aware OF their
privilege and had had some good impulses,
as who have not? But they neglected the
better spirit went their witless way, and
when suddenly called to account 10, there
was just enough light left to show them
their grievous loss
Not enough for us and for yom Every man
needs his full store OF strength in the hour OF
supreme demand No one has aught to spare.
In fact the grace OF God is not, some teachers
10 the contrary Notwithstanding, transferable.
1t cannot be handed down from father to son
it cannot be shared by brotherly partition.
Jonathan Edwards and President Burr would
fain have divided their righteous portion, il
possible, with graceless sons. There was NOT
enough for both.
Buy for yourselves Each man goes straight
to the source for all he has Of grace. If the
dogma of commutable righteousness taught
by the papal church were the truth, then
might we see something else than folly in the
union of church and state. II the continen-
tai doctrine, so widely adopted by Pedobap-
fist faiths, OF traditional grace were Scriptural,
then we might look to see the oil in one lamp
availing for another. But priestly absolution
or godly parentage has saved no man. 3Come
e Christi Without sa'n nons sS ys su But
without the going and the getting.
While they tcent TO buy 1t Is the place
where all are found at the final ordeal-all
who are not already possessed OF the needed
light They are looking for it They have
the restless movements OF the last hours.
o, If anxiety could save a man, then few
would go unsaved. Many conceal it. but
none escape il. In mind, at least and to one
mart or anOtner, the expiring soul castb hDOul
az the shadows thicken, for the light q
child OF earth. take it now while il In offered.
Iknow you3ot 1t was the plain truth.
They had not made themselves his friends
ere the festivities began, and II was contrary
10 the laws of the marriage feast that Q
stranger should intrude upon the happy CON-
pany. We are given an intimation of the
Judgment scene. The sentence pronoun ced
then and there against the finally impeniteni
will not be an arbitrary one. 1t will spring
In perfect Righteousness from the very ra-
tionale OF events @These will go away" not
as excommuni Gated, but as unified. There
is naught of heavens beauty to be recognized
in them. Their entrance would be a tart in
trusion. The Lord Of grace and 81 ory knows
them not
Watch THEREFOR. That is the conclusion Of
the whole matter. Watch not to evade God.
but to find him and know him; watch not ia
escape the sight Of the open door. but to be-
hold IL and TO enter in. swell, what IL the
door be shut" said two Of Whitield's audit
ors once in a merry whispering mood. San
other will open." They were paralvzed TO
hear the Spirit guide d preacher cay, the nexI
moment, anticipating cavil, @Some careless,
trifing person may be lightly thinking, What
matter IN tho door be shut Another will
OPEN Yes" he proceeded, smother wii'
open. II will be the door of the bottomless
pitt Oh, "a your soul loves peace and
shrinks from everlasting misery, watch, watch,
watch
Next lesson-@The Talents" Matt XIV. {: