The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-23
REALITY IN RELIGION
Dean 0fRRETr ON THE PfRtRLE
OF THE TEN yIRGTNs.
The Interesting Services Under tho Auspi-
COS OF tho farochiai Mission So
cicty- Night Services.

There was quite "a large congregation al
Monumental church az noon yesterday 20
listen to one OF those instructive dis
courses of Rev. X. $. Garrett. national
missioner OF the Parochial Mission So
cioty. The Introductory services were
conducted by Rev. r. S. Suckney, rector
of the church Dean Barrett. VINO IS
stu somewhat feeble from his spell Of
sickness on Sunday was. however. able
TO stand up ia the pulpit while he dcliv-
cred an eloquent and instructive sermon.
lie selected as his text Matthew XIV. l-l3
tne parable Of the ten virgins.
rms text. he said, merely takes up the
text OF Monday. We are told what the
hinsdom OF God shall be on Judgment
DAY. These ten virgins were ali members
OF the church and pr0fcsscd 10 be alike
out the difference between them Is Ike
tnat between reality and unreaity BcO-
tle must be real and genuine. and not
lIauos ana shams. The parable IS not
intended 10 demonstrate that just one
haii OF the members OF the church are
tool ana tho others bad. for sometimes
laI more than half are founQ 10 DE either
tVou or Dad All ten virgins have the
outward and visible signs Of Christians.
Mnlt only part Of them possess the
inward and spiritual grace.
Ihey all slept while awaiting the ar
iiNal or the bridegroom. and so will we
All sleep together in the cemetery, true
Nntlsuans ALONGSIDE Of shains, We cannot
rely on the Cpitaphs The virgins all
awake and trim their lamps. The first
thought that occurs 10 us. not when We
are dying. for often we don't know when
death approaches us but when we realize
mat we are dead. VIII be- our Christian
profession ana what Will 10 amount to?
LACK Oh EXAMINATIONS.
II Is not 90 be supposed that these viz
Ems Know that thor lamps were empty
when they went to sleep. From "a lack OF
examination great many people don't
Know that they arc false, that their re-
nglon Is sham. But man is not satis-
ned in the presence Of God, he asks,
w nat does my religion amount tO2' lie
Trims ms lamp What are we 10 10 under
the circumstances 10 is great deal bet
ter Tor us before we 30 10 sleep 10 hnd
out all about this. 10 look into our hearts
70 see n We are real Christians An
honest examination win find out a great
many faults. bat We VIII be able to ascer-
tain whether we are honest i'm our re-
ngion and whether our heart is I'm H.
There ls often very little reality I'm rell-
gion and people arc inclined 10 lay more
weight on formalities.
u Is a bad practice for MS 10 lower our
ideals iu order 10 better meet our mis-
taxes. Tor such practice leads 20 the
wreck OF Christian life. The lamp is
to0d. the standard is high. and We must
Wy 10 bring Our standard up and Keep 10
mere. or there will be no hone for u.s.
we cannot Dc lieht-makcrs i'm the world TO
come II we have not been lght-makers
here.
FIVE FORMS on RrIIGlON.
The speaker then compared five Of the
virgins TO five different forms of religion
saying that their controversies only re-
lated 10 the outward and visible sirus
ihey quarrelled about the outer form and
beauty or their lamps, and did not con-
sider for a moment that they were empty.
80 the representatives, Of Methodist Pros
byteuan Baptist, Roman Catholic. and
hpiseopalian religions might claim 10 be-
SAlllita 70 enter The Kingdom O. Heaven
because others of their faith were adj
United there. But they would be- rejected
with the statement that the lamps OF |
these whom they referred 20 had been |
iuI. while their own were empty.
FIDELITY. faithful less TO duty and "A |
heart ~ our religion. Dean Barrett said. !
u absolutely necessary boo the sight 0t |
Goo. Let us. therefore examine our |
selves this day. and if We find that our /
irlslon mas n,cn merely a iormality. ict |
ana then we will be able 10 face Him.