The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-01-31
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY g.
Subject: Parable OF the Ten Virgins
Matt. XIV. 1-I3 - Golden Text: Matt.
XIV, I3- Memory Verses, 1O-13-Com-
,ucntc.y on .he Days Lesson.

l.
IN the preceding chapter where there are
reasons t32 believing the coming OF the
SayiCus : near: but still it IS Impossible
TO fix the exact lime. The kingdom 9f
heaven" The gospel kingdom. or the
state ot things in the visible church, par
ticularly the character, conduct and con-
Gition OF the subjects OF that kingdom.
Ten virgins Ten as 4 symbol repre-
seuta complete csS and the virgins repre-
..nt Inc purity OF the Christian church.
TOOK tneir lamps" Each had lamp,
(which signifies individuality. preparation,
independence of others" The lamp sig
nifes the outward profession OF religion.
Went forth" The procession accompany
inc the bride from the house of her faith
er to that of the bridegroom was gener-
ally one of more or less pomp. Inc
BRIDEGROOM" The bridegroom means the
Lord Jesus Christ. and all who are making
preparation for His coming, whether TO
call men by death or to summon them oy
His second appearing. may be said to be
going forth 10 meet Him.
Q "Were wise" These left nothing to
be attended to at the last moment: they
were prudent and fully prepared. Fool
ish." Careless, negligent. The visible
.hr--', OF Christ consists OF true and false,
members spiritually ue"o ohu oS~. spa
itua1ly alive.
3. Took their lamps" We must care
fully note the contrast: In the case OF the
foolish the taking of their lamps is every
thing. but in the case of the wise 1t is the
taking Of oil in their vessels. "Took no
oil with them" The oil represents the
grace. or love Of God in the heart. These
virgins represent class of so-cal'ed Chris
tians who make profession of religion. but
who lack the faith which worketh By love.
4. Took oil" They carried vessel
with oil to pour into the lamp when neces'
sarv. The decisive test was not the lamp,
bat The o;l-the Spirit, the spiritual lie.
and vet they must have a lamp to hold
the oil. Let us he careful not to despise
the forms OF religion True Christians
unite both external and internal Chris
tianity.
8. "Tarried. The figure is generally
modified by the circumstances that the
bridegroom comes from afar. as IN Judges
i: this would explain the long tarrylng OF
IKE bridegroom. The Bridegroom far
away is Christ. who is come for the mar
risgc feast from "the far country.-th
nome above. "Slumbered and slept. The
time passed by the virgins in sleep repre-
sents merely the waiting time. during
| which time the true Christian is fully pre-
pared for the coming OF the heavenly
Bridcgroc at any hour.
c. at midnight" The Jewish we'd
dincs were generally celebrated in the
night. We: they usually began ut the rising
| Il the c::pinc star. but in this case there
was ,ncre than ordinary delay. This was
, the most unfit tine for the virgins to OBJ
| tain the oil they needed. The Bride
groom 'ccmetl." Though Christ tarry
LONG. He will come 1T last; though He
! seems slow, He is sure. The year of the
redeemed is nxed. and it will come. Death
and the judgment will come when least
e1pccte6. Co We out to meet Him.
Here .s summons What does this
mean 1t means. go forth to receive the
recomnense OF your doings. What fear
full thing to he thus summoned to appear
before the judge Of ell the earth!
:. "All--arcse.' There is something
terrible in the security of the foolish.
maintained up to the lest; they, too, arise
and trim their lamps, even though there
is nothing but foul wick: they are not
vet aware that their tste is already sealed.
Trimmed" Adorned.
s. Give U.s." They now began to re-
alize their serious lack. Those who take
ND With something short of true grace will
certainly fnG inc want OF it, sooner or
later Lamps are going out Or. W.
This shows that their lamps had been
lighted. Many who once have had hearts
filed with fifth and love have allowed a
worldly spirit - take possession or them,
and now they arc entirely backslidden
from. God: their lamps" have gone out.
8. "Will not b. enough tR. W. II
was impossible TO render any assistance.
There was & time when .hcy might have
helped eacn other but that time is now
past. GO vc" They could tell them
what to do. b"T i was now zoo late. To
them that sell" To Cod For YOUR
selves Taey must hare oil OF their own.
Nothing short o. personal holiness Is sutii-
cient.
10. while they went to buy." What
dismal thing it is not to discover the
emptiness OF ones heart OF all that IS good
until il is too late to be saved. God only
knows how many arc thus deceived. They
that were ready" Those VINO were pre-.
pared: who not only had profession OF
godliness. but who possessed true holiness.
"To the marriage feast (R. W. To be
eternally glorifed: to be in His immediate
presence. The door was shut There
comes period after which change is i'm
| possible /. In some cases that period is
death ,. In other cases the day OF hone
less hardness comes hesore tic termination
of the natural life. :. At rnc time of the
second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and to THE period especially doth the par.
able refer. AS the Lord fnds us so we re-
main forever.
IL. "ODen to us. Earnest prayer.
when used in time. may do much good,
but it appears from this parable that there
may come lime whc: prayer even to
Jesus nav be too latc.
70. g! know vou not" There is an es-
arrangement of heart that SCI arates them
from the Saviour. Heart preparation
alone could fit them for the ENJOYMENT OF
the presence Of the Lord, and this they