Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-11-18

- Il"
join the wedding procession ON the
night that the bridegroom cometh.
''None That Doets Good
Is this true? VIII Christ allow any
one to join the wedding procession who
comes Go him merely with the clamp
OF good works" I'm his hand? Oh. not
For IL we are honest with ourselves
we know "thcre Is none that doeth
good-no. not one" We know that
many OF the acts FOR which the world
praises us we have done with the
most selfish desires and the most cor
rupt motives. Some OF them have
been done TO win popular applause.
some To secure tie good opinion of the
church and the world For these we
have received our reward, hut Christ
does not reward them. We know That
there is not enc of ms WHO would like
the thoughts OF oIr brain and the de-
sires or our heart TO be read by the
most intimate OF our friends as an
open book. | know some people say
they are proud of their past and of
what they have done. John Churchill
the first Duke of Marlborough. when
a very old man exultantly lived over
the scenes OF his sturdy manhood.
Day by day his secretary used to read
TO him the histories of the military
campaigns of which Blenhcim and
families and Oudenarrlc and Malpa-
quet battleficlds were the successful
clinaNes. When a particularly bril-
liant move was described, on which the
success OF the English armies turned
ms upon pivot, the old dukes eyes
would flash as he raised himself and
said: Wonderful! Wonderful That
was mastery movement. How did
ever execute it?" He would glory I'm
and praise his own deeds, even as
aged Dean Swift would glory In the
works OF his youth when he said.
what genius must have had when
I wrote thatr'
A Sands az the Sea.
But. though the Duke OF NIarlbor-
ough gloried in the military strategy of
his past life, there is not one OF us.
from gospel standpoint, who can
truly glory In the good works. we
have done. Our wasted opportunities
are as the sands OF the sea. The good
deeds we might have done and which
we have left undone completely over
shadow the little good we have been
able to do. No, no. No man can light
bis way TO the wedding banquet hail
with the empty lamp OF good works"
When the Bridegroom cometh IL win
then he for us as dark as midnight I'M
less we prepare our spiritual oil in
ChriSts own way. Faith without
works is dead" Work without faith"
In the sight of the Divine Bridegroom,
Is also as black as the tomb. If we
find our gospel mendicants among
those who are depending upon their
mothers and fathers conservation we
also find them among those who would
call upon the name of Jesus Christ as
fetch and those who are depending
entirely upon their good works"
think, however, that the majority
OF spiritual beggars can be found and
always will be found among those who
expect some day TO consecrate their
lives to Jesus Christ. but keep putting
OF the acceptance week by week and
day by day and hour by hour until
suddenly the cry is taken up, Behold
the bridegroom cometh; 20 We out to
meet him." and they will be called I'M
prepared. l do not believe that all of
these foolish virgins deliberately in
tended TO he unprepared for the COM
| ing OF the bridegroom. They intended
| to so and get the oil which is the SYM
Dol Of the spiritual life. But they kept
saying to each other, "Oh, we will 20
tomorrow" or 1--WE will go next week"
or 'We will go next month. There is
plenty OF time; do not worry"
Prepare For Old Age.
These gospel mendicants can find
their exact symbols I'm the financial
lives OF every man and woman who
live day by day and never provide for
the futures rainy day. / go to you
and say, Jones. you ought to look out
for your financial interests and those
or your family" You get very indig-
nant. fou answer me sharply and say:
L DO not know that you have a right
TO give me such advice. / am looking
after myself. 1 am paying my bills
and owe no man anything" 81 know
IT, Jones'" | reply, but You are not
saving anything for the future. You
are not preparing for future sickness
ing mp to every cent of your income.
TX you should die tomorrow your fami-
" would not have n cent" At once
your face becomes earnest. You say:
THAT is So l have not n cent laid
up for the future. Last week my little
girl found gray hair in my head,
and 1t was n warning for me TO pre-
pare for old age" But you GO awny
from me. and your new resolve IS
soon forgotten. A couple OF years later
1 read in the newspaper that you We're
in n railroad wreck. Your leg was
crushed and had TO be amputated. Or
hear from some one that you are in
hard financial straits on account of a
long typhoid sickness, / go 10 your
late home and find that you have
moved. Your house is now n very
humble one. After calling short time
l say, "Well. Jones. how are you get
ting along financially?" You hesitate
moment. Then you gulp down n big
lump I'm your throat as you answer: II
have not cent left. My doctors bills
and the loss OF my position have swept
away everything. Alas, / know now
what you meant when You said, Jones,
lay up for the future But / did not
think the rainy day would come SO
SOON"
That is the figure of my parable.
The duty that was always being post
poned was postponed too long. The
oil that those foolish virgins should
have had was not there when 1t was
needed. While the Bridegroom tar
ried they all slumbered and slept. And
at midnight there was a cry, Behold
the Bridegroom comethw That means,
when the last call for repentance came,
II came suddenly. The Bridegroom al
ways comes suddenly. Then what hap
pened? Why, the five foolish virgins,
who In the near future expected to
have the spiritual oil prepared, Were
found without the necessary prepare.
ton. Those that were prepared went