Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-13

of the larger company which constituted
the escort on the joyous way. The dwell
ing was at last reached. and all entered In
Then the door was closed to keep out All
unworthy persons, and the appointed fes-
Invites began, in which all had an bonnr
able and delightful part The imaeinatio,,
can on!y fmperfectly picture the scene In
oriental countries even more than with us
wedding was a time of unusual merry
making. SO II is and so will AZ ever be viii
the follower of Jesus who Is ready for H.,
summons announcing the coming of his
master. He enters into the great congresa-
.ion OF FAITHFUL souls whose delights sur
pass tho- ability OF human speech to de
SScIipe' congregation protected against all
lntruders tRev.. XXi:2Tl
~, THE APPROACH. Cverses 1l-12l
IL ne ioonsh virgins. left behind by their
wise companions, did not at once abandon
, ,he purpose with which they set out Turn
iHS away In some other direction I, ,,,ue,
IaNe peen with difficulty that they found a
itetcnant from whom to purchase what they
ShouId have taken at the beginning M
ere long they were successful Fastening
alohs the way they arrived after the clossd
ooi aiilouhced that the company had been
competed: They may have heard the
mirth. and We're thereby made more eager
10 gam admission. They cried aloud Lord
Lord, open 10 us But the governor of tn,
house, the one who directed the cerc-
MONIES. replied, Il know you not" unable
TO distinguish them from the unworthy-
crowd that might gather at the door An
this Illustrates the trouble that must over
take those professors OF religion who live
on a low spiritual plane. unprepared for the
Calls of God prov. i:2;-2sl. There are
men and women who come too late to
nave any part in the elor ious work of this
world because they have attempted 10
make ready when they should have been
ready. go
THE WARNING. Uerse IN Tho
parable ended, Jesus gave a word of conn
SCI 10 His disciples, who heard Him. which
NJ toll hg1.
centuries who follow Him. 1t will be. OH
served that He makes no allusion directly
10 that which formed the chief feature of
the parable He does not take up the
nSure OF the oil and enjo,n that all shall
be supplied. He eXhorts to watch and
gives as reason that they do not know
when the Son of Man would come. But
that Is only another way OF saying tn.
same thlng To watch is to assume the at
utude OF expectation, and 10 provide in such
manner that whether the coming be early
or late there shall be no surprise and no
lack of readiness. 1t is the fact of un-
certainty upon which He lays special
emphasis and points out the way of cunse-
quent duty. 1t is the same as to say, BE
always ready inasmuch as We know not
when the summons will come. This calls
attention to one of the chief features Of
HE and marks in plainest terms the course
of wisdom.
THE PosTSCRIPT.-It will not do TO
limit TINS passage to the apostles, nor vet
ing In the time of the final judgment II IS
applicable TO the church of our time which
consists of two classes-those who live for
the present forms and pretensions and
those who also gather up that which will
serve them in any emergency They all
have their seasons of ease and rest-the
one part with foolish Indifference tho
other part with wise content and assurance
The sacred oil may never ill the heart
and there is an abundant supply for those
unusual occasions which must arise in
every life To be virgin is the destination
OF every Christian who is called to purity
ana sanctification. But the negative virtues
are not sufficient. Take care not to spuru
external Christianity, of which the lamp Il
the emblem; but take care also not TO be
SATISFIED with it. not to rest upon it, How
many send for the minister and frantfcaIly
desire spiritual good when it is too late
Question Answered.
Any person may send any Biblical uues-
ton to DIR. Gilbert, 1903 r street north
west, this city, and receive answer in The
Star:
1854. What relation does the decalop,,e
bear to the Christian dispensation? Was
it abolished with the law of command
ments?"
Answer. The decalogue literally the ten
words found in Exodus Xxx, Is a formulate,
statement delivered to Moses as tho moral
oasis or the Levftical dispensation. IT has
never peen repealed and never will be re-
pealed, because the essentials are there ami
they are perpotually binding Matt Wiz
Ihese commandments, however. are rereat
ed In other form in the New Testament
ana they are summarized in very beauti-
ful way. mark ii:30-3l) 1t Is bettor
Tor us to refer to the New Testament ron
dering of the commands as suited To
the gospel dispensation. The term law 10
also used IN the sense of dispensation re-
1tEllUS 10 the rites and III Of H.
Jews. These have passed away, being a
hgure OF better things to come In This
sense only the law is abolished while in
the other sense it is maintained
100. On what Biblical authority was the
Sabbath changed to the first day of the
week? VI 'i''
answer. This question mas been answered
three times in The Star. See question 40
June 3; question 123, June II; question IA
August l.. ~