Evening journal., 1910-10-01

The Great Teacher in today's study
tells US further about his glorious
Messianic Kingdom and concerning
those who will be accounted worthy
to share IL with him-as his Bride.
This parable has not been Of general
application all through this Gospel
Age. II applies merely at the close |
of the Age-at the present time, we /
believe. II does not take into con- /
sideration the world, nor even the /
nominal Church. but solely, only, the /
true Church. the Virgin class. The
word virgin" signifies pure. and in |
Using this term the Lord implies that /
he Is referring only 10 those who |
have ben justified. by faith and con
secration. because by nature none are |
pure; none are holy; none are vir- |
gins.
Five Wise-Piye Foolish.
One of the special lessons OF tho par
able is TO show that amongst the pure,
the wise. the consecrated people OF
God, there are two classes. For time
these will be all together-unsepara
ed But IN the fulhling of this para
BILE certain circumstances and condi-
tions and truths will develop and sep
arate these. two classes of saints, vir'
llaa
The parable shows all the virgins a
sleeping. waiting for the coming OF tn
Bridegroom. Apparently, there is M
difference; but really there is a diff
ference-the wise had a larger sup
PLY Of oil than had the foolish Then
came an announcement of the pres
ence of the Bridegroom and a call to
go forth to meet him. This implies
that something from the prophetic
Word at the appropriate time will call
the attention of all the Virgin class
TO the presence of Messiah. But at
'the Second Advent IL will be as it was
at the First Advent, when John said
TO Jesus. Behold there standeth one
among you whom ye know not" We
arc not to expect the Second Coming
Of Christ IN the flesh, but as a spirit
being.
We arc to remember that the Scrip
lures outline two distinct features con
nected with the Second Coming. First
will come the parousia or presence
OF the Lord. recognizable only by the
Wise and Foolish Virgins. In his
parousia or presence he will test and
prove his Church, dividing them into
wise and foolish virgin classes-the
NAcN VII kAlr W UtlUult Ait nNAuH CLASS
and the foolish virgins to become the
class who will experience a second
grade Of salvation--coming up out Of
great tribulatiol and becoming the
bridesmaids, so TO speak. "the virgins.
tho Brides Companions. who follow
after her" psalm xiv. iA. These will
attain great blessings in spiritual life,
but fail to gain the prize of ioint-heir-
ship with the Lord In his Throne, I'm
his Kingdom
Later on viii come the manifesto
tiOn Of Christ with his Church. in now.
er and great glory. in the setting up OF
his Messianic Kingdom and in tn,
overthrow of everything contrary 10 II
Concerning this manifestation we read
when he shall appear. we also "a.
Bride class, will appear with him ii
glory. Col. Ill., 4.
Il will be IN the time Of the presence
the parousia, Of the Son of man. 70
the gathering Of the elect" that al
the Virgins will be awakened by tn
message Of the Truth. Some viii b
able TO appreciate. others will not b
able to appreciate his presence. Tn
latter Will need to go and buy" III
OH, the wisdom, the understanding, o
the Divine Word. Il will cost som
~ NANh AoiioA1tA huiC Ol bolI-hdGlluC
and humiliation to learn their lessons
Such as obtain the oil in time will ioll
the party that will 90 in with tn
bridegroom to the marriage feast
Then the door to that High Callinl
viii close forever.
Thank God that Il Is not as we ono
supposed-that the door of mercy i
TO close, shutting out the foolish Vir
gins Of the Church, together with IN
whole world OF mankind: and. as w
once supposed, shutting them into eter
nal torment. The parable merely show
that the closed door viii exclude an
others from coming into the Bird
class. to be joint-heirs with Messiai
In bis Kingdom. The door viii clos
because the full number elected an
predestipated to this high honor vii
have attained the necessary character
likeness of Christ and will have stoo
the necessary testines.
AS no one of the Jewish priests coui
ever serve as High Priest If he had
Ies1uszzzuzzz-zzu-~u--