The Montgomery tribune., 1910-09-30
THE WISE AND
FOOLISH VIRGINS
'undsy School Lesson for Oct. 2, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Memory verses 10. ~.
GOLDEN TBXT.-"Be ye therefors
at an hour when ye think not"-Luke
12:4O.
TIME.-Tuesday afternoon. April 4.
PLACE.-on the Mount OF olives.
overlooking Jerusalem on his way to
Bethany.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
This is one of the most beautiful and
touching of the parallels. Poetry,
painting and the drama have combined
to give 1t an exceptional hold on the
Christian imagination. The weird
pathos of the story is unspeakable.
The occasion is so happy, the agents
so interesting. the issue so tragic. The
story is picture of an oriental we'd
ding. Among those friends of the bride
who waited to join the procession were
ten virgins. While they were waiting,
the time of the procession being ever
unknown, they became drowsy AMI
slept In peace, knowing that the shouts
and cries of the coming crowd would
awaken them in time. They had no
anxiety; the wise, because they had
faith and were prepared; the foolish,
by false security and by ignoring the
future.
The ten virgins had to wait till about
midnight, when through the still air
came shrill and clear "those peculiar
shrill, quavering cries of Joy, called
Zugaret, which are heard throughout
the east on occasions of special re-
joicing. (See Rev. 1869" And they
heard the cry: Behold the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.
The wise virgins trimmed and re-
plenished their lamps with the oil
which they had the forethought to
bring with them.
The foolish found their lamps burned
out. but they had been too careless
to bring extra oil with them. They
begged oil of the wise, but they had
none left; and advised the foolish to
go to the source Of supply where they
should have gone earlier. While they
were gone, the procession reached its
destination; those who were ready
went in to the marriage festival. And
the door was shut. Like Esau the
foolish virgins came too late for tho
blessing. They had thrown away their
opportunity.
The Lord was soon to depart by the
way Of the cross. But he promised to
return. He came back in the resur-
rection. He came in the coming or
the Spirit of the day of Pentecost. He
came at the destruction of Jerusalem.
He is coming in glory at the last day.
when his Kingdom shall come and his
will be done on earth as 1t is in heav-
en-.
Every crisis of our lives, every open
ing of opportunity, every crisis of the
world or the church may be called in
it's degree a coming of the Lord whose
providence is over all. Q) The COM
: ing Is something Of the greatest value
and blessing. 1t Is like the wedding
festival, full Of the best of life. Even
in the subordinate comings and crises
Of our lives, there is always a door, an
invitation, to something better than
we have had. Even death Is a gate to
heaven. (2) The time of the coming
J., is always unknown, for ye know neith-
er the day nor the hour wherein the
Son of man cometh.
In What Way Are We to Watch
|, The company of watchers was divided
8 into two classes, the wise and the
n foolish. The equality of numbers has
t no bearing on the proportion of per.
sons In real life who are wise OF
j. foolish.
S The lamps signify the outward pro
h fession, and the possibilities. All had
@ some light, they had religious feelings
r they were moved by the influences ol
@ the Holy Spirit.
The oil is the spiritual life, the
: heart, which is the source Of the flame
1. the visible manifestations Of tn,
IT Christian spirit. But this Significance
II was shown only by the burning lamp
n Those who took vessels Of oil, per
at manent supply, were those who hat
the living reality Of that which the.
@ professed. who put into practise, int
N character, that which shone forth from
their lamps.
Those who took no supply Of oi
had a surface feeling, like the see
sown on rocky soil, which sprang u
quickly and endured till persecution O
trouble arose Matt. 1856. 6, 20, 21]
, Watchfulness consists In being pre-
pared for every emergency, and ever
duty, as the wise virgins watched b
having their lamps continually burr
ing, and full supply of oil to kee
them burning.
And the Door Was Shut.-The oppo
tunity came, and the gift in its han
- was gained or lost. There came
time when 1t was too late to chang
This is fact of nature, as well as
=, truth Of the Word. There is tel
"a dency to fix the character. SO that or
~ will not change. In the MISUSE
az the body there comes a time when 1t
w. impossible to ward of disease. "
~ shut the door against ourselves. No or
To- but ourselves is to blame for our not g