The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-09-08
READY FOR THE CRISIS.
rhc International Sunday School Les
son for September IL is 1.-The Ten
Yirpins.o-Matt. 25:1-13.
BY William L. Ellis.

Amid the crash of empires we are
c,lad upon to consider one of the
,,ast dramatic of the farewell admo-
,itinns of Jesus. The pertinency of
the present parable is in the mind of
cyerv member of the Sunday School
that uses the International Lessons. |
S,bered. chastened. awed men and
women today are ready to study the |
daaper truths of life; and to lend an
attentive ear to hear what the
Master Of us all has to say concern
ing ultimate things.
The closing u~tterances of Jesus
had 10 he with the Kingdom of Heav-
er-that kingdom which has o%utlaSt-
ed ali empires and still moves for
ward in it's beneficent way through
All the shocks to human institutions.
Here we face a subject that is vaster
than this overwhelming war. hat
is today e~ngrossing the worlds
Thought.
Myriads Of Christians are asking
themselves whether the present
world upheavaI p%Ortends the con-
summation foretold by Jesus. All
of us are ~solemnized by an interna-
tianal catastrophe without parallel
In human history. Whatever ones
views Of the Judgment. it is certain
that this war is the end Of all things
earthly for myriads of men. Small
wonder. therefore,. that it is a pro-
found spiritual experience for still
larger hosts of the living.
The Sufficient Preparation.
When we are ready for God. we
ar ready for anything. That is the
inclusive truth of the great parable
OF the Wise and Foolish Virgins
They who go to meet the Bridegroom
Joyous and unashamed, fear nothing
else: at peace with Him, they are at
peace with all the world. Here the
lesson truth strikes down deep into
every mans PHILOSOPHY Of life. There
is absolutely no other satisfaction
possible to human nature equal to
the surprising peace of preparedness
for the presence of God.
Every crisis teaches the supre-
macy of things spiritual. When the
storm Of unexampled war broke owe
Europe. it drove the nations to their
knees. Even irreligious France
turned to prayer. Kings and cOun-
ellis called their people to supplicate
before the throne of Heaven. m.
D. evitably the wal has set people to
thinking Of the God who was before
all, and is over all, and will be after
all. When right with Him. men ars
right with all the world. There is
no other disaste equal to the dis
favor of the Infinite.
The Ten Maidens.
Because the greatest truths may
be mirrored i'm the humblest happen.
lngS. Jesus set forth his wonderful
teaching Of the last days in the ia
mtlIar story of an Oriental wedding
and of the ten maidens who were
To help give joyous welcome to tn,
wedding party. OF these ten. fiv.
were wise and five were foolish: fol
only i've had laid by any store O
The oil needed to make the weddin.
Illumination. The parable is one o
preparation. There is no need I,
point out any anauOgy to prpesen
world events: every one must do tina
for himself.
The story touches upon our prepa
ration for life, as we'll as our pref "a
rduon FOR death: it is a truth f0
every day. as we'll as for the la
great day; it serves to make charac
Ter Tor youth. as well IS to afnr'
consolation for age; it makes vivi'
.he Masters oft-repeated exhOrta
uoh' BE ye also ready" That ,
me most practical motto for the 90
OF girl starting out in life: and i:
'he most spiritual counsel for III
ased person waiting deaths sun
mons.
TOO Late. Too Late"
somewhere l have read Of a pain
hicIeIy SuOWcO d Snul uOO
.nit was all; but the artist convc.
Z" 10 the imagination the ilnpI es
soh that that door stood for sepa
.auoh and iinality. History is fu
" tragic regrets Of those who Ia
MriVeo too late at their op%portunit.
see eVen "lch IN empire-bui'1>
- Gecii Rhodes crying on his dealt
~" ~ 30 mach to do: so little done
Sueeh E~lizabeth's shricks offered i r.
80 bounty for only d minute Of i'm
O., stared into tho pitiless eyes
11..."S rs 1t drew nigh. Let US e,
ly INTO our thinking the trG,
cr' mere comes a day when we mu
100 late" opportunities pas
Ia"iohs are not abiding. s.
-" the affairs of BUSINESS: in ma
'i L.easures: in the vaster; CD
nS or the spiritual reaim., the
vi,a.y approaches an hour when ii
10, .ioh n opportunity rejected G;
IL" more. the grace Of God is I