The Washington herald., 1914-09-12
THE TEN VIRGINS.
LEssON-MattheW xxTI-l3
. GOLDEN TEXT-MGtthsE 1--WE.

Watch therefore. for ys know not the day nor
the hour"
% Then shall the kingdom of heaven
be likened unto ten virgins, which took
their lamps. and went forth to meet the
bridegroom
CD And five Of them were foolish.
and five we're wise.
C0 For the foolish. when they took
their lamps, took no oil with them.
CD But the wise took oil in their YES
sells with their lamps.
90 Now while the bridegroom tarried,
they all slumbered and slept.
C6) But at midnight there is a cry. Be-
hold, the bridegroom. Come ye forth 20
meet him.
"a Then all those virgins arose, and
trimmed their lamps
90 And the foolish said unto the wise,
Give US Of your oil; for our lamps are
going out
80 But the wise answered, saying,
Peradventure there will not be enough
for us and you; go we rather to them
that sell, and buy for yourselves.
OO And while they went away to buy.
the bridegroom came: and they that were
ready went in with him to the marriage
feast; and the door was shut.
Cd Afterward come also the other
virgins. saying. Lord, Lord. open to us.
09 But He answered and said, Verify
say unto you, know you not.
Q0 Watch therefore, for We know not
the day nor the hour.
The Narrative.
There is omitted from the sequence Of
events in these last days OF our Lords
life. by taking the lesson appointed for
todaJ, the solemn passage containing His
final woes and denunciauons.
As He left the temple His disciples
drew His attention to its buildings, and
He uttered His prediction Of its destruc-
ton. Taking His way to the Mount OF
Olives, His disciples came to Him and
asked Him, Tell us, when shall these
things be? and what shall be the sign
of Thy coming. and Of the end OF the
world?''
In answer to that inquiry He uttered
the Olivet prophecies contained within
chapters twenty-four and twenty-five. II
is a little difficult. II not dangerous, 10
take one parable out Of its setting in q
discourse which is thus orderly and COM
plete. and We must at least prepare our
selves by a brief glance at the discourse
In its entirety. II fclls into three parts.
The first (xxiv:l-4D had to do with
Israel. as a nation: the second (XKiv :45-
XNv:30) with the church as responsible
for the kingdom during the period be-
tween the advents: the third (xKv:3l-40
with the Judgment OF the nations at the
coming OF the Son of Man in His glory
The parable OF the virgins which Is Sc
lected for our lesson today is in the
second part. and Is one OF three. all OF
which are concerned with the RESPONSE
bility Of the church. The first parable
has to do with communal responsibility.
or that iof the household within itself: the
second has TO do with personal RESPONSE
bility. the relation OF individuals to the
absent Lord; while the third. that Of the
talents. is occupied with imperial re-
sponsibility. that is. the responsibility for
the kingdom. This last We have consId-
cred in an earlier lesson. in conjunction
with the parable OF the pounds.
The actual parable is so familiar that
we need not dwell long upon IT, save to
point out that all those who were repre-
sented have relationship with the King
Under no circumstances are we war
ranted in treating any OF these as though
they were TO be counted among His foes
It should be remembered also that here,
as always, II Is a most dangerous thing
TO attempt TO find all sides of truth ex-
pressed in Que parable. While the fig
lre OF the marriage Is the one adopted
It's teaching depends upon the relation
Of the virgins to the bridegroom. and is
Intended to indicate the true attitude OF
hose who. to borrow Paul's words. are
to Christ during the period
which precedes the final marriage cere-
nony. 1t is noticeable that the bride Is
not mentioned. and therefore it is. to
'ay the least, a perilous thing In dealing
with the parable, TO introduce her. and
hus to attempt TO deal with the virgins
ls other than those who are members
" the church