Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-09-11

25:13.
A parable is ar earthly story with
a heavenly meaning" An analogy is
"a likeness" This story is a parable.
1t is to illustrate the vigilant, expect
ant attitude of faith, Heb. 6:28; II
Tim. AS. Leaving the temple. Jesus
drew the disciples attention to its
buildings and predicted its destruc-
ton. Proceeding to the Mount of
Olives, his disciples ask him, Tell us.
when shall these things be? And what
shall be the sign of thy coming. and
h end of the world?" In reply Je-
sus gave the disciples his Olivet dis
course and prophecies found in chap
tiers "a and 25. To fully comprehend
this parable we ought to review all
of this teaching. The discourse as a
whole falls into these parts (1) 24:1-44
deals with Israel as a nation; {2l |
24~:45-25:30 deals with the church as
ing the period between his two ad-
vents; and (3) 25:31-46 deals with the
judgment of the nations when the Son
of Man comes in his glory. 1t will be
seol then that this lesson comes in
the second part ana is one of three
parallels concerning the responsible
ity of the church. Jesus is the bride
groom, John 3:2S, 20; Eph. 5:25; II
Cor. 11:2; Rev. 21.9, and sets forth
the love of Christ for the church,
Eph. SIS, Is, 30-32.
Two Glasses.
|. "While the bridegroom tarried"
W.. is. The first and strongest idea
of this section is that he, Jesus, the
bridegroom, is coming again. Among
those who wait are two classes, the
wise and the foolish, though both
were right intentioned. The lamps
symbolic Christian profession. Luke
1875; II Tim. 3:5, and the oil that
which is essential to give US power
whereby we maintain our profession.
Acts 1928; l John Export. The fool
ish virgins were superficial and had
not enough to maintain their profess
sions. The wise virgins had enough
oil; SO also may the believer have the
abiding spirit of Christ's presence.
wherein to maintain his Christian
profession. Waiting they all nodded
(siumbered) and others evidently lay
down (slept). abe wise virgins could
afford to rest as they had ali things
ready. If they had been awake, hsw-
ever, they might have seen and rem
dered aid to those who were in the
sorry plight of not being ready. The
tarrying was a test of the faith and
patience of both the wise and the
foolish as both awaited the "fulness
of time when he should appear.
The Great Question.
II. Behold the bridegroom comethr
w. 6-f3. All are awakened by this
midnight cry. The hour was one
when he was least expected, and the
church of today needs to be awak-
ened to a realizing sense of this truth
Both the wise and the foolish have to
meet him, but the wise were the only
ones whose lights could shine and
show the. way into the b%anqueting
room. They all outwardly appear alike
even to the very point Of separation.
The church of God individually and
collectively, has yet to sense the dan
ger to it and to others if its light for
any reason be not continuous. This
cry was a call to meet him" and we
all need to ask ourselves, ARE we
ready to meet him The hour was
too late 10 make needful preparation
to meet hiS-. In their emergency they
turned to the FIVE wise ones hut the
wisdom of one cannot supply the de-
ficiency or the foolishness of Others
". 81. There is no Scripture tc sup
port the teaching that one mans merit
is applicable to another except the
merit of the Goldman Jesus as ap-
piled to sinful humanity. Hence the
wise sent their sisters to the orig
inal source of supply for oil, and as
they went THE bridegroom came." So
will it be with all who put off too long
the securing of the Holy Spirit in
their lives.
They that were ready went in,
they that were not ready when they
came found the door shut" To at
tend a marriage feast is highly es-
teemed everywhere, but it is a priv
ilege thai ia worthy of careful prep
aration. Remember that Jesus is
here showing the attitude towards
himself of those who profess to be
devoted to him during the period of
his absence, and who expect his re-
turn as king. That being SO, we need
TO remind ourselves of the laws OF
the kingdom as he gave them at the
beginning of his public career. In
them we hear his saying, "Ye are the
light of the world. Neither
do men light a candle and put it I'M
der a bushel but on a candlestick.
Let your light SO shine before
men that they may glorify
your Father which is in heaven, Matt.
5:14-16. If we apply these words to
this particular parable there is re
vealed to US the fact that true and
real waiting for Christ is that which
witnesses to men, and it was in this
that the foolish virgins failed. At the
outset their lights were shining but
they failed to be in that close con-
tact, in the exercise OF those habits
and practises of spiritual fellowship
with their Lord which would insure
the continuous shining of their light.
This broken fellowship explains what
he means by his words at his coming,
Verify l say unto you, / know you
not" They had broken connection
with him, the source Of needful sup
ply. There must be the careful main
tenance of the relations of closest
friendship with him If we are to have
that supply of the Spirit as shall en-
able US to keep the light shining clear
" and efectually.
Jesus knows those that are his,
4 John 1927; II Tim. 2:19; I Cor. S:3,
but such are not those who make a
mere outward profession of faith and
lack the abiding presence and power
of the Holy Spirit. The day of sep
aration between the true and the false