Evening journal., 1916-02-21

mental capacity There is no criti-
cism brought upon the character Of
their lamps. The difference between
the wise and the foolish was a matter
Of preparation. or a lack OF propara-
tion. whether there was or was not oil
in the lamps. Oil here is a type of
the Holy Spirit. The difference be-
tween the lost and the saved is not
merely matter of difference in dress
or possessions or personal appear
ance. or even Of good deeds. 1t is a
matter whether there is or is not
the presence of the Holy Spirit within
the heart. whether the soul has been
vitalized. has been born from above.
\ It took crisis TO reveal the diff
ference between these two classes. IL
, always takes a crisis to reveal the
differenue I'm human lives. For eX-
! ample, here are two young men in
a factory. One is improving his spare
! lhours-the other is wasting them.
One perfects an invention, which
, brings him position and wealth and
d honor The other idles away his time.
, and is al last discharged. Here arc
3 two pupils in q school As you see
them on the street or on the play
] ground. you can distinguish no dill
] ference One is a careful, thorough
2 student-the other neglects his les
% sons. then the difference is revealed;
the one is promoted. the other one
| is degraded. Here are two ships sail
ing out from q port. The one is an
g unseaworthy old hulk. poorly built
q cheaply equipped and unsutiiciently
- manned The other boat is strong ana
e seaworthy, complete in every detail
s well equipped and well manned. AS
e long as the sky is clear and the wind
e is calm and the sea is smooth, you
!. cannot detect the difference between
e them. But wait until the sky is over
s cast with clouds, until the storm
o RACES. the wind blows through the
- masts and rigging and the waves dash
10 high Then the poorly made boat VIII
b break to pieces and sink. but the well
Il made boat will weather the storm in
2 safety and enter the harbor in peace.
@ We are told that while the BRIDE
It groom tarried. all of these ten virgins
slumbered and slept. If you had gone
o and looked at their upturned faces,
! as they lay with closed eyes in sleep,
IS you could not have picked out those
o who were going to enter the feast and
e those who were to be barred from en-
I trance. ! would not dare TO pass
" down through this audience and say
s "This one is to be saved--that one is
Is to be lost" but the Word of God says
I. that our Lord knows those who are
IT His" When you receive Jesus as
d your personal Saviour. and are born
s. of the Holy Spirit. God puts a mark on
IS YOUR brow, mark unseen~by men
% but plainly seen by our Heavenly
g Father.
it At midnight the cry arose. "Th'
o bridegroom cometh. the bridegroom
ID comethl" Then all of these ter
ie bridesmaids arose and trimmed theil
/ lamps. Now the foolish ones arr
much more anxious and aroused than
r are the wise ones, for they say "Giv'
I'd us OF your oil, for our lamps are goinl
In out" Now we begin to see the caus
l. OF their neglect They thought thu
st when an emergency arose they woul
h be in no difficulty. because they coul
u.s. borrow oil lsfrom their neighbor. The
er were depending upon some one o
sr- something else for their salvation
For example, you say to a man, "AI
Won a Christian" Perhaps he wi
reply. well, I cannot say that | an
But have a good Christian son. or
good Christian daughter" He is
sort OF father-in in-law to Christianit.
You say to another man, Are you
Christian well, no, not entirel.
but" his face brightens as he says.
have splendid Christian WIFE n
IN is a sort of brother-in-law to tn
be church. To another man you sa,
ST Are YOU Christian" mo. / car
not say as yet that ! am" Then b
All seems to gain new hope and courag
n as he adds, "But I want to tell yol
nj sir. | had one Of the very best Chris
sh tian mothers that ever man had
n He is a sort of a son-in-law to reli'
on ion. This "in-law" business will m
n." satisfy God. There is nothing bl
en blood relationship that will count
in the kingdom of heaven. You cannot
ost saved through the Righteousness al
we godliness OF some one else. Every ol
ow must give an account Of himself
rst God You must have oil in your ov
zen lamp.
~ Now. we are told that they WI
rk were ready went in" like to ling
the over this part of this incident.
ant seems like going into beautif
un- flower garden and staying the
ers amidst all the fragrance and beau
and loveliness Of the roses and lili'
al At the opening OF the Franco-Prussi
the war. IN 1870 the news was broue
nal at midnight to Won Moltke. the co
rain lmander-in-chief OF the German arm
YOU that France had declared war up
he Prussia. without exhibiting a
,ted anxiety, the general went to his dc
;od, and took out several large envelop
ing addressed 10 his corps commando
will and gave them to the messenger
Deo- be delivered. Then he went back
are bed and to sleep. The reason "
reat he was not troubled or disturbed v
own because he was ready Success
and everything depends largely upon ri
hen preparation No life ever beca
are really great or successful by m
ton accident or chance. II is one of
ave strangest anomalies that many I
,ch? son will have wisdom and forethol
and in planning for the things of I
, of world. but will he absolutely carel
vet and foolish regarding the preparai
ain. for eternity.
4. .sanHI IHIHnH \