Evening star., 1921-02-19
THE WISE AND FOOLISH
VIRGINS. Matthew. 25.1-13.
Golden Text.-Watch, there
fore. for ye know not the day
nor the hour.-Matthew, 25.13.
BY REV. HUGH t. STEVENSON.

| REV. STEW EN- SUM-
| Probably never in all the history Of
Christianity has there been a deeper
| interest taken by men Of every faith
! than that which exists today con-
cerning the return of the Lord. This,
too. in spite of the fact that this sub
ject has to a large extent been dis
credited by speculative theories and
false prophetic forecast which have
, no foudation in Scripture. When the
Lord Jesus had completed His public
ministry He turned toward His be-
! loved disciples so that He might sup
| ply them by His counsel and comfort
| with the courage which He recog-
nized that they would need If they
We're to endure faithfully until the
end of their days of trial. 1t was in
| answer to the questions of His apos
| ties that He warned them against
identifying His appearance with the
coming or the rumors OF war; of
| abounding iniquity and love waxing
cold; Of devotion to selfish interests
| or of exspecting His return in connec-
tion with some great catastrophe. 1t
was in reply to their queries that the
sage. a part of which furnishes our
study this week. that covered the sec
| ond advent.
While the Lords return is certain
and imminent, yet it would be pre-
sumptuous in any one to fix a date for
the coming again Of the King. For
four thousand years before Christ
came the first time the world waited
for Him, neglecting clear intimations
not only about His advent, but details
in connection with His coming. This
caused Him to come practically unno-
ticed and unrecognized by the men of
His day. Are we wiser than they? Is
there not the danger that humanity.
after two thousand years Of Christian
history. may act toward the declara-
tions of His return practically as they
did then? The New Testament
abounds in teachings concerning His
| return, but the delay of His second
coming, which He had pointed out
Iwould happen. has developed a similar
spirit in reference to the worlds hope.
Men today are asking when shall
these things be? They are overlook
ing the unmistakable teachings of the
Scripture. which. while they assure us
| that we will not know the day or
hour, indicate conditions that will
precede His return to rule the ma
tions.
While we are called upon to pursue
n watchful, waiting policy and work
are certain indications that are worthy
of mems consideration at this very mo-
ment. The gospel has been preached
among all nations tMatt., 24;14 Many
1
prophecy Of Haggai of how Jehovah
declared: ''Yet once again / will shake
all nations. and the desire of all ma
tions shall come" Palestine has been
taken from the Mohammedans and a
few weeks ago the son of the distin-
guished English Jew who rules Pales-
tine was married in Jerusalem. This
causes some to ask if the day of the
gentle, predicted by the Lord, has
ended and the day Of the Jew has come
again, for He said: Jerusalem shall
be trodden down of the gentiles until
the times of the gentiles be fulfilled -
There exists national vitality among
the Jews Of all nations such as no other
age has ever witnessed. which indicates
His coming is nigh. 1t is a period OF
lawlessness Matt, 2423) as well as
restessness. which Daniel predicted.
Peter spoke Of the last times as a period
when scoffers would appear walking
after their own lusts. and saying
Where Is the promise of His comine? ?'i
! Paul predicted that 'men would be
lovers OF pleasure moro than Of God, u
which characterfses modern times. which
n are also marked by an unwflifngness tc
} listen to sound doctrine turning away