THE TEN VIRGINS. 461

who are ready for it; for the people
of God will then be taken to live
with Him forever. We should pray

hearts made new by his Holy Spirit ;
and then we shall not be afraid to
see Him, but say with joy, “Come,
Lev.

that we may be ready for the coming
of Jesus, that our sins may be all
washed away in his blood, and our

 

‘Lord Jesus, come quickly.”
xxl. 20.

 

CCOXVIT.

JHE JEN

HEN Jesus told his dis-
i ciples this parable. The
kingdom of Heaven is
like unto ten virgins, who
took their lamps, and went
out to meet the bridegroom. The
marriage was in the night; so they
carried these lamps with them to
give them light. Five of these
virgins were foolish, and they for-
got to take oil with them. But the
five others were wise, and they took
oil in their vessels with their lamps.
The bridegroom did not come di-
rectly ; and as the virgins waited for
him, they all fell asleep. At last, in
the middle of the night, a cry was
made, “Behold the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.”
Then the virgins all arose, and
began to trim their lamps. The
wise had plenty of oil, and their
lamps soon burnt brightly; but the
lamps of the foolish were gone out,
and they had no oil to trim them
with. So they went to the wise
virgins, and said, “Give us some of
your oil, for our lamps are gone out.”
But the wise answered, “ We have
none to spare; you must go to those
who sell, and buy for yourselves.”

So the five foolish virgins went
30

  

VIRGINS.

away to buy oil; but while they
were gone, the bridegroom came.
Then those who were ready, went
in with him to the marriage, and
the door was shut. The five foolish
virgins soon came back, and knocked
at the door, and cried, “ Lord, Lord,
; open to us.” But no; it was too
late. The door could not be opened
then. The answer was, “I know
you not;” and the foolish virgins
were sent away, and could not join
the happy company at the marriage-
feast. .
What does all this mean? Who
| are the virgins and the bridegroom ?
and what is meant by the lamps,
and the oil, and the marriage-feast ?
All who live in a Christian country,
as we do, are the virgins; Jesus is
the bridegroom, and he invites us to
be ready for the marriage-feast—
Heaven. But there is a great dif-
ference among those who call them-
selves the people of God. Some
profess to be his people, but do not
really love Him; the grace of God
is not in their hearts. These are
the foolish virgins, who took their
lamps, and took no oil im them.
The lamp is like the outward pro-
fession; the oil is like the inward