THE JUDGMENT.

Who are those five young women, dressed so beauti--
fully with lamps in their hands, knocking at the door?
They are the five foolish virgins we learn about in the
Bible, who expected to attend a marriage, but came too.
late, and found the door shut. ,

You remember that Jesus, when he went .back to
heaven, told his sorrowing disciples that he should come |
again. He has likened his coming, to that of the bride-
groom to the wedding.

In the east, whenever there was a great marriage,
the bridegroom did not come until late in the night.
Then a number of virgins, who had made themselves
ready with wedding garments and with lamps in their
hands,. would go out to meet him.

The Bible tells us of a wedding, where five of these
virgins were wise and had oil in their lamps, but five
were foolish, because they had fallen asleep while waiting,
and their lights had gone out. When the cry was heard,
“ Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,”
the foolish virgins awoke from their slumber, to find that.
their lamps were not burning. They were greatly alarmed
and went to buy oil, but while they were gone, the bride