Behold, the Bridegroom Cometh; Go Ye Out to Meet Him

Matthew 25:1‑13  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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O AFAR ye the cu, that the Bridegroom is coming!
The wise and the foolish have slumbered and slept;
The air of this world is so dense and benumbing,
That even the wakeful their watch have not kept.
But there's an arousing, and Christian profession
Is cleansing its garments, and trimming its light;
While many a soul who has Christ in possession,
Whose light is the Life, has it burning and bright.
How grand the event! when the glorious Savior
Shall summon His own to arise in the air;
That they may be like Him, and with Him forever,
His glory behold, and His blessedness share!
But sad and o'erwhelming to all who shall cherish
A hope without basis-mere Christians in name—
For they must forever and hopelessly perish,
And bear of their folly the sin and the shame!
O ye who have wash'd in the snow, or with nitre,
Whose garb and deportment are moral and clean,
Who cannot, as men, be made cleaner or whiter,
Who call yourselves Christians, and are so in mien;
Your virtue, though good for this life, is no better
To God's searching eye than the foulest of sin;
You yet are but captives in Satan's strong fetter,
And still are polluted and filthy within.
You may be religious, and burn with devotion,.
Your substance impart to relieve the distress'd,
Send Bibles and missions far over the ocean,
And be by the godly esteemed and caress'd;
But if you're not washed in the blood of the Savior,
To Him by the Spirit eternally knit,
No matter how good and correct your behavior,
For God and His presence your soul is unfit.
Ye carry your lamps; ye have light, and ye've knowledge;
Ye call Jesus Lord; He hath taught in your streets;
Ye choose your own teachers, from school or from college,
And oft ye have questions in drinks and in meats;
Ye others can judge; of the simple are teachers;
In works and good actions ye labor and toil;
Nay, many among you are talented preachers;
Ye seem earnest Christians;—but have ye the oil
Yea, have ye the Spirit He dwells in believers;
The soul He doth quicken, uphold, and refresh;
But witnesses not with the souls of deceivers
Nor those who, called Christians, are still "in the flesh;"—
The light in the lamp, with no oil to sustain it,
But flickers a while, and must suddenly sink;
And when it expires there is nought will regain it;
It goes out in darkness, and leaves but its stink.
O Christless professor, arouse thee, and hearken!
From Christ and His servants take faithful advice;
Go thou to the Savior ere judgment shall darken,
And purchase of Him without money or price.
Relinquish thy fancy of human perfection,
Think not that thou livest, when thou art but dead;
'Tis only in Christ, in His blest resurrection,
That thou canst have life, and confess Him as Head.
To Him then united, thy soul will be ready
To go forth with gladness the Bridegroom to meet;
In Him, then abiding, thy steps will be steady,
And thou shalt be longing thy Savior to greet;
But when He goes into the house for the wedding,
His own He takes with Him, and closes the door;
While those who're without will His judgment be dreading,
Which He on the faithless and guilty will pour.
T.
“For yet a little while, and He that Anil come will come, and will not tarry." (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37).)