Owing to certain circumstances, we had to forego the Editor's Column this month, but hope, the Lord willing, to resume same next month.
"Behold, the Bridegroom"
Matt. 25:1-131Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1‑13)
It is a striking and solemn thought that when the cry at midnight was once made, it never was repeated. The effect of the cry was all confusion among the virgins. The wise had gone in somewhere, and they had slept as well as the foolish. They had gone in, and thus had falsified their true and primary attitude which we read of in verse 1, where we are told, they "went forth" to meet the bridegroom. But once midnight came, a cry was made; this was full of grace. They did not deserve that they should have been awakened and recalled to their first state of expectance; still, it was given. But it never was repeated; and what followed was the confusion, but midnight was past! Still, amid all the confusion, there was a consciousness in the wise virgins that they had oil in their lamps. With them all was well. And when the bridegroom came, they went in with him to the marriage. The others were not ready, and when they came the door was shut.
All this is truly solemn, and the more so when we see how the parable connects itself with the previous one: "Then shall the kingdom of heaven," etc. (v. 1); that is, in the state of things which we find in the parable of the wicked servant, who said in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming. Mark this; he did not deny that he would come at some time or other, but it did not suit his plans and his association with the drunken, or his assumption of power tyrannizing over his fellow servants. His heart dictated his conduct in all this. What has Christendom done but this? Centuries of worldliness and assumption of authority have characterized her; and instead of meat in due season, her effort has been to extinguish the hope of the Lord's return as an ever present thing, as but ill suited to her. She has brought in all sorts of events to be fulfilled before that. She does not say, He will not come, but puts it off as far as possible from a present, living hope.
In such a state of things, the Lord has given the warning cry. Of late years it has resounded far and wide. Opinions have varied, and speculations have been put forth as to the true character of that return. Still, the cry has gone forth—the midnight cry—for it was at midnight the cry was made; and it was after midnight the confusion which was the result of it took place.
Let us look around in Christendom at present, and see if we cannot discover this very state of things—confusion of every kind. Many of those who profess His name have waked up from the slumber which has crept over the Church for centuries—wakened by the midnight cry.
Reader, are you one of those who have heard the cry? And are you conscious of the possession of that which will admit you to the marriage? I appeal to your conscience before God. Is it so, or not? Remember this, the cry was never repeated.