ber; this is not a special weakness of individuals, it
is the common necessity of nature. So, when life is lengthened in the
body, we must attend to the affairs of this world.

The coming of the Son of man may surprise one at his farm and another at
his merchandise, but it does not follow, on that account, that it will
surprise them unprepared. Now and then in the history of the Church a
Christian has been found dead in his closet and on his knees. A few
years ago, in a rural district of Scotland, an elder who was leading the
devotions of a district prayer-meeting suddenly ceased to speak,--ceased
in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a prayer. The worshippers
opened their eyes, and observed that his head and breast leant heavily
on the desk; they approached and found him dead. At the moment when the
bridegroom came this watcher was wide awake, standing on tiptoe, and
straining forward to catch the first glimpse of the glory that should
herald his approach. When the bridegroom came this watcher went out to
meet him, and went in with him to the feast: safe and happy he, but not
he only.

On the other side we hear sometimes of a merchant who died in his
counting-house, his ledger, not the Bible, the last book he had read; of
a miner killed in an instant by an explosion while he was picking coals
in the bowels of the earth; of a soldier falling on a battle-field,
while his right hand raised the sword to strike a foe; these were all
slumbering and off guard when the bridegroom came. What of them? were
they all shut out? Nay, verily. Some of them were shut out, and some
were let in, according as they were carnal or spiritual when the
decisive moment came. The new creature in Christ, who is surprised amid
the toils of his daily calling, goes as safely into rest as his brother
of the same family who is summoned over in the very act of prayer. The
five wise virgins were stretched on the ground asleep, with their lamp
fires dead or dying, when the cry arose, Behold the bridegroom cometh,
and yet there was no surprise, and no damage. Although they were only
awakened by his coming, they were ready to meet him when he came, and to
enter with him into his rest.

When the cry was heard all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
When life is closing behind, and eternity opening before us, we are all
aroused. Every one who has a lamp hastens then to examine its condition
and stimulate its flame: all who have borne Chris