he Lord has delayed the next
great event. How long will it all continue yet? Who can give us an
answer to this? For all we know the next moment may usher in the
actual appearing of the Bridegroom.

The next is "the Bridegroom came." How solemn this is. While the
foolish kept on running and seeking and the wise had arisen and the
separation between these classes had taken place, He came at last.
_That is exactly what is before us now_. Oh! I wish I could impress it
upon every heart that this solemn event may be upon us at any time.
Surely the Bridegroom will not delay his coming much longer. When John
the Baptist announced the first Coming of the King through the power
and energy of the Holy Spirit did it take long for Him to come? And
now for so many years already the Holy Spirit has announced the
nearness of the Bridegroom, His soon Coming; can it then take much
longer? Every waiting one, every spiritually minded believer who has
intelligence, answers with thousands of others, "It cannot be much
longer. He will tarry no more, but will quickly come."

How it fills our hearts with joy. The Bridegroom is coming and it
reads, "They that were ready went in with him to the marriage." The
wise, those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and know Him, are
ready. Grace has made them ready and when He comes He will receive
them. What a happy and glorious moment it will be at last. Said my
little boy, who has an interest in the Coming of the Lord, "I wonder
how He will look. I wonder what kind of a face He has when we see
Him." That is exactly what you and I have often thought about and
often wonder what it will be when we see Him at last as He is. And we
_shall_ see Him.

But there is another side, fearful indeed. "The door was shut." What
words these are. The door closed in the face of the rest of the
virgins. No more possibility, for them to enter in. Directly they
come saying "Lord, Lord, open to us." But He answered and said,
"Verily I say unto you, I know you not." They find themselves shut
out. And let me say this is their final state. One of the fearful
things with some of these new theories concerning this last parable is
that they meddle with these last words addressed to the foolish
virgins, as if they have another chance. No, no, the door was shut and
when the door opens again He comes forth not as the Bridegroom, but as
the King of kings and the Lord of lords, as the mighty judge. I kn