. But when the people were all seated, and the King had
entered the house, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding
garment, and he said unto him, "Friend, how camest thou in hither
without a wedding garment?" And the man was speechless, for the
garment had been offered to him at first, but he had refused it. Then
said the King to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him
away and cast him into outer darkness."

In this parable, the King means God, who gave the feast for His Son,
Jesus Christ. Those who were first asked were the Jews, who refused to
believe in Christ. Those who were afterwards brought in, signify the
people who have since listened to His Word, and believed in Him. The
one without the wedding garment is any one that pretends to accept the
invitation to be one of God's people, but in his heart does not
believe in Christ.

[Illustration: WITHOUT THE WEDDING GARMENT.]

THE FOOLISH VIRGINS.

In certain parts of the East it is the custom for a man when he is
married to bring home his bride at night, and for his relatives and
friends to go out with lamps and torches and music to meet him.

Ten young women had been invited to meet the bridegroom with their
lamps burning and to sit down with him at the wedding-feast. Five of
them were wise and five were foolish. The wise ones took a supply of
oil in case their lamps should burn out before the bridegroom arrived;
the foolish five took no oil but what was in their lamps. But before
the bridegroom came they all fell asleep.

At midnight there was a cry, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet him." But five lamps had almost burnt out, and the foolish
virgins said unto the wise, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are
gone out." But the wise ones answered, "Not so; lest there be not
enough for us and for you. Go ye, rather, to them that sell, and buy
for yourselves." And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and
they that were ready went in with him to the marriage-feast, and the
door was shut.

Afterwards, came also the other virgins, saying, "Lord, Lord, open the
door to us." But he answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, I know
you not," and would not open the door to them.

In this parable the bridegroom means Jesus returning to earth, on the
Day of Judgment. The ten virgins are the people of this world, some of
whom have their hearts full of the love of God and keep their lamps
burning with a steady and bright