THE FOOLISH VIRGINS.THE FOOLISH VIRGINS.
THE FOOLISH VIRGINS.
One day Jesus told His disciples this parable or story.
A certain nobleman was called away to a far country to be appointed king of it, and to return after a time. And he called his servants unto him, and charged them with the care of his goods and treasure, giving to each man according to his ability to use the same. To one servant he gave five talents, to another two, and to another only one. And straightway he left them, and departed upon his journey. Then the man that had five talents went and traded with them, and did so well that in time the profits amounted to five talents more, making ten altogether. And he that had received two talents, also traded with his, and added two other talents to them by way of profit. But he that had had but one talent went away and covered it up in a cloth and hid it away.
After a long time the nobleman came back and called his servants to him, and asked them for the treasure he had entrusted to their keeping. And he that had received five talents, brought ten, and said, "Lord, behold, I have gained five other talents beside them." And his lord said, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord." And to him that had two talents, and brought back four, the lord said the same words. Then came he that had received but one talent and had hid it; and he said, "Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent, and lo, here thou hast that which is thine." His lord said unto him, "Thou wicked and slothful servant. Thou knewest that I reaped where I had not sown; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money in the bank, that I might have received mineown with interest for its use. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath ten; and take the unprofitable servant and cast him into the outer darkness."
Now the talent here mentioned was an eastern sum of money (nearly one thousand dollars), but it really means the powers and opportunities for doing good that God has given to all of us. One day we shall all be called upon to give an account of the talents entrusted to our keeping, and woe be to those who have abused their stewardship by hiding their talent away. But those who have done good, according to the power and opportunity given to them, shall be received into everlasting joy by Christ the Lord.
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
One Sabbath-day Jesus went into the synagogue, and there He saw a man that had a withered hand. By some means the muscles had lost their power, and he could neither use his hand nor stretch it out. And the Pharisees watched Jesus, to see if He would heal this man on the Sabbath, that they might bring a charge against Him of breaking the law. They asked Him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day?" and He replied by asking who among them, if he had a sheep which had fallen into a pit on the Sabbath-day, would not lay hold on it, and lift it out. "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath-day."
Then said He to the man, "Stretch forth thine hand." And he stretched it forth, and it was made whole and healthy like the other.
Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against Him, to consider how they might destroy Him; but when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from that part, and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
THE WITHERED HAND.THE WITHERED HAND.
THE WITHERED HAND.
Jesus had been cruelly put to death. His hands, which had been placed on the heads of little children when He blessed them, had been nailed to a cross of wood; and cruel nails had been driven through his feet. And hanging on the cross, Jesus had died. But on the third day He had risen from the tomb, and for forty days He had remained upon the earth, meeting frequently with His disciples. At the end of that time Jesus led the eleven apostles from Jerusalem towards Bethany; and when near that village, and away from the multitude, He spoke to them, promising that they should be made bold by the Holy Spirit, and receive power to witness for Him both to the Jews and Gentiles. Then, the Bible tells us, "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." And as He went up, a cloud received Him out of their sight.
The apostles fell down and worshipped Jesus, looking steadfastly after Him as He went up; and as they did so, two angels in white garments stood by them, and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem.
Yes, Jesus has ascended to heaven, and now He sits at the right hand of God; but He tells us that He will come again, and take those that love Him to dwell with Him in His glorious home for ever and ever. "I go to prepare a place for you," Jesus says.
JESUS ASCENDING TO HEAVEN.JESUS ASCENDING TO HEAVEN.
JESUS ASCENDING TO HEAVEN.
Paul and Silas were in prison. They had done no wrong, but wicked men had taken them before the magistrates; and the magistrates had caused them to be severely beaten, and afterwards had sent them to prison, where they were securely fastened in an inner dungeon, and their feet made fast in the stocks. This was a most painful position for Paul and Silas. But they were not unhappy. They prayed to God, and sang praises to Him; and they sang so heartily that the other prisoners heard them. It was midnight, and all was dark in the prison. But suddenly there was an earthquake; so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, all the doors were opened, and every one's bonds were loosed. All the prisoners might have run away had they been minded to do so.
The keeper of the prison had been sleeping, but the earthquake awoke him. When he saw the doors open, he supposed that all the prisoners had fled; and knowing how severely he would be punished on that account, he drew his sword to kill himself. Paul knew this, and called out loudly, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." Then the keeper, who but a little while before had cruelly treated Paul and Silas, came trembling, and fell down before them, and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" He was afraid because of his sins; and wanted to know how he might be saved from the fearful consequences of sin. Paul's answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Then Paul and Silas spoke to him about Jesus. He believed, and was baptized; and the next morning the two disciples were set at liberty.
THE PHILIPPIAN JAILOR BEFORE PAUL AND SILAS.THE PHILIPPIAN JAILOR BEFORE PAUL AND SILAS.
THE PHILIPPIAN JAILOR BEFORE PAUL AND SILAS.
Timothy was a youthful and earnest disciple of Jesus Christ, whom Paul loved dearly. Paul had found him during one of his missionary journeys, and, discovering how highly he was esteemed as a Christian, had selected him as his assistant. Afterward Timothy became Paul's companion in travel, and the first bishop of Ephesus. While Timothy was at Ephesus, Paul wrote two letters to him. They are contained in the Bible, and are called the Epistles to Timothy. In them Paul says many kind and wise things, giving Timothy directions how to act in his high Christian office. But Paul also speaks of Timothy's early days, and of his mother and grandmother. These were both good women, who loved God, and diligently studied the Holy Scriptures. The mother's name was Eunice. She was a Jewess. The grandmother's name was Lois. Both loved the little boy Timothy, or Timotheus as he was called, and they sought to instil into his young mind and heart the love of God and the knowledge of His holy Word. In our picture we see Eunice teaching her son. She has not a bound Bible, but a manuscript, wound round small rollers. From this she reads to Timothy; while Lois, the aged grandmother, sits by.
Paul warned Timothy not to forget the teaching of his good mother and grandmother; and especially to value his knowledge of the Scriptures. Because, said Paul, "they are able to make thee wise unto salvation." Many young folks have good mothers and grandmothers, who love to teach them about Jesus. Are they receiving this teaching as Timothy did, and being made wise unto salvation?
LOIS, EUNICE AND TIMOTHY.LOIS, EUNICE AND TIMOTHY.
LOIS, EUNICE AND TIMOTHY.
Jesus had left Galilee, and was journeying toward Jerusalem, where He was to be put to death. He was in the country beyond Jordan, called Peræa, and had been speaking some very wise words to the Pharisees, and also to His disciples, when some women came to Him, bringing infants and young children that He might put His hands upon them and pray for them. The disciples thinking probably that Jesus, who had so many important things to attend to, would not wish to be troubled by women bringing their children, rebuked them for so doing. But Jesus loved children. So, when He saw the disciples about to send them away, He was displeased; and, calling the disciples to Him, He said, "Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." Then, we are told, Jesus "took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them." How kind was Jesus! and how willing that the little ones should be brought to Him! And He is the same now. May all our young readers learn to love Him, and find for themselves how willing He is to love and bless them.