prepared. 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