The glorified Jesus Christ is the “bridegroom,” and the “discreet” virgins become his heavenly “bride,” finally numbering 144,000. (Rev. 14:1-4; 19:7, 8; 20:6; 21:9)

In the 1870’s, however, a small group of men not affiliated with Christendom’s sects began studying the Bible at Pittsburgh (Allegheny), Pennsylvania. Among them was Charles Taze Russell. They learned that Christ would return as a spirit and that this would begin an invisible presence made manifest by visible evidences.

Those Bible students associated the “times of the Gentiles” spoken of by Jesus with the “seven times” mentioned in Daniel. (Luke 21:24, King James Version; Dan. 4:16, 23, 25, 32) They understood that those “seven times” of earth’s domination by the Gentiles began in the late seventh century B.C.E. and would run for 2,520 years. Accordingly, twenty-four-year-old C. T. Russell contributed an article to the Bible Examiner of October 1876, in which he wrote: “The seven times will end in A.D. 1914.”

In 1877, Russell joined Nelson H. Barbour in publishing the book Three Worlds, and the Harvest of This World. It indicated that the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 would be preceded by a forty-year period to open with a three-and-a-half-year harvest beginning in 1874 C.E. According to Bible chronology thereafter adopted, it was understood that 6,000 years of man’s existence on earth ended in 1872, whereas six millenniums of human sin concluded and the seventh millennium began in 1874. Christ’s presence was thought to have begun in October 1874, at the start of the great antitypical Jubilee.​—Lev. chap. 25; Rev. 20:4.a

From that understanding, it was thought that the “chaste virgin” class began going forth to meet the Bridegroom in 1874. (2 Cor. 11:2) Hence, when C. T. Russell began publishing a new religious magazine in July 1879, it was called “Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.” It was heralding Christ’s presence as having begun in 1874. This invisible presence was expected to continue until the Gentile Times ended in 1914, when the Gentile nations would be destroyed and the remnant of the “chaste virgin” class would be glorified with their Bridegroom in heaven by death and resurrection to live in the spirit. (1 Cor. 15:42-44) Thus would the “discreet virgin” class enter through the door into the wedding.

The “chaste virgin” class endeavored to let their light shine as they approached the time when they expected to meet their Bridegroom in heaven. Finally, that day arrived​—October 1, 1914. The Gentile Times ended, but the anticipated heavenly glorification of the church did not come about. In fact, it had not occurred by the time Russell himself died on October 31, 1916. Rather, great trouble and persecution came upon those desirous of meeting the Bridegroom. A climax was reached in the summer of 1918, when the Watch Tower Society’s new president, J. F. Rutherford, and seven other Christian men associated with headquarters were unjustly convicted and imprisoned.

J. F. Rutherford spent only nine months in prison, not twenty years, as sentenced. He and his seven associates were released on March 25, 1919, and eventually they were exonerated completely. But the year 1919 was significant for another reason. As the slumbering virgins were aroused by the midnight cry that the bridegroom was coming, so in 1919 C.E. the fact of the heavenly Bridegroom’s presence in the Kingdom was thrust upon all who claimed to be virgins awaiting him.

PUTTING THEIR “LAMPS” IN ORDER

Immediately efforts were made to strengthen the courage of true Christians who had been looking for the Bridegroom. A general convention was held at Cedar Point, Ohio, on September 1-8, 1919. Tremendous enthusiasm was built up on September 5, when President J. F. Rutherford announced publication of a new magazine, The Golden Age, from October 1, 1919, onward. God’s “consecrated” people were encouraged to take part in getting subscriptions for it, looking to the time when 4,000,000 copies of an issue would be circulated. Today, named “Awake!,” this journal has an average printing of well over 8,000,000 copies an issue.

Certainly, 1919 was of no little consequence in the history of God’s “chaste virgin” class. A great worldwide Kingdom-preaching work then got under way. The “discreet virgin” class was aroused at that time and has not gone to sleep since!

That truly was when “all those virgins rose and put their lamps in order.” (Matt. 25:7) The lamps were about to go out. Whereas the “discreet” virgins had receptacles filled with oil, the “foolish” virgins had no extra oil. Yet, the “discreet” ones could not share their oil, for the divided supply of all ten would then have given out. So the “foolish” virgins had to depart and try to buy oil somewhere at that late hour.

The symbolic “oil” pictures God’s Word and his holy spirit, which illuminates that Word and produces in possessors of the “oil” the godly “fruitage of the spirit.” Refusing to divide their “oil” with the “foolish” virgins means that the “discreet” virgins will not compromise with that class. The “foolish” virgins profess Christianity, yet do not meet its requirements. They may be influenced somewhat by their Bible knowledge, but not to the point of having God’s powerful spirit in them and producing its fruitage. Though they expect to go to heaven, their religious development does not enable them to meet the challenge of the midnight cry: “Here is the bridegroom! Be on your way out to meet him.” They have an illuminating-oil crisis. Theirs is a light that fails.

In 1919 the “discreet virgin” class acted to get out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. They could not compromise with the “foolish virgin” class, as by joining Babylon the Great in worshiping the ‘image of the wild beast,’ the League of Nations, which Babylon the Great made her riding mount in 1919. (Rev. 13:14, 15; 14:11, 12; 17:1-18; 18:4) Their unequivocal stand was made clear at the Cedar Point convention on September 7, 1919, when J. F. Rutherford gave the public address “The Hope for Distressed Humanity.” In it he boldly pointed out God’s disapproval of the League of Nations, which the clergy endorsed as a political expression of God’s kingdom on earth. The “discreet virgin” class had the faith that the kingdom of God’s Son had been established in heaven at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914, and they refused to recognize and worship any substitute. They could not afford to give away any of their spiritual “oil” and reduce the measure of their devotion to God’s Messianic kingdom.

The “discreet virgin” class thus met the glorious Bridegroom in 1919 and have continued as part of the procession that honors him down to the end. When they reach the “door,” they prove worthy of admission. The Bridegroom finds them shining with the Christian personality and therefore accepts these “discreet” virgins of today as part of the Christian congregation.​—2 Cor. 11:2, 3; Eph. 5:27.

“KEEP ON THE WATCH”

Jesus emphasized the point of his parable with timely words for anointed Christians living at the “conclusion of the system of things.” He said: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matt. 25:13) Those who wish to be like the five “discreet” virgins must shine continually with an active Christian personality. They dare not compromise with those who would take away some or much of their spiritual “oil.” Their faith in the Bridegroom’s arrival and presence must continue bright, and they need to remain in the shining procession that follows his steps until he brings his bridal congregation completely home.

The long delay in the Bridegroom’s arrival has ended. He is here, in his glorious presence. The time for drowsiness and sleep is past! Now is the time to shine in his honor and to rejoice with him in the joy his heavenly Father has set before him, that of taking his spiritual “bride” to himself and celebrating this with a marriage feast. Spirit-anointed Christians, therefore, must keep on the watch, for they do not know the day or hour when that “door” of opportunity will be shut, never to be reopened. But such vigilant and discreet ones will not be shut out because of any fatal spiritual illuminating-oil crisis.