16. (a) When was there a spiritual awakening for the remnant of the “loyal ones”? (b) In the parable of the ten virgins, who is the Bridegroom, and who make up his symbolic bride?

¹⁶ For that remnant of “loyal ones,” there had to be a spiritual awakening during the early part of “the conclusion of the system of things.” This was an outstanding feature of the “sign” that Jesus foretold in his great prophecy. For the remnant, the time of that awakening was one of great joy, a joy like that of the five discreet, or wise, virgins awakened by the midnight cry: “Here is the bridegroom! Be on your way out to meet him.” (Matthew 25:1-6) That joyous awakening occurred in the spring of 1919, when the anointed remnant began to recover from the effects of the worldwide persecution and interference they had experienced during the dark period of World War I. The Bridegroom of the parable of the ten virgins is, of course, Jesus Christ, and his symbolic bride is his loyal congregation of 144,000 members who are to be associated with him in the heavenly Kingdom. (Revelation 14:1-4)

17. (a) Why could the ‘discreet virgin’ class rejoice? (b) The discreet virgins brought what along, and therefore could do what?

¹⁷ Yes, the time of the spiritual awakening of the ‘discreet virgin’ class and their coming to understand the meaning of the “sign” that began to appear in 1914 was the occasion for great rejoicing. Then applicable to them were the words: “Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb’s marriage.” (Revelation 19:9) In Jesus’ parable, the five discreet virgins brought along a reserve supply of illuminating oil so as to be able to relight their lamps and thus join the happy marriage procession with lighted lamps. When the Bridegroom arrived, “the virgins that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.”​—Matthew 25:1-10.

18. (a) After World War I, the anointed remnant still had enough of God’s enlightening Word and his holy spirit within themselves to do what? (b) What was announced at their first postwar convention?

¹⁸ True to the picture of the five discreet virgins, the anointed remnant proceeded to give a bright and gladsome welcome to the heavenly Bridegroom, the time for whose marriage to his bridal congregation had arrived. After their spiritually disconcerting experiences during World War I, they still had enough of God’s enlightening Word and his holy spirit within themselves as “earthen vessels” to rekindle their work of enlightening mankind concerning God’s Kingdom by means of his Bridegroom-King. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Accordingly, on September 1-8, 1919, the ‘discreet virgin’ class held their first international convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. There the proposed publishing of a new magazine in addition to The Watch Tower was announced. This new journal was to be called The Golden Age, a name descriptive of the kind of age restored mankind will enjoy during the Thousand Year Reign of the Bridegroom-King Jesus Christ. That magazine is still being published, now under the name Awake!