3. (a) The year 1919 proved to be a time for what? (b) Have Christendom’s religionists been able to supply the needed spiritual oil?

³ Since 1919 spiritual enlightenment by discreet ones with the aid of the “oil” of Jehovah’s Word and holy spirit has been available, but foolish ones try to buy spiritual oil from those in Christendom who claim to sell it. (Matthew 25:9) The religionists of Christendom, however, do not have the right kind of oil. They have not been able to supply illumination about the presence of Jesus Christ as the heavenly Bridegroom. They expect that when they die they will go to heaven immediately and meet him, without having shared in the work of enlightenment during this “conclusion of the system of things.”

4. To this date, what have those pictured by the foolish virgins failed to do, and why?

⁴ On the other hand, there have been those who, like spiritual virgins, have proved to have a reserve of the “oil” of the holy spirit and God’s Word for the postwar work of worldwide enlightenment regarding “the kingdom.” (Matthew 24:14) Those pictured in Jesus’ parable as foolish virgins are not sharing in it by letting the light shine on this good news of international importance. They did not have the “oil” of God’s enlightening Word and his holy spirit, and the Bridegroom Judge at the spiritual temple discerned this failing on their part. Their hearts proved not to be with the postwar work that was promptly taken up in 1919 by the Christian virgins who were discreet in discerning both time and work.

8. Under what obligation did the discreet virgins come in 1935, unanticipated by them?

⁸ The remnant of the “little flock” now came under the obligation of starting off the gathering of this “great crowd” of the “other sheep.” (Luke 12:32) This was because the number of discreet virgins needed to complete Jesus’ bride had now been filled. But such virgins were not taken at once to heaven. They are yet to be admitted into that heavenly festal chamber when they finish their earthly course as integrity-keeping witnesses of their God, Jehovah. Because of their faithful work of enlightenment up to 1935, they were ushered into a special privilege that they had never anticipated before the mid-1930’s.

9. Into what number has the remaining ones of the discreet virgins changed to date?

⁹ Over a half century has passed since 1935, and during these years the number of the discreet ones of the virgins class has been decreasing. On the other hand, the witness work has expanded to worldwide proportions, yes, to include more than 200 distinct lands. Currently, the virgins class has dropped to about 9,000 in number.