The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-04-17
INTERNATIONAL LESSONS.
Lesson 3 Aprii Is.
THE FlEsE MIRACLE,

II. Time, about A. y. "a Place, Cana
of Galilee, Rulers, the same as The last
lesson.
Jesus and His few followers have
turned ther backs upon John the Baptist
and the vast assembiage at the Jordan
ford. aud they have gone nUrthward 10
His Gaiiltan home Once more tile
animated scene on the shores Of the
Lake appears to view, and they are wei.
coined back again Gy relatives and
friends. Into sympathetic ears is poured
the WondcrouS recital Of the events ot
the last few days. Always noted fOi
His character ami bearing amongst Ills
associates, with the circumstances OF
His birth still treasured and hallowed
amongst His loved ones; it now seemed
a though He was indeed TO be tie Mes
siah Of Ills people. When lie reached
His home lie found thdt Ills mother had
gone to wedding at Cana, o few miles
away. An Oriental is nothing if he is not
bO,pitabIe, aud Jesus and those who
were with Him were invited to the feast
as suOu as their presence in the neigh
bOThOOl was known. An Eastern we'd
ding fCa often lasts week, and not
only relatives aud friends are invited,
but ordinary rasSprs by are frequently
compelled to tarry long enough to drink
| the health of the bride and bridegroom.
Not the liquor Of to-day, but the u,e
| juice of the grape. In its pure ard
| original state IL Is commented in the
| Iible; when it got older and somewhat
eNlilarating it is not SPOKEN OF with
! diSapprOval, but when 1t became in;ONl-
| eating, the Bible condemns II unspar-
! ingly They had the juice of the gra; e
at THIS fedst,and as the number of CUES $
was considerably increased, ii soon be.
came apparent to Mary that the supply
| would run short. As careful house.
| wife she kept AN obserVant eye on the
surroundings, and perhaps assisted in
the dispensatiOn of hospitality. She had
confidence in her son. Thirty yeals Of
| patient watching and sweet companion
! ship had taught her to place great rei-
ance in Jesus. 1t was but natural,
under the circumstances, that she should
| go to Him with the present difficulty,
and tell Him that the supply of wine
was running short. There is no evil
dence that she expected any such results
as followed, and she learnt a lesson
when Jesus said to her, woman. what
| have | to do with thee? Mine hour is
not yet come" Or, more properly,
Lady. what is there TO me and thee"
Let Me alone, let me take my own
way. mine hour Is not vet come
| He had passed out from under the
mat, rndl care and counsel. and from
henccforth He was to obey only the voice
| of His Heavenly father. Presently.
there was murmur through the house.
| Guests called for wine, but the walters
had to tell them the unpleasant fact that
1t was all gone. This was considered
a calamity at such time, and we can
scarcely conceive the chagrin of the host
or the dissatisfaction of his guests.
Comment was freely made. They began
to ccnsure the host for being such a
careless provider; some, doubtless,
thought about breaking up the festivities
and going home. 1t was moment Of
| painful despair to the host--it was
ChriSt's moment, His hour had come.
Standing at the door were several large
earthen jars which contained water for
the guests to wash in. This is common
in the East. Every house had them.
Being a wedding feast, there were
| number of them in use on this occasion.
| Jesus comes forward unpretentiogsly
out Of the crowd and tells the servants
| to empty those jars and fill them with
| fresh water. Promptly His order is
obeycd, though they know not the rea-
| son. While this is being rapidly done,
| the guests pay no attention TO the pro-
ccedings. 1t is all completed, and there
| comes Just then new call for wine.
Blank despair is on the face of him of
whom the request is made. but Jesus
| tells him to draw from one of the water
! jars and take it TO the master of cerc-
| monies. whose duty it was to taste new
lots OF wine that were opened. The
servant drew from the water jar as
| commanded. and took the bowl to the
ruler. As soon as his lips touched the
| fragrant fluid he recognized it as the
pUrest, sweetest and richest wine he had
| ever tasted, and he was astoniShed.
| What did the host mean by preserving
| the best fruit of the vint lge till the end
of the feast? Usually, when mems
| palates were satiatcd with drinking. an
| inferior wine served their purpose But
| here, at the close Of the festivities, the
host produces the best wine he has. SO
he argued, as he knew not whence the
| liquid came. He said it was wine: the
servants knew it was water which they
| had themselves put into the Jars. As
it was then freely used by the assembled
! guests, it soon became known that pure
water had, by some strange process, been
! changed into pure wine. And as the
| truth dawned upon them that the word
of Jesus had produced the change. that
His word had wrought a miracle. they
recognized in Him superior being;
while His disciples, fresh from the i'm
pressve scenes at Jorlan's ford, beheld
| in Him fhR Spn Of God
LESSON THOUGHTS.
]. Mans extremity is Gods oppor-
tunity.
2. Jesus always helps in time of need.
3. Not only invite jesus to your
home, but make Him constant dweller
there.
4. As Christ can turn common water
into a rich liquid, so He can transform
the basest heart into a fit temple OF the
| Holy Ghost.
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