Connecticut western news., 1889-12-25
MARRIAGE FEAST IN CANA.
Rev. Dr. Talmage on Our Lords
 First Manhood Miracle.

Rev. Dr. Talmage on Our Lords
 First Manhood Miracle.
 A Sermon by the American Minister Near
 the Historic Town in Galilce-Christ ts
 Sympathy with the Housekeeper, and
 the Lesson of Great Wedding Miracle.
 NEAR CANA, Dec. 9, 1889. Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, D. D., preached here today on "A Marriage Feast," taking for his text John ii. 10: Thou hast kept the good wine until now.' He said:
 Standing not far of from the demolished town of what was once called Cana of Cali lee, bcthink myself of our Lords first man. hood miracle, which has been the astonish- ment of tue ages. My visit last week to that place makes vivid in my mind that beautiful occurrence in Christ's ministry. My text brings Us to wedding in that village. It is wedding in common life, two plain people having pledged each other, hand and heart, andtheir friends having. come in for con graduation. Jesus and his mother have been invited. It Is evident that there are more people there than were expected. Either some people have come who were not invit- ed, or more invitations have been sent out than it was supposed would be accepted. Of
 
 You know that there is ncthing more em- barra- sing to q housekeeper than scaut supply. Jesus sees the embarrassment, and he comes up immediately to relieve 1t. He sees standing six water pots. He orders the servants to tili them with water, then waves his hand over the water and immediately it is wine-real wine. Taste off and see for yourselves; no logwood i'll it. no s.rychnine in it, but first rat. wine. l will not now be diverted to the question so often discussed in my own country, whether iL Is right to drink wine. am describing the scene ss it was. When God makes Wine he makes the very best wine; and one hundred and thirty gal Ions or it standing around in these water pots-wine so good that the ruler of the feast tastes it and says: ''Why, this Is really better than anything we have had! Thou hast kept the good wine until now." Beau tifui miracle!
 The unconscious W ater saw its God. and
 bushed.
 We learn from this miracle, in the frs, place. that Christ has sympathy with house. keepers. Does there ever come a scant sup ply in your household! Have you to make I very close calculationy Is it hard work fol you to carry on things decently and respect ably? If so, don't sit down and cry. Don'l go out and fret, but 70 to Him who stood ir the house in Cana of Galilee. Pray in the parlor! Pray in the kitchen! Let there bt no room in all your house unconSecrated te the voice of prayer. If you have micro scope, put under it one drop of water, xnt zee the insects floating about; and when yot see that God makes them, and cares for them and feeds them, come to the conclusion tha lie will take care of you and feed you. Trus in God aud do the best you can. Amid al the worriments of housekeeping, go to Him He will help you control your temper, ant supervise your domestics, and entertain youl guests, and manage your home economies There are hundreds of women weak and nervous, and exhausted with the cares o, housekeeping. commend you to the LorG Jesus Christ as the best adviser and the mos efficient aid-the Lord Jesus, who performed His first miracle to relieve housekecper.
 Does Jesus, our Lord, provide Rcdemp tion? It is not little salvation for this one little for that, and Il little for the other bat enough for aIl-"whosoever will, let hin come." Each man an ocean full for himself Promises for the young, promises for tn, old, promises for the lowly, promises for th' blind, for the halt, for the outcast, for tn, abandoned. Pardon for all, comfort for all mercy for all, heaven for all; not merely cupful of Gospel supply, but 130 gallors Ay, the tears of gody repentance are al gathered up into God'~ bottle, and some day standing before the throne, we will lift ou cup of delight and ask that it be filled witt | tue wine of heaven; and Jesus. from tha bottle of tears, will begin to pour in the cup and we will cry: "StOp, Jesus, We do no l want to drink our own tears!" and Jesu will say: "Know ye not thtt the tears O earth are the wine of heavcn!" Sorrow may endure, but joy cometh ill the morning.
 Ircm ,rk further, Jesus does not shadow the joys of others with his own griefs. H. might have Sat down in that wedding Rnt said: "1 have so much trouble, so mucl poverty, so much persc ,ution, and the cross is coming; shall not rejoice, and the gloom or my face and cf my sorrows shall be cas- over all this group" So said not Jesus. Ht ! said to himself: "Here are two person starting out in married life. Let it be joy full occasion. will hide my own griefs. will kiEdle their joy" There are many no so wise as that. 1 know household whe1, 1 there are many little children, where for tws years the musical instrument has been kep shut because there has been trouble In th, 1 house. Alas for the folly! Parents are say ing: "We will have no Christmas tree thi coming holiday heesuse there has beer stairs! How can there be any joy when ther, has been so mach troubief' And 80 the, make everything consistently aolefuI, ant | send their sons and daughters to ruin witt the gloom they throw around them.
 On, my dear friends, do you not know those children will have trouble enough O. their own after whilct Be glad they can not appreciate all yours. Keep back the GU, of bitterness from your aaughter's lips When your head is down in the grass of tn, l tomb, poverty may come 10 her, betrayal |; her, bereavement 10 her. Keep back the sor l that son may. after a while. have his hear broken? stand between him and all harm You may not fight his battles long; fight then while you may. Throw not the chill of your | own despondency oyer his soul; rather b, like Jesus, who came to the wedding hidIn. CTS. So have seen the sun. on a dark day struggling amid clouds, black. ragged ant portentions, but after awhile the sun, witt golden pry, heaved back the hiackness, an, the sun laughed to tho lake, and the lak, l! laughed to tuo sun, anu from horizon |, horizon, under the saffron skr, the wate was all turned into wine.
 l learn from this miracle that Christ Is no impatient with the luXuries of life. It wa l not necessary that thcy should have tha
 wine. Hundreds of people nave been married without any wine. We ia not read that an, | of the other provisions fell snort. Whei | Christ made the wine it was not necessity but positive luxury. do not believe tLa he wants us to eat hard bread and sleep ol hard mattresses, unless we like them the best 1 think. 1T circumstances will allow, We hay a right to the luXures of dress, the luxurie of diet and the luXuries of residence. Ther i is no more religion ill an old coat than in new one. We cal serve God drawn by gold ell plated harness as certainly as when we g l a-foot. Jesus Christ will dwell with us unde Hhc ceiihS as well as uuuef u thaIcnco rooI | and when you can get wine made out o water, drink as much of it as you can.
 What is the difference between a Chimes 1 mud hovel and an American home! Wha l is the difference between the rough bear skin 1 of the Russian boor and the outfit of al ! American gentleman? No difference, eXcep | that which tine gospel of Christ, directly 0 l indirectly, has caused. When Christ shal l have vanQushed all the world, suppos | every house will be mansion and every gar
 ment robe, and every horse an arch-necke'
 courser. and every carriage g!ittering ve hiclc, and every man q king, and every won
 an queen, and the whole earth a paradise | the glories of the natural world harmoniZn
 with the glories of the material world. unt