The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-01-02
ThtMEGESS' SERMON.
TheiBrookyn Divine 3Preaehes
Near Cana, in Galilee,
,f-I' - ~
Subject: Marriage Feast"


amtU Ro,c. ."-<Iahr if,s-tA y
Standing not far or from the demolished
town OF what was once called Cna of Cali
lee, bethnk myself of our Lords first man
hood miracle, which has been the astooish-
lnent of the ages. Ny visit last week 10 that
place makes vivid in my mind that beautiful
occurrence in Christs ministry. Ny text
brings us to a wedding in that village Ii is
q wedding i'll common life, two plain people
having pledged each other, hand and heart,
and their friends having come in for
congratulations The JOY is not the
+ In each other they find all the future they
want. The daisy in the cup on the table may
mean as much as a score of artistic garlandS
fresh from the hothorsc When daughter
goes off from home with nothing but PLAIN
fathers blessing and plain mothers love,
she is missed as much as though she were
Princess 1t seems hard, after the parents
have sheltered her for eighteen years, that III
few short months her affections should have
been carried of by another; but mother re-
members how it was in her own case when
she was young, and so she braces mp until tho
wedding has passed, and the banqueters are
gone, and she has good cry all alone.
Well, we are to-day at the wedding III
Cana of Galilee, Jesus and His mother
have been invited. 1t is evident that there
are more people there than We're expected.
Either some people have come who were not
invited, or more invitations have been sent
out than it was supposed would be accepted:
OF course there is not enough supply Of
wine You know that there is nothing
sncse embarrassing TO housekeeper than
soant supply. Jesus sees the embarrasS.
ment, and He comes up Immediately 10 re-
lieve it. He sees standing six water pots
He orders the servants to fill them with wa
ter then waves His hand over the water,
and Immediately it is wine-real wine.
Taste Of it, and see for yourselves;
no logwood in it, no strychnine in it, but first
rate wine I will not now be diverted TO the
question so often discussed in my own coun-
try, whether it is right to drink wine. | am
describing the scene as it was. When God
l., makes wine He makes the very best wine;
and one hundred and thirty gallons Of it
standing around in these water pots-wino
50 good that the ruler of the feast tastes it
anI says: "Why, this is really better than
anything we have had Thou hast kept tho
good wine until now" Beautiful miraclel a
prize was offered to the person who should
write the best essay about the miracle in Cana.
Long manuscripts were presented in the COM
petition, but the poet won the prize by just
this one line descriptive of the miracle.
The unconscious water saw its God, and blushed.
We learn from this miracle, in the first
place, that Christ has sympathy with house.
keepers, You might have thought that Jesus
would have said: II cannot be bothered with
this household deficiency of wine. 1t is not
sor me, Lord Of heaven, of earth, to become
caterer to this feast. have vaster things
than this to attend to-" Not SO said Jesus
The wine gave out, and Jesus by miraculous
power, came to the rescue. Does there ever
cone ScaatssTTiiff,slyIn IN your 6UTsef0Jh'2 Have
You to make very close calculation?
Is it hard work for you to carry on things
decently and respectfully If so, don't sit
down and cry. Don't go out and fret; but
go to Him who stood III the house i'll
Cana of Galilee. Pray in the parlor! Pray
sn the kitchen? Let there be no room i'll all
your house umconsecrated by the voice Of
prayer. If you have microscope, put under
st one drop Of water, and see the insects
floating about and when you see that God
makes them, and cares for them and feeds
them, come to the conclusion that He will
take care of you and feed you, oh, We of little
faith.
A boy asked if he might sweep the snow
from the steps of house. The lady of tho
household said: Yes; you seem very poor"
&c says: II am very poor" She says:
Don't you sometimes get discouraged, and
feel that God is going to let you starvc%'
The lad looked up in the woman'S face anil
said: "Do you think God will let me starve
when trust Him, and then do the best CAM
Enough theology Cor older people! Trust
In God and do the best you can. Amidst all the
'worriments of housekeeping, go to Him; He
will help you control your temper, and SUPER
wise your domestics, and entertain your
guests, and manage your home economies.
There are hundreds of women weak, and
nervous, and exhausted with the cares Of
housekeeping. / commend you to the Lord
aS hDct
efficient aid-the Lord Jesus who performed
His first miracle to relieve housekeeper.
learn also from this miracle that Christ
does things in abundance | think small
supply of wine would have made up for the
deficiency. think certainly they must have
had enough for half of the guests. One gal
Ion of wine will do; certainly five gallons
will be enough; certainly ten. But Jesus
goes on, and He gives them thirty gallons
and forty gallons, and fifty gallons, and sew
enty gallons and one hundred gallons and
one hrndred and thirty gallons Of the very
best wine.
1t is just like Him, doing everything OH the
largest and most generous scale. Does Christ,
our Creator, 60 forth to make leaves? lie
makes them by the whole forest full; notched
like the fern, or silvcred like the aspen, or
broad like the palm, thickets i'll the tropics,
Oregon forests. Does He go forth to make
aowers? He makes plenty of them; they
flame from the hedge, they hang from tho
top OF the grapevine i'll blossoms they roll in
the blue wave Of the violetS, they toss their
white surf into the spir;ea-anough for every
child's hand flower, enough to make f0r
every brow chaplet, enough with beauty to
cover up the ghastiiness OF all the graves
Does He 60 forth 70 create water? He po3rS
itout, not by the cupful, but bYa river full,
a lake full an OCEAN full, pouring it out un-
til all the earth has enough to drink, AMI
enough with which TO wash.
Does Jesus, our Lord provide redemption?
1t is not little salvation for this one, a little
for that, and Il little for the other; bat
enough for all-"Whosocver will, let him
come Each man an ocean full for himself.
Promises for the. young, promises for tho
old, promises for the lowly, promises for thh
blind, for the halt. for the outcaSt for th'
abandoned Pardon for all, comfort for ell,
mercy for all, heaven for all; hot merely Il
cupful of Gospel supply, but one hundred
and thirty gallons. Ay, the tears OF Goilv
repentance are all gathered up into Gods
bottle, and some day, standing before the
throne, we will lift our cup OF delight and ask
that it be lillet with tue wine of heaven: anil
Jesus. from that bottle of tears, will begin to
pour in the cup, and we will cry: Stop,
Jesus, we do not want TO drink our own
tears" and Jesus will say: Know y2 not
that the tears OF earth. are tue wine of
heavenN Sorrow may endure, but joy conf
eth in the morning.
remark further. Jesus does not shadow
the joys of others with His own griefs lie
might have sat down in that wedding and
said: II have so much trouble. 50 much
poverty, SO much persecution, and the cross
is coming; l shall not rejoice, and the gloom
of My face and of Ny sorrows shall be cast
over all this group" SO said not Jesus lie
said 10 Himself Here ara two persons
starting out in married life. Let it be Il Joy
full occasion. / will hide My own griefs. |