The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-06-22
Bethlehem, Iudea.

wonders are to appear before our Lords
return to earth, we need not be sur
prised to meet Elijah, the prophet, on
some of our streets before long.
When had read the message my son
said papa, | think you have been called
to perform duty to which you are moi
eligiable, My reply was if 1 am not
will not l met Lawyer johnson as he
was coming to his Office in johnson
City the same day, and asked him tc
read me the law as to who was eligible
to unite people in marriage. AS l had
never been called on to perform the
solemn duty 1 did not know what the
law said, but / was satisfied as to Gods
idea of worthy man. So he read as
follows; Any justice, Judge, or any
regular minister of the gospel having
the care of souls. l told Bro. Johnson
that did not want to do anything con.
trary to law, but that l knew that had
been converted, sanctifed, called and
commissioned to preach the gospel tc
the poor, and will add to governors,
presidents and kings when l choose,
and that did not have any other bust
ness except to look after human souls,
having surrendered my home and bust
ness to my son, his mother and sister,
that | may wholly follow the Lord and
preach his word without the promise ol
anything except JOY in the Holy Ghost
and future reward, and as L was sat
isfied as to my calling and also satisfied
that men can not add anything to me-
[ feel that am perfectly free to unite
people in holy wedlock after they have
been united in love as true man anG
wife. Bro. Johnson's reply was, as tC
point of law men might object, but ai
to the spirit you are all right. As Pau
so faithfully warns us in Gal. not t.
follow men, have promised the Lore
| would not. So [ went on my way tC
the Holy City as happy and free as {
bird to perform the divine, sacred and
solemn duty of uniting two lovers who
had been espoused to each other long
before they were united in marriage.
On the 23d OF May, at the beautiful
home of Mrs. W. G.. Gass, from which
place grand view of the city may bt
had, about fifteen relatives and friends
assembled in the parlor to witness the
marriage of Mr.. John X. Snapp, Of
johnson City, to Miss Kate Gass, Of
Greeneville. They were married at
p. M, and took the 1920 train for John.
son City, where the groom has a good
position with the Southern Railway.
While waiting for the train the bride
received many hearty hand-shakes,
sweet kisses and congratulations from
old friends and associates.
1t was agreed that the scribe should
eat reception dinner with the bride
and groom on their way home, and bt
assured that l never, no, never forfeit
an agreement like that. My thoughts
are still sweetened when think of the
suga', cream, strawberries, cake and
many other good things as they wen
swiftly into natures gulf, which is SC
naturally adapted to such things in one
particular case.
We have some who would like tC
question the right of one who had no
been ordained by some particular
church to solomnize the rights o
matrimony, but the same would nevel
question the right of justice or iudg,
to perform such sacred duty, though
the bride and groom should have to ge
back few PAGES to keep from becom
ing deathly sick on the scent of tobacco
and dead whisky. | told a friend il
Greeneville that such men should no
mate my geese in the spring of the year
Matrimony is divine; it was institu
ted to signify the mystical union be
tween Christ and His church, and an,
and all who have been transferred BY
the power of God from the natural t.
the spiritual kingdom, and have beel
set in the body by God himself to per
form these duties have a perfect righ
to do so. But from the very astound
ing fact that the people have lost, to
great extent, the divine side of matri
mony is why court dockets are full tt
overfowing with divorce cases.
Formality, carnality and devilalit,
have crushed out much of the spiritu
ality of the churches.
I have decided to be as near lik,
Caleb and Joshua as 1 can, and the,
each represented three hundred thou
sand that did not wholly follow tn
Lord. Mum. xxx ii. / am going to d,
my best to raise the standard of Chris
tian living. I have decided that n,
man shall preach purer life through
purer lips than your servants, an,
that | will live a pmer life than 1 preach
Before you question any mau's righ
to administer in sacred cases, you ha,
better consult Cor. iii. j, Cor. xii Gal +.
and from these see few references.
Christ is the great physician, yet al
will not be healed by Him, hence til
need of doctors and so many civil off
GERS fill their places, but may the goo
Lord deliver us from certain class.