The age-herald., 1900-10-21
The Marriaqe in Cana

The wedding feast destined to be remem- bered longest in all time took place more than 1900 years ago in a pleasant village in the smiling valley through which the road runs from Nazareth to the Lake of Cali lee. The houses sit upon terraces, rising above terraces, upon the slope of the hill Upon the outskirts of the village are gar dens and orchards of pomegranates, famed then for their fruitfulness and which clus- ter around great fountain of pure water
 The house in which this immortal we'd ding was to be celebrated in Cana of Gall lee was large, all now festively adorned The guests must pass through open court and reach the covered gallery which opens on the various rooms, the great reception room being conspicuous in the plan of the building. On the gallery there were water pots ranged after the manner of purifying of the Jews, each with the capacity of sev- eral gallons. On the gallery the servants moved around awaiting their orders. There were perhaps six water pots on this occasion but as the habit was, some of the number may have been borrowed for a few hours from Eeighbors, the largest and handsomest that could be procured The best was for the purifcation of the bride and the others were used by the general company. The wide dining room with its high walls ablaze with light, stood open.
  meant far more than feasting and merri- ment. Michael and Gabriel had acted as groomsmen at the marriage of the first pa- rents in the Garden of Eden, the Angelic choir had sang the wedding hymn, and Je- hoyah himself had spoken the words of blessing over the cup. In these later times King Agrippa had arisen and joined the marriage procession in honor of the insti- tutions, and 1t is curiously set forth that when Jezebel was eaten of dogs, her hands
 
 she was she had been wont to clap her hands in greeting of, and use her feet in running with every marriage procession that passed. The impress of the greatest sancity hung around the marriage cere- monies, long pretracted as they were. First came the betrothal, and this stage existed dn the case of a maiden, for months or even to the extent of a year. At the bethrothal the bridegroom personally or by deputy handed to the bride a piece of money or a letter. Law and custom acknowledged the ceremony as binding upon the parties to it. A legal document was signed, fixing the amount of dowry in each case, and defin- ing the mutual obligations A festive meal sometimes closed the bethrothal ceremonies.
 In due time followed the actual marriage. The husband awaited in his home while the bride, escorted by a great procession was led to him from her parental roof. First in the order of which came the mer- ry music makers, next those whose part it was to distribute wine and oil to the peo- pie along the way and nuts to the children. Now came the bride, yelled heavily, her hair flowing over her shoulders, uncon- fined. led by friends of the bridegroom and surrounded by the companions of her youth. All who took part in the process sion must be specially and gaily arrayed for the occasion. Those nearest the bride must carry myrtle branches and chaplets of flowers; those more distant must carry torches or lamps elevated on poles. Shouts were heard all along the line of march in praise of the beauty and modesty of the bride. At length the bride was placed be- fore her husband awaiting her arrival un- der his own roof. He accepted his wife with the formal words according to the law of Moses and of Israeli" The hus- band then signed a document in which he pledged himself to give his maiden wife at least twenty-five dollars (American money), of his own funds, and also to in crease the dowry she had brought Then the feast began, the marriage supper, as they had it in Cana of Galilee Often it lasted more than day. Now, at Cana lived Nathanae- -Barthoio- mew, and to his house came a strange rabbi. Perhaps this strange rabbi had been invited to the marriage supper. His mother, Mary, had been invited and was there on time. At any rate. Jesus the rabbi attended the supper. Late in the evening his mother whispered to him that the wine had failed. Possibly the company had been increased by the arrival of the fol- lowers of Jesus, who had come along with him from Nazareth, fascinated by the flow of marvellous eloquence from his lips, and had consumed more than the governor of the feast expected. By order of the strange rabbi the servants filled the six water pots with fresh water. "The conscious water saw its God and blushed" So the gover- 1 nor of the feast came to censure the bride groom for keeping the good wine until the bod drt,r l. Of infp
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