Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-08-05


and all the neighboring houses were
crowded with the invited guests.
A Week of Festivity.
Then the ceremony was not finished
by few words mumbled off by a min
lister and quick scurrying away for
the train by the bridal couple after Il
few grains of rice had been thrown.
But days and sometimes even week
We're given up To the festivities and TO
the hilarities. AS | came over the hills
toward this village l saw the maidens
by the score. with their hair decorated
bright. gorgeous colorings of the east.
shining in the sunlight. With their
arms encircling each others waist
they We're as Miriam of old dancing
over the greensward and singing in
time with the moving feet. The young
men came there with their fleet horse,
caparisoned with the finest trappings.
There We're games and feats of
strength for the competitors ut these
festivals. At last. after days of frolic,
came the wedding ceremony. Then
came the great climax of all. the ''wed-
ding supper" Christ's first miracle
was performed ut a season of social
festivities
I am glad that Christ's Nativity was
announced to the world by the overture
OF song. am glad that his first mira.
Gle was performed ut wedding
am glad we do not see Jesus Al: this
time standing clothed in the skins of
wild beasts, as was John the Baptist in
the wilderness. Christ came to this
wedding to mark his approval of limo
cent pleasure. His attendance upon
the wedding I'm Cana of Galilee proves, -
wrote Bishop Ryle. that true religion
was never meant to make man melan-
chOly. There are times when it is law
full to be merry and rejoice" The cal
endar of the sinner has only few days
Of the year marked as festival days"
wrote Elon Foster. but every day of
the Christians calendar is marked by
the hand of God us II day of rejoicing"
Yes. by the echoing chimes of the wed
ding bells we know It, BY the joyful
songs we hear today coming over the
Galilean hills. in the chorus of which
ChriSt's words may he blending. we
believe It, Thank God. Christ's first
miracle was performed for bride and
not for a widow. at a banquet and not
by bier.
Rejoice though storms assail thee. rejoice
when skies are bright
Rejoice though round thy pathway Ia
spread the gloom of night.
II the good hope be in thee that all at
last is well.
Then let thy happy spirit with joyful It'd
ings swell.
where Christ's Ministry Began.
Christ's ministry opens in n scene OF
human festivities. 1t does more than
to prove that the most important place
ON earth this side of heaven is the mar
riage altar. Marriage" wrote DIR.
Taylor. lis the mother OF the world
and precious kingdoms and fills cities
and churches and heaven itself. Like
a useful bee. ii builds II house and
gathers sweetness from every flower.
and lab0rs and unites into societies and
republics. and sends out colonies. and
feeds the worlds with delicacies. and
obeys the king. and exercises many vir-
tues. and promotes the interest of man.
kind. and is that state Of good to which
God hath designed the present consti-
tuition Of the world" That is, the right
kind OF marriage does all this. There
fore. as marriage is so important in
Gods sight and mans. it is very essen
tial. oh. young people. that you ask
Jesus Christ to your weddings when
you are about to be married. Yet the
strange fact remains that the last be-
ing in the universe some of us would
ever think of inviting to our weddings
is Jesus Christ.
We treat Christ great deal as some
of us have treated our best earthly
friends when giving reception or a
party. We take the calling list of our
wives and grown daughters and sons.
and we bunch them together with the
names Of our personal friends, both
business and social Then when the
night Of the entertainment comes
around we say to ourselves, why is
not Mr.. So-and-so hereY' Then we go
to our wife ana say: my dear. Mr..
So-and-so Is not here. Did you invite
him!" She looks ut the list of guests
and answers: NO. husband. We for
got to put that name down." TOO
bad. too bad" you say. Yes. it is too
bad. But. though it is too bad. this
fact remains incontrovertiblA You did
not neglect to invite that very wealthy
man TO your daughters wedding.
Why? Because you expected him to
give her present. You did not for
get to invite that prominent statesman
and social queen. Why! Because you
expected them to give that wedding
prominence in the newspaper. But you
did neglect to invite that old time
friend who has been true to you for
many. many years. Thus we often
neglect to invite to our weddings
Christ, who is our best Of all friends.
Too Late to Ask Advice.
Not only do the young people often