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


terested in that coming wedding than
any other being in the universe. not
excepting the bridegroom. mself.
Young folk about to Ser into the
nuptial state, will you not ask Christ
to your wedding: Will you not talk
10 him before the engagement ring is
Slipped over the slender finger of the
left hand? Will you not by Chrst's
help avoid the awful lifetime mistakes
Of wrong marital cntanglements: Death
itself is preferable to wedding cere-
mony where Christ is not present to
make the hearts and spirits one as the
law binds together the physical twain
as one. Some time ago the quick ring
of my telephone called me to the Emer-
gency hospital. Come quickly" came
the call. "A man is dying and wants
to see YOU" There / found young
man. by the name of Robert Duff. who
had been caught in the live wires of
an electric plant. He was burned so
badly that his lower limbs were al
ready dead. His mind was as clear us
is yours or mine. He was talking to
his fiancee, u sweet girl. who sat weep
ing by his side. Within few hours
his body was corpse in her arms.
Oh, that was sad. But it was not
nearly so sad as if that young man had
lived and they had been married in
body. but not in spirit Better the dead
body of the loved one in your arms
than the cold corpse Of a dead love.
holding together a man and u woman
by law and not in spirit Christ's pres
ence at Cana Of Galilee is divine
suggestion teaching that over every
marriage altar should be divine ben
ediction. Talk to your Saviour about
whom you are to marry and then in
vite Christ to your wedding. and you
will make no marital mistakes.
A Lesson From the Miracle.
Another lesson Of the miracle is that
nothing is too small or too insignificant
to do IL by that act you are going to
make your fellow men happier. This
changing OF water into wine was not
done to heal the sick. or to raise the
dead. or to cast out the devils" which
to the number of legion We're tortur
ing the poor maniac amid the Gadarene
tombs. 1t was done simply and pure
II to relieve the embarrassment of a
host and hostess whose supply of wine
for the marriage feast had run out. 1t
was done to alleviate one of those little
domestic troubles with which most Of
us have been conversant in the days
of our own homes.
Cannot you see those guests gather
ing in the east in your own house:
Your wife had made preparations for
ten or twelve guests for dinner. There
were just enough oysters. enough sal
ads, enough squads, enough figures OF
ice cream. for the invited guests. no
more and no less. Suddenly. when you
We're about to he seated. the bell rang.
and In came three or four friends from
a distant city. You had to ask them
TO dine There was no way out of it.
Then your wife took you and the chill
dren aside and said: Il don't know how
we will get through. We have not
Now, you and the children have got to
take turns in going without. You must
refuse in turn the different courses.
When the plates are passed you must
say, 4 do not want any, thank YOU"
OF course all went well except with
your youngest boy. The salad looked
so good that when it was being passed
he said, Il want some. mamma" Then
her face flushed. She was embarrass-
ed. Every one in the room was en-
barrassed. DO you not recognize
mighty Christian lesson in the fact that
Christ performed his first miracle" in
order to relieve IA little domestic furry
of the home?
II l put myself i'm Jesus place i
think I can imagine the scene which
took place which led to his going to
this wedding. Cana is only few miles
away from Nazareth. where Jesus was
then living. There is tradition that
this Cana bridegroom's name was Cleo
phas, who was about to marry Mary'S
sister. The mother of Christ is talk
ing to Jesus. Are you going to your
aunt's wedding!" she asks. "Oh. no."
is the reply. Il do not want to go.
Weddings have not very much interest
for me. But. mother. you go. l know
you will have good time. and l will
send my aunt my love and benediction
through YOU" But, my son." says
Mary. II do not want to go without
you. You should go for the family's
sake as well as for mine" well,
mother" he answers. "if you wish 1t.
will CO." Does not this statement
bear out the strange wording Of this
chapter. And the third day there was
u marriage in Cana OF Galilee. and the
mother of Jesus was there. and both
Jesus was called and his disciples to
the MARRIAGE" Why was Mary's name
here mentioned first if there was no
reason for Christ going there to please
his mother? Yes. think am not GO
ing beyond my right when state that
Christ went to the wedding. and he
performed his first miracle" there to
teach us that nothing in life is too
small or too insignificant to do IL by
tl,a4 hi,