The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-21
First Quarter. Lesson It John u,
 1.1I. January 22, hJoS.
The First Miracle in Cana.

The First Miracle In Cana.
 Arriving at Nazareth with ms nve lately called disciples, Jesus found an Invitation awaiting him to attend the marriage to which his mother had al- ready hastened on. A ten-mile extra walk across the wide and fertile plain brought the little company to Cana. As they entered the festive home of the bridegroom, six great hagons, beaded with moisture and their orifices crammed with fresh leaves. greeted them in the vestibule. The last water was drawn from these capacious jars to cleanse hands and feet of these late arrivals. The size. number and mate rial of those fagons was graven on Johns memory by what afterward transpired.
 The ablutions ovef, Jesus and His disciples entered the humble banquet room. There the male guests were dis posed according to their fancy on mats about the floor. Jesus presence was no dash of sadness to that festal hour. The riddle-guessing and storytelling incident to such occasions went right on. The Master came not to mar. but to adorn and beautify that marriage feast. A moment later Jesus Himself was reclining; and, perhaps for the first time, the favored disciple in whom His human soul delighted was leaning in His bosom. The symposiarch con tinued to rule the feast. The happy bridegroom, adorned and anointed. sur rounded by the sons of the bride chamber" was still the center of att traction.
 From the festal-room, where the wo- men congregated, and where the bride, covered from head to foot in her loose and flowing veil, garlanded with flow CTS and dressed in her fairest robes, was the observed of all-Mary came to whisper in her Sons ear that the store of wine had failed, an event con- sidered peculiarly humlliating in an Oriental home.
 Jesus reply to His mother indicates that He understood her suggestion that He should use His Divine power to bridge this domestic chasm, which His coming with His disciples had helped to create. And it was altogether ap- propriate that, as other guests had done. He should add to the provisions for the banquet by personal gift.
 Even against maternal interference Jesus must guard His miracle-working prerogative. In this matter He has nothing in common with any mortal, not even His own mother. The times and seasons (indicated by the phrase Mine hour") for the display of super natural power were matters of agree ment between Father and Son. In these matters it Is presumption in the last degree for a mortal to interfere. Again, His mother must know her status toward Him. "The Son had now become the Lord even of the mother"
 Divorced from tone and look, the words, especially in our version, seem harsh. They were not so; and, even in them, Mary's quick womans wit di- vined that, though Jesus did not work the miracle at her suggestion, He would still soon work it.
 Not in the splendid temple, but in a humble home; not before the Sanhe- drim of savants, but before a company of humble Galileans, Jesus manifested His glory in His first miracle, the spe- cial purpose of which was to confirm His disciples faith in Him.
 Mosaic From Commentaries.
 Cana and Galilee Identified with in- significant village, five miles north of Nazareth.-Kanet, New Century. A marriage: Among all Orientals mar riages were occasions of much cere- mony and unbounded fasting.-Tris- tram Jesus was bidden: His presence suggests the honor of matrimony.- Pulpit Com. The earthen floor and the ledge round the wall would be spread with carpets the walls hung with gar lands; the spirits of all bright and cheerful as the decorated chamber. and the modest rejoicings in no way cloud ed by the presence of Mary's Son and His followers.-Geikie. Wanted wine: And they had not wine because the wine of the wedding was f1nished.-Old Manuscript Tischendorf. Occasioned by arrival of Jesus and His disciples. None but those who know how sacred in the East is the duty of lavish hospi- tality. and how passionately the obli- Ration to exercise 1t to the utmost is