fig-tree," which by his household fountain grew,” to come and see Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph; and to this place we may suppose our blessed Lord would hasten His return, to gladden with His presence the heart of Mary, after so long an absence. The notice of the marriage, as being on the third day, while referring probably to the third day after His return to Galilee, and the interview with Nathanael, or to the third day of the week, may serve to remind us of that third day on which Jesus, the Bridegroom of His Church, arose from the dead, and appeared unto His disciples, "the children of the bridechamber," as they mourned and wept, to turn their sorrow into rejoicing.

There is something very beautiful in the readiness of our Lord, on His return from the conflict in the wilderness, and with so hard a service for our sake before Him still, to lend the hallowing gladness of His presence to the bridal feast. And does it not teach us how He would have His followers rejoice with them that do rejoice, as well as weep with them that weep; and how far from us should be that unchristian and gloomy temper, which would unfit us for this ready sympathy with those around us? I well remember how one of the most unworldly and devoted persons I ever met with, and who has long since fallen on sleep, once expressed herself to me on this subject in a letter from abroad; and that you too may learn with myself to link the thought and hope of the coming joy with all such festive occasions, I will give you her own words :-" I have a parti

cular joy in witnessing a marriage, and go to all that I am asked to. Oh, it is such a witness in this land of tears to that day of joy and gladness, when our Lord shall be united to His holy, pure, and joyous Bride, and the tears be wiped off all faces!"

Many have been the conjectures as to who was the bridegroom at this marriage in Cana; and it was probably the silence of the Evangelist upon the subject that led St. Jerome and others to suppose that it was St. John himself, and that, in consequence of the words spoken by our Lord to Mary, he devoted himself, with his wife's consent, to follow the Lord, as though he had been single. But this seems much more unlikely, than to suppose, as some have done, that Nathanael, who is called "of Cana in Galilee," (the home-loving Nathanael, as one might fancy him, from the way in which he is first spoken of,) was the bridegroom; and yet, if he be the same with the Apostle Bartholomew, whose name is elsewhere coupled, as his own might be, with his friend Philip's, and as was believed by many,-the day would come, when, fitted as we have been inclined to picture him for the domestic duties of a married life, he too would be called to leave all for the Lord's sake, to reap in due time the gracious, hundredfold recompense promised unto such. It may be that the silence of the Scripture on this matter is designed to turn away our thoughts from him who was the bridegroom on that occasion, to Him who is the Bridegroom for whose coming we are warned to watch (St. Matt. xxv. 13).

This, however, seems likely from the narrative, that it was a marriage amongst the kindred of our Lord, whose poverty might hinder them from providing a sufficient quantity of wine for so many guests as their hospitality had led them to invite; increased, too, as the number might be unexpectedly by the disciples of our Lord, of whom six may have been present at the time: Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Philip and Bartholomew, or Nathanael. The few and simple words of Mary, "They have no wine," seem beautifully to tell out her humble yet fearless confidence in the power and readiness of Jesus to supply the lack, ministering not to our necessities only, but over and above the needful sustenance of life, granting us all things richly to enjoy; and so she added not one word of supplication, as though He needed to be moved to such an act of bounty. Nor yet did she suggest the remedy; for this would have been an act of presumption on her part, very unlike all that the Scriptures tell us of this lowly one. She told Him of the lack, and that was enough. She used no entreaty, much less did she venture to exert a mother's influence; or in any way to interfere with what belonged not to her. And so, though the lesson of a woman's lowly subjection, and patient waiting for the Lord's time, was a lesson to be learned by Mary, as well as by every one of us; and though some have supposed that her conduct on this occasion was such as to call for admonition, if not for a reproof, from her Son and Lord, it may have been that the words of Jesus were

intended to convey another, and a deeper meaning to the trustful, faithful heart of Mary, pointing her to an hour to come, meet to be called His hour; an hour of joy and gladness, such as have not yet been known, but such as we may dimly understand from the words in Rev. xix. 6th and 7th

verses.

One thing is quite clear, that Mary was in no way discouraged by the answer of our Lord; for indeed the confidence of love is not easily disturbed, and words which seem full of harshness to others, prove full of grace and truth to the believing heart, like the words spoken of in Prov. viii. 9 : "There is nothing froward or perverse in them; they are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge." It was thus that the woman of Canaan made use of our Saviour's seemingly discouraging reply to enforce her plea for mercy, and holding fast by His own words, she answered, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." And thus did the blessed Virgin, in the meek confidence of that perfect love which casteth out fear, turn at once unto the servants; and as if in sure expectation of the desired supply, she said unto them, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." And immediately after this, we read that Jesus bade them fill with water the six waterpots of stone which were set there for the purifying of the Jews, that is, for the observance of their tradition about the washing of their hands,

and cups, and vessels, as we read in St. Mark vii. 4. Our Lord, as we well know, could have given them wine at once; but in this as in all His miracles, the way in which He wrought them is to be observed by us; and we do ever need to bear in mind, that as the heavens are high above the earth, so are His ways higher than our ways. The example of Mary's faith seems to have had its influence upon the servants, for they at once obeyed the word, and filled them up to the brim; and when again Jesus bade them, "Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast," they did so, and the water was made wine, and such wine, that the governor, who knew not, as they did, whence it was, called the bridegroom, and said unto him, "Thou hast kept the good wine until now." As this was most probably, as I have already said, a marriage amongst the poor relations of our blessed Lord, these servants may have been of the number of the guests, and our Lord Himself and His disciples may have been of the ten principal ones who, according to the custom of the Jews, were necessary to be present at the benediction of the bridegroom.

And now is not the faith of Mary the pattern unto every one of us, desiring (as which of us does not desire?) the gladdening of the glory of the Lord, to be willing that He should do His own work in His own way, and that whatsoever word He saith unto His ordained servants, the ministers and stewards of His mysteries, they may do it? Do you love to hear about the kingdom and the glory? But then you must be willing to hear about