And then. there is one other thought, another lesson we may learn from the parable, and which his presence at the feast so charmingly suggests. God wants us to be happy. Our Christian faith is meant to bring joy into our lives and not gloom. It is a mistaken view of Christianity which looks upon all pleasure with cold disapproval, and which finds the taint of evil in every form of enjoyment. The gloomy Christian gives the lie to his profession. There is one infaluble test we can bring to any form of pleasure of amusement in which we are asked to join. "Can I im. agine my Lord entering into this' If you could bring Jesus with you, you may participate without fear. But if he would be out of place, than beware, you are treading on dangerous ground.
But Christ came to the wedding at Cana. And in passing, he sanctified by his presence that institution which lies at the very foundation and source of our Christian civilization. And his presence at the marríage feast and his enjoyment of its rejoicings was in accord with fis actions at all times. When invited to dine with the Pharisee Simon, he accepts. He attends Matthew's feast. He invited himself to dine with the little publican Zac-chens, and so one might go on, But mark this Wherever he went, he increased the joy and men were better for his coming. And I like to think that it teaches us that religion is not to be a thing apart, something for special days and occasions, but a spirit that can enter in and sanctify all life.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.