was slender and tall, at least six feet
three, and Yunis was short and corpulent. So likewise, one of the brides
was very tall, and the other even shorter than Yunis. As we could not
see the brides' faces, we arranged them according to symmetry and
apparent propriety, placing the tall bride by the tall groom, and the
two short ones together. After the introductory prayer, I proceeded to
deliver a somewhat full and practical address on the nature of marriage,
and the duties and relations of husband and wife, as is our custom in
Syria, not only for the instruction of the newly married pair, but for
the good of the community. No Methodist exhorter ever evoked more hearty
responses, than did this address, from the Hums populace. "That is
true." "That is news in _this_ city." "Praise to God." _Mashallah!_ A
woman exclaimed on hearing of the duties of husband to wife, "Praise to
God, women are something after all!" I then turned to the two pairs, and
commenced asking Ibrahim the usual question, "Do you" (etc., etc.,) when
a woman screamed out, "Stop, stop, Khowadji, you have got the wrong
bride by that man. He is to marry the short girl!" Then followed an
explosion of laughter, and during the confusion we adjusted the matter
satisfactorily. A Moslem Effendi who was present remarked after
listening to the service throughout, "that is the most sensible way of
getting married that I ever heard of."

After the ceremony, we sent the newly married pairs to the study to
await the dispersion of the multitude, before going into the street. But
human curiosity was too great. None would leave until they saw the
extraordinary sight of a bride and groom walking home together. So we
prepared our lanterns and huge canes, and taking several of the native
brethren, my brother and myself walked home first with Ibrahim and wife,
and then with Yunis and his wife. We walked on either side of them, and
the riotous rabble, seeing that they could not reach the bride and
groom, without first demolishing two tall Khowadjis with heavy canes,
contented themselves with coarse jokes and contemptuous laughter.

This was nine years ago, and on a recent visit to Hums, the two brides
and their husbands met me at the door of the church on Sunday, to show
me their children. Since that time numerous Protestant weddings have
taken place in Hums, and a new order of things is beginning to dawn upon
that people.

The present native pastor, the Rev. Yusef Bedr, was