The Reverend Mr. Turell was specially
ingenious. Of him Dr. Holmes wrote,--
"You've heard, no doubt, of Parson Turell;
Over at Medford he used to dwell,--
Married one of the Mathers' folks."
His wife, Jane Coleman, was a handsome brunette. The bridegroom preached
his first sermon after his wedding on this text, "I am black but comely, O
ye daughters of Jerusalem." When he married a second time he chose as his
text, "He is altogether lovely, this is my beloved, and this my friend, O
daughters of Jerusalem!" It is possible that each of Parson Turell's brides
may have chosen the text from which he preached her honeymoon sermon. It
was the universal custom for many years thoughout New England to allow a
bride the privilege of selecting for the parson who had solemnized her
marriage, or at whose church she first appeared after the wedding, the text
from which he should preach on the bridal Sabbath. Thus when John Physick
and Mary Prescott were married in Portland, on July 4, 1770, the bride gave
to Rev. Mr. Deane this text: "Mary hath chosen that good part;" and from it
Parson Deane preached the "wedding sermon." When Abby Smith, daughter of
Parson Smith, married 'Squire John Adams, whom her father disliked and
would not invite home to dinner, she chose this text for her wedding
sermon: "John came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and ye say he
hath a devil.
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