Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-10-16
From the Commercial Adrerfiser. :
A Marriage Scene.

N Nb cSS"Ns
On Thursday last | attended a we'd
ding atithe chapel Of Grace Church 'iff'
this city, marked by rcumstanccs' Oh
unusual interest. The parties married
were deaf mu,es, and the service m
prescribed by the Episcopal Church
was performed by the Rev. Mr.. Gallaui
dct who stood during its continuance
within the rail Of the altar, and accord
ing To a venerable custom oYthe church, :
was habited in C. white surplice.
The opening announcement that the
marriage was about TO take place, and
the request that objections to the pro- ,
posed ceremony (ii rny eIisted) should
then and tnerc be made, were of course
recited orally from the Prayer Book, as
these are rather intended Tor the ear Of
the spectators than for the consideration
Of the parties themselves. The solemn
charge and questions, however, to the
youthful, couple, as well as one or two Of
the prayers, were made in the significant
language OF signs. Indeed all parts Of
the service in which the clergyman
communicates specially with those about
to be married, were rendered in the
same manner. II is almost impossible
10 describe the solemn grandeur ofthis
mute part Of the performance. Nwas
probably the first time that Episcopal
marriage service had been thus tfansla-
ted into sacred pantomine, and 10 my
mind il seemed far more touching, ap-
propriate aud effective than the plan Of
signing agreements, as usually adopted
by mu,es on assuming the nuptial COW
enant. The reverend gentleman who ,
officiated vii, be remembered as having
for years been an eminent instructor Of
the deaf and to the graceful perfection
with which he speaks this, his mother
tongue, (ior to him it is literally such,)
may be attributed in a high degree the
singular impressiveness ofthe scene.
That part Of the service which the
reader may remember as commencing
81 M take thee N, &c.", and intended by
the directions of the rubric to be first re- :
cited in sentences by the clergyman, and
then repeated by each of the parties.
was in this case done in signs, perform
ed separately by single hand ofeach.'
This necessity arose from strictly follow
ing the ordering Of the service, which
directs that during the recitation of'this
part of the marriage VOW, the man and
the woman shall take each other by the
right hand. Nothing could have eI.-
ceeded the mute but expressive and pa
thetic eloquence ofthis portion Of the
ceremony. have never seen the spec
,aiors at wedding appear so" fascina-'
ted and spel!-bound as by the unique
and interesting character Of the whole
performance. Previous to seeing this
marriage celebration, | had no proper
conception Of the majestic signi6conce
oc the sgn.language, when applied to-
sacred subjects or to invocations address
ed to the Supreme Being! When used
in this ennobling connection. with artit-'
tic but natural elegance, it posscscsa
pathos, and power over the human
heart, which nre entirely irresistible.
What with the place, the occasion.
the fact that the lady married was'a dear
friend, and the chas,e and dgnfed char
ac,er of the sole cmni,ies, can truly say
have rarely, if ever, spent aa horr'of'
such unaffected satisfaction and delight
G..