Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-06-30

hIoOt ol LUMINOUS puIple,auu u iuuiS W Huo
shining linen, with an ephod, upon which was
golden plate, set round with diamonds, and
on the plate was cngraven a young eagle, the
marriage ensign of,hat heavenly society on
his head he wore 4 miire but the bride was
clad in a crimson robe, and beneath garment
Of hne needlework, reaching from her neck to
her feet, and beneath her bosom she wore a
golden girdle; and on her head crown Of
cold set with rubics. When they were thus
seated, the bridegroom turned himself to the
bride, and placed upon her finger a golden
ring, and drew forth Armlets aud a collar Of
pearls, and tied the armlels about her arms,
and the collar around her neck, and said,
"Aoccp, ti,ss pledges ;" and as she accepted
them, he kissed her, and said, Now thou
art mine and he called her his wife. When
this was done, all the guests exclaimed, \
blessing be upon you This was frs, said by
each separately, and then by all together; one
sen, by the Prince, as his representative
Joined in tho acclaim, and at that ins,an, that
au,ercom was filed with an aromatic smoke,
which was a sign Of blessing from heaven !;
aud then the servants in waiting took lcaves
from the two tables near the eandes,ck, and
cups, now filed with wine from the tables at
the corners Of the room, and gave TO each Of
the guest. hi. loaf and his cup, and they ate
and drank. Ailcr these things, the husband
and his wife rose Up, the SIX virgins attending
them, with the silver lamps now lighted in
their hands, as Car as the threshold, and the
consorts entered the bed chamber and tho
door was shut
Afterwards 'hc conducting angel spoke to
the guest, concerning his ten companions,
saying tina, he, by command, had introduced
them and shown them the magnldcen, things
Of the Prince, palace, aud the wonders there
and tia, they had denied at table with him
and afterwards they had couversed with the
wise Of the society; aud he said, May they
converse also with you; Aud they aPPrOach'
cd and addressed them and one Of the mar
rage guests, who was wise, said DO you
understand What the things signify which you
have seen They replied, ,ha, they under.
stood lille or,hcm and then they asked
him Why was the bridegroom, now the
husband, clad in such ycsturo' lie answer
ed, that the bridegroom now the husband IA
presented the Lord. aud the bride, no~ the
wife, represented the church because nuP-
tails iu heaven rcp,csen, the marriage Of the
Lord with the church thence It is that upon
his head there was a mtrc, aud tha, he Mas
clad in 4 robe, a coat, aud an cphod, like
Aaron, and iha, the bride had a crown on hcr
head. and was clad in a long robe like a
queen: bot to morrow they will be clothed diff
fcrsn,ly, because ,his representation lasts no
logger than to day. Thoy asked further :
Since he represented the Lord and she the
church. Why did she at on his right hand
the wise person replied, bceause there ara two
which make the marriage Of the Lord aud
the church, love and wisdom, and the Lord is
love and the church is wisdom, and wisdom
is the righ, hand OF love, Tor the man Of the
church is wise as Of himself, and as he grows
wise he receives love from the Lord the
night hand also signifies power, aud love has
is power through wisdom bot, as was said
before, after the nupuals the representation is
changed. ior then the husband represents Wis
dom and the wife the love OF hs wisdom /;
,hi, love Is no, primary love, but secondary
love. which is from the Lord TO the wife,
through the wisdom Of the husband the love
of the Lord, which is primary love, is the
love Of growing wise in the husband where
fore, aftcr the nup,isls, both together, the
husband and his wife, rePrcscn, the church.
They asked again: Why did no, you men
stand beside the bridegroom, Row the husband
as the six virgins stood beside the bride, now
the wife The wise Persoa answered BE
cause we to-day are numbered amongst viz
Gins and the number six signifies all and
complete. Bu, they said How is this
He replied Virgins signify the church, and
the church is Of both sexes and wherefore
also we, as regards the church, are virgins ;
that this is 50 is evidently from these words
in the Revelation Thc,s rre hy 'rhich
,rsre not dsfled ,rih romcn for ibcy are via.
GINS and foHotr hc Lamb rhoroOercr h,
ros,h, XIV, T. And because virgins signify
the church. therefore the Lord hLHeh Il 10
len VIRGINS iatiied 10 marriage. Matt.
XIV. And because by Israel, Zion and Je'
rusalem is signifed the church, therefore men.
,ion is 50 often made in the Woid Of the viR-
elx ASp DAUGHTER or lsRATL, OF ZloS ASD or
JrRrsAlru. The Lord also describes his
marriage with the church IN these words OS
ruY RIGHT ulNu plD STAND THE QUEEN an
fa. gold Of Ophir, her oioihiHg ncf gold, she
sldl.J b, brought unto me King in RAlmrHT OF
xrTplrwoRE TIE VIRGINS, hcr companions
THAT FOLLOW nER shall cHter into ths KiHg''
palace. Psalm XIV. 0 to lG. Afterwards
they said Is it not proper that a priest be
prssen, and minister at these things The
wise person answered This is proper on the
elr,hs. but not in the heavens, on account OF
the representation Of the Lord himself and the
church this they do not know on the ear,hs;
bat still, With US, prizes, ministers at the
betro,hmcnts andhears, receives, confirms and
c1nsccra,es the consent consent is the essen
tial Of marriage, and all other succeeding
ceremonies are its formalities.