Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-20
NUMBER 50.
Origin of the Marriage Ring.

A fair correspondent Of the Mobile Register
writes to the editor to learn why the ring is
used in the Episcopal marriage ceremony. In
reply she is furnished with the following
learned dissertation on the origin Of this time
honored custom:
The wedding ring is symbol Of eternity, and
its use in nuptial ceremonies is derived from an
ancient Jewish fustom. Hebrew marriages were
soemnized with very remarkable fonnalities The
Hebrews married as the Jews still do, very young.
From the time Of Moses, polygamy was forbidden,
and old Solomon himself violated the law when he
took to himself so many ribs On the day Of
a Hebrew wedding, the bridegroom followed by
his friends, repaired to the house Of the bride and
conducted her veiled and accompanied by songs
and music and torches to his or his fathers house.
There for seven days merry-maling and feasting
went on, both groom and bride wearing crowns.
After the wedding meal, the happy pair were led
into the bridal chamber, where the bridemaids ac-
companied them with torches and song hence
the parable of the ten virgins who took their lamps
in order to meet the bridegroom. Modern Jewish
marriages, the Rabbies contend, are fashioned OK
actly after the ancient Hebrew ceremonies though
this is denied by some. The Jews permit marriage
as early thirteen years and day in males and
twelve years and one day in females and consider
early unions requisite in order not to violate the
commandment to be fruitful and multiply"
Not long since we remember to have read an ac-
count Of Jewish marriage celebrated in Virginia.
We wish we had it by US, for the amusement of
our correspondent who seems to be curious in
these matters. We only remember that the cere-
monies are imposing. The eve before the wedding
the bride goes to the bath accompanied by female
friends. The ceremony generally takes place in
the open air, and the couple sometimes sit under
canopy. A large black veil covers both. The
Rabbi or some near relation of the bridegroom Of
~ -. n A
be thou, o God, that thou hast created man and
woman, and hast ordained matrimony," (can Euph-
rosyne join in that inscription of praise y After
drinking, the bridegroom puts gold ring without
ajewel on the finger Of the bride, and says .with
this ring take thee as my welded wife according
to the custom of Moses and the Israeltes." After
this comes wine again, and another fcast and pray
CIR, and then dancing.
We think We need seek no further thnn this for
the origin of the wedding ring although we could
entertain our correspondent by glancing at tho Gu
rious customs appertaining to marriage which have
prevailed among the nations of the earth. Soma
of them are very droll and In the most of them,
the marital rights are the subject Of barter and
sale. The Greeks made mighty "to do" over n
marriage, with harps and flutes and songs and dan
ces and feasts. In Athens sacrifices were made
and the Fates consulted the betrothed parties cut
off each lock OF hair aud dedicated II to Jupiter
Diana or Juno, the patron gods Of matrimony. The
whole was a mimic representation of the first mar
riage of the gods, derived from Homer. boy
appeared during the marriage FEAST crowned with
thorns and acorns, holding basket containing
bread, and calling out ~ left the bad and found
the bettersn allusion to the life Of the primitive
people of Attica, without bread or matrimony. The
bridal couch was covered with purple and strewed
with flowers
The Lacedemonians, true TO their thievish Spar
tan education, preferred to steal their brides, in
imitation of the rape Of the Sadness After carry
ing her ofby force and placing her In the care of
female paranymph, the bridegroom made her fire.
quent clandestine visits before the marriage was
avowed. What taste those rascals must have
had for stolen pleasures, when they even initiated
robbery In their nuptial ceremonies. The old
Celtic and German tribes used to buy their wives
outright. In Turkey, Barbary and Arabia, the
same custom prevails. The contract is made with
the parents, and the bride never sees her lover un-
til he becomes her husband. Circassian parents
make regular business Of raising their daughters
for sale In the Mohammedan markets The Turks
have as many wives as they can afford to support.
Sometimes they are hired for given time. Our
American Utah Sants--the Mornons--have adopt
cd the heathen system of plurality Of wives, and
ingraftcd il on new religious faith. We can
comprehend how such system would suit the
rascaly prophets, from Joe Smith down TO Brig
ham Young-but the marvel Is, how American
women have ever been brought TO tolerate it.
The word "troth,n our fair correspondent must
know, II the Saxon word freothe, the old orthogra-
ply Of truth, and means faith, fidelity or truth
BY my troth" Is an asseveration of fidelity and
to pledge ones troth, Is to pledge ones fidelity and