Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-11-05
Finger.Rings.

ORNAMENTS of various kinds have been
worn from all ages, both by civilized and
uncivilized nations, but it would proba-
bly, be impossible to point to any single
ornament connected with which so much
interest attaches as to the lingering. 1t
is of great antiquity, and during centu-
ries of years has been associated with
the most important concerns of life, both
in matters of ceremony and affairs OF
the heart. 1t has been used as means
of recognition, as a credential, and as
form of introduction which insured hos
pitality to the bearer of it. Royal edicts
were promulgated through its medium,
and power was transferred by its means.
When Pharaoh committed the govern
ment of Egypt to Joseph he took his ring
from his finger and gave 1t to the young
Israelite as a token of the authority he
bestowed upon him. So also when Aha
suerus agreed to Humans cruel scheme
of killing the Jews in all the Kings
provinces, he took the ring off his hand
and gave it to Hannah as his warrant,
and afterward, when he commanded
Mordecai to write letters annulling the
former decree, he ordered them TO be
sealed with his ring.
A ring formerly marked the rank and
authority of a man, and the Kings ring
was as important part of the insignia
of royalty as his scepter or his crown.
Finger rings are mentioned in the first
book of the Bible, and they appear to
have been much worn by the Jews in all
ages. The ladies OF Palestine adorned
their hands with glittering rings, and
chiefly valued those which were set with
rubies, emeralds and chrysolites.
Among the Jews the middle or little
finger of the right hand was that upon
which the ring was worn, and the signet
was always upon the right hand, as APP
pears by the passage in jeremiah, LAS
live, saith the Lord though Coniah, the
son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, were
the signet on my right hand, yet would /
pluck thee hence" Bishops, probably
following Biblical precedent, wore their
official rings upon the right hand. This,
however, was opposed to the practice OF
the Egyptians, who considered the fourth
finger of the left hand as the ring finger.
Still they did not confine themselves to
that finger, for there is a woman in a
mummy case in the British Museum in
which the fingers and thumbs of both
hands are covered with rings.
The Pope's seal-ring is not worn by
him, but has been used for sealing briefs
apostolic from the fifteenth century.
Prior to that period it was employed for
the private letters of the Popes. The
ring of the fisherman, a signet-ring OF
steel, is in the keeping of the Cardinal
Chamberlain. or chancellor, and is broken
with a golden hammer on the death OF
every Pope, and new one made for the
new Pope. The use of the ring was
granted to Cardinals about the Twelfth
century. A Cardinals ring is set with
sapphire, to denote the high priesthood,
and is given when title is assigned to
him. The gift, however, is not free, for
the new prince of the church has to pay
large fine on receiving it. The Cardi-
nails wear their rings at all times, but on
Good Friday they lay them aside, as
sign of the mourning in which the
church is placed for her spouse. 1t was
the custom to bury the Cardinal with
his ring on his finger, as was done with
the King and other great men. When
tombs have been opened the ring has
usually been found on the finger of the
defunct. Thus it was with our Henry
H., Richard ii. and Matilda, wife of
William the Conqueror; and in France
the body of Childeric was discovered
with his regaila and coronation ring.
Graves were sometimes violated by rob-
bers in order to obtain the treasures
within, and assaults were even made
upon the corpse as it was carried to be
buried. Most ornaments have at differ
ent times come under the ban of the re-
ligious as vanities and snares, but rings
have always been looked upon with
favor by the church.
Whatever may have been the origin OF
the wedding-ring the church took care
that it should be considered holy thing.
The doctrine of the Masse Booke"
1854 contains a form for the halowing
of the woman's ring at wedding" in
which are the following prayers:
Thou maker and conserver Of mankind giyer
OF spiritual grace and graunter OF eternal saliva
ton, Lord send thy blessing upon this ring, that
she which shall weare IL maye be armed wyth the
vertue OF the heavenly defence, and that 1t may
profit her TO eternal salvation thorowe Christ etc.
Halow thou Lord this ring which we besse in
thy holye name; that what woman soeyer shall
weare ID may stand fast In thy peace and continue
in thy wyl and live and grow and wake old In thy
love, etc.
Holy water was then to be sprinkled
upon the ring. British Quarterly ReCteco.