Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-20
Nine Wedding.Ring Reasons.

And buried brother "John."
Nine Wedding-Ring Reasons.
Reason for the use of the Wedding
Ring in the marriage ceremony:
l.. AS by turning a. ring forever no
end can be found, so the friendship ce-
mented by marriage should be endless
and perpetual not even broken OIL Il
nally by the interruption of death, but
the marriage party separating merely |
during the night of the grave in sure
the following of glorius resurrection,
when all that was pure and lovely in |
the union, shall be more SO still, with |
the high additional perfection of continu-
ing uninterrupted throughout an end
less round of a blessed Immortality.
2. AS the marriage ring should be
made of pure gold, which is the most
pure or simple of all metals, so the mar
rage union, cemented by that impress
sive pledge given and received, should
be pure in its origin, pure in its contin-
uance, and so pure in all its motives as
to distinguish the contracting
parties from all intimacies founded up
on gross or carmel principles, and as
nearly as possible resembling the love of
Christ for his spouse the Church, who
so loved the Church that he gave him
self for it.
8. AS gold, of which the marriage
ring should be made, is esteemed the
most valuable of all metals, so the mar
riage ring should ever be considered as
infinitely more valuable than any other
system of which human nature is capa-
BILE. ..l..t, 8sg Intfts. sa
4. AS gold is most compact or least
porous of metals, so the marriage love
and frienship should be so closely ce-
mented by the blending into each other
of all the kind and good affections of
the parties, as to leave no possible aper-
ture or opening for the introduction.
Each party should always be prepared
to say to the other, SFf III
"Thy loneliness my heart has preposest,
And left no room for any other guest
5. AS gold, by the action of the most
intense heat, even in a crucible;. cannot
lose any particle of its original weight
and worth, but comes out of the crucible
as heavy and as valuable as when It was
put in, losing nothing in consequence
of the fiery ordeal, except whatever por-
ton of dross or alloy may have been in
corporated with the pure metal; so the
most severe Affections and fiery perse-
cutions, which may be the portion of
the marriage parties during some of the
changes and chances of this mortal life,
should never be able to deteriorate or
take from the marriage union any part
parties shoulJ rise from the furnace OF
aff1iction and the dishonors of the grave
without having lost anything except the
grosser prrticles of earth and sin, which
may have unhappily attached them
selves to the mystic union which was
intended to secure their felicity.
6. The marriage ring should be per.
fectly plain that is, no chased, raised
or artificial work should appear on its
surface-implying, that marriage union
should not be the result of any artifice
on account of wealth, equipage, honor
or the undue influence of friends, but
the plain result of an honorable and
religious affection between the contract.
ing parties and that God who first in
stituted the holy estate Of matrimony.
Z. AS gold is an incorruptible metal
that is, if thrown into the mire, or i'm
bedded in the most impure soil, it will
never become corrupt, corrode, or i'm
bibe one speck of rust or impurity, sc
should the marriage loveand friendship,
to descend from the elevation of affiu-
ence into the deepest valley of perjury
or distress, be doomed. ''To waste its
weetness on the desert air." be incarce-
rated within the gloomy confines of the
prison cell, or associate with the poor,
the mean, or the illiterate; still, like its
incorruptible emblem, should it contin-
ne as bright and beautiful as ever.
s. AS gold is the most ductile of all
metals, so that an ounce can be beaten
out to cover an acre of land, or gild Fl
nely-attenuated thread to embrace the
circumference of the worlds surface, so
should the results of the marriage I'M
ion fulfil the original command to in
crease, multiply. and cover the earth
with ''The precious sons of Zion, conn.,
parable to fine gold."1
8. AS the marriage ring exhibits
nothing to:imply re-eminece on the one
party over the other, notwithstanding
the word obey is applied to the woman
rather than the man, yet the man should
ever recollect, that as. in forensic courts
especially courts ofequity, thelplaintlf1
must appear with what is called "clean
hands," in other words, have fully done
his part and duty, so before the husband
can have any right to command, or the
wife be under obligation to obey, he
must remember the test of his love and
sincerity, which is given in Holy Scrip
lures, viz: Husband, love your wives,
as Christ loves the Church ~ but how
did Christ prove His love for the Church
BY dying for it. When love, of which
this is model, predominates in the
husbands heart, he can require no obe-
dience from his wife but what. she will
ever feelit to her honor, privilege, and
delight to render. $500 't'.-I