Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-13
MATRIMONIAL MATTERS.
The Experience OF Rev. W. T. Gerha

The Experience OF Rev. w. T. Gerhard.
There is always more or less importance
attached to wedding !; not only by the
parties interested, their friends and neigh
bOrs, but by the community at large.
Especially is this SO in regard to church
weddings where all the pomp that wealth
can produce is displayed, dazzling the
eyes Of society. Yet this does not promise
to the young couple that their life shall be
. happy life and their home u happy
home though it does certainly give a
bright beginning to their new life, along
whose rough road they have, up to that
time. been treading single, now to go
hand in hand as one.
There are hundreds Of marriages occur
ring in this city annually unknown to
many. Often have you noticed the we'd
ding party coming to town with their
finely -groomed horses and shining vc-
hicles-the bride in her bonnet Of whitc
and the groom in his very best "bib and
tucker They stop at the hotel, get out,
and soon the bridal party are standing on
the door step in front of the residence Of a
well-known minister. They are admitted
| into the parlor; the ceremony is gone
they leave with the blessing of the minister
Of God still resting on their head, and re-
turn home to receive God-spccd of parents
and other relatives.
A wedding is an almost daily occurrence
at the residence of Rev. w. T. Gerhard, 81
East Orange street, and it it was this fact
that led 4 representative of the INTELLI-
| GENCER there day or two ago. We found
the rcvcrened gentlemen sitting in his
| study, and after We had made known our
errand he told us he expected 4 couple in y
| short time and asked us to wait.
| ''IOw many couples have you married
since your entrance into the ministry ~
asked the newspaper man.
| 81 entered the ministry fOrty-six years
ago, and during all that time have mar
ried ,4S6 couples !; five-eighths of this
number, or about nine hundred, during
the last ten or twelve years. Rev. j. j.
Strino, you will remember, married up to
the time of his death over five thousand,
and since his decease they seem to como to
ME. From the 1st of April, 1879, to the
same date in 1880, I married 80 couples :;
that is more than i'll any previous year. l
married 10 couples in September. 1879,
my largest month. Last month (Novem-
ber) married II couples. The highest in
one day was 8 couples" Continuing. Mr..
Gerhard said "tn all my experience l
have never been asked to marry q cOlOred
couple, but would like to. Neither was
asked to join together a white man and
cOlored girl, nor a black man and white
girl. l would not do it if was asked.
"The ages of the persons married vary
very much, ranging from 18 to 72. The
latter figure was the age of Mr.. Michael
Desh to Mrs. Catherine Schietz, aged G3.
This is the oldest couple l ever married.
v<,fk II
We're married by me twicc-that is u wife
vivor was remarked. Never to
my knowledge have married. a
divorced person, nor have l had at
any of my weddings any interruption take
place Or nything unusual occur. The ma
jority of these weddings occurred at my
residence, and the remainder were at hotels
and country residences. l have noticed
that the majority Of the women were dark
haired the difference may be slight, but
yet there is a difference"
The majority of people get married on
Thursday; Tuesday comes next for her
share, and then follows Sunday. Six or
seven out Of every ten get married on
Thursday; this seems strange, too, when
we remember that old rhyme
Marry on Monday, you marry for health
Marry on Tuesday, you marry for wealth.
Wednesdays the best of all.
Marry on Thursday, you marry for crosses.
Marry on Friday, you marry for losses.
Saturday no luck ut all.'
"Your fecs,'' suggested the reporter,
g vary widely 10 doubt? ,"
"Oii, yes" lie replied after some hesi-
tation. THE smallest fee / ever received
for performing the ceremony of matrimony
was IS cents and the largest s15 with an
average between Sc and 81, butt
The door bell rang and fresh couple
was ushered into the parlor. "YOu do -
81 do" was heard boldly exclaimed, and
then again in timid whisper, by the re-
porter, and in less than ten minutes a
"knot'' was tied such as have taken
weeks to unite by several lawyers, a judge
and twelve jurors, and all for-he didn't
tell us. but he smiled smile of satisfac-
ton.