Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-12
Bridal Wreaths.

In the early days of Christianity the use of
Dlid "a waeatns was repudlated because 1t was
heathen feasts; and Tertullian chiefly rested his
contention against all manner of crowns on the
ground that they owed their origin to falsehood
ana ldolatrous worship: But by far the most
Interesting curious part of the famous De Coro-
ma Cer1Ved Its rugged force from the argument
OF congIulty; the use Of wreaths was manifestly
Inc organs provided to convey to the soul of
man the special enjoyment attached to the d.
vine gift OF flowers, which were the peculiar,
Or Or a. least principal material Of wreaths
smen then, he says, make use OF flowers, for
these are the senses by which they are to be en-
J yea; use them by means Of the eyes and
nose, Wnlcn are the members to which these
senses belong. You have got the thing from
GOO, the mode OF it from the world but an eX-
t IRA ROMA mode does not prevent the use of
then When ene way Let flowers
tied together with thread and rush. be what
tnty are when free, when l0ose-things to be
looked at and smelt. You count it crown, let
US say, When you have bunch of them bound
together In series, that you may carry many
at one time, that you may enjoy them all at
once. Wen, then, lay them In your bosom If
Jour couch if they are So exquisiteiy soft and nd
consign them to your cupif they are so perfect
~ harmless Have the pleasure of them fn as
many ways as they appeal to your senses. But
what taste for flower what sense for anything
belonging to crown but its band have you Ia
the head, which Is able neither to distinguish
coloI. nor 70 inhale sweet perfumes, nor to ap
preclate sO1tneSs? 1t Is as much against ma
ture to long after flower with the head as It
Is to carve food With the ear, or sound with the
nostril But everything which is against ma
among all men, but with us 1t is to be cor.
demned also as sacrilege against God, the
LORD and Creator of nature He did not object
on the couch, dropped In the cup, though ali
theSe uses more than trOd upon the heels of
t neatnen luxuTy, because, Judging between
to it They came under the form.cstegory.
Slngularly enough, he quite overlooks the
reference In Wisdom and Isaiah to festaI
WWreasns, ana concludes that the people of
on the occasion Of public rejoicing or to crafty
cIllnlnal luxury. 80 they returned from
fhe BapyIonisn captivity with tmbrels and
crowns; and after eating and drinking I'M
crowned they rose up to play. For neither
would me account OF the rejoicing nor the ex-
the honor or dish0nOr Of the crown" But
when "uncrowned they rose up to play" the
people were In the desert. "Thus. too,
1saian ne continues with timbrels and
have added with crowns, II this practice had
ever had place In the things of God. Clement
OF Alexandria likewise detained against the
organs OF sight and smell: "Do not encircle INV
head with crown, for in spring time it is de-
nghtfu to while away the time on the dewy
In bloom, and, like the bees, enjoy q natural
and pure fragrance. But to adorn ones self
Win crown woven from the fresh mead and
perance. For 1t Is not suitable to fill the wan.
Ton hair with rose leaves, or violets or lilies, or
other such flowers, stripping the sward Of its
themselves destroy the pleasure there is in
nowers for they enjoy neither the sight of
them, since they wear the crown above their
flowers away above the organs or respiration
As beauty, so also the flower delights when
looked at, and it Is meet to glorify the Creator
oy the enjoyment OF the sight OF beautiful OBJ
1ectS."-Ninetee7lth Ce1lturN