The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-06-13
Bits About Weddings.
From Demorest's Monthlv for .June.

Bits About Weddings.
From Demorest's Monthly for Jane
Joining the right hands in the wedding
ceremony was customary in Assyria and
Persia, and the bridal veil was worn in
Greece and Rome. The Bible does not
mention wedding rings, but it describes the
giving of them as pledges of honor and af-
fection. Pharoah gave Joseph ring when
he set him over the land of Egypt, and the
prodigal was given ring upon his return
to his father.
The young Roman sent the maiden his
family had selected to become his wife a ring
in token of his fidelity. Gold was the usual
material, butin the time of pliny iron rings
set with adamant were used to denote the
durability Of the contract As now, this
ring was worn on the fourth finger of the
left hand 1t was not always plain, but
often bore device, as key to denote the
authority and responsibility of wife in
her husbands house.
The diamond was much esteemed as
wedding ring in Italy during the 18th and
10th centuries, for that gem was believed
to have mysterious power of maintaining
happiness between husband and wife
Silver rings, inlaid with Niello, were also
used
Gemmed rings were in fashion forty or
fifty or sixty years ago. Two, and some
times three or four delicate rings were
hinged or linked together, and bore upon
the top when closed clasped hands OF a
! heart, emblem of love and fidelity. Notices
or posies were engraved on the inside of
these rings. The prettiest one l ever
saw read, Endless and pure be our
love" The Anglo Saxons used these
gemmed rings, and they in turn borrowed
them, but history is silent on this point
The wedding ring has been worn upon
the thumb and upon the right hand. But
the women of all nations have been as busy
as bees, and with spinning and weaving to
occupy their fingers, it is easy to see why
even a princess should put her priced we'd
ding ring upon the hand and finger which
would keep it the safest The fancy that
vein or nerve runs directly from the
fourth finger of the left hand to the heart
is very ancient, and no doubt helped to
make it the bearer of the wedding ring,
and there was in the early days of the
church curious custom of recognizing the
Trinity by placing the ring on the first
finger or thumb for the Father, on the
second finger for the Son, and on the third
finger for the Holy Ghost. Then it was
placed upon the fourth finger from which
loving and superstitious wives never re-
moved it.
Scholars are fond of telling us that the
wedding ring meant the subjection of the
wife, and the placing it upon the left hand
means more subjection. But in the past
the subsection of women has needed no sign
to emphasize it. 1t was an accepted and
expected fact, and perhaps condition Of
safety.
In the middle ages, the wedding ring
was blessed or hallowed by the officiating
priest, and the form used seems to me very
beautiful; "Hallow Thou, Lord, this ring,
which we bless in Thy peace, and continue
in Thy will, and live, and grow, and wax
old in Thy love, and be multiplied with
length of days, Through Jesus Christ,
our Lord"
The service of the Church of England,
compels the use of ring, and an old story
is told of two paupers, who too poor to buy
a ring, were securely married by means of
a curtain ring, supplied by the sympathetic
clerk. Two rings are used in modern
Greece. A gold one for the bridegroom,
and silver one for the bride. The in
ferior metal remarks the inferiority of the
wife, say the antiquarians again, but it
seems to me rather survival of the old
worship of the sun and moon. The ring
fell under the displeasare of the Puritans,
as did all signs and symbols used by Rome,
and during the Commonwealth, they tried
to abolish it with Christmas and Easter
observances, but the descendants Of those
Purltans wear engagement or betrothal
rings, if not wedding ring
When marriage between patrician fami-
lies was celebrated in ancient Rome, a loaf
of bread, made of wheat and barley, was
solemnly tasted by the bride and bride
groom before the priest Of Jove and ten
Roman citizens as witnesses. Children OF
marriages in which this ceremony was OBJ
served were entitled to certain privileges
and Offices; for this was the highest and
most sacred rite of marriage, Dainty and
sweet as it is, the bride cake is the modern
representative of that wheat and barley
bread. Whence the Romans derived the
custom, is not known, but it came no doubt
from Asia. Dreaming upon wedding cake
is an old English custom.
In Greece, the bride rode to her hus-
bands house in litter, seated between the
bridegroom and his friend-the best man,
In Rome two boys led the bride, but her
attendant was married woman whose duty
it was to lead the newly married pair to the
altar of the family gods. In the time of
the Anglo-Saxons the bride was led by "a
matron, and followed by company of
young girls, who were called the brides
maids. From them the custom has de-
scended to us.
Jones says that he used to be proficient
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