Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-04-05
a Silver Wedding at Manassas.

& Silver Wedding at Manassas.
Correspondence OF the Alexandria GAZETTE
Last evening Reg. Ftancis NJ. Todd and
wife were iuy!ted 10 tes at the house OF Mr..
Isaac P. Baldwin. When they arrived there
OF 5 p. a., they found Mr.. Baldwin's apa-
ci us mansion flied with nun msrous friends,
who mad prepared fer them silver surprise
ou TIE occasion ci lheir silver wedding.
Notwithstanding the severe storms of The
dsy over 60 frlelds sad parishioters sat
down st the wedding supper, which, with
tue surprise itself, had been arranged by %
ladies' of Mr. Todd's church eri congrega-
tion. After supper, es Prof Boreman played
the wedding march, the bride and groom
were asked to walk into one Of the large
par!crs, where in the presence OF all, Rav
George B. Patch, of the UGty Presbyte:!a1
church, OF Washington, D. c. performed q
most unqua ceremony, which we publish
for the guidance of those who may be called
on 10 otficiate at similar OCCASIONS His
marriage ritua! was as foliowa:
Beloved friends, the marriage relation is
an institution of God. 1t lies st the basis Of
ali human society, and all good gov
ernnent and law arc founded upon the
household relations. From the history
OF our blessed Saviour We learn
that ne bonored marriage festival with hls
presence and wrought there the beginning
OF his miracles. A uuiou thu7 consecrated
should therefore be held in reverence by all
who enter into it, while each added year to
the marriage state should cement more close
" the hearts aDd lives of husband and wife.
And now, after an experience of % years in
this marriage state, this man ard this woman
stand before us with eilVern visions realized,
;qhcb we trust they may live to see trans.
mutad into golden. You will now join your
righ; hands"
This having been done with youthful alac
rity. the reverend gentleman proceeded:
III there be any one here who knows of
any reason why this man and this woman
should not be husband and wife, let him
now speak, or ever after hold his tongue.
"Do you, Francis feel satisfied with your
choice of Mary from among all the women
tnat walk the earth, and do you now en-
dorse and ratify yonr action Of unity twenty
five years ago, 10 taking her to be your we'd
ded wife, and DO you yet resolve to honor
aud love her, in sickness and in health, in
university and in prosperity, as long as you
both snail live?"
After similar questions to Mary, with the
"Forasmuch then as you are thus related,
I declare that you are what you have been
since April 5, 1865, and whnt you have a
right TO be, husband and wife, and whom
God hath joined together let not man put
asunder."
After an appropriate prayer MIR. George
G. Round came forward with plate con
taining twenty.f FIVE silver dollars, freeh from
the mint, and said
Mr.. and Mrs Todd, on behalf of twenty
five ladies of your church, permit me to
present you twenty five pieces of silver,
stamped by the United States With this
sl7ery year of 1890, and never used in any
manner, before the present occasion. You
will value them not 60 much for their in
trinsic worth as for the regard and love
they represent Each OF these silver dol
lars represents one complete rounded year
of your married life, years of joys and years
of SORROWS. well intermingled. If some OF
them have been fuller of trials than others,
what matters it now? This silver had to be
refined and but for the refining fire it never
could have been beautiful aud brilliant. 80
you never could have so fully appreciated
your friends and appreciated each other,
but for the fiery trials through which you
have passed. Every cloud has Its silver
lining' and every silver lining has its cloud.
The ladies of your church express the hope
that during the next twenty five years of
your life, you may see more and more the
bright side OF the clouds of life, until you
meet in the silver sunlight of Heaven"
Mr.. Todd made response full of feeling
and wit. He said he never had been more
completely taken by surprise, and his sur
prise was the greater that twenty tive ladies
could have kept such secret for weeks go
completely to themselves.
Among the presents were several articles
of solid silver ware from friends in New
Jersey aud Pennsylvania, the youthful
homes of the married pair. and en- elegant
silk dress from Philadelphia; also package
of stationery from Baltimore, another twen-
ty-five brilliaDts from the mint, which. with
presents from Washington and Virginia
friends, aggregated fully one hundred silver
dolars, besides the more valuable presenta.
A gentleman and his wife, from one of
Mr.. Todd's country appointments, who
came through the rain, were nearly washed
away by the food 10 Powell's run. The
lady got out upon q fence and remained till
she could be brought eff, when they plucki-
ly resumed their journey.
The storms having ceased and the clouds
passed away, the company went to their
homes about II p. m. By the light of the
full silver moon.