Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-07-31
A FRIENDS, WEDDING.
Uaist' impressive Ceremony la a Pain,
InpretentIous EdIGce.

A short time since had the pleasure
Of witnessinga Friends wedding In the
old meeting house at the corner of
Fifteenth and Race streets. Philadel-
phia. To one from New England.
where such affairs are not common. il
was indeed a novelty Upon entering
the meeting house the extreme plain
ness and simplicity Of the surround
lngs attract tine eye Of the stranger.
Directly in front and facing the en-
trance are three rows Of unupholstered
benches. There is gallery extending
around three sides Of the building and
containing several rows Of benches,
ench one being much higher than the
preceding one
The massive pulpit. the customary
church ergan. llle handsome windows
Of cathedral glass, all these are alb
sent, and their absence tends to- give
the place a tone foreign 10 that of the
majority Of religious editices Of today.
I After taking our seats. and before the
wedding party arrive. we have an OPP
i portuniiy 10 observe our surround
I ings and the guests who have assem-
/ bied To witness the ceremony. Ii is
evident that the female portion Of
Friends congregation do not come
together To exhibit any new style Of
headgoar, as their sisters in other de-
nominations are often charged with
doing.
Suddenly the low murmur of voices
ceases, and without any pomp. or be-
ing heralded by the swelling sounds
Of some famous wedding march, the
bride and groom, preceded by the
ushers and followed by the bride
maids and their escorts, come slowly
up the aisle and take their seats in the
center Of the front row Of seats facing
the friends who have come to witness
the ceremony. In the second row 81
seats, and directly behind the bride
/, and groom, are seated the nearest rela-
tlves Of tlie contracting parties All
il profound silence for short time,
, then the bride and groom rise stimuli
taneously aud clasp their right hands
and the groom says; In the presence
of the Lord and these our friends,
take thee, -- --, Ia be my wife
, promising, with divine assistance, te
, be unto thee faithful and loving hus
band until death shall separate us
As soon rs lie has finished the brid,
says, in substance, tile same thing
after which they resume their seats. a
table is then brought in and place.
[ before them by the ushers, on which
: the marriage certificate is signed. Til,
/ certificate is then handed back To Tia,
, nearest relative Of the bride and Tia,
table removed. Ii is necessary tina
! the certificate be signed by the bride
/ maids and groomsmen also. After :
! short period Of silence the person hold
) ing the document arises and reads i
: aloud. After this reading il is offer
/, customary to have sermon preached
, by some prominent person. Anothe
, period of silence then follows. and i
/ closed by one of the relatives risin.
/ and asking that the guests remail
/ seated until the bridal party hay
> passed out, which is a signal for then
= to do SO.
Y The entire ceremony takes less thai
! half All hour, and the strange solem
n nifty Of il all, together with the nj
! senee of q clergyman, gives it "A rathe
6 strange appearance. = Cor Bostol
. IrpnAgIslnt