The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-25
|OP THE WEDDING RING.
GREEKS GAVE n 4 SIGNIFICANCE As
A TOKEN or AFFECTION.


IN ths Marriage ssrviss--ssn.s Early
cnsser.s ana n.ifefs-Ths Ginnal. -
Lanks1 Ri.e-lts Uss In Ireland.
From an early period the ring has
been associated with mysticism. III
circular continuity made it acceptable ~
. type Of eternity. hence II d regarded =
token Of lasting affection.
Although primitive nations lavishly
displayed rings. yet they appear to have
been little valued until the Greeks,
noted for their originality and sentiment.
gave them deeper significance. Thus
from the most imaginative people that
the world has ever known. the ring
came into use a. gift Of love or sign
Of betrothal. but il Is to the Jews that
We owe the prominence given. even to-
day, to the ring in the marriage service.
The ring used was sometimes very large
and elaborate, artistically fashioned Of
filigree. and richly enameled. Upon It
10 Hebrew characters were the words
Joy be with you."
In accordance with the Jewish law
this ring had to be Of q certain value,
and was therefore carefully examined by
the rabbi and chief officers Of the syna-
gogue when presented by the bridegroom.
When it was ascertained that the ring
was the absolute property Of the bride
groom, and had not been obtained by
credit or gift, he placed it on the brides
finger and declared that by this means
she was consecrated to him. The action
was 90 binding that were there no other
ceremony performed neither party could
contract another union without legal d.
vorce.
The invention, in the Sixteenth CEN
tury, Of the gilnmal or linked ring,
gave still greater importance to the an
Gent sacred custom. II was made with
double triple link. which turned upon
q pivot and could be shut up into one
solid ring. To the side Of each outer
hoop small hand was attached, each
fitting into the other as the hoops were
brought together, and enclosing q heart
affixed to the central notched ring. AT
. betrothal the three parts were broken
asunder over the Bible, sometimes IN the
presence Of Q witness, when the man
and woman broke the upper and lower
rings from the central one, which wa
kept BY the witness. At the marriage
rite the three portions were .once more
united and the complete ring then used
in the ceremony.
| The custom Of wearing the wedding
ring on tho third finger of the left hand
originated from m old belief that from
this finger . nerve went direct to thu
heart. So completely was this capricioui
bit Of physiology confded in by thu
Greeks and Romans that the g ring Of
I" feeble finger = was termed the medical
or healing finger BY their physicians,
/ who used IL TO stir their mixtures, be.
lieving that nothing hurtful could touch
it without giving immediate warning BY
q palpitation Of the heart
4 The clasped hands adopted on the
gimmal rings became an emblem on the
solid wedding ring, and this style Of
ring Is still in use in the odd local com
munity Of fishermen living in the Clad
dagh at Galway, on the western coast Of
Ireland They number with theil
i AoAkAAAAcD 0UOMt O,VVV VI V,VVVt a1C NOA y
exclusive in their tastes and habits, and
rarely intermarry with other than Their
own people; with them the wedding
ring Is an heirloom, regularly trans
ferred from the mother to thu
daughter who Is first married, and
90 on through her descendants. Many
Of these rings are very old. and In thes.
older designs the hands support crowned
heart, emblematic Of the married state
Within the hoop Of the ring it il Gus
tomary to inscribe motto. usually con
sisting Of simple sentiment. sometimes
expressed in commonplace rhyme. ON
Of the most whimsical Of these in
scriptions was used by DR.. j., Thomas
Bishop Of Lincoln. who had been mar
ried three times. On his fourth marriag,
he placed the following inscription or
the wedding ring
at survive,
I'll make them Ave.
Detroit Free Press.