The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-11-15
The Weddlnd RIng.


From an early period the ring has been
associated with skepticism. Its circular
form made il acceptable asa type Of
eternity, hence it is regarded as a token
of lasting affection.
Although primitive nations lavishly
displayed rings they appear to have been
little valued until the Greeks, noted for
their originality and sentiment, gave
them a deeper signifcanes. Thus from
the most imaginative people that the
world has ever known the ring came into
use as a gift of love or a sign of betrOthal.
1t IS to the Jews, however, that We owe
tho prominence given, even to-day, to
the ring in the marriage service. The
ring used was sometimes very large and
elaborate, ariistically fashioned Of filigree
and richly enameled. Upon it in He
brew characters were the words, "Joy be
with you
In accordance With the Jewish laS
this ring should be ofa fixed value, and
was, therefore, carefully examined by
the rabbi and chief officers of the syna-
gogue when presented by the bride
groom. When it was ascertained that
the ring was the absolute property Of the
bridegroom and had not been obtained
by credit or gift, he placed it on the
brides finger and declared that by this
means she was consecTated to him.
The invention in the sixteenth centu-
~, Of the gimmal, or linked ring, gave
still greater importance 10 the ancient
sacred Custom. Il was made with a
double or triple link, which turned upon
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 inelosing heart
affixed to the central notched ring.
At the betrothal the three parts we're
broken assunder over the Bible, some
times in the presence Of a witness, when
the man and woman broke the upper
and lower -ings from the central one,
which was kept by the witness. At the
marriage rite the three portions we're
once more united and the complete ring
then nSed in the ceremony.
The custom Of wearing the wedding
ring on the third fnger Of the left hand
originated from an old belief that from
this finger nerve went direct to the
heart. So completely did the Greeks
and Romans ccnfide in this capricious
bit of physiology that the "ring" or
feeble finge.' was termed the medical
or healing finger by their physicians,
who used it to stir their mixture, belieV-
ing that nothing hurtful could touch it
withou. its giving immediate warning by
a palpitatioa Of the heart.
The clasped hands aPoptel on the
CRIMINAL rings became an emblem on the
solid wedding ring, and this style of ring
ia still in uss in the odd local committee
of fishermen living in the Claddah, at
Galway, on the western coast Of Ireland.
They number with their families about
FIVE or six thousand, are very exclusive
in their tastes and habits and rarely in
termarry with other than their own peo-
pie; with them the wedding ring is an
heirloom, regularly transferred from the |
mother to the daughter who IS first mar
ried, and SO on through her descendants
Many Of these rings are very old, and
in these older designs the hands support
a crowned heart, embiematic OF the mar
ried state. Within the hoop of the ring
it is customary to iuseribe a motto usual
Iy consisting Of a simple sentiment, some
times expressed in commonplace rhyme
One Of the most whimsical Of the in
scriptions was used by Dr.. J. Thomas,
bishop of Lincoln, England, who hal
been married three times. Ca his fourth
mIrriage he placed the following in
scription on the wedding ring:
I'll ] survive"
III make them five"
-Jssrslers' IFestig.