The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-05
STRANGE WEDDING vows.

Newly Devised Radical Ritual First
Used in Cincinnati.
From the Philadelphia Record.
. Cincinnati, o., June 2.-Sfiss Martha
Seaman and Frederick Federle were mar
ried to-day with ceremonies or rites for
mulated and prescribed by the new ag-
nostic sect of this city, the leader of
which is Attorney Charles S. Sparks. The
marriage followed the agnostic Sunday
school which meets regularly Sunday
mornings in College Hall
The Sunday-school scholars are largely
adults, butethere was moresthan a sprinl1-
ling of boys and girls and quite a num-
Der of mothers with infants in arms pres
ent. To listen to little boys and girls
answering, seriously and eagerly, ques-
lions put by Sparks from the stage, ar
guing against the orthodox religion as
founded on the Bible, was apparently al
most startling to many of the visitors
Sparks announced that this was the first
agnostic marriage ceremony in the world.
that it was possible only under the
American flag and partly through the
efforts of that intellectual giant, Thomas
Paine"
Little Girls Streyved Flowers.
Mr.. Federle and Miss Seaman entered
the hall, preceded by two little girls who
strewed flowers before them. A wedding
march was played as they advanced. The
groom, who is employed in coal yard,
is aged "a and the bride is IS. Mr.. Sparks
read a voluminous pledge to be taken by
for matrimony according 40
the new agnostic faith. The pledges were
as follows
The Husbands Pledge.
'T, Frederic Federle, having Travelled
along lifes pathways until. as 1 think
/ have reached the age of discretion, ana
knowing something of mans relations to
life and his surroundings, and being de-
sirous OF promoting my own happiness,
by making someone else happy, and of
preserving the perpetuity OF the human
race in an honorable manner, have Sc
lected with great care and caution from
among my friends and acquaintance Miss
Martha Seaman, to become my wife, for
whom / have much admiration and love,
and in whom l have great confidence and
faith, and, believing that the marriage
contract is the most sacred known TO
man, and that same is to be made with
out the Intervention, sanction, let or
hindrance of any god. but is wholly made
and entered into on earth, and that the
only parties to same are myself and Miss
Martha Seaman, l desire to make said
contract and do hereby solemnly promise
that l will do all in my power to make
my wife happy, and that when I find
that she is irritated from any cause /
viii not cross nor quarral with her. but
will endeavor by tender and loving meth
DDS and kind words to soothe and restore
her peace of mind.
THAT / will abstain from drunkenness:
that within three months, If possible, l
will have my life insured making my
wife the beneficiary; that / will live
within my income and endeavor to save
/ part of same to the end that we own
! home.
THAT should find after exhausting ef-
'ort TO make It otherwise, that we are
or mismated, / hereby prom
Sc that / will not oppose divorce pro-
,eedfngs, and should divorce be grant,
d 10 either of US and there be offspring,
hereby pledge my sacred word OF hon.
,r 10 provide for same as far as | am
lble so to do, without the intervention
If any court.
That should our marriage prove to be
lappy and we are blessed with children
hereby bind myself TO ever treat them
With the utmost kindness and consider
,tion and pledge myself to send them to
he agnoSLlc buuudy-hcnOOl d4u 10 give 10
hem ali the educational advantages with
n my power 10 the end that they may
,ecome honorable and useful citizens. To
NJ OF which 1 do most solemnly promise
md avow."
Pledge OF the wife.
81. Martha Seaman, believing that ev-
,ry woman's ambition should be to make |
some worthy man a good wife, and THAI
am capable OF making proper selec- |
ion, and that no woman can be happy !
Unless she s bestowing and receiving af-
lection. I have with great care and eau
ion agreed that Mr.. Frederick Federle |
nay become my husband.
SHOULD / discover that We are uncon- |
genial or mlsmated hereby pledge my |
,aored word OF honor that will not bring |
,hlldren into the world not born of affec- |
ion. and / hereby further promise that |
,horIld / md. after ] have exhausted ev- |
Try Effort 60 make Il otherwise, that we |
IRE uncongenial or mismated / will not |
INSIST upon our Lying together"
Assent Given by sOds.
Both answered by mods ana spoke no !
words adnrmatively that they would. |
.houll ahlldrfn Ia born "a Ihfu rear