Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-20
THE WEDDING RING
WHAT THE GOLDEN CIRCLET OF
THE FINGER MEANS
Sentiment Of the Ornament Various
Ways Of Accounting for the
Custom.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
During the last twelve months many
thousands of brides have been given we'd
ding rings Have many of them attached
any particular significance to the gift, or
many bridegrooms stopped to inquire into
the custom which bade them witness their
espousals with tiny hoop Of metal7 Prob
ably not, for marriage Is such momentous
affair to the principals and a time when
their Municipalities receive such undivided
attention that they have little inclination
to puzzle over the age-old laws and cere-
monies which are in reality guiding their
seemingly spontaneous actions.
But now, when the daily wear of life
has begun to scratch even a last months
ring, and the June bride begins to con-
slider the advisability of having 1t rebur-
meaning of the ornament So many of our
ideas are borrowed from pagan, or even
savage, sources thai the wedding ring may
be badge of slavery or degradation for
aught the June bride knows
Near the Heart
A well-known clergyman, who was asked
his view of this phase Of the question,
laughingly said: Perhaps 1t is a sort of
handicap assumed by the woman to show
that her left hand is worth as much as
mans right. Or, perhaps" he continued
, In a more serious tone, 1.-The ring Is worn
on the left hand because 1t is nearer to
the organ which the ancents considered
as the seat of life and love-the heart.
The custom of using a ring In marriage
descends to US from our Saxon forefathers,
independently of any law or rubric and
to me it stands for the eternal nature of
love, which, like ring, has no end"
The reasons given for wearing the ring
finger curious.
There Is little book in my library said
another clergyman, which gives an inter-
esting excuse for the choice of that partic-
ular finger" The book when found con-
tanned this passage: THE finger on which
the ring Is to be worn Is the fourth finger
of the left hand. next unto the little finger,
because by the received opinion opinion OF tne
anatomizing mems bodies there ts vein OF
blood which passeth from that fourth I'm
ger unto the heart, called vena amoris,
on that finger signifeth that the love
should not be in vain or feigned, but that
they did give their hands each to other,
SO likewise they should give their hearts
Also whereunto that vein Is extended
The ancient learned and experienced
were obviously right in their opinion as
to the blood flowing from the fourth finger
to the heart, but it took many years for
them to discover that the blood of the
other fingers participated in the privilege.
Worn on the Thumb.
; In the old English marriage ceremony the
ring was first placed on the thumb and
moved from finger to finger while the priest
recited the words: I'm the name of the
Father, of the Son and Of the Holy Ghost.
Amen!' The little finger being the only one
which was not touched with the ring, 1t
came to signify an intention to remain
single to wear ring on the little finger.
Some attach great importance to the
I>e,fo of h0 NfYNIo IN ha
used at weddings, and 1t is recorded that
minister in India stopped the ceremony be-
cause the bridegroom offered a diamond IN
place of the plain gold band. Other cele-
brants of the marriage rite, indifferent as
to the kind Of ring used, have permitted
ingenious substitutes. Shreds of tobacco,
a section cut from a glove and the church
key have thus been used. When the Duke
of Hamilton and Miss Gunny suddenly de-
termined to wed they were at their wits
end to discover the necessary token. AT
last they were married with ring OF the
bed curtain" says Horace Walpole, "at
half an hour past II at night at May Fair
Chapel"
Rings in Shakespeare.
Judging by certain illusions in Shake
speare and other early dramatists, rush
rings were at one time in great vogue
among the rustics Of England. In D'Aver-
nant's Rivals you may read: 'Tll crown
thee with a garland Of straw. then-and
I'll marry thee with rush ring" Another
writer laments the days when such sim
plicity was used that a ring of rush would
tye as much love together as a gimmon of
gold" But vow witnessed by such a
iimsy token must have been as easily
broken as one in which a st. Martins ring
played a part. st. Martins rings are faire
to the eye and have a rich outside But If
a man should break them asunder and locke
into them they are nothing but brass and
copper These counterfeits obtained their
name from being made in the sanctuary of
St. Martin s-le-Grand in the time of Henry
w. Brides should look to their rings and
be on their guard.
The Hebrews had reason, apart from
precedents to advance in favor of marriage
rings. They considered them to be under
the influence of Mazel Tob or Jupiter. 1.-THE
good star" The wife was presented with
an emblem of Mazel Tob that her children
might be born under it's influence. This
superstition was shared by Munster, Aben- |
Ezra and Chomer.
On account of their "heathenish origin"
rings were abolished during the common |
wealth The Puritans shared the prejudice |
and the Friends and Swiss Protestants re-
fuse to this day to be married with ring.
But among American denominations the |
practice, at one time in allegiance, is be- |
or