The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-21
WEDDINGS IN CHURCHES.

In the current number of Parish Notes, a
publication devoted to the interests of st.
Paurs Protestant Episcopal Church. Rev. DIR.
J. S. B. Hodges, the rector, contributes paper
on Weddings in Churches" in which he de-
plores the tendency to extravaganza in those
functions. He says in part:
1.-THE solemnization of holy matrimony need
not necessarily take place in church build
ing' says DR.. Hodges. 1T may be in a
private house, or hall, or in the open air.
But the church has made provisions for the
ceremony to be performed in the church, and
evidently prefers that it should be so.
1.-The rubric prefxed to the marriage service
in the prayer-book says: The persons to be
married shall come into the body ofthe church,
or shall be ready in some proper house. pre-
ference being given, by its being first men,
toned, to the church as the more proper place.
And in the service for the conservation of
a church, special prayers are said, not only for
those who shall be baptized or confirmed, or
shall receive the blessed sacrament of the body
and blood of Christ in this place. but also for
all those who shall be joined together in this
place in the holy estate of matrimony, show
ing that the church is regarded as the natural
and proper place in which the children of the
Church should be married.
There should, therefore, be nothing con-
nected with this celebration of this holy rite
which should make it difficult for the MEM
bers of the church for this purpose; certainly
none that should actually deter them from
coming. Unfortunately, however, there are
customs, or habits, or fashions which do make
them hesitate or actually prevent them from
coming,
I'm writing thus, 1 am not writing as the
rector of st. Paul's Parish or with special re-
ference to weddings in st. Paul's Church, but
simply as member of the Church, and feel
sure that / am expressing the convictions of
MOI Of bor ahildron both 0f tho laitv
and of the clergy.
"Who ever attends now, who ever reads of
quiet church wedding, where there is moth
ing to distract the attention from the holy and
solemn service? Church weddings now are
great occasions The church is to be bril-
liantly lighted and decorared with a profusion
of beautiful flowers. the most rich altar cloths
are to be brought out regardless of the season
of the church's year, and magnificent palms
and tropical plants fill halfthe chancel, almost
ohscuring the altar.
"Musc must be had, lively and bright, and
for the best part of an hour before the service
begins, through the only halfhushed CONVEX
sation of the congregated people the organ
strains rise and fall through the church,
scarcely ever suggesting thought of reverence
or devotion, or in any way preparing the mind
for the religious solemnity about to be per-
formed.
"Of course it is, as every one says, Such
beautiful wedding, etc., but where is there in
all this thing that speaks of holy natrimony'?
All that whispering, and light talking, and
laughter how do they dispose the mind
toward the holy service? Few services are
more holy-all gathered here in the sight of
God and of this company
Nov to return to our first point: What is
the effect of such a service, if it may be SO
called2 One effect is unquestionably to pre-
vent frequent use of the church for the mar
rage service to all, and conhne the use of the
church to those who can afford all that it in
wolves. Quiet people are deferred. Persons
of moderate means are deferred.
This ecclesiastical luxury is more and more
confined to the few with abundant means-the
church is less used for this service. One does
not like to come and not have everything as
bright, and as NICE and as beautiful as it was
at such and such time; and more and more
one is getting to hear the expression of not be-
ing able to afford church wedding
why should there be such COST such dis
play, at wedding in church? Why this
canopy from curb to church door2 Why the
carpeting all up the aisle? Why this profusion
upon wagon load of splendid palms Why
everything that can be thought of to drive
that solemn service out of the mind2
"How much better for those who might
have everything to set the example of quiet,
transformations religious service, SO that others
may feel content and happy to do the same.
And not only would the religious character of
the services be thus brought out, and more and
more the church be resorted to-but for one l
cannot but believe that the more the religious
Character is brought out, the less will be the
number Of ill-advised and hasty marriages,
and of consequent divorces.
"While on the subject of the marriage cere-
mony, few other suggestions may not be
out of place. The rubric says the man stand
ing on the right hand and the woman on the
left There is sometimes question as to the
meaning of this, but an old direction, from
which this rubric seems to be taken, makes it
clear that the man is to stand on the right of
the woman and the woman on the left of the
man. This is usually DONE But there is an
other point which does not seem to be general
Iy understood or acted upon. The general
usage seems to be that the bride enters the
church leaning on the of her father,
the person who is to give her away, and walks
up the church until met or joined by the
bridegroom, who takes her at once, before the
service begins, and before she has been given
to him. Now this is not contemplated by the
Church in the service. The bride is regarded
as still under the fathers care and protection
until certain questions are asked and satisfac-
torily settled"