East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-06-26
RINGS AND
REASONS

0F all the men, both young and old.
who place engagement rings on
the fingers of their brides-to-be,
It is almost an absolute certainty that
not one-tenth OF them knows why he
places the ring on the finger of the
left hand. OF course, the answer
could be: "Everybody's doin' it." The
custom of placing the ring upon
the fourth finger seems undoubtedly to
owe its origin to the fancy that a
special nerve. or vein. ran directly
from this finger to the heart. Macro-
bus, in his Saturnalia, alludes 20 the
belief in the following words: Be
cause of this nerve, the newly be-
trothed places the ring on this finger
Of his spouse, as though 1t were rep
resensation of the heart" This in
formation. he asserts. was derived from
an Egyptian priest.
In the reign of George l. of England
fashion had something to do with the
wedding ring. Large wedding rings
being favored at that time. 1t was not
unusual to see a woman wearing her
wedding ring on her thumb. although
it had been placed on the fourth finger
during the ceremony. Wedding rings
were also worn on the thumb in the
middle OF the seventeenth century.
The British Museum has some be-
trothal rings in collection which
bear very interesting inscriptions. A
gold ring Of about the fourth century
B. C. bears Greek inscription which
is translated as follows: ITO her who
excels not only in virtue and pru-
dence, but also in wisdom" A very
pretty inscription runs: Il rejoice in
|, the gift because OF the affection of the
giveri'
The custom of bestowing ring up
on the betrothed bride has been traced
back to Rome in the second century
B. C.
In these days of old H. C. of L. it is
well to note that In the early times
plain iron rings were favored. And
they were still popular even when the
wearing of gold rings came into gen.
eral use among certain classes of the
Romans. 1t was also the custom to
wear the gold ring when in public, and
wear the iron ring when in the home.
That the nuptial ring was of gold, in
the second century at least, is plain
from the statement of St. Clement of
Alexandria, who declares that this
ring was not bestowed upon the spouse
as an ornament, but that she might
seal up whatever was worthy CT spe-
cial care in the household.
The Hebrew betrothal rings were
very elaborate, and also very clumsy.
They were of massive gold, and the
broad hoop was surmounted by the
representation of a temple, sometimes
with Moorish dome, but usually with
a slanting roof. Upon the temple or
else around the ring are generally the
Hebrew words, Flo Erg, equivalent to
Good Fortune" The earliest we'd
ding rings are said to have been plain
golden circlets without settings. Sill
Yer or cheaper metal was not for
bidden
II can be seen that from the early
times gold was used for the wedding
ring, and tradition has it that the ring
should be absolutely plain. 1t has
been long recognized that the diamond
ring can never replace the plain band
ring. A reason for the preference
given to the ring without the setting
is offered by Fuller in his Holy
State" where he says: Marriage with
a diamond ring foreshadows evil, be-
cause the interruption of the circle
augured that the reciprocal regard of