2&
THE COURIER.
II
MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
UV HKV. JOHN HEWITT.
The use of a precomposed set form of
marriage is every year .becoming inoro
popular. In fact opposition to precom
posed foims in religious ceremonies of
all kinds is fast passing away. "The
Form of Solemnization of Matrimony" of
the Episcopal church has done much
toward breaking down this opposition.
Although it was many years ago em
bodied in the book of discipline of the
Methodist church it was almost never
used by the ministers of that church
until recently, and the ministers of
other religious bodies, which reject
forms altogether, now use it upon
request of those who como to them to
be married.
TIIK KEASON
is not far to seok. WeddingBhavo come
to bo regarded as great social events.
And society imperiously demands obe
dience to the minutest details of tho
forms and ceremonies pertaining to it.
Its best representatives seek the best
forms to express the highest order of
refinement and culture. Hence they
appeal to art, whoso special province is
to find the best and truest expression
for thought and feeling according to
tho occasion. Society therefore has
become the most generouo patron of
art, and thus emphasizes its regard for
the eternal fitness of things. However
gross by nature men or women may be,
if they desire recognition in any given
social circle they must observe the un
written but autocratic rules which gov
ern it, or else presently find themselves
left outside of that particular circle.
But not society only, institutions of
religion also seek the aid of art so far as
it can serve them in their endeavors to
appropriately express the highest
thought and feeling ana purpose in re
lation to the duties and engagements
peculiar to them.
In this respect at least tho church
and society are in agreement. And
since marriage is an institution of re
ligion, and the wedding has come to be
regarded as a great social function, it is
natural to expect that those ceremonies
attending it will be most popular and
acceptable which most nearly satisfy
the aesthetics of both religion and so
ciety. Tho marriage ceremony of the
Episcopal church seems to do this and
hence it is coming into general use.
ITS CONSTKUCTION
But have people generally a clear con
ception of all that this beautiful cere
mony expresses? As it now stands it
comprises parts of two ceremonies form
erly separate and distinct, abbreviated
and thrown together, and conforming
to a state of society different from that
which existed when they were separate.
The two parts are the betrothal anJ
the nuptials. The history of these and
of how they were brought together is
too long to relate here and not necess
ary to our purpose except in so far as it
may help to convey an intelligent idea
of what they are designed to express.
It was the custom in olden time, when
the church ruled society, if a couple
wished to be Joined in marriage, to
make the fact known to the minister of
the parish in which they lived, and it
was his duty on the next occasion of
public worship to publish the fact in
the presence and hearing of the people.
At that time the persons wishing to be
married advanced to tho steps of the
choir space in the church and remained
standing there upon the floor of tho
nave before the minister, who gave them
an exhortation or instruction on the
duties of the married state, received
from them an audible expression of
their willingness to take each the other,
and gave opportunity to the people
present to say whether they knew of
any scriptural reason why they should
not bo joined together. This ceremony
was called "betrothal'' and gave rise to
the custom which now prevails in some
circles of announcing engagements. It
is with reference to this that bo much
of the marriage ceremony as it now
stands is usually conducted at the en
trance to the choir.
THE NUPTIALS.
The banns or proclamations of mar
riage were made on several Sundays
following. On the day appointed
for the marriage the groom
elect with his friends appeared
again at the same place and there await
ed the arrival of his affianced bride.
Led by her father or nearest relative or
friend she also came to the place and
the minister being in wailing there
asked the question, "Who giveththis
woman to be married to this man?"
The woman's father, mother or nearest
friend then took her right hand and
placed it in the hand of the minister
who in turn placed it in tho right hand
of tho man. Tho significance of this
part of the ceremony is thus explained:
Tho two aro about to be united in a
sacred bond, by a religious rite which
reads back to tho institution of mar
aiago in tho time of man's innocence in
tbo Garden of Eden before his fall. Tho
author of tho Book Genesis says that
after the Lord God had "formed every
beast of tho field and every fowl of tho
air, and brought thttn unto Adam,
thero was not found an help
meet for him;" and that tho Lord God
"made a woman and brought her unto
tho man.' It is with reference to this
that the woman is given to the man at
marriage. G)d indeed made all things,
and all things aro already his. But he
gave man dominion over them to use
them in His service, and among them
was woman whom Ho made and gavu
to the man. In recognition of Hi
goodness in thus giving him all these
things man offers them again to God.
Now tho church is regarded as that in
stitution through which God deals with
men in spiritual things, and the minis
ters of the church are His ministers.
Moreover every act of religion
implies a devotion, a dedication,
or an offering to God of some
thing that we have from Him. In this
instance a woman is dedicated to Him
for the 6acred purpose of becoming the
wife of a man according to God's ordin
ation in tho beginning. Sho is there
fore first given to tho church which
represents Hinr. among men in such
matters, and tho minister being the
person appointed to execute tho ollices
therein, her hand is placed in his. Sho
now belongs to the church and the
minister in the name or on behalf of
God and his church gives her to the
man by placing her right hand in his.
Tho minister then goes within tho
chancel rail, into the place called the
sanctuary, where the altar stands, and
the man, still retaining the woman's
hand, follows and leads her through the
choir to the steps of tho sanctuary.
Hence originated tho phrase often used
to designate a marriage "he led her to
the altar."
Tho ceremony of uniting the two is
now performed. Taught by tho minis
ter the man first pledges himself to the
woman to bo faithful "until death do us
part,' and the woman taking the man's
hand makes the same promise to him.
And notice that since they are to be
joined as Christians they use only their
Christian names the names tliey re
ceived at baptism and not their sur
names or their nicnames.
THE KINO.
As a sign or token of tho agreement
now entered into a ring of gold is usual
ly given and received. This custom
probably originated with the Egyptians
and was afterwards followed by tho
Jews and other nations. Tho woman
has been given to the man, and he has
taken her "for better for worse."
But he is the breadwinner and must
share whatever he is or has with her.
So ho gives to her something which
represents both. Mark that he gives
the ring to the woman, and not to the
minister. She gives it to the minister,
the church's representative, as an offer
ing to God of her worldly substance.
The minister then usually asks God's
blessing upon it and returns it to tho
man who places it upon the fourth
finger of the woman's left hand,
and the left hand not because
it is "nearest the heart" as some
say, but because the left hand keeps
and uses what is devoted to the service
of self, while the right hand is devoted
to the service of God and fellow men.
Moreover the man gives tho ring in the
name of the sacred Trinity, thus ac
knowledging the God of the Christian
faith and invoking Him to witness his
vow. But the ring has a further and
higher significance. In the transaction
just described not only was a ring
given, but in the giving of it a circle
was described, the idea to be conveyed
being thus doubly expressed. The
significance of the ring itself is three
fold. Being a circle it signifies the end
lessness of the life in which the two are
to become one, and the perpetuity of
that fidelity to each other in which they
have just pledged themselves, and being
of pure gold it represents both the
purity of the life and the wealth, much
or little, which they are to enjoy in
common. After a prayer for God's
blessing upon the twain and for His
grace to enable them to live faithfully
together and to "keep the vow and cov
enant betwixt them made," the minister,
still acting as the representative or ex
ecutive officer of God's chuich, joins
their hands and says: "Those whom God
hath joined together let no man put
asunder." This joining of hands is the
outward sign or symbol of their union,
and the words of the minister declare
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that the union is God's act and not
1113178, a union as to which ho warns
all that no man must dare to dissolve.
For immediately afterwards he pro
nounces them "man and wife, in tho
name of the Father, and of the Sun, and
of the Holy Ghost," and what one does
in tho name of another is understood to
be done in their behalf and pursuant to
their wish.
THEWEDDINO FEE.
The custom of giving a fee to tho
minister seems to have a double origin.
As has been said already the idea of an
offering of some sort belongs to every
act of religion. Tho parents of tho
woman have made an offering of her to
the church and through the church, to
the man. The woman has made an
offering to God of what sho received
from the man when ho gave her the
ring, by giving it to tho minister. Tho
man must now offer something in return
for what he has received from tho
church. To do thi9 appropriately and
to carry out the idea of an offering, in
stead of waiting until the bridal party
have left their places, or tho people have
left the church, the groom or his best
man should then and there present his
offering to the minister and wait until
it has been duly placed upon the Lord's
table as an offering to God. This was
formerly the custom in tho church when
it was tho rule to administer tho Com
munion in connection with the marriage
ceremony. But since the administration
of the communion was dropped, a fee to
tho minister is all that is left of tho idea
of an offering on the part of the man.
But back of this is to be found another
reason for the giving of a fee. We give
it in the words of another. "Among the
Jews, and generally throughout tho
East, marriage was considered as a sort
of purchase which the man made of the
woman he desired to marry. And there
fore in contracting marriages, as tho
wife brought a portion or possession to
the husband, so the husband was ob
liged to give her orber parents money or
presents in lieu of this portion. This
was the case between Hamor. the father
of Shechem. and the sons of Jacob with
relation to Dinah. And Jacob, having
no money, offered his uncle Laban Beven
years service, which must have been
equivalent to a large sum. The same
custom also obtained among the Greeks
and other ancient nations; and it is to
this day the practice in several eastern
countries, particularly among the
Druses. Turks and Christians who in
habit the country of the Hashuran, and
also among the modern Scenite Arabs,
or those who dwell in tents.'"
CONCLUSION.
It seems quite clear from what has
been said that the marriage ceremony of
the Episcopal Church is artistic in form
since, in its construction, words, symbols
and acts are gathered from the past and
brought together into harmony to ex
press exactly and simply and appro
priately the true idea of the divine in
stitution it alwayB was and now is in
tended to celebrate as the foundation
stone of human society. That it is dis
tinctively religious and Christian in its
character throughout. That none who
reject the Christian religion can con
sistently resort to its use. That the
unionintended to be effected therein is
a spiritual union which men and women
should not enter into "unadisedly or
lightly, but soberly, discreetly, advisedly
and in the fear of God." That those who
regard marriage as merely a civil contract
which they may at some time desire to
cancel had better not be married by this
ceremony, because it requires acceptance
DO YOU KNOW THAT THE
IS IHE ONLY DIRECT
ROUTE TO THE SOUTH?
Come cncl 8ee Om
II. C. ToWNSEND, F. M. CoUNELL.
G. P. & T. Agt. C. l& T. Agt.
St Louis, Mo. 1201 O St.
NOTICE.
CHATTEL MORTGAGE SALE.
First Publication Juno 8.
Notice is hereby given that by virtue
of a chattel mortgage, dated on the 20th
day of April, 1895, and duly tiled in the
office of tho county clerk of Lancaster
county, Nebraska, on tho 29th day of
April, 1895, and executed by J. E. Howe
to M. L. Thomas to secure the payment
of the sum of ?23.00 and upon which
there is now due the sum of 28.50.
Default having having been made in
tho payment of said sum and no suit
or other proceedings at law having
been instituted to recover said debt or
any part thereof, therefore I will sell
the property therein dercribed to-wit:
One oak roll top desk, one oak ice
chest, two eight foot maple birdseye
show cases, three counters eighteen
feet in all. ten feet of shelving, one
square oak card table, one square
black walnut card table, one four gallon
water cooler, eight high back chairs
four of them cane seat and four wood
seat, one six foot rustic oak seat, one
soft coal heater rounu sheet iron drum
six electric light burners and all other
furniture and fixtures belonging to
said J. E. Howe and kept at number
110 north 13th street at the time said
mortgage was executed, at public
auction at number 1127 O street in the
city of Lincoln, Lancaster county.
Nebraska on the 28th day of June,
1895 at one o'clock P. M. of said day.
M. L. Thomas, mortgagee.
By C. S. Rainbolt. his attorne v.
June 22
of the condition that it shall not be an
nulled or brokpn except bv an act of
God.
That if society, bo called, adopts its
use because its "good form" commends
it, it should be prepared to accept with
it all that it expresses, and thus help
the church to lift the institution of
marriage itself, on which the family life
is based, to the highest plane of moral
beauty and excellence. At any rate it
is difficult to conceive how a man and a
woman, understanding all that this
ceremony expresses, can fail to find in it
at the very beginning of their new
relation as husband and wife, an in
centive to lead a "sober, righteous, and
godly life." To use it merely for the
purpose of being in the fashion, is to
play with a divine institution, and to
degrade the estate to which it is the
introduction.