N. Wilt thou have and to hold from this this Man to thy wedded day forward, for better husband, to live togeth- for worse, for richer for er after God's ordinance poorer, in sickness and in the holy estate of in health, to love and to Matrimony? Wilt thou cherish, till death us do obey him, and serve part, according to God's him, love, honour, and holy ordinance; and keep him in sickness thereto I plight thee my and in health; and, for- troth. saking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?

The Woman shall answer,
I will.

Then shall the Minister say,

Who giveth this Woman to be married to this man?

Then shall they loose their hands;

and the Woman with her right hand taking the Man by his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister:

I, N., take thee M. to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do

Then shall they give their Troth to each other in this manner. The Minister, receiving the Woman at her father's or friend's hands, shall cause the part, according to God's

Man with his right hand to

take the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him as followeth.

I, M., take thee N. to my wedded wife, to have

holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.

Then shall they again loose their

hands; and the Man shall

give unto the Woman a Ring. | against us. And lead And the Minister taking the us not into temptation; Ring shall deliver it unto the Man, to put it upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand. And the Man holding the Ring there, and taught by the Minister, shall say,

but deliver us from evil.

With this Ring I thee wed, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then, the Man leaving the Ring upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand, the Minister shall say,

Let us pray.

Amen.

O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all

spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy

Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt

Our Father, who art them made, (whereof in heaven, Hallowed be this Ring given and rethy Name. Thy king-ceived is a token and dom come. Thy will be pledge,) and may ever done on earth, As it is remain in perfect love in heaven. Give us this and peace together, and day our daily bread. live according to Thy And forgive us our tres-laws; through Jesus passes, As we forgive Christ our Lord. Amen. those who trespass Then shall the Minister join

their right hands together, and they are Man and Wife.

say,

Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

Then shall the Minister speak unto the company:

In the Name of the Fa-
ther, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.

And the Minister shall add this
Blessing:

God the Father, God

Forasmuch as M. and N. have consented to- the Son, God the Holy gether in holy wedlock, Ghost, bless, preserve, and have witnessed the and keep you; the Lord same before God and mercifully with his fathis company, and there- vour look upon you, and to have given and fill you with all spiritual pledged their troth, benediction and grace; each to the other, and that ye may so live tohave declared the same gether in this life, that by giving and receiving in the world to come ye a Ring, and by joining may have life everlasthands I pronounce that ing. Amen.

3

IV.

ANALYSIS OF THE CEREMONY.

IKE the concealed skeleton, the fair and

animating soul,

and the decent dress overlaid and changing with the times and fashions, which go to make up the palpable being of a man; so the Ceremony of Marriage when subjected to a careful dissection, will be found to consist of certain elements which, though fused into one another in actual use, forming an individual harmony of living beauty, may yet with considerable advantage be separated in thought and brought successively into view, each apart from the others.

These distinct elements are the following: 1. The publication to the world, which opens and closes the Ceremony. (See Chap. V.)

2. The Symbolic Action of the parties and of the officiating minister, which extends throughout and may be called the Silent Ceremony. (See Chap. VI.)

3. The Audible Stipulations and Vows, which

are not only mutual, but two-fold. (See Chap. VII.)

4. The Official Cementing of the Union in the name and with the benediction of God. (See Chap. VIII.)

Of these the first and the third are duplicated in the Ceremony. The publication is repeated for reasons which will be explained under that head. The Stipulations of Espousal have the appearance of an immediate repetition, and almost in the same terms, but this is only apparent as will be shown in the proper place.