appropriate and beautiful ceremony is peculiar to the English and American rites." THE CUP OF LOVE. XII. The Eastern church retains another beautiful rite, the origin of which is lost in Jewish antiquity." Just before the close of the ceremony, a cup of wine is brought, called " the loving cup,' of which, after a solemn blessing by the priest," the bridegroom and bride both partake." The action symbolizes in part, like the white vail and crowns of flowers and gorgeous pallium or canopy," festivity and gladness. But its more especial significance is, that they now enter upon the closest possible union of earthly fortunes. To partake of one's cup is an emblem which is universally understood and accepted in this sense. It is especially a favorite figure in the sacred Scriptures with this meaning." The cup which is of glass or earthenware, though sometimes of the most costly kind, is then, (as with the Jews,) immediately broken: 77 Compare page 72. 1 See page 33. Art. 3. "See the Greek Ceremony, Appendix C. "In the ancient Jewish rite two cups tied together with a scarlet cord were sometimes used. Two cups, one for each of the required draughts, are still considered essential.-p. 35. Art. 8. See pages 76 and 85. * Matt. xx. 22, 23; 1 Cor. x. 16, 21; etc. which is designed to indicate the frail and transitory nature of earthly blessings and joys; and to temper, it is said, the hilarity of the moment, according to the Scriptural precept, "to rejoice with trembling."" KISSING THE BRIDE. XIII. Kissing the bride, which under many varieties is customary enough with us, and on the part of the witnessing company is almost an instinctive and irrepressible act, at that most interesting moment, when words seem so tame and In the book of the Mishna called "Beracoth,"* i.e., Benedictions, it is related as follows: "When Mar, son of Ravina, was performing the Marriage solemnities of his son, having perceived that the Rabbins were too merry, he caused [for the cup] a precious chalice to be brought, which cost four hundred zuzes, and broke it in their presence, [thus tempering their behavior by] a thing at which they were distressed. The Rabbi Ache, under similar circumstances, caused a chalice of snow-white glass to be brought, and broke it in their presence, and by it they were brought down from their excessive gaiety." Lorsque Mar, fils de Ravina, faisait les noces de son fils, ayant aperçu que les rabbins étaient trop gais, il fit apporter un calice précieux qui coutait 400 zuzes, et le cassa en leur présence, chose dont ils se sont affligés. R. Ache, dans une pareille circonstance, fit apporter un calice de verre blanc, et le cassa en leur présence, et ils s'en affligèrent. [Tal. Bab. traduit en Français par l'Abbé Chiarini, Leipsic, 1831] • Fol. 31, a. ✦ "Zuza es le quart d'un Sicle que les Juifs de Pologne prennent pour un fortn." Ib. are apt to fail altogether, but which as a rubrical part of the ceremony has fallen out, (unaccountably it should seem,) from all the usages of the Western church, is one of the most ancient of forms, and was in extensive and imperative use," during the early Christian centuries. So important a part was it reckoned in the ceremony of Espousal, that, by the Justinian Code, its use or failure decided the inheritance or non-inheritance of dowry, in the case of death before consummated Marriage." It was imprinted by the bridegroom with careful formality on the lips of the bride, irrevocably to seal the marital covenant with all its promises and claims, by the public proffer and acceptance" of this profoundest sym bol of love. It is retained in the Eastern church, and partially by the Jewish customs; and is an appropriate and beautiful usage, not infrequent among ourselves, when, the ceremony done, the rubrics satisfied, the new bridegroom, before he turns. his back upon the altar which has sealed to him by holy rites so rich a treasure, draws her to his bosom and with solemn joy, in the presence of Bingham, Antiquities, xxii. iii. 6. 65 Bingham, 1. c. "The right hands and the kiss through which they first unseal and pledge their modesty.”—Tertull., On the vailing of Virgins, Chap 11. all these witnesses, imprints on her willing lips this inviolable seal of union. XIV. Last of all, in the Greek church, where the ceremony of crowning is still observed, the priest removes the wreath of the bridegroom, and says: "Be thou, O bridegroom, magnified as Abraham: be thou blessed as Isaac: be thou multiplied as Jacob: walking in peace and accomplishing in righteousness the commandments of God." Removing the wreath of the bride, "Be thou, O bride, magnified as Sarah: be thou gladdened as Rebecca: be thou multiplied as Rachel: rejoicing in thine own husband: keeping the commandments of the law: for so hath God willed."" The wreaths are then laid on the altar and preserved for eight days, when the parties are expected to return to the church and resume the crowns. Further prayers are then said for the prosperity of the newly married pair, and the wreaths are laid aside." * 4 Μεγαλύνθητι, Νυμφίε, ὡς ὁ ̓Αβραάμ, καὶ εὐλογήθητι ὡς ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ πληθύνθητι ὡς ὁ Ἰακώβ, πορευόμενος ἐν εἰρήνῃ, καὶ ἐργαζόμενος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ. * Καὶ σὺ Νύμφη, μεγαλύνθητι ὡς ἡ Σάββα, καὶ εὐφράνθητι ὡς ἡ Ρεβέκκα, καὶ πληθύνθητι ὡς ἡ 'Ραχήλ, εὐφραινομένη τῷ ἰδίῳ ἀνδρὶ, φυλάττουσα τοὺς ὄρους τοῦ νόμου, ὅτι οὕτως εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεός."Euchologion, 1. c. See the Ceremony of the Eastern church. Appen. C. VII. AUDIBLE STIPULATIONS AND VOWS. WE E now return from our passage through the warm and rosy region of the sentiments—a realm which of necessity is greatly open and vague-to survey the cooler and more sharply defined domain of duty and law. THE HUSBAND'S STIPULATIONS OF ESPOUSAL. [The Minister shall say to the Man: M, Wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep thee only to her, so long as ye both shall live? The Man shall answer, THE WIFE'S STIPULATIONS OF ESPOUSAL. [Then the Minister shall say unto the Woman: N, Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance |