THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
must be analogous to its natural purpose, and mutual ethical supplementing of two ind:vidualities can be realized only if both are perpetually united by their special ethical purposes. But owing to the different vocations of husband and wife such a union takes place as a rule only when the education of the children gives them a common purpose.
From the purpose of matrimony follow its basal principles. The individual purpose demands not only free choice but also a reverence for the families of husband and wife. The conditions for the realization of the ideal marriage are mutual inclination,
relative equality of education and
9. Practical rank, and possession of the highest
Considera- aims in life. An ideal marriage be-
tions. tween Christians and non-Christians is
therefore impossible, as also between Protestants and non-Protestants. Since marriage has to depend upon public recognition and in its effects touches public life, it is a duty to submit to public regulations regarding it, while the Christian should also seek the sanction of the Church. In theory, marriage should be indissoluble, but owing to the guilt of sin this ideal can not always be realized. The Christian must always feel that separation from a living husband or wife contradicts duty. Where divergencies of temperament or moral defects in either party hamper the realization of the ideal, one must, according to Matt. v. 29-30, save his soul, even if in that way the individual life is shortened. In case of unfaithfulness, Christian love must strive to condone even such guilt. The statement that adultery is de facto annulment of marriage, rests upon a one-sided emphasis upon the physical phase of marriage. Adultery may be committed also without the sin of the flesh (I Cor. vii. 2-15). But it may be right or even a duty for the married to discontinue living together if the moral power is not sufficient to bear the burden thus imposed by guilt or if pardoning love sees no prospect of change in the guilty party; and, in case of second marriage on the part of the guilty person, one's own moral danger may justify a new marriage. These ideal ethical norms can not immediately be transformed into legal norms for State and Church, for both must take into consideration the weakness of their members and must adjust their legal measures to the greatest possible ethical effects. When the death of husband or wife has intervened, a second marriage should not be contested, since it does not involve unfaithfulness to the deceased. The abiding relationship is by death transferred to the spiritual World. (J. GOTTSCHICKf.)
The development of class distinctions in Germany up to the sixteenth century shows, in addition to the serfs, the three sharply differentiated classes of nobles, knights (the lower nobility), and freemen. By the principle of equality of birth, marriages between members of these 10. MisaJ- classes were considered misalliances, liance and and the wife of lower birth was not Morganatic raised to her husband's rank, while the Marriage, children belonged to their mother's class. This condition of affairs was partly obviated by the introduction of the Roman law, except for the nobility, which, in virtue of its
autonomy, was able by family laws and agreements to prevent the principles of Roman jurisprudence from interfering with their family rights, and thus to conserve the traditional theories of Teutonic law. In the ancient German kingdom, as to-day, the nobility were able to restrict the concept of the misalliance, so that the marriage of members of noble families with those not belonging to the high nobility was to be considered in conformity with class requirements. The so-called morganatic, Salic or left-hand, marriage (matrimonium ad morganaticam, ad legem Salicam) is normally a marriage between persons of unequal rank, but differs from the misalliance in the strict sense of the term in that its effects are based on a special contract instead of on law and custom. The term " morganatic " is apparently derived from the morning-gift (Germ. Morgengabe) which was usually given at such marriages. The expression matrimonium ad legem Salicam, which is yet employed, is unexplained. The phrase " morganatic marriage " is now the one in common use, and such marriages still take place only in ruling families and those of the high nobility. (E. Sehling.)
Under the head of wedding customs may be conveniently treated several details relating to betrothal or marriage. The preliminary examination is for the purpose of finding out whether any civil or ecclesiastical impediment to the marriage exists, and whether the parties under- 11. Wedding stand the duties of the married state;
Customs, the Roman ritual instructs the pastor to see whether they know the rudiments of the faith, so that they may teach them to their .children. Such an examination is prescribed in some Evangelical churches. The modern usage of having groomsmen and bridesmaids is a relic of ancient usage (cf. John hi. 29; Matt. xxv. 1-13). The custom of having a paranymphus for the bridegroom and a paranympha for the bride remained usual in the East; they were compared to the sponsors in baptism. In the West the custom is referred to as regular by the Fourth Synod of Carthage (398). It fell in with the old Teutonic law, which required the bride to be handed over to her husband by her former guardian.
The wedding-ring is a symbol of great antiquity. Rings were used in Roman law for symbols of other mutual contracts, but especially of marriage (Pliny, Hist, naturalis, xxxiii. 1). The Christian Church early adopted the use, which is mentioned by Tertullian (Apol., vi.). That as late as the seventh or even the ninth century the ring was given at the first betrothal is attested by Isidore of Seville and by Pope Nicholas I. Later it was given at the wedding, and frequently two rings were exchanged. The ceremony of giving the ring varies in different places. According to the Roman ritual, it is blessed by the priest and placed by the bridegroom upon the bride's third finger. The reason for the selection of this finger is the ancient belief that a large vein led from it directly to the heart. The use of wreaths as part of the bridal attire was avoided by the early Christians in order to differ from the pagans and Jews (Justin, / Apol. ix.; Tertullian, De corona, v. 13). Later it not only came in but