Our just married ornaments are 7.5 inches long and 3¼ inches across. The just married ornaments show the back of a car, as if the couple, seated in the car, are driving away from the Church and headed for their honeymoon. The couple, in the just married ornaments, is still wearing their wedding clothes, the man is in a black suit coat and the woman is wearing her wedding gown and illusion veil. The just married ornaments car is white and shows the silver bumper with strings of cans trailing behind the car. Above the just married ornaments bumper is a white spare tire, the words “Just Married” are printed on the back of the seat above the spare tire. There is a ½ inch round bead, representing brake lights, on either side of the just married ornaments car. The just married ornaments hang from a 3½ inch loop of white satin ribbon.
What is Marriage?
Marriage is a union between a man and a woman, which is recognized by the society in which they live. All governments and all religions have marriage laws. These laws say what form the marriage pledges must take and what the relationship of husband and wife should be. In most countries marriage is regarded as a sacred contract to endure for life.
The institution of marriage is the basis for the family. Marriage is regarded as necessary for the protection of children and of society.
The rights, duties and obligations of marriage are expected to continue without interruption during the lives of the husband and wife. A promise to marry cannot be enforced by law. But suit for breach of promise may be brought in many states and money damages may be claimed.
When a man and woman marry, they are legally as well as morally responsible for the children they have. They are bound to support and care for them so that the children will not need the protection of society.
History of Marriage.
Different peoples have practiced different kinds of marriages. Some have practiced polyandry, polygyny and polygamy, are kinds of plural marriage. One of the reasons for these kinds of marriages was that there were fewer women than men.
There is a close connection between the practice of polygamy and economic standing in some parts of the world. In some societies wives were considered as property. The more wives a man could support, the more prestige he had. Since the wives did most of the household work, they were valuable to the man as a means of increasing his comfort. They also did a great deal of the agricultural work and provided more children to work for him and add to his possessions. Polygamy was limited to the wealthy few, since many men could not afford to pay for more than one wife.
Monogamy is the marriage of one man one woman. By today’s standards it is considered to be the highest type of marriage ad the one which produces the happiest and most successful family life. It is the only form of marriage that is considered lawful in the Western world. Monogamy has always been the most common form of marriage, throughout human history.
In very primitive times, the marriage relationship did not last long. As a result, the mother was the most easily recognized and certain parent. Blood relationships were generally traced through her.
In England a marriage ceremony performed by a clergyman of the established church is legal and binding. If the parties intend to be married in church, English law demands that notice of their intention be given by publishing banns in the church. Banns are the announcements of the names and residences of the two parties on three succeeding Sundays previous to the marriage. This practice has been in use in the Roman Catholic Church much longer than it has in the established church.
Under English law, the captain of a British ship may legally perform the marriage ceremony of two persons if there is no immediate possibility of obtaining the services of an ordained clergyman or justice of the peace. He must also then enter the particulars of the wedding in the ship’s logbook. An added requirement is that a permit is necessary before the captain may act as a marriage officer. The masters of Spanish vessels may also perform marriages. American law provides no such authority. The Shipping Board made a ruling in 1926 declaring that marriages performed by masters of American merchant vessels are void. Later an Illinois judge handed down a decision declaring such marriages legal, but voidable.