An Agnostic Marriage

1901

First Ceremony of Its Kind Performed in Cincinnati.

The much heralded marriage of agnostics, declared to be the first marriage of the kind to be celebrated, took place the other day in College hall, Young Men's Mercantile Library building, in Walnut street, when Frederick Federle, employed in a very modest capacity by the Pittsburg Coal company, and Miss Martha Seaman were married according to the pledges and rites prescribed by the new agnostic society of Cincinnati, of which Charles S. Sparks is the head.

At the conclusion of the agnostic Sunday school services the couple were made man and wife on the stage of the hall, which was decorated with the American colors and mottoes of the society, says the New York Times. Mr. Sparks acted as master of ceremonies. Mr. Federle and Miss Seaman repeated the pledges after Sparks, and acquiesced in them by spoken words and by nods. The voluminous pledges were in effect that they be frugal in habits, that the man at once insure his life for the benefit of the woman, that they avoid wrangling, and if they found in time they were not "mated" that they separate. The woman also repeated the words: "I will not bring children into the world not born of affection." Both promised to rear their children, should children be born, in the agnostic faith and after the teachings at the agnostic Sunday school.

Magistrate Alexander Roebling took the couple after they had taken the agnostic pledges and completed the ceremony, according to the civil law requirements as administered by magistrates. The magistrate, however, according to instructions from Mr. Sparks, did not use the word "obey" in his form of ceremony. After the magistrate Mr. Sparks again stepped to the front and in loud tones declared, "These who have thus bound themselves together in a marriage contract let no man or woman put asunder, or seek so to do under pain and penalties of dishonor and of the law."

Dramatic Funeral Ceremony of the Lascars

1893

How the Lascars Prepare Their Dead For the Grave

In the deadroom of the Medico-Chirurgical hospital recently a strange and dramatic ceremony took place. The occasion was the observance of the last rites and ceremonies by the crew of Lascars of the steamship Lanark over the body of one of their shipmates, who died in the hospital. The body had as usual been prepared for the undertaker by the hospital staff soon after death, and the body was removed from the ward to the deadroom. As soon as the steamship crew learned of the death of their countryman they all presented themselves at the hospital and asked to see the body.

The scene that followed was an impressive one. The dimly lighted room, the still form lying on the table surrounded by a dozen or more of his sorrowing people, with strange costumes, dark, handsome features and pointed beards formed a memorable picture. As the men stood with bowed heads and clasped hands and muttered their prayers to Allah, those who witnessed the scene were filled with emotions of respect and sorrow for those strange people, far away from their sunny tropical home among strangers.

They requested a bountiful supply of warm water and soap and 20 yards of clean new linen. This being provided they reverently removed the winding sheet. Every time their hands came in contact with the body they offered a prayer in concert. Then they removed their own shoes and stockings and washed their feet and ears and nostrils. After this they began the ablution of their late comrade, pouring the water over the head and face of the dead man. The entire body was thoroughly cleansed, the men touching it lovingly and reverently.

The new linen having been prepared by one of their number and the body having been dried the sailors requested another table, the one in use being thought contaminated by the water. This was provided. The shroud was placed upon it and sprinkled with camphor. Then the body was gently lifted and laid on the shroud while all offered up prayers in concert. It was rapidly enveloped in the winding sheet and strict instructions were given in broken English and by signs to those of the hospital staff present not to touch it. The sailors then formed in line, one who seemed to be the leader standing alone, the others standing behind in threes and fours. Turning their faces to the east and raising their hands above their heads they solemnly committed their comrade to Allah's care.

No Christian can touch the body after performing this rite, so the Lascars presented themselves at the hospital again the nest morning and placed the body within the coffin. — Philadelphia Press.

A Ceremony of Native Americans, Rites of Passage

1878

A Disgusting Ceremony

A Winnipeg, Manitoba, correspondent describes the following ceremony, indulged in by the Sircees tribe of Indians, in that neighborhood:

The candidate was required to repair to the forest for a certain number of days, to be passed in fasting until, from extreme physical privation, he should be wrought up to a close communion with the spirits. He then returned and entered the pale of the fence making the limits of the dog feast, to be at once surrounded by a circle of conjurers and braves of the tribe, who indulged in a wild dance.

In the midst of this dance a live dog, white in color, if to be had, was brought within the circle by the instructing medicine-man, and given to the novitiate. Seizing the sacrificial animal by the neck and hind leg, the candidate finishes his initiation by devouring the animal alive. The spectacle of this poor wretch, his face covered with blood, the howls and contortions of this suffering animal, and the yelling, dancing demons circling about in their monotonous dance was appalling in the last degree.

The dogs consumed we generally of small size, but in some instances large ones are given, and the neophyte is in a gorged and semi-dormant condition at the end of his repast.

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A Bohemian, who rented a small house at Cleveland, Ohio, put it on wheels the other day and moved west. The landlord, coming for his monthly rent, found nothing out the cellar and an ash barrel. He sent am officer in pursuit of the house thief.


A young man, who is paying his addresses to a lady-love, stayed so late a few evenings since, that the family were compelled to whitewash the wall next morning, to obliterate his shadow.