The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 23, 1902, Page 2

. THE SUNDAY CALL. ATS on or hats off in ehurch—that is the question disturbing the se- re of the church-goer. Evér since the revolution took place in the theaters and meén and women a Gelivery from ke experienced the joy of hat pestiferous nulsance, the theater hat—whose only friend was e caricaturist and funny man—the qu tion has been asked, Why shouldn’t wo- take off thelr hats in church, too? question, whispered at first by a few, has been asked louder and il it dema an answer. wering of what seems at question there has been tempest in the ecciesigsli- a1 teapot lere ale some opinions gathered from and laity IR. JACOB NIETO. It's 2 matcer of indifference to me. T hether women shau wedr hats in 1S not & quésiioi for Lae Pu.pit 1o Lut 1T tue Cougresation. ecical puluc ol View, in so far s vecpic aight feel humbied iruin Lac t thai they huve 1ot us guud hats t 3 as their ri ueighbors, it might Le a good custom to insuiute. Fulowing cut tnat iaea it would be a stiu betier custom if aiu women would wear tailoc- ae gowns on the high days and ho.y s, especialiy thuse who sit farther up 1 the cuurch, so that there wouid not be a marked difference in costuming e front and rear rows. One hen feel that church-going, instead g a soclal function, was indeed im- pelied Ly a real reiigious sentiment. it is ibe men who have taken up this matter of having the women remiove their hat d while it is true that men rule , women are the principal patrons of the church, and if there is any guestion about it they should decide the thing their own way. 1 don't care whether my congregation wears hats or not. If a man is bound up in his subject, as he should be to present it well, his mind will be so fully engaged in the matter in hand that he will not notice whether pecple’s hats are on or off. If he is intense and interested himself, that matter should not enter in the least into his consideration or have any weight with him. REV. A. C. BANE. There are two solutions to the problem without taking off hats. If we wou.d build our churches with sufficient pitch to the floor 50 those in the rear could see over the heads of people in front, that would be one solution. And if women's WOMEN WEAR HATS IN CHUR B S ———— Resolutions ThatHave Caused i All the Discussion. THE officials of the Methodist church in the town of Los Gatos met some $ime ago and issued a diplomatic ultimatum to the fair members of the congregation that the hat in church should become a thing of the past. The 1esolutions as adopted have created a furor all over the Staterand nv end of discussion has been the re- sult. On this page will be found the opinions of San Franciscans, both of the clergy and the laity as well. Here follows the decision of the Methodist church of Los Gatos: “Whereas, We believe all people who enter the house of God for worship are entitled to equal privileges and opportunities there- in; and | “Whereas, We believe that miany times many people who so at- tend are greatly annoyed and inconvenienced by having their view of the minist-r and of the pulpit obstructed by large and spreading hats or bonnets, worn by those in front of them; believing that much of the effect of a good sermon, address or song is lost by not being able to view the speaker or singer; and “Whereas, The State has so far recognized the justice of the above as to have passed laws requiring all persons to remove their headdress during all perfprmances in places of amusement and in all places where public audiences are wont 5 assemble; and “Whereas, Many of the churches throughout the East, and some in cur own State, have passed orders regulating the above; therefore be it‘ “Resolved, That we most earnestly and respectfully request that all persons remove their headdress during the entire sef¥ice of the church, when it will in any way inconvenience or obstruct the view of any person sitting behiad.” 1 have been asked to do it, but I have never come to the place where I have been willing to request the ladies of my congregation to take off their hats. I feel it would be an interferencé with their apparel which I have no right to make Instead, I would preach the' gospel of modest apparel. T have noticed that when women are really pious and devout they wear small hats and sit down in front. [ have attended large holiness meetings where there was plainly a line between the plous women, modestly clad, sitting in the front pews, and the worldly women, with big hats on, who never came for- ward. Personally, T would rather see women with their hats on, because we are accus- tomed to it, just as 1'd hate to see men keep theirs on. Put I would like to ses the hats more modest. MRS. HORACE DAVIS. 1 don't see why wemien should take oft their hats in church. In the theater it is different, though I believe many women go less frequently to the theater since it has been the custom to remove thelr hats. Not because they do not recognize that it is the ony thing “to do, but because it {s such a nuisance to hold the hat in ‘the lap. Then, too, there is the question of looks. A woman naturally has pride In her appear- ance, and if one’s hair is soft. scarce and o - hats were not so extensive, didn’t run so much to ostrich plumes and flaring bows, that would be another. Why didn’t we hear this complaint vears 8go? The old churches had no incline to the floors at all. It {s a modern critielsm Of . course, 1t is a very inconvenient —a modern ‘objection. T, honestly think thing, and I pity the women when they there should be more of/a epirit*of mod- »rn +nld thov must take off their hats: egty in our apparel when we go into God's but one can't have the same interest in & house to worship him than if we were aiscourse if you can't see the speaker. going o a social function. When You might suggest to some men who eom. was a boy, ladies went to church plain of women's hats that they wouid to worship God, and not to show off their not have the same trouble if they sat fina aoparel. T have kmown my own farther front, instead of sneaking into the mother to feel that a certain hat or dress back pews. g, had too much display about it to wear W chuich ur praye. Licuuk. HuUC to- av people wear as elaborate gowns and hats as when they go to receptions, and that causes all the trouble. rather short, it never looks so well atter having a bonnet on; and a veil, whici is almost a necessity in S8an Francisco, adds to the inconvenience of removing the hut or Lannet. One thinks better, fuels better, and acts better when congcious of looking well, and It is not conducive to a proper spirit of worship to feel that perhaps one’s hair is disheveled, and that on leav- ing the church the hat may be awry. I do belleve, however, that there should be a style of ‘church bonnet. as there has al- ways been a theater bonnet, so small : not to interfere with the view of those si ting behind it. This would obviate any difficulty. No doubt in time it will becoma & general practice for women to remuve their hats ih all audiences, but before that time comes ample provision must be made for them to remove their hats in comfcrt and *have opportunily to see that their hair is properly arranged and to know that their hat is qn straight again. REV. BRADFORD LEAVITT. If such a reform were to be instituted I would like # see it begin in the choir. I have always thought that the millinery in the choir is very distracting. The feath- ers wave and baubles wabble, and people can’t help being curipus to know what the goprano and contralto are going to have on. Our people usually wear plain and sim- ple clothing on Stadav. and the hats ¢ not_seem in the way, and what dre the Women going“io do with their hats if hey take them off? 1 should say -that jthe cure would be almost worse than the dis- €ase. When they rise to sing or respond 1. would distract them more ifom the ser- vice than to have th ori_their- he: Ju the theater the chief interet is i 1ug what you can see, but in church suould not be, but rather hearing wha you can hear.’ I think if people are in a properly reverent moo#l for chureh ' ser- Vice they will not think mugh about mil- Mnery. No, even though the men of the church objected to the women’s hats, I should hardly make the request, Dbecause It would embarrass the lad more than it would help the men, It is simply 2 ques- tion whether the men should have their minds distracted bw, the hats or t women their minds wlistracted by tak their hats off and holding them If the om is introduced, audm?- riums in future will have to be built twice the size, so there will be room pews to lay their h MRS. LOVELL WHITE. It is a question of cou woman's hat obstructs any the courteous thing for take it off. Though we t man should take oif his head is taller than the women ar their view. A woman's bat is an As the Bramacharin a couple of years ago, said when here are but on removed from the North American I dian, what with our feathes and spangles and jeweled ornaments. But I don't like the idea of the men saying that women must take off their hats. If women decide voluntarily to take off their hats it is all right; otherwise they be allowed to keep them on. 1 have a feeling of indignafion when. I think of -the position women occup the churches. They are good ei when it comes to selling tickets, ca around subscription lists and other un- leasant work, but when it comes to ha ng a volce in the councils of the church or recognition in its conventlons, that is different. In the early day the church held that woman was an unholy thing; and even in my own girthood days I re- member in the Presbyterian church the women were compelled to sit together apart from the men. To-day, while woman is the main support of the church, -he is subject to man in_all rulings of the church; but I say if the question of re moving hats is to be decided, let it be decided by the women themselves. CHARLES HOLBROOK. 1 am rather inclined to the impression that I would pursue the old custom unless women, wore such immense hats as to pre- vent people from seeing past them. The bats in my church are very modest and I have not been troubled 1 Dbe- lieve St. Paul says wor their hats on. What I have observed in the theater is that ladies wear such large hats as to revent any one's seeing past them, while n church they go in diff costumes. Another thing: 2 church are largeiy old people wr tom it has been for thirty or forty years to go with hats and bonnets geems rather harsh to ask. them’ to their hats off. I should hate to g0 to s eged grandmother and ask her to oft her bonn and t would serve I am an old man m stand by the old custor REV. GEORGE C. ADAMS. I think it is apt to become a fussy sort of matter. Many ladies do like to take off hats or bonnets i like that. They arrange for i but net at church. In very few of the hats are obje size, and while we have gregation 1 do not thea e con- eeriously Inconvenienced ladiés wear- ing their hats. Of ¢ rse, where church is prope It, with suffici pitch to the floo ¢ is'no trouble of this kind. If they are going to compel ladies to take off their hats they m of easy access where they can go and have a mirtor to put them o Most wo- men want a looking-glass whén' they put on their hats and there--is a mufsance ebaut that It isn ke a man's h which he can stick ANy WY s of our people have a room o i could not pick them an unwritten law amc ou they will not come to church ¢ foolish fashion . I have seen the question tried ern Callfornia, where on 3 warm weather there mi caused than \here, and always some feeling in the church 1 I made up my. mind I would never ask the ladies in my church to take off their hats. I think it is rather cruel and I could not do it. MRS. I. LOWENEERG. It seems a trivial gquestion at first thought, yet it is one that must come in for a share of co ration. When the question was' first agitated in regard to taking off hats i the t ed a silly thing to make a fu but now that the custom is estabilsned we wonder how men and women, too, Ing to beé subjected to tk hats. As a matter of right, I should take off ¢ in any other assem structs the view. Af a stance, one feels often that ure s lost if he cannot see the per end it is the same at a service. On the other hand, it venient for the women to to say nothing of tak they are 1 ewith a veil, tion of getting them c think women in church aund = where a hat ob- for in- care much for dr thing, but I am f about hat on straight. Naturally wants to look well when in a com people, and having to take getting her hat on straight Is the feature of the whole thing. However suppose it Is a sacrifice women make In the interest of unselfishnes W. H. MILLS. b No well-bred person will knowingly cause others inconvenience. If a woman has a right to wear a big hat in church, a man has just as good a right to raise an umbreila.” Women remove their hats the theater, and I think we should be free from distraction and annoyance when we go to the house of God to worship as when we go to the theater. DR. JACOB VOORSANGER. I decline to take the que: ff why If men take their hats houldn't women? Of course a great deal depends upon the ventilation of the church—the women might catch cold. Of course you know there is no what the gentlemen of would say about this que synagogue it is the t T their hats; and by ns women ov too Now, as a matter of fact. the service in most churches dees not exceed an hot and a half. The taking off of a nnet o very cumbersome piece of bu: , and for so shert a time women should not be worrled with taking off t bonnets thereby running the risk of going ouf Wwith Bonnets awry. Perhaps some ons ought to invent some kind of a bannet that can be removed without trouble then to prevent the women from taking cold they could put on 1il eaps, as some men do” in church. Would that be funny? It's a silly question if the custom is to prev better be instructed anteroom so women get their hatg on stralght. To the Jew the question is a rather novel one. If you go to the Minna-street the clergy haa mirrors in the see that thew Continued on Page Three. ook Out for “IBrockman’s (MNaverick”