The record-union., 1893-02-01
MEMS RIGHTS.
a Bishop Draws the Line on the
Women in Church.

A Bishop Draws the Line on the
Women I'm Church.
| Men have long grumbled helplessly,
and without leader for their cause. The
| first Arm stand against the relentless
arrogance of woman has now been taken
by man in New Jersey. That Spartan
State is not a healthy place for pre-
tenders or malefactors of either sex, and
its laws and justice have become pro-
verbal as terrors 10 the casual offender.
1t is fitting ground for the first
battle in the inevitable fight. The
man who has begun hostilities is no less
a person than the Right Rev. L. A.
Starkey, Protestant Episcopal Bishop of
the Diocese of Newark. The fame of
Peter the Hermit is not more resounding
than shall be that of Bishop Starkey If
he should come TO be the leader of a
righteous crusade for the recovery OF
mans sacred rights.
This is what has happened: The Rev.
stephen II. Battin is the rector of Christ
Church in Jersey City. Some time ago,
urged by the influence of the female
members of his family-for now is the
scripture fulfilled, and mans foes are
they OF his own household-the Rev. Mr..
Battin gave his consent to the establish
ment of a mixed and surpliced vestry
choir in his church. Ten young men and
ten young women were selected and
trained, and for the young women ten
SUPPLIES and ten caps were bought, pre-
sumably out of that noble blanket
fund, the otlertory for parish ex-
penses. The new choristers were
about to appear in church, when
the rector received a telegram from his
Bishop, forbidding the capped and sur
pliced young women to enter the chan
Gel, or even to sit in the church unless
they took their things off.
Tho RiShnsN. 81 L. =
some length. He said that vestments
were for men, not for women. In the
street women might wear mems gar
ments, but not in church. He approved
of blending male and female voices, but
the women might not sit in the chancel.
If dressed i'll ordinary costumes, how
ever, they might sit in the front seats and
sing as members of the choir. The Bishop
drew the line distinctly between the
proper stations of men and of women, and
there was no mistaking his meaning. At
| first there was some disposition to rebel,
but it instantly gave way to prudential
obedience, and the young men OF Christ
Church now sit where they belong, in
the nave of the edifice, and wear women's
garments made according to the prevail
ing Jersey City fashions.
The craftineSs shown by these young
women in meekly obeylng the Bishops
noble order shows the ingenuity of mans
enemy, and the necessity of following
up the first attack with strategy as well as
force. The simulated acquiescence may
be calculated to disarm the righteous
avenger of man, and thus to avoid pre-
cipitatine battle all along the line. In
this city there are several churches where
this dangerous custom has gained foot
hold; where already women wear sur
plices and sit in the choir. Bishop Potter
should not refuse to heed the first note of
warning, even though it come out of Jer-
sey. Even though he has not taken the
initiative, he should not refuse to help in
this-man's dire extremity. And tine au-
thority of the church could be eXerted in
no wiser or nobler way than in carrying
the banner of this new crusade against so
subtle and so Unsuitable foe.-Harper 5
Weekly.