The evening times., 1899-11-04
HER HAT NOT GAUDY.
A Piece of Millinery That Caused
Miss Oilers Expulsion.

J
A Piece of Millinery That Caused
Miss Oilers Expulsion.
WAYNESBORO, Pa, Nov. 4.-The little
piece Of headgear that has been the cause
of the expulsion of its wearer, Miss May
Oller from the German Baptist-the Dunk
ard-Church of this place, is not a Partisan
creation. marveiously concocted Of ribbon
and lace, feathers. and foolishness.
I 1t is not trimmed with frivolous butter
fly bows or useless tulle or extravagant
velvet. The Audubon Society could not
get up case against it. 1t is not decorated
with sweeping piumes, with "manufactur-
ed birds. or with aigrettes cruelty torn
! from the living bird. There is nothing
about it to arouse the envy of any woman
/ who has a fondness for pretty bonnets.
| 1t is neither a Spanish toque nor an Eng
I lish walking hat, nor fetching little En-
pire hat. nor anything that is strictly up
to date. 1t is nothing but a little white
straw sailor hat-iust the ordinary kind
CT sailor. not sailor with a jaunty air.
1 with a dent in the crown, with the front
turned down and the back turned up and
sporty long quill on the side. but a
i perfectly plain, straight-brimmed sailor
hat, trimmed with perfectly plain band
OF black ribbon.
A more unobtrusive piece OF millinery
could net be found. and yet. because she
has worn this hat since last spring, in
stead Of the prim little bonnet which the
majority CT the women OF the German Bap-
tist Church wear. Miss Oilers name has
been dropped from the membership list of
the local church.
Whether or not Miss Oilers case will be
treated as test one and carried to the
highest tribunal Of the church, the annual
meeting of the denomination, which will
be held in Indiana next spring, has not
been decided. The next higher tribunal to
the local church council, which decided
against Miss Oller, is the district council,
composed of delegates from several local
councils. The annual meeting, as the high
est council is called is composed OF dele
gates from both district and local councils,
and matters not definitely settled by the
district councils are carried there for final
settlement.
If the case is carried even SO far as the
district council it will have to be done by
those who have decided against Miss Olier.
Miss Oller and these who took her part
have accepted The decision of the council
which withdraws from her the privileges
Of membership. but invites her TO continue
in her attendance at the services.
TIE prominence of Miss Oilers family,
the church here, have attracted much at
teE;ion to the occurrence. Bishop Jacob
F. Oller. her father. who died about three
years ago was the founder of the Waynes-
boro church, which now has a membership
OF 400 or 500. Miss Oler has been promi-
nent in Sunday school and in missionary
circles connected with the church. While
her action In wearing the hat was cen
sured at the meeting of the church council.
nnfh htnO oh h., hrn a ncf
her. and the highest commendation was
given Of her work in the church.
Several cases were brought up for disci-
pline at the same time that Miss Oilers
was discussed, and Miss Mamie Ripple, an
other member of the church. was expelled
at the same time and for the same offence
The other members who had been seen Oh
the streets wearing obnoxious hats instead
Of curtaiusd bonnets were granted, at their
request, a longer time in which to decide
whether they would return TO the bonnet or
not.
Miss Oilers friends are displessed at the
fact that an extension of time was granted
to the Others but was not granted to her
even though she had asked for it. One of
ner friends said at the meeting of the coun-
Gil that by wearing a plain hat she was
obeying the scriptural commands just as
surely as she would be doing If she wore
the bonnst. She said that it would be i'm
possible for anybody TO point out any pas
sage in Scripture that said definitely that
a bonnet should be worn in preference
to hat.
Ths supporters of Miss oller took the
position that the same freedom of choice il
questions pertaining to headgear should be
allowed the women of the local church
which is granted to the women OF several
churches in and near Philadelphia. Many
of the women of these churches have never
worn the bonnet. and the annual meeting
has seen fit TO ignore their non observance
of the custom.
Miss oller was not present at the meeting
of the council. but was visiting friends in
Philadelphia. She returned to her home
here Thursday.
j. J. and Jesse r. Oller, who upheld their
sisters action before the church council,
are both connected with the management Of
the Geiser Company, which has extensive
works here.