The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-01
HArs on NO nArs.

m Ok& w hhA A 1s
 We have no disposition to butt in. but it strikes us that there is an un- necessary amount of space given to the Jersey City preacher who, has started anew the tirade against. women fin church without hats. He qaotes St. Ptui about women going "uncovered." l" and various other scripturai authorities to show that 1t was looked on as pro- fanation TOT woman to appear in church with uncoversd head On the ether side of the question we have The Richmond Times Dispatch putting it this way:
 But 1t Is nevertheless . strange thing to us that any preacher should discour- coming to church batiess The big hat is as much an obstruction in church as in places Of amusement In fact, more :s sST R .Ss sssitrs as sfs high hat in church often shuts off your view of the preacher, abstracts your attention. sometimes reminding one or an unpaid millinery. bill. and one vir- ginia editor Is frank enough to confess that he has upon occasion taken refuge ted sshind towsr srnSav Ss ornns ana snoose Taking all these things into considera- tion we are persuaded that the modern hat Is a form of worldly diversion ana should be excluded from all places or worship-if the women will only con- sent.
 Now. every good man and woman should reverence the example and teaching of St. Paul. To go further. we hold that if any religious denomination believes it is wrong for women to take off their hats In church those who at- tend the churches of that denomination should subscribe to its rules and act accordingly That we conceive to be right and proper, but we do not con- sider 1t out of place to argue the point a little.
 Paul, 1t must be borne in mind. lived and preached more than eighteen hum dreo years ago. Tn his day. and in the countries where his work was chiefly carried on. as in most Oriental countries to the present day, 1t was con- sidsred reprehensibie. if not posi- lively indecent, for women to go out in public without having their heads and faces closely yelled. If woman had gone into church or other public gathering without hat or veil the peo- pie would have been shocked, and doubtless she would have been put out in disgrace.
 But, looking at the other side of the question. we are very much of the opinion that if a woman had gone into a church where Paul was preaching wearing one of the gorgeous creations which many women now wear on their heads the good man would have been shocked beyond patience: and he would have denounced her in the plain 1an- gua2e he was so accustomed to use when exhorting or reproving his hear CTS.
 But If a woman have long hair. 1t is a glory to her." Paul said, and he evidently thought it wrong for her to exhibit that glory to the gaze of men. esp pscially in the place of worship. but do the modern hats hide the hair? It is no unfair criticism of a woman to say that she arranges her hair in the way that she thinks most becoming to her, and that she wears hat that will hide as little of her hair as possible. After all. cannot good woman be as genuinely pious and religious, and can she not show as much reverence for God and the church if she Is without a hat as she can with one? And are there not more weighty matters than hats in church? And. finally. if women will attend church with heads covered mo1estly and becomingly they will not cause any controversy or criticism. It is not that class of women who fo- ment discussion.