The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-09-25
HATS FOR WOMEN
IN CHURCH
The Rev. E. L. Stoddard Is
A Firm Believer in st.
Paul's Admonitions.
BARE HEADS OUT OF PLACE
SACRED EDIFIcE IS NOT ONE
IN WHICH UNCONVENTIONAL
POSES ARE PROPER.

attending church bareheaded the Rev. X.
l. Stoddard, rector of ST. Johns T. E.
| Church, has this to say in the .'Bulle-
TIM
1t has become quite the custom in this
4 country for girls and even ladies to go
about the streets freely with tile head un-
covered. In regard to this custom ii is
not our province TO speak even if We cared
1 to. But in some instances women, young
and old, have come to Church with no
covering on the head. Here we indeed
have something to say.
In the famous 7th chapter of 1st Corin-
! thians. st Paul very distinctly forbids
women to remain bare headed ia the
Church. OF course. l am aware that in
] this lively age We have many a hipI.ant
critic who would smile at any such com
mand of the great apostle and who would
/ say. That may have been well enough
j for the first century. but as regards us,
why Paul was a little behind the times.
We have outgrown that sort of thing
you know" This may be true, though
/ must confess that as far as my expe-
rienee goes | have not only found no one
who has outgrown st. Paul. but no one
Z who in greatness of thought. in breadth
of vision and in profound spiritual sa-
gacity begins to approach him. But even
if we had outgrown him in some respects,
have We done SO in the matter of bare
headed women in Church:
There are various reasons why in the
house and during the worship Of God,
women are to cover the head.
As St PauI saxs. because Of the an
gels. There was evidently belief at
that time. and The belief has been widely
iels ii many qusrtsrs since ma sagels
were present at the celebsaiien u the
ilolg Ccmnai.ion. Tic relation Vi an
gels TO God is represented in the Bible as
one of instant and loving obedience and
of profound and amazing reverence.
Anything like the spirit Of irreverence.
Independence abandon. or self g!orihca-
ton is utterly foreign TO the angelic char
| acter. What all this has TO do with wo-
| men going bareheaded in Church we shall
see in a moment.
=. ST. Paul goes on to base his COM
mand on certain statements which we
cannot fully understand. That IS. the
command is clear. but the reason is not
so plain. One reason. however and per-
s haps the chief one. is this. '.'Fhe glory
Of a woman is her hair. 1t has always
been considered one Of her great charms.
to its care she devotes much Of her time
| and upon it she relies for 4 part at least
of her attraction. Is it not evident that
the Church is not the place for the dis
play of this attraction Is it not Gear
that 20 come 10 Church with an elaborate
coifTufe is TO COME with something which
draws the attention Of men to the NO
man who IS 50 adorned
Is it not plain that this is not in har-
mony with the angelic spirit which we
have just described. We are used now
TO see in the streets and theatres women
with bare heads On the golf fed. on
the lake or river, in the mountain climb,
we are accustomed not only to bare
hao1s bnt hore a,n,e ,nd . e,anfroJ ,,aa
ligee not to say independent and maseu-
line manner. At bathing resorts we are
accustomed to womeE in various strange
sorts of deslabiile 1t is unqResfoned
that in all this woman attracts the at
ton and often the admiration of men.
But it is just this which She is not to do
IN church If | understand the apostle
right in the house Of her Saviour, woman
is to be supremelx modest. her charms
restrained. with none Of that abandon
with Which she swings along the field or
shore with Drowned arms and dishevelled
locks. There is TO be A distinction of
places and so Of manners.
But it may be asked il by excess of
dress on hy gaudy hats woman may
not 3lffdVl as iuucl dttcnli0ll 10 iteIst1l
as by bare arms or uncovered head In
doubtedly she may and the Bible has
very much to say about modesty in dress
in the House of God. Bnt the cases are
not exactly parallel. In the former case
the attention is drawn TO the clothing or
jeMelry. In the latter the attraction is
personal and physical, which is precisely
what st. Paul objects to. that is the dis
play Of any personal physical attfae-
tions in the Church
Once more. we all understand the
common expression. Take off your hat
and make yourself at home.8 Now in
the highest. truest sense. we are TO be
at home in our Fathers house. but not
at all in the sense in which one is asked
to take off ones hat and make yourself
at home.
Therefore on many grounds | imagine
that st Paul was wise and right and
feel sure that the eoI gfegatien Of ST.
johns will not need anlthing more than
this gentle hint.