Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-23
Extravaganza in Dress.

such proportions of late as to call forth protests
from both pulpit and pew. 1t is singular fact
that this season of all others when the closing
of factories and workshops will throw so many
people out of employment happens to be the
period of the most lavish expenditure of money
ever known in our country 1t is ominously remin-
iscent of those days preceding the French reyolu-
ton.
From the pulpit comes the protest, not only
from Christians standpoint that the money thus
foolishly expended could be used to much better
purpose, but also that it is disracing to the con
gregation: particularly in these days, when hat,
in order to command the price, one hundred dol
lars so, must be made as large as cartwheel,
and covered with dozen more plumes, shutting
out wholly the view of the preacher since the
custom has not yet obtained in churches as in
theaters of doffng the bonnet. This rule If made
could not be enforced in churches, since the
women have st. Paul for authority, that a woman
must not appear with uncovered head in Church
Men do not wear clothing calculated to attract
attention: it is the women. Ii reform IN tnlS
particular offense comes, it must come from the
women Where are the daughters of the king?
Can they do nothing? Can they not urge the adop
ton of some particular style OF dress such as
that advocated some twenty-five years ago,-when
fashion running riot in the matter OF hats
by the Rev. Charles F. Deems of New York, who
made no suggestion as to the form or dress SUIT
able to church goers, but described most attractive
ly his dream of congregation of worshippers
decorously and suitably CARRIED. He says:
81 was in a sacred building. There was
nothing to arrest fix the attention There
were no figures in the stained glass; no IN
scrpton on wall ceiling, in aisle or nave
or chancel or apse; no triangle, nor crozier nor
cup, nor palen nor dove, nor lamb nor mo jgram-
The light neither gloomy nor glanhg' put
soothing. The air was perfectly pure WITHOUT pe-
ing either two cold too warm. The house was
full of men, women and children. The men ali
wore capes which covered their shoulds.s com
petely so that that all their dress visible TO
the naked eye. OF the same soft stuff the color
of which was a warm neutral tint, were the wells
worn by all the women. These Vells Tell only 10
the waist so that they did not incommode the
women in moving about, while in sitting posture
They were all alike in cut and color and quality.
and all pinned on their heads with the same klnd
of pins and fell in the same folds and drapery-
Looking from the rear of the editce one could not
fell which of the women were rich, which poor,
which pretty, which homely which DID, which
young The clergyman wore plain cassock The
altar was the pulpit, behind which he stood while
reading the Holy Scriptures, beside winch ne
neeled while leading the service of prayer and in
front of which he stood while preaching the ever
lasting Gospel And he did not part his hair in the
middle or have anything else even in the way OF
glasses which you would remember when you came
AWAY portion of the service was silent prayer,
and the stiffness of those moments sunk through
YOUR soul like a precipitate and dropped all its
cares.
I'm almost all the prayer the whole congregation
joined and the close of those oHered by the pastor
were accentuated by full, rich, warm, nearly
prolonged Amen After silent prayer no one rose
or spoke for the space OF minutes ana Ihen llle
pastor arose and went down the aisle 10 Iie uool'
and the women threw their wells over their races
and the men folded their hands over their Dreasts
and all bowed they passed their minister VINO
with lifted hands and eyes SAID Inc Loru VINO
hath blessed your coming ill., bless also your going
out The Lord forgive the sins of your holy things
and grant unto you the joys OF HIS salvatlon' Inc
Lord go with you and bless you ana cause tne
light of His countenance to shine upon you tnat
His way may be known upon earln anu HIS saNlhS
health among nations