The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-04-16
THE BIG HAT AGAIN.

Z
say that we attempted to make our
protest in mild way, Tor it was with
fear end trembling that We ventured
to offer the criticism at all. How
ever. the editor Of tle Western Chris
tan Advocate published at Cincinna-
ii, OHIO, does not seem TO fear the
wrath of the ladies and in lost weeks
issue of that influential and widely
read paper. we find tie following
under tie head THE NUISANCE OF
THE BIG HAT:
1--WE have a number of times pre-
viously referred in a semi-nmorous
vein to tie enormous Merry Widow"
hats worn by tie women in church
But this time we are in no mood for
jocularity and are almost religiously
mad. 1t quite frequently falls to our
lot to sit in the pews with ire con
gregation, and it is not at all con-
ducive to a pious and peaceful frome
of mind, such as one ought TO have
when trying to worship God, to sit
behind rows of Eats that spread teen
selves like green trees on big circus
tents land which are covered with
enough plumes to stock an ostric-
farm, enough birds and feathers to
supply a taxidenmist's shop, enouga
flowers to illustrate seed catalogue
or make a prosperous back@ganden.
They tower up and reach out and
weary tie eye, and induce nervous
ness and distract TIE thoughts and
obst.uct the view of tie preacher abb
solutey. They are positively aggra-
waiting, not to say maddening. One
feels like taking a stot at them with
a hymn-book and hunbling their lof-
ty pretentiousness and pride in tie
dust.
what are our Christian women
thinking of? Are tney such devotees
of fashion that they must needs haul
these unseemly, hideous, outlandisa
constructors to church with them
to make the devout grOan and tie
undevout almost swear? If they feel
that they must walk under sucn a pre-
posterous thatch when on the street
can't they, in mercy to their brother
mortals, have a more modest Sunday
go-to-meeting bonnet-a ceadgear a
l;ttro loo oro,,oap,tc c.rn 7, inn aCant oh
structive, impudent, assertive, loud,an
dominating? It's h2Gd enough To- get
people-especially men-to attend
church regularly ana in sufficient
numbers in these days and We don't
want anything that will discourage
their coming and make things more
difficult for the minister.
1T is cur solemn conviction that
this WHEN looks lik such a eIrivial
matter amounts almost TO an abso-
lutte moral offense and sin. Ought
not Christian women TO SLOW more
consideration for their fellow-worsllip
ers? Is there not something ike q
proper courtesy and decent regard
for tie opinions of others and their
convenience and comfort which ought
to influence our sisters in pelation to
this matter of complaint? Is not the
present practice a genuine imposition
not only upon good nature but
upon the rights and privileges
of those who gather in tie
house OF God? If the women must
don trese Korean flap-doodles, let
them remove them as soon as they
are seated in church; and If they ex-
cuse themselves by saying that there
is no place to put the objects, let the
trustees build a big addition to the
church. shack for a hat-room-with
enormous pegs and stacks to accom-
modate these latest absurdities and
atrocities of the milliner's art that
are so effectively aiding and abetting
the work of the devil.
''There-we've said IT. and now we
feel better. We don't advocate a
new Observation-Disclosures Society
in our church with a General Confer
ence secretary, for we have hope that
tie women will soon have grace and
common sense enough TO take the
rats out of their top-loftical buncnes
of hair and to shed those Merry Wild
ow and 'chopping1bowl' lids and give
item long rest, particularly on Sun
day."