A CHURCH EPISODE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1924, Page 3

A CHURCH EPISODE.

STRICT enforcement. HEAD COVERING OF WOMEN. AUCKLAND, October 3. \ ladv signing herself “Corinthian”, writing to the ‘'Herald'’ says: “Last evening I went with a friend to .St. \i,lan's ( lunch. Bemiiera. On entering we qtlietly sat down near the hack. We had not been sea toil live minutes when the clergyman left his seat in the ehaurel. made straight for us and commanded me to lift the wrap I was wearing a.n:l envelop my head in it. I asked the reason why. hat could getno satisfaction, and was again told to lilt niv wrap. 1 mentioned that the ladies at St. .Matthew's Church wore no hats during the mission, hut the clergyman apparently took no notice and waited for me to obey him. This I did. but. immediately I had to remove the wiap. telling him that it was too hot. 1 asked my friend if she would lend me her veil, and the clergyman then returned to the chancel. Bill lo! her veil would not come olf, so what was to he done? I had to think quickly for the clergyman was watching me. and I was not anxious for him to pounce upon me again.'Suddenly I had an inspiration. Jn my hag wa.s a little folded clean handkerchief and the clergyman was quite satisfied when I dabbed it on top of my head, and sat for the remainder of the service trying to balance it there, ieeling. as I was certainly looking, utterly ridiculous.”

The correspondent suggested that the vicar’s demand that her head should remain covered wa.s unnecessary formulism. ••Corinthian’s" letter was referred to the Rev. John Wilkinson, vicar of St. Aidan's Church, who said if wa.s a correct; statement of the Jacl.s, but it seemed lo give a wrong idling to the iiie.ide.'iil. “The invasion.” ho said, “was not an ordinaiy chunk service, Tail an evening wedding, and the lady concerned came in while we were waiting for the bridal couple to appear. Seeing she had no head covering I went to her and asked her to cover her head as sliu was ill church. She replied. ‘Oh, you don’t have to cover your head iii church.’ T told her it was always done, and she said, ‘They did not do it al St. .Matthew's during the mission.’ I replied tliaL it wa.s the custom of the C ’-h ll l',-h, and requested her to cover her head with a

.scarf she carried. She did so. but immediately removed it and dually, as she stated in her letter, used a small handkerchief for the purpose. ‘Corinthian' may have been under a misapprehension, but the ruling of the Cl,in" his strict, and until the lady in question a): pen red in Church halloss I have never found it necessary to remind any women in my congregation of this ancient Church custom." The Point raised with regard to the .spiritual mission services last year was referred to the vicar of St AlalthcwY the Rev. C. H. Grand Cawen. who raid that women removed their hats only as they went up to receive the laying on of hands, replacing them immediately nfterv.a'Ms. Thcv did net nit in t I,nr,-h hatlc-s. lie had ((inducted many evening weddings, but never li.u he had to take except ion to any lireaeh of this ('.bureh eiislom. As a matter of Christian reverence every woman was expected to (onlonii to this ancient rule. and he would strongly object to any woman coining to any servile with he, head uncovered. Si long as even the thinnest veil w;,s worn the object of covering was served. The custom was one founded by St. Paul, and the Church still held to it closely, irrespective of changing moods or lashioiis.

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