LADIES’ HATS IN CHURCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 905, 15 October 1910, Page 4

LADIES’ HATS IN CHURCH.

The innovation of ladies taking their hats off during a religious service was introduced at the Port Adelaide Congregational Church on a recent Sunday evening. On the previous Sunday, the pastor, Rev Lionel B. Fletcher, said that several people had stated that they had been unable to see him as they sat together in the pews, on account of the hats of the ladies. He added that he would be pleased if the ladies could make it a practice to remove their hats for the sermon in the evening, when the attendance was crowded. At the conclusion of Mr Fletcher’s remarks, one lady removed her head-gear, but none of the others followed her example. During the following week the matter was the subject of much discussion, and there was considerable curiosity as to whether the feminine adherents would respond to the invitation the following Sunday. Early in the service a few ladies unpinned their hats und took them off, and prior to the sermon others, up to about one-third of those present, acted similarly, A divided choir met the eye, the contralto portion being minus their hats, while the soprano sisters remained in full head dress. No reference to the question ot hats was made from the pulpit.