MERE PREJUDICE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 639, 31 January 1914, Page 2

MERE PREJUDICE.

Before beginning his morning service Rev. Avery Goodsir stepped to the side of the pulpit, rested his forearm and elbow on the top, clasped his hands, and looked slowly over the congregation. "My friends," he said, "you will pardon an old-fashioned man for ma ing what may seem to be a strange request. I have never asked the women of this church to remove their hats or bonnets when attending service here, having been inclined heretofore to agree with the Apostle Paul, whose views on that subject you will find recorded in the 11th chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians. But from such knowledge as has filtered down to us, through tradition and otherwise I am satisfied that the women of Paul's day did not wear the two and three story ' creations ' of marvellous design and architecture that seem so prevalent, this spring, and his opinions in that particular, therefore, have no binding effect as regards the spring styles of 1909. Looking at the matter in that light I shall request the ladies present this morning to remove their hats. They obstruct the view of those persons who are sitting behind them, and thus interfere with the service." Here the good pastor paused. The great majority of his feminine auditors complied with his request. But he was not quite satisfied. "I shall have to ask the ladies in the rear seats to remove theirs also," he said. '''While it is true that they do not obstruct anybody's view of the preacher, it is equally true that the preacher cannot help seeing them, as they are all the more conspicuous because of —but I see yot Are taking them off. Thank you, Bisters."

Stepping back to the centre of the pulpit he gave out his text and began to preach as if nothing unusual had happened.—"Chicago Tribune."