The Rector Complains
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The Rector Complains
EXTRACTS FROM THE BARWICK PARISH MAGAZINE.
Barwicker No.37 March 1995
July 1904.
"A practice has grown up in late years of throwing
things called 'confetti' at a newly married couple. Whether there
is any sensible meaning in it we do not pretend to know, but it is
a practice which must not be introduced into the precincts of the
Church. A great litter has at times been made in the Churchyard
in this way, and it is almost impossible to sweep up these little
paper discs, but on one occasion they have been thrown in the
Church itself. This cannot be allowed. Nothing at all must on any
account be thrown in the Church, and no 'confetti' in the
Churchyard. It would be most unpleasant to have to spoil the
gaiety of a wedding party by interfering to stop this, and it is
hoped that our parishioners will all recognise that it is one of
the things that must not be."
September 1905.
"It has in recent years become a practice
amongst men and women to go in public with their heads uncovered.
This may be from a mere passing fancy on the part of some, or a
following of fashion, or from an idea that it is healthy, and so
far it is at least harmless to other people. But there is a point
where it becomes wrong. Our Church is left open every day in the
year from morning until evening: we are glad that any people
passing through the village should be able to go in, and we believe
the fact that Barwick Church is always open is now well known and
well appreciated. But we must protest against hatless women
coming in. A man with his hat on would naturally be asked to
remove it or leave the Church, a woman without a hat must likewise
be asked to cover her head with a scarf or something, or leave the
church. It is as irreverent for a woman to enter God's House with
head uncovered as it is for a man to enter covered.
It may be thought that it is useless to write here what refers
only to people who do not live here and do not see these pages.
But it does not refer only to strangers passing through the
Village. From time to time one has seen women run into the Church,
when there has been a wedding or a funeral, without hat or bonnet,
and where it has been possible to do so quietly they have been
told of their error. There was a time when these offenders were
always uneducated, but now we see people whose attire in other
respects leads one to think them more or less educated. It must be
clearly understood that this is wrong, and, in future, a woman with
head uncovered in Church will be told of it as plainly as a man
who should be wearing his hat there."
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