Hats Or Head Coverings For Ladies

Hats Or Head Coverings For Ladies

Trouble was on its way in the form of religious oppression. On Sunday morning in 1983 I took to church a friend of mine’s daughter. This was the daughter of Dick Holmes who I use to work with as an aerial rigger. She had been through a divorce and was having a difficult time. I suggested she came with me to church, as she needed help from God.

She was dressed in tight black slacks and a short top, which showed all her figure. She had long peroxide blond hair and her face was made up. This mode of dress was a striking contrast to the elderly ladies who dressed very modestly with very little make up on and all ware hats to cover their heads in church.

Unfortunately this was too much for Mrs. Evered who came up to me after the service (I call it a meeting because the meetings of the New Testament churches were not called services) and she said to me the next time I bring a female to chapel I should tell her to wear a hat.

Mrs. Evered said that all Gospel Standard Churches insisted women cover their heads and so should we.

I responded to that by saying, “ what ever others do that was their concern they were wrong if they enforced the covering of the head upon a none church member and women visitor having no profession of the Christian faith.”

I said she must raise this issue at our church meeting.

This spirit of legalism naturally took me back. Here was a young woman in sever distress needing the mercy and love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ and all Mrs. Evered seemed to be concerned with was the wearing of a Hat.

I knew the principle of a believing women dressing modestly and being in subjection to her own husband and covering her head in worship. I also knew the principle of the woman not exercising authority over the man or teaching a man but this action of Mrs Evered to use the phrase, “took the biscuit”.

I was a man and was being instructed by a woman, Mrs Evered, to order or insist a visiting unbelieving female to wear a hat in order to uphold the principle that it was a shame for a woman to worship God without a head covering.

This covering according to the scripture was to show the angels she was in subjection to the man and not usurping authority over him.

Mrs. Evered missed the whole point of the gospel and in her religious zeal to maintaining an outward form of religion transgressed the rule she