Church services-hats on-hats off?

[PvtEasley]

In seeking authenticity, anyone know proper 19th century etiquette for in the field church services? Should hats/caps be kept on, or removed for the whole service, or just removed for prayer? Thanks!
-John Easley

[Johnny Lloyd]

My grandmomma (83 years old and born in the Shenandoah Valley of VA) would have a hissy if she saw me with my hat on during ANY church service- indoors or out. We're Methodist. In our church, women didn't have to take their hats off, though- just the men.

I'd say take your hat off at any church service to be safe.

Of course, circumstances also might depend on if you are Jewish and attanding synagogue... LOL :rolleyes:

All the best -Johnny:wink_smil

[EVOC]

I agree with everything Johnny just said, but my understanding is that hats remained in place while men were under arms, including prayers. And they would be allowed to remain Methodists, like Johnny and yours truly.

[David Fox]

Believe the prior letters are correct: from when Oliver Cromwell was a pup men "under arms" were required to have their heads covered. "Under arms" is, and has been, a term of art. Obviously carrying issue small arms of any sort would pretty-much qualify by the very definition. However, wearing full accoutrement also qualifies. In my mid 1960s Army, the mere wearing of a pistol belt qualifed: drill instructors always were under arms...wearing that ever-present pistol belt. One suspects, however, that Civil War volunteers followed the dictates of their home congregations: some faiths and dissenter denominations required men to be covered during Holy Services. Most denominations held the opposite view. I'm minded of pictures of Federal Irish Catholics kneeling, uncovered, and receiving absolution before going in July 2nd at Gettysburg. On the Rebel side, there's the contemporary song "Stonewall Jackson's Way"..."Hats off!"....

[BishopLynch]

I'm minded of pictures of Federal Irish Catholics kneeling, uncovered, and receiving absolution before going in July 2nd at Gettysburg.

Im assuming that you are refering to artists depictions in paintings as we do not have any photographs of this particular event.

There are only two photgraphs that I know of that show Catholic field Masses. One is the famous Father Mooney and the 69th N.Y.S.V infantry and the other is of a Mass for the 9th Massachusettes Cavalry. In both of those photographs, the majority of the faithful are wearing hats. However, neither of these photos were taken during the actual Masses. They are most certainly taken after the Mass by looking at both the positions of the priests as well as some of their attire.
The faithful males would have head coverings removed, and females, if present, would, per tradition, have their heads covered during the actual ceremony.

[mtvernon]

My grandmomma (83 years old and born in the Shenandoah Valley of VA) would have a hissy if she saw me with my hat on during ANY church service- indoors or out. We're Methodist. In our church, women didn't have to take their hats off, though- just the men.

I'd say take your hat off at any church service to be safe.

Of course, circumstances also might depend on if you are Jewish and attanding synagogue... LOL :rolleyes:

All the best -Johnny:wink_smil

Pardon the aside, but a family story holds that my grandfather joined the Catholic Church rather than the Methodists because while attending a service at the latter he had his hat stolen.

[Robbie021006]

Quaker keep there hat's on for church service.

[ephraim_zook]

FWIW: This image purportedly shows soldiers of an Irish regiment at Mass. I can't find the original, but I think it came from the LOC collection. It may well have been posed before or after Mass, not while it was actually going on. And, of course it is out-of-doors.

http://rejmyzie.googlepages.com/cwmass.jpg/cwmass-full;init:.jpg

Ron Myzie

[KPavia]

I'm currently writing a research paper on WEB du Bois, and in his second autobiography, he actually states on page 88-
"But I grew up in this church and its Sunday School, and it was there that one of the lady members, looking down on a chubby little brown child walking beside his mother, saw me take off my hat. My rather stiff long curls were revealed, and with considerate kindness she said sweetly: "Little girls keep their hats on in church." (emphasis added by me)

The church he is referring to is the Congregational church in Massachusetts in the 1870's. Its reconstruction period but I doubt that the etiquette would have changed much after the civil war.

In this quote we see that at least boys were expected to remove their hats while girls were supposed to keep them on. I'd assume that men and women would act the same.

[Enfilade]

1st Corinthians 11:4 states, "Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head- it is just as though her head were shaved."

Just thought that in case you're wondering the subject has deep roots from Pauls' Epistles.

Mark Berrier
North State Rifles
http://www.northstaterifles.com