Life — July 14, 1898 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a medieval church window through which worshippers can view outdoor activities instead of attending services. The window shows cyclists, hikers, and other recreational figures enjoying themselves in pleasant weather visible beyond the glass. The caption "Consolatory" with the subtitle "For the Benefit of Able-Bodied Worshippers on Rainy Sundays" uses irony to mock people who skip church. The joke appears to be that even rain shouldn't tempt physically capable people away from worship—yet the elaborate window display of outdoor pursuits seems designed as a tempting alternative. This satirizes both the excuses people make to avoid church and perhaps the tension between religious obligation and leisure activities that characterized early 20th-century American life.