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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 11, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 2.

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Our Adornments

By CLARENCE SANTEE

CLARENCE SANTEE
There are many teachers in these days who realize that the churches have departed far from God’s plan in their attire, yet who do not dare to teach the plain instruction given in the Scriptures, for fear of losing their prestige and influence with the large class who love to pattern after the world in their adornment.
This should not be the case with any Seventh-day Adventist. Believing as we do, that all—men, women, youth, and children who have reached the years of accountability—will very soon pass the most solemn test that can come to man, the judgment, a test based upon implicit obedience to God’s commands, we should with fearless constancy proclaim the truths of God’s Word to every judgment-bound soul.
There are many who earnestly desire to know the instruction God has given, yet who have not been instructed. The Lord has laid this work upon the ministry. “When a church has been raised up and left uninstructed on these points, the minister has neglected his duty, and will have to give an account to God for the impressions he allowed to prevail.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. V, page 500. That the world is gaining many victories among the soldiers of Christ, is apparent to all.
God has called upon all to forsake the man of sin, and let him die. He says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom. 6:6.
To those who unite with Christ, he has given definite instruction to leave behind all that pertained to the former relationship. In every age he has spoken in no uncertain tones, yet men have been dull of hearing. Addressing his people in the days of Moses, he said, in speaking of the idols of the heathen: “Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. . . . Thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” Deut. 7:25, 26. This does not refer to the proper use of silver and gold, but to that “that is on them.” This instruction seems plain. In the days of Ezekiel he said: “A voice of a multitude being at ease [lukewarm] was with her [the church]: and with the men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.” Eze. 23:42. Isaiah says, “They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.” Isa. 29:9. In verse 45 of chapter 23 Ezekiel says they shall be judged as “adulteresses.” That is, as lovers of the world. James 4:4.
In Paul’s day God said, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broiled hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” 1 Tim. 2:9. Or, as given in the “Emphatic Diaglott,” “In like manner, the women also, in becoming attire, with modesty and soberness of mind, not decorating themselves with wreaths, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothing.”
Through Peter God said, “And adorn not yourselves with the external ornaments of curls of the hair, or of golden trinkets, or of costly garments.” 1 Peter 3:3, Syriac translation. King James Version reads: “wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel.”
Speaking of our own day, the judgment period, Inspiration says: “The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people.” Isa. 3:13, 14. This evidently refers to the same period spoken of in Eze. 9:4-6, the time of the judgment. Reading further in Isaiah 3: “Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion [the church] are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks.” The last of verse 16 is rendered by the Septuagint Version, “drawing their garments in trains.” “In that day the Lord will take away . . . the chains, and the bracelets, . . . the tablets, and the earrings, the rings.” Verses 18-21. I have left out some of the things that are mentioned, so that special attention might be centered upon these. “The chains,” whether of beads, gold, or other material, will not be desired.
The Septuagint, the oldest-known version of the Scriptures, renders verses 20-22 as follows: “And the array of glorious ornaments, and the armlets, and the bracelets, and the wreathed work, and the finger-rings, and the ornaments for the right hand, and the earrings, . . . and the Spartan transparent dresses.”
The “armlet” is defined as “a small, or short arm.” Can the prophet add more? Look at the array God will find among his people when he comes to them in judgment. Decked with “silver” and “gold;” lukewarm; “drunken” with the world; wearing “bracelets,” “crowns;” staggering in their Christian experience; “haughty;” with “stretched-forth necks;” drawing their garments in trains; with “chains,”—beads, gold, silver, and other materials,—“glorious ornaments;” “armlets,”—small, or short arms, or sleeves; “finger-rings;” “earrings;” and “transparent dresses.”
With all these evidences of a lack of appreciation of the solemn events now taking place in heaven, the Lord still waits. He has delayed the judgment because we were not ready. He is “not slack . . . as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish.” 2 Peter 3:9. He said to Israel when they came to the turning-point in their experience, “I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.” Ex. 33:5.
A parallel is found to this in Rev. 3:15-18. As truly as Israel faced a crisis, so God’s people face the last decision to-day. The blessing can come only to those who heed the counsel of God. The tide is sweeping outward more rapidly than ever tide rolled out from ocean shore, and human strength is of no avail. The church has not been commissioned to prepare a list of articles of apparel. But God has promised to remove the desire for unnecessary adornment when the heart has been willingly submitted to him and he comes in and reigns. This results from hearing the voice saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
Some one will say, “I do not believe the Lord is so particular. It does not matter how I dress, just so my heart is right.” Truly if the heart is right, all is well. But how can you know that your heart is right? It is never right as long as it would evade or ignore one of the counsels of God. Willing obedience, loving what God loves, and hating what he hates, is true safety.
Loma Linda, Cal.