Dress : a Conversation by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 18, 1871

Dress : a Conversation.

By John Norton Loughborough

MRS. A. Well, elder, I declare it is almost discouraging for persons to be picked at, and have so many stories told about them as they tell about me.

ELDER. Indeed, what is the trouble now? I am not posted in regard to the stories, and think we all have about all we can do to build over against our own house, without spending too much time in watching our neighbors. You are aware that I oppose backbiting, and claim if we see a wrong in a brother, our duty is to go to him in a proper spirit and tell him his fault to his face.

MRS. A. Well, somebody has started the story that I “went to Mr. ——'s to a dinner party on the Sabbath, dressed in the gayest manner possible.” Now, the facts are, I never went to a party to Mr. ——'s house, and I never went to his house on the Sabbath. I went there one Sunday to dinner, with my son and his wife, by invitation, and I don't think people need to find fault with that.

ELDER. Probably this can all be explained in this wise, sister: You know some people call Sunday the Sabbath. It might have been casually mentioned, at first, that you were at Mr. ——'s to dinner on the Sabbath, meaning Sunday. Others may have heard of it, and supposed it was on the seventh-day Sabbath, the day you profess to keep. We want to look upon all with all the allowance possible, and not think they are designing to injure us unless we have direct evidence to that effect.

MRS. A. Well, I have not so much charity, perhaps, as I ought to have, and I think it is a small matter any way to be noticing people's dress. I am sure I have not purchased any new dresses lately. My clothing is all old, and as for my gold chain, brooch, and cuff-buttons, I wear them when I go out into company; and it is necessary to do so, when you move in respectable circles.

ELDER. Well, sister, Christ is presented as our pattern, and we are admonished to learn of him; and there would be an amazing contrast between the silks, satins, and gold jewels of some, and the plain vesture of Christ.

MRS. A. I think it's small business to descend to notice such things, and I confess I do not want to associate with people who pick flaws with such little things. People that move in the circles I do, must dress according to those they associate with, or they will have no influence.

ELDER. I have always supposed that to be a Christian was to be like Christ, and we are admonished not only to have the mind that was in Christ, but he is given as a pattern, that “we should walk in his steps.” I should think it would be our duty to follow him, and go with the humble ones who are trying to imitate him, instead of dishonoring our profession for the sake of securing influence in what is called by men high circles. We should remember that what is “highly esteemed among men” may, after all, be “abomination in the sight of God.”

MRS. A. Well, my brooch and sleeve-buttons are useful articles, and I could not get along without wearing them.

ELDER. Let us see, you wear your brooch to fasten your collar. A jet, or vulcanized rubber pin, costing twenty-five cents, would keep your collar to its place, and look much more neat, plain, and tasty, than a cameo two by three inches, set on a gold plate, costing twenty-five or thirty dollars. Your gold cuff-buttons one inch in diameter are worth from ten to fifteen dollars. Your cuffs could be secured with nice jet buttons not costing over twenty-five cents.

MRS. A. I don't care anything about them. I'd just as willingly wear an old rag or piece of pewter as my brooch, so far as my own feelings are concerned, but then we are responsible for the influence we exert upon others.

ELDER. That is true; and you would not wear pewter or an old rag, for that would not be neat or tasty. I am glad you feel responsible for the influence you exert upon others. But, sister, have we any right to take a course to influence others contrary to the express teachings of the Bible?

MRS. A. If your people should all dress in that plain manner, you could never gain influence over such persons as Mr. —— and ——. You ought to think it an honor to have people come in among you that move in such high circles.

ELDER. Well, I do not know as it helps the cause any to have persons espouse it that feel above the simplicity of the truth. And as for these men you mention, with all their avaricious, over-reaching disposition, and pride, what could we do with them? What help would they be to us? God is not so straitened for means as to have the standard of truth lowered to gain them. I say here, that unless such men can come down to the simplicity of the gospel, I would rather they would not come among us, for it is no benefit to them, or to the cause of God.

MRS. A. I have thought your preaching would have a better influence if you did not say anything about dress. Preach the great and glorious truths, and let these little things alone.

ELDER. Well, sister, what should I better do? “Preach the word,” as Paul admonished Timothy? Or cripple the truth, and come down to pander to the follies of the age? How can I do otherwise than proclaim against these things, when Paul says for women to “adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.”

MRS. A. That is only Paul's opinion. You know there were some things which he said were only his opinion.

ELDER. Paul says, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” Wherever he has said anything that was not the commandment of the Lord, he has taken express pains to tell us so. Peter also speaks on this matter in a similar manner to what Paul does.

MRS. A. I was not aware that Peter said anything about it.

ELDER. Oh, yes! Peter says: “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. 1 Pet. 3:3.”

MRS. A. Well, they did not mean we should not wear any gold, but that we should not go to excess and pride in these things. I don't think, actually, that the Lord cares what we wear, if we don't have our affections on it. I do not believe in going to excess in this thing. I never did care anything about finger-rings, and could see no use in them.

ELDER. Why was it not just as easy for Peter and Paul to say, Don't have your affections on your dress, as to say in plain terms, not to “put on” or “wear” gold. You are aware that when people pattern after another, the tendency is for each person to go a little farther than his pattern. For instance, if you wear those articles you are pleading for, the next one might plead for four or five finger-rings; and the next one, for a bracelet; and so on, without limit. Now you say these texts condemn extremes in jewels and dress; and, as you question the manner in which I apply them, won't you be so kind as to tell me where to lay down a line of distinction, so that, in instructing the people, they may know what is excess in jewels.

MRS. A. Well, don't say anything about it at all, let every one's conscience be the guide in these matters.

ELDER. But, sister, you are aware that conscience is the result of instruction. To have a good conscience, the mind must be properly instructed. The poor Hindoo mother who throws her child into the jaws of the crocodile, is prompted to it by her conscience; she is instructed that he is the river god, and that his open jaws are an invitation to her to give her child to her god. Our minds should be instructed by the Bible, and our conscience be such that we should “tremble at” the Lord's word. We should not seek to please ourselves, and bring God's word to our terms.

MRS. A. I think it is descending to small particulars to pay any attention to such things, and in dress I think every one should be left to do as they please.

ELDER. Well, sister, it would be a strange way to train children, to let them always do as they please. Christians are admonished as “new-born babes to receive the sincere milk of the word,” that they “may grow thereby.” How else shall we make progress than by being admonished of our errors, submitting to the Lord's word, and putting away our sins?

MRS. A. Well, it will only bring the frown of other denominations upon us to be so particular.

ELDER. But, are you not aware that the Methodists in their discipline protest against wearing gold, and refer to these testimonies in Timothy and Peter to enforce their position? If they fail to live up to their discipline, that is no reason why we should fail to live up to the Bible. On this coast, where there is such a tendency with the masses to go into excess in dress and pleasure-seeking, I think it is important for those who would have the Lord's favor, and “shine as lights in the world,” to carefully seek in all things to comply with his word.

MRS. A. Well, I had thought of being baptized and uniting with the church, but I do not wish to connect myself with a people who are going to watch me all the time. I presume I can find somebody who will baptize me. As for organization, I am suspicious of it.

ELDER. I presume, sister, there are many who will take in members, and let them do about as they please, if they keep up a form of religion; but the question is, whether such things are going to stand the test of the Judgment. It seems to me it is the proper way to learn all our wrongs here, and put them away, that we may be prepared for the Judgment. I should not wish to belong to a church that watched me to pick flaws with my endeavors to do right. But if they watched over me for good, and meekly tried to instruct me in the right way, above all people, I should consider them my best friends.

MRS. A. Well, I must be going. Good day. ELDER. Sister, do not decide these matters hastily. Pray over them carefully; consider us as your friends.

The above is the substance of a conversation which occurred in this county between myself and a sister who had begun to keep the Sabbath, but did not see fit to give up the world. I give it in this form trusting it may lead some one to serious thought on the matter of dress, if they are inclined to “pride of life” and “lust of the eyes.”

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.