p. 2 | Simplicity of Dress

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 2, 1916

Simplicity of Dress

IN the early days of its history the Methodist Church was noted for simplicity of dress. This no doubt was due to the earnest convictions of some of the founders of this church. In a paper contemporary with John Wesley, according to a recent number of the Christian Advocate, there is found this item of news relating to services conducted by Mr. Wesley:—

“The first quarter of an hour of his sermon was addressed to his numerous female auditory on the absurdity of the enormous dressing of their heads; and his religious labors have so much converted the women who attended at that place of worship that widows, wives, and young ladies appeared on Sabbath without curls, without flying caps, and without feathers; and our correspondent further says the female sex never made a more pleasing appearance.”

It is to be regretted that there has been such a wide departure from this old-time simplicity in the church of Wesley. The line of demarcation between the professed Christian and the worldling is not very clearly drawn at the present time; and in proportion to the departure of the great Christian churches from their old-time simplicity, has been their loss of power in spiritual things. Our safety as Seventh-day Adventists is in maintaining simplicity of faith and of Christian living. The great drift toward worldliness which we see in other denominations constitutes a temptation and a menace to members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Let us seek to safeguard our churches and our own lives against the influences of these disintegrating worldly elements.