Conversations on Important Subjects No. 8 by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 28, 1868

CONVERSATIONS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS. NO. 8.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

(Continued.)

Sr. F. If you have got through with that subject, I should like to ask some questions about the ‘dress reform. It has troubled my mind some, and I want to know and do what is right. The greatest objection that I find to the reform dress, is what the Lord said, that women should not wear that which pertaineth to man.

Min. What objection is that to the reform dress?

Sr. F. Why, in putting on the pants, it seems like imitating a man’s dress.

Min. Let us read what you refer to. Deut. xxii, 5. “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man. Neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Manifestly by this the Lord designs to prohibit men and women from dressing alike, so that the sex could not be discerned apart; otherwise it would give great occasion for sin and corruption. There should be distinction enough between the male and female, so that they can be readily distinguished. This appears to me to be the meaning of the text.

Sr. F. Yes, I should think that that was so. But does not the reform dress serve to obliterate that distinction in some degree? The pants are something like man’s dress.

Min. Perhaps there may be a slight similarity in that respect, but taking the dress complete, there is

no more liability to mistake a woman for a man with the reform dress on than there is with any other dress. Is not this so?

Sr. F. Oh! yes, I don’t know but it is so, but still we should not wear that which pertaineth to a man in any respect.

Min. Very well, men wear shoes and stockings, and gloves, mittens, collars, hats, &c.; hence if your argument is good, women should not wear these.

Sr. F. But those which we wear are not just like those which the men wear. They can be readily told apart.

Min. Just so, Sr. F., with regard to the pants. There is not similarity enough to confound the two.

Sr. G. After looking the question over thoroughly, I am satisfied that there is no objection in this.

Sr. F. Well, I don’t know but I am. Others use it as an objection, and so I would like to know how to answer it. But is there any scripture to favor the reform dress?

Min. Yes, I think there is. Paul says, in I Tim. ii, 9, “In like manner, also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” Now I take the position that the reform dress is the only modest dress that is now worn by women. It is perfectly modest in every respect. It is neither vulgar nor indecent, but it protects the form from all chance of exposure.

Sr. F. But people laugh and make fun of it, and say bad things about it.

Min. Yes, I know the vulgar crowd do, and the more modest you dress the more they will deride you. They are corrupt and indecent themselves, and cannot bear that others should be otherwise. Do you think that hoops and the modern style of dress in general are modest?

Sr. F. No, I do not. I know that it is shameful to see how women do dress now-a-days. It seems as though they had lost all sense of modesty and propriety.

Min. But people do not laugh at them. So you see they prefer the immodest and ridiculous, to the modest and proper. Such a taste we should not respect nor gratify.

Sr. G. Is there not a prophecy somewhere, concerning these things?

Bro. D. Yes. You will find it in Isa. iii, 16–20.

Min. Yes, and this relates to the last days too, as you will see by the connection. Let us read it. “Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion [i. e. women who profess to be Christians] are haughty [i. e. proud], and walk with stretched forth necks [this, I think, refers to the high and haughty manner of holding up the head, thus giving them the appearance exactly of having ‘stretched forth necks;’] and wanton eyes [i. e. bold, immodest, unblushing. Women used to have a covering over their faces, but now they seem to delight in exposing their faces to view as much as possible], walking and mincing as they go [the margin reads, tripping nicely; i. e. delicately. This mode of walking is of late invention], and making a tinkling with their feet [in Paris it is said that women are wearing, in the place of the balls worn on the shoes, ornaments that tinkle as they walk, something like little bells], therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts.”

Bro. D. It seems to me that this must refer to the first plague that will be poured upon the wicked. Rev. xvi, 2. “And there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast,” &c.

Bro. E. I think that is so. They seem to be very similar, at any rate.

Min. “In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls [marginal reading, network], and their round tires like the moon, the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, [margin, spangled ornaments. There are plenty of those now in use], the bonnets”—

Sr. C. I wonder then if it is not right to wear bonnets? What would you have us wear? Or wouldn’t you have us wear any thing?

Min. Oh! yes, it is right to wear bonnets if you only have the right kind. Until within a short time I could see no reason why bonnets should be condemned, but now it is very manifest why they are mentioned. The things that are now called bonnets are a disgrace to any modest woman.

Sr. F. We all agree with you in that. They are a living shame to the female sex.

Min. I continue to read: “the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs [this also has been lately fulfilled], and the headbands [this perhaps refers to the numerous ribbons used in tying up the hair], and the tablets, and the ear-rings, the rings, and nose-jewels [the Douay Bible says, jewels hanging on the forehead. This is seen in the spangled ornaments with which they adorn their foreheads], the changeable suits of apparel [i. e. the great number of dresses worn by ladies in the high circles of society. It is considered, by such, a disgrace to be seen twice with the same dress on], and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins [which are used very extensively], the glasses [the Douay Bible translates it, looking glasses. These the young ladies use more than their Bibles, and worship more than they worship God], and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.” This ends the list.

Bro. D. I should think that it ought to end it.

Bro. E. I think the prophet has given a very faithful description of the modern style of dressing.

Min. This was written for the benefit of God’s people, that they should beware and not indulge in any of this foolishness and immodesty.

Sr. G. I hope that God will preserve his people from these things.

Bro. D. That is just what he designs to do by introducing the dress reform, I believe.

Sr. F. I am inclined to think that this is so, and for my part I have no objection to the reform dress.

Min. Then put it right on, and set an example for others to follow.

Sr. G. Yes, come Sr. F., let us take hold of this matter together.

Sr. C. I don’t think it is best to be in a hurry about such things. You should look before you leap.

Min. That is just what we are doing, Sr. C., looking ahead and preparing for the storm that is coming; and we hope that you will be wise and be ready also, for in such a day as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.