Personal Ornamentation by O. A. Johnson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1916

Personal Ornamentation

By O. A. Johnson

O. A. JOHNSON

Ever since the fall of man there have been two classes in the world. One class have always tried to be loyal to God, and have sought to live in harmony with his revealed will. True humility has ever characterized these people, both in deportment and in dress. The other class have stood under the leadership of the “prince of this world.” They have been influenced by his spirit in the development of character; selfishness and self-gratification have been principal traits in their character. In this respect they resemble their master, who was banished from heaven on account of selfishness. Eze. 28:17; Isa. 14:12-14.

It is evident that every habit or custom must have had a beginning. Every custom originating under the direction of God must of necessity be good and right, while every habit or custom coming to us from the people who have stood under the leadership of the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), may justly be questioned; and should such practices be reproved by the Lord, then, of course, it would be wrong to continue them. The fact that even some of God’s professed people may have adopted habits or customs coming to us from the heathen, will justify no one in following their example. God’s Word must be obeyed, and everything removed that is not in harmony with it.

Ornamentation

The adornment of the person with various kinds of jewelry, and the head covering with flowers, plumes, etc., now almost universal, had a beginning; but that beginning was not with the people of God. It had its origin in heathenism, among the children of this world. The following brief extracts from reliable sources will establish that fact:—

“Fashions, however, varied. . . . Both sexes blackened the brows and lids of the eyes with kohl or stibium; cosmetics for the skin, and pastils for the breath, were used; the nails were dyed with henna; and crowns of flowers wound around the hair to augment female beauty. The ornaments worn by both sexes were nearly the same,—collars of rows of beads and chains of gold around the neck, armlets and bracelets of gold, inlaid with lapis lazuli, and turquoise round the arms, and anklets of the same around the ankles. Females only wore earrings, but both sexes loaded their fingers with rings.”—Ancient History from the Monuments; Egypt from the Earliest Times, by S. Birch, Introduction, p. 15, London, 1890.

The following from the same book, page 12, proves that the wearing of plumes arose from the custom of adorning the heads of idols with plumes, a purely heathen custom: “Of the human-headed deities, Amen-Ra wore two plumes of hawks’ feathers, a disk, and a red cap; Osiris, a conical cap placed on horns and banked by ostrich feathers; Anhor, Onouris or Mors, four feathers.” Heads of gods were also ornamented with snakes.

The following throws further light on this: “The whole tribe, therefore, was required to give up everything heathen; Rachel, her father’s gods or teraphim; others the idols, which, it seems, they cherished; and those who had them, the earrings and the armlets used as idolatrous charms; and the whole, when gathered, were buried under the oak at Shechem.” In a footnote we are told that the armlet was “worn to guard the person from magical charm; . . . earrings were worn for the same purpose. They were apparently engraved with magical characters or idolatrous signs.”—Hours with the Bible, Geikie, Vol. I, p. 337.

The preceding proves conclusively that personal adornment comes to us from heathenism. Every person with the least knowledge of the pagan nations of today, knows that the heathen adorn their persons very profusely with ornaments of every description. The object of these adornments was anciently to augment female beauty. As the custom of personal ornamentation or adornment, solely for the augmentation of personal beauty, comes to us from heathenism, it certainly is not to be followed by Christians.

Such Adornment Not Pleasing to God

The Bible classes outward personal ornamentation with heathen customs, and hence condemns it. When Jacob returned from serving his uncle Laban, to the land of Canaan, the Lord said to him, “Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, . . . and now they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was

by Shechem.” Gen. 35:2-4. Here we find that the jewelry worn by Jacob’s family was classed with their idols, and that was therefore to be put away.

From Eze. 20:5-9 we learn that Israel had gone into idolatry before their exodus, and consequently had adorned themselves with jewelry. After their arrival at Mt. Sinai they used some of their jewelry in making a golden calf. Ex. 32:2-4. Afterward the remaining “bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold,” were given to the building of the tabernacle. When the Lord called upon Jacob to dedicate himself and his household to serve God, they laid aside all jewelry and all other personal adornments; and the truly converted in our day generally lay aside all kinds of jewelry, and dedicate it to some benevolent purpose.

In the days of Isaiah and Hosea, contemporary prophets (Isa. 1:1; Hosea 1:1), the Lord again rebuked Israel for their idolatry and for the wearing of jewelry, which was also a sign of their apostasy. Hosea says, “I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, . . . and forgat me, saith the Lord.” Chap. 2:13. Here we learn that Israel put on jewels on the days she worshiped Baal. Such personal adornment is generally to draw attention to self, and is no more pleasing to God now than it was then. In Isa. 3:16-24 the various kinds of ornaments are named, and these the Lord says he “will take away” (verse 18), and punish his professed people for their pride.

In the New Testament we find Paul advising women not to adorn themselves with “gold, or pearls, or costly array,” or with “braided hair” (1 Tim. 2:9), the extravagant braids anciently worn by women. Peter also speaks against such outward adorning. 1 Peter 3:3. These apostles found it necessary to warn their converts not to follow the custom of the world in personal ornamentation.

Now since the wearing of jewelry, plumes, artificial flowers, etc., for personal adornment comes to us from heathenism, and since it is not pleasing to God, every true Christian will, for the love of God and his Word, abstain from it, as well as from other practices originating with paganism.

“Whose adorning . . . let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:4.

College Place, Wash.