To the fashionable world the news comes from Paris, says a New York paper, that evening gowns will be “startlingly decollette” this season, “lower than ever before,” “excessively and startlingly low,” and the question is, Will women of sense have the courage to resist fashion successfully? As one paper puts it:— “To confine the bodice by a fragile string of pearls or a bit of velvet ribbon across the shoulders; to dispense with the makeshift sleeve and keep the bodice on by sheer force of cohesion or by ‘force of will,’ to reveal to the public gaze a wealth of charms that should be held sacred to family eyes—these are the tasks set before fashionable American women, if they would follow the examples of their English and French sisters. Will they brave the vulgar gaze, or the frown of Fashion? One of these courses is inevitable, and both are painful to gently-reared American women.” These fashions are growing worse. A dress worn some years ago by a famous beauty was considered so shocking as to call forth unsparing condemnation from society leaders. The Empress Eugenie on the occasion of its appearance went home in a flood of tears. But we are told that the famous beauty in question “would have blushed at sight of one of the gowns worn at the grand opera in London last season,” lower by at least three inches than her own. No greater tyrant ever existed than Fashion; yet how many willing slaves are toiling, moiling, sickening, dying, at her behest! How many more long for liberty, but have not the courage to make a declaration of independence! How many there are who will expose themselves in “society” doings of various sorts that would consider it immodest thus to appear at their own family breakfast table! “Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” is an anxious question for Gentiles, but should not be for Christians; for Christ sets free His own from all bondage of soul or mind.