p. 149 | CLEANLINESS

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 10.

CLEANLINESS.

It is as follows that the Free Methodist advises the holiness people, and the advice is just as good for all:—

Cleanliness is surely a Christian virtue. How inconsistent it seems to see a sister professing holiness, with frowsy hair, and soiled collar, and slouchy dress. Holiness is the perfection of moral loveliness. Ought not the person to fitly represent the mind's beauty? When we go into her house and find everything in confusion, dust under the stove that must have taken days to accumulate, cobwebs that have not been swept down for months, the ceiling begrimed with smoke, and other things to correspond, we feel sad and don't wonder that holiness and untidiness associate themselves in the minds of some. Is it not just as bad to see a brother with horse ungroomed, poor and ill-fed, with harness awry and tied up with ropes or anything that comes to hand, out-houses with doors all off—in fact everything wearing an air of thriftlessness and disorder? It makes a discount on testimony, as sure as you live.

I believe in the utmost plainness, but I believe dirt and untidiness are contrary to the Bible. No matter if your house is a log one, let it be clean and neat. No matter if your dress be calico, let it be wholesome. I know women who look sweet and God-honoring with only a print dress, and houses with bare walls and without carpets where it is a pleasure to visit. Of course I am not speaking now of those who are sick or have had an extremely hard time for a while, but of those who are habitually so. Get down on your knees and pray God to enable you to do everything "decently and in order." He'll help us on all lines. It will need courage, it will need grace to enable you to "move forward," but God surely requires it. You owe it to him. Come now, don't put this aside and say, "pride." Ask the Lord about it first.