Costly Array and Fine Apparel.
The Scriptures forbid the wearing of “costly array” and “fine apparel,” but there are always some people who do not know what costly array is. They are puzzled over fine apparel, cannot tell what that is. Of course many of them are finely educated, but not up to that point. They are posted on most any thing else, but on this they are not, and still worse, they do not want to be. They can see a good many things, but the exact dividing line between plain apparel and fine apparel they cannot find; they search for it in vain. Of course it is needful that they know just where the line is, for they claim it a blessed privilege to walk just as close to the world as possible. They do not want to get on the side of the world, but then they have a drawing that way and must get close enough to lock arms at least. These are the people who walk so close to the world that it requires an extra good vision to tell which side they are on. There is another class quite different. The question with them is not, how close can we go to the world, and yet not be injured, but how far can we keep away from the corrupt ways of the world. Christ prayed his Father, not to take his disciples out of the world, but to keep them from the evil of the world. That is just what is wanting now. Christians want to keep away from the evils of the world; they want to abstain from every appearance of evil. When they learn to do this, there will be no trouble about fine apparel and costly array. People who love Christ with all their heart—have had their minds fully renewed, and now love the things they once hated, and hate the things they once loved, will never be annoyed by a desire for fine dressing and gaudy display. Their disposition is to keep away from such things as far as possible. They believe fine apparel and costly array to be wrong, and therefore have no desire for it. Christians, when selecting clothing, want to be sure that it is not costly array. There should be no doubts about it, and there need not be, if proper judgment is exercised. We are to be a distinct and separate people from the world, and to do so, requires much watchfulness upon our part. No one can reasonably object to the purchasing of good, substantial clothing—this is right and sensible, but the purchasing of fine apparel and costly array is contrary to the principles of both reason and revelation. In the selecting of clothing, it will be safe to risk the judgment of any person who is fully converted to the will of God. If they hate fine apparel there is no danger of them ever selecting and wearing it. The reason some professing Christians lean towards the world, is because there is a little love of sin still lurking in the heart, not yet fully rooted out. Just root that little sin out of the heart and we will never be annoyed with a love for the display of the world.—Brethren at Work.