Calico Churches by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 13, 1879

Calico Churches.

By Editor

AN exchange says: “A lady in the city of Boston is credited with saving the church which she attends the sum of $10,000 a year by influence of her example in economical dressing;” to which the New York Weekly Witness adds, “We have heard of calico balls, but calico churches would be a far more sensible and useful institution. It however still holds good even in the nineteenth century that the children of this world are wiser than the children of light. The lady above mentioned we think deserves high praise. She is like certain men mentioned in the Old Testament who had knowledge of the times what Israel ought to do. There is surely plenty of opportunity in the six days of the week for ladies to indulge in costly array, without going to church to display new dresses, new bonnets, or rich ornaments. Let them meet the lowly on something near an equality in point of dress in the house of God. Everybody will think more of them for it, and they will look far better than when they make spectacles of themselves by wearing extraordinary head gear or any other strange fashion. Give the Lord’s day to simplicity of dress, so as not to put to shame and drive away the poor.”

The above is worthy of attention, but who will regard it? We knew a church three years ago—a Methodist church, too—which had a debt over them, greater than they were able to carry, and a large unfinished building on their hands. Things looked gloomy for them, for they knew not how to raise the means to finish their house of worship, already burdened as they were with debt. In this crisis a sister said she had a plan which, if carried out, would bring relief. She proposed that all the sisters in the church disregard the fashions, and wear plain and not costly clothing. They readily admitted that they could soon pay the debt by that means, but refused to do it, one quoting the old saying, that “we might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion.” So they remained in the world and in fashion, and let the cause of their Redeemer languish.

Now we invite every one to a few moments of self-examination on this point, to see if we have any duty in this respect.