Untitled article by M. R. S.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 25, 1859

CONSECRATION. NO. 4.--DRESS.

By M. R. S.

PAUL says, [2 Cor. iii, 2], “Ye are our epistles written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” Let me ask, Can all men (including those who, being strangers to us, are not qualified to read the Spirit of Jesus in our character)—can all know us to be the followers of Jesus, unless they see us to be such from outward tokens in our dress and appearance? Do not think this a subject of minor importance. Anything sufficiently important for inspiration to notice, surely is of consequence enough for us to heed. But aside from the Bible, what would reason dictate respecting our dress? Remember God’s children are away from home, seeking an inheritance in a city that is out of sight, and while they journey on, meeting with obstacles in almost every form, do they well to adorn their persons that they may look pleasing and attractive to the world who are looking on?

Would not unbelievers be apt to conclude from seeing professors take a course like this, that the truth lacked consistency, or that the human heart is so prone to evil that it is almost impossible to live in continual obedience to its divine teachings? In such a case, how weak is our influence over them to lead them to Jesus. Alas! how many wounds our suffering Saviour and his holy religion receive in the house of his friends, (so-called). Could we but realize that every deviation from the straight line of right bears with it a train of effects on eternal interests, how guarded would we be. Lord, enable us to “anoint our eyes with eye-salve that we may see.”

God has laid down in his word principles which are sufficient to govern us perfectly. The holy scriptures are able to make a man “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Then they must extend into every department of life, and furnish a perfect guard and guide to our influence, if obeyed. We may therefore expect to find in the Bible something relative to the subject before us. Does it allow a compromise with the world, a conformity to part of their ways that they may conform to God in the remainder? Let us look at the example of Jesus. He set a perfect Christian pattern. Do we anywhere read that Jesus conformed to the fashions of his age, and chose a style of dress that might win others into the narrow path? Did he descend as low as to bring the standard of piety down to a level with the tastes of the carnal mind? Never!

His Spirit has given explicit directions concerning our dress. See 1 Tim. ii: “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered (margin, plaited, i. e., widely braided,) hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” Also, 1 Pet. iii: “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but 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. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God adorned themselves.” And shall the women of God who soon expect translation be less conformed to the divine will than those holy women of old were? Would not the spirit of this requirement exclude from our dress all superfluities, while we would show to the world that we really feel the worth of time we call as short? We may excuse ourselves by saying it can be no harm to wear needless articles if we do not love or think of them while wearing them. But every one knows we love them well enough to put them on, and must have spent some precious moments in thinking of them, besides the time and means wasted in purchasing and preparing them.

Brethren and sisters, there is no sin too small for us to forsake, and some of these little things may, without our knowledge, have the firmest hold of our hearts. Another objection has been urged to the above commandment. God has created many things expressly to adorn the earth; he has made this world beautiful, and may we not follow his example in making ourselves appear as lovely as possible? Dear friend, our Father knows our fallen nature. He realizes full well our love of the approval of others, and sees how easily we become self-exalted, and knowing our only place of safety is low at the foot of the cross, his tenderness comes in and denies what otherwise might prove our ruin. Praise that blessed One: “All his commandments are faithful.” Far better were it for us to shun temptation than needlessly enter combat with the tempter. Remember the Devil himself was ruined by pride, [1 Tim. iii, 6,] and if pride could creep into the heart of an angel of light, and cause such a fearful fall, how much more easily could we be ruined by its dreadful influences. I have thought that every human being was beset by this demon in human form, by pride of intellect, of wealth, of appearance or by some other form. Now “pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall”—i. e., if cherished. Oh do let us endeavor to humble ourselves, asking grace of God to help us in the work, instead of cherishing our pride or making no special effort to overcome it, while at the same time we ask the Lord to humble us. God humbles by judgments. O it seems to me that pride is one of the most offensive things to the Lord we could be guilty of harboring. Will we not endeavor to give it up? And concerning the subject we have been considering, will we not consent to follow the teachings of the apostle, and wear a dress at all times of which every article can truly be called useful, a dress of which God can approve? And what is the approval of the world to us? What is earthly honor? It is like the glitter of frost-work, that freezes the tender leaves of piety, and passing, leaves them blackened and withered. Dear Lord, deliver us from the delusive song of worldly ambition and honor.

But it may be you have dressed to please some friend, a parent, husband or wife, whom you feel bound to honor. Did you never think you could really honor no one while doing wrong? It is only in doing right that we honor or are an honor to any one. But were it otherwise, who claims, and is worthy of our first affections and service? Whose are we by right of creation, preservation and redemption? If this being be an earthly friend, then we do right to regard his wishes before and contrary to all others; but if we be the Lord’s, then let his commands stand paramount to every thing else.

Again, do we hope to win a dear friend or companion to keeping the commandments of God? Could we do so while we break them, in regarding that friend’s wishes, and even cause him to transgress sometimes by dressing in a way to please him, and thus in a manner setting ourselves up to be idolized? God forbid that a conscientious soul should so read his duty, as to think he ought to transgress the plainly-stated requirements of the word, in order to keep the favor of some near earthly friend, with a hope thereby to lead him eventually to Christ. Let us get ourselves away in every sense from between the Lord and every human heart, and cause no one to break the first commandment. Do let us take a decided, uncompromising position on the side of truth and the whole truth; let us suffer nothing to draw us from the least point of God’s will, as far as we understand it; then what influence we have, will be felt for truth, for holiness, while a wavering or half-hearted work could accomplish very little for our Redeemer.

And now do you decide to let your only adorning be that of a meek and quiet spirit, “which is in the sight of God of great price?” How much better to have something about us truly valuable to Him who knows how to value things aright, than a finery worse than worthless. Let us, having concluded to lay off the portion of our dress that the Bible condemns, to avoid needless temptation and struggle, put such articles as much as possible out of our possession. We shall have enough to contend with without subjecting ourselves to needless trials.

Before leaving this subject I would simply say that I hope no one will think I approve of a slovenly dress. God is a being of order, and he most certainly requires order and neatness in us, our persons, dress and dwellings. Let us while endeavoring to cleanse ourselves from the pollution of sin, remember physical uncleanness, and strive to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. We must be pure. Do let us keep our persons, dress and houses clean and pure, spending just the time necessary to secure this object, and no more.

Says Paul, [1 Cor. iii, 16, 17,] “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

I hope my dear brethren and sisters will bear with me. I do desire that we may become patterns of piety in all things, and live before the world as Paul did, “blameless.”

M. R. S.