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Selected Messages Book 2
that of the world? Should not the people of God, who are his peculiar
treasure, seek even in their dress to glorify God? And should they not
be examples in point of dress, and by their simple style rebuke the
pride, vanity and extravagance of worldly, pleasure-loving professors?
God requires this of his people. Pride is rebuked in his word.
But there is a class who are continually harping upon pride, and
dress, who are careless of their own apparel, and who think it a virtue
to be dirty, and dress without order and taste; and their clothing often
looks as though it flew and lit upon their persons. Their garments are
filthy, and yet such ones will ever be talking against pride. They class
decency and neatness with pride. Had they been among that number
who gathered around the mount to hear the law spoken from Sinai,
they would have been chased from the congregation of Israel, because
they had not obeyed the command of God—“And let them wash their
clothes,”—preparatory to listening to his law given in awful grandeur.
The ten commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai cannot live
in the hearts of persons of disorderly, filthy habits. If ancient Israel
could not so much as listen to the proclamation of that holy law, unless
they had obeyed the injunction of Jehovah, and had cleansed their
clothing, how can that sacred law be written upon the hearts of persons
who are not cleanly in person, in clothing, or in their houses? It is
impossible. Their profession may be as high as Heaven, yet it is not
worth a straw. Their influence disgusts unbelievers. Better if they had
ever remained outside the ranks of God’s loyal people. The house of
God is dishonored by such professors. All who meet upon the Sabbath
to worship God should, if possible, have a neat, well-fitting, comely
suit to wear in the house of worship. It is a dishonor to the Sabbath,
and to God and his house, for those who profess that the Sabbath is
the holy of the Lord, and honorable, to wear the same clothing upon
the Sabbath that they have worn through the week while laboring upon
their farms, when they can obtain other. If there are worthy persons
who, with their whole heart would honor the Lord of the Sabbath,
and the worship of God, and who cannot obtain a change of clothing,
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let those who are able, donate to such a Sabbath suit, that they may
appear in the house of God with cleanly, fitting apparel. A greater
uniformity in dress would be pleasing to God. Those who expend
means on costly apparel and extra fixings, can by a little self-denial
exemplify pure religion, by simplicity of clothing, and then use the