Simplicity in Dress
577
the Scriptures, thus obtaining a thorough knowledge of the prophecies
and of the practical lessons of Christ.
As Christians, we ought not to engage in any employment upon
which we cannot conscientiously ask the blessing of the Lord. Do you,
my sisters, in the needless work you put upon your garments, feel a
clear conscience? Can you, while perplexing the mind over ruffles and
bows and ribbons, be uplifting the soul to God in prayer that He will
bless your efforts? The time spent in this way might be devoted to
doing good to others and to cultivating your own minds.
Many of our sisters are persons of good ability, and if their talents
were used to the glory of God they would be successful in winning
many souls to Christ. Will they not be responsible for the souls they
might have saved had not extravagance in dress and the cares of this
world so crippled and dwarfed their God-given powers that they felt
no burden of the work? Satan invented the fashions in order to keep
the minds of women so engrossed with the subject of dress that they
could think of but little else.
The duties devolving upon mothers to bring up their children in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord cannot be discharged while
they continue their present manner of dress. They have no time to
pray or to search the Scriptures that they may understand the truth and
teach it to their children. It is not only the privilege but the duty of
everyone to increase daily in the knowledge of God and the truth. But
Satan’s object is gained if he can invent anything which shall so attract
the mind that this cannot be the case. The reason why so many are
not desirous of attending prayer meeting and of engaging in religious
exercises is that their minds are devoted to other things. They are
conforming to the world in the matter of dress; and while they are so
doing, souls whom they might have helped by letting their light shine
in good works are strengthened in their unbelief by the inconsistent
course of these professed Christians.
God would be pleased to see our sisters clad in neat, simple apparel
[630]
and earnestly engaged in the work of the Lord. They are not deficient
in ability, and if they would put to a right use the talents they already
have, their efficiency would be greatly increased. If the time they now
spend in needless work were devoted to searching the word of God and
explaining it to others, their own minds would be enriched with gems of
truth, and they would be strengthened and ennobled by the effort made