578
Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
to understand the reasons of our faith. Were our sisters conscientious
Bible Christians, seeking to improve every opportunity to enlighten
others, we should see scores of souls embracing the truth through their
self-sacrificing endeavors alone. Sisters, in the day when the accounts
of all are balanced, will you feel a pleasure in reviewing your life, or
will you feel that the beauty of the outward man was sought, while the
inward beauty of the soul was almost entirely neglected?
Have not our sisters sufficient zeal and moral courage to place
themselves without excuse upon the Bible platform? The apostle has
given most explicit directions on this point: I will therefore ... that
women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness
and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly ar-
ray; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good
works.” Here the Lord, through His apostle, speaks expressly against
the wearing of gold. Let those who have had experience see to it that
they do not lead others astray on this point by their example. That
ring encircling your finger may be very plain, but it is useless, and the
wearing of it has a wrong influence upon others.
Especially should the wives of our ministers be careful not to depart
from the plain teachings of the Bible on the point of dress. Many look
upon these injunctions as too old-fashioned to be worthy of notice; but
He who gave them to His disciples understood the dangers from the
love of dress in our time and sent to us the note of warning. Will we
heed the warning and be wise? Extravagance in dress is continually
increasing. The end is not yet. Fashion is constantly changing, and
[631]
our sisters follow in its wake, regardless of time or expense. There
is a great amount of means expended upon dress, when it should be
returned to God the giver.
The plain, neat dress of the poorer class often appears in marked
contrast with the attire of their more wealthy sisters, and this difference
frequently causes a feeling of embarrassment on the part of the poor.
Some try to imitate their more wealthy sisters, and frill and ruffle and
trim goods of an inferior quality so as to approach as nearly as possible
to them in dress. Poor girls, receiving but two dollars a week for their
work, will expend every cent to dress like others who are not obliged
to earn their own living. These youth have nothing to put into the
treasury of God. And their time is so thoroughly occupied in making
their dress as fashionable as that of their sisters that they have no time