Simplicity in Dress
579
for the improvement of the mind, for the study of God’s word, for
secret prayer, or for the prayer meeting. The mind is entirely taken up
with planning how to appear as well as their sisters. To accomplish
this end, physical, mental, and moral health is sacrificed. Happiness
and the favor of God are laid upon the altar of fashion.
Many will not attend the service of God upon the Sabbath because
their dress would appear so unlike that of their Christian sisters in style
and adornment. Will my sisters consider these things as they are, and
will they fully realize the weight of their influence upon others? By
walking in a forbidden path themselves, they lead others in the same
way of disobedience and backsliding. Christian simplicity is sacrificed
to outward display. My sisters, how shall we change all this? How
shall we recover ourselves from the snare of Satan and break the chains
that have bound us in slavery to fashion? How shall we recover our
wasted opportunities? how bring our powers into healthful, vigorous
action? There is only one way, and that is to make the Bible our rule
of life. All should work earnestly to do good to others, watch unto
prayer, take up the long-neglected cross, and heed the warnings and
injunctions of Him who has said: “Whosoever will come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
[632]
My Christian sisters, face the mirror, the law of God, and test your
course of action by the first four commandments. These explicitly
define our duty to God. He claims the undivided affections; and any-
thing which tends to absorb the mind and divert it from God assumes
the form of an idol. The true and living God is crowded out of the
thoughts and heart, and the soul-temple is defiled by the worship of
other gods before the Lord. “Thou shalt have no other gods before
Me,” says the commandment. Let us search the heart, compare the life
and character with the statutes and precepts of Jehovah, and then seek
diligently to correct our errors.
The last six commandments specify the duties of man to his fellow
men. Here are brought to view solemn obligations which are trampled
upon every day by professed commandment keepers. Those who have
been enlightened by the grace of God, who have been adopted into
the royal family, ought not always to be children in the work of the
Lord. If they wisely improve upon the grace given, their capacity will
increase and their knowledge become more extensive, and they will be
entrusted with a still greater measure of divine power. In putting forth