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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
use. For years I carried the burden of this work and labor to establish
uniformity of dress among our sisters.
In a vision given me at Battle Creek, January 3, 1875, I was shown
the state of things which I have here represented, and that the wide
diversity in dress was an injury to the cause of truth. That which would
have proved a blessing, if uniformly adopted and properly worn, had
been made a reproach, and, in some cases, even a disgrace.
Some who wore the dress sighed over it as a heavy burden. The
language of their hearts was: “Anything but this. If we felt free to lay
off this peculiar style, we would willingly adopt a plain, untrimmed
dress of ordinary length. The limbs could be as warmly clothed as
before, and we could secure all the physical benefits, with less effort.
It requires much labor to prepare the reform dress in a proper manner.”
Murmuring and complaining were fast destroying vital godliness.
I had no burden of testimony on the subject of dress. I made no
reference to it in any way, either to advocate or to condemn. It was the
Lord’s purpose to prove His professed people and reveal the motives
of their hearts. At camp meetings I seldom had anything to say upon
the subject. I avoided all questions and answered no letters.
One year ago the subject of dress was again presented before
me. I saw that our sisters were departing from the simplicity of the
gospel. The very ones who had felt that the reform dress required
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unnecessary labor, and who claimed that they would not be influenced
by the spirit of the world, had now taken up the fashions they once
condemned. Their dresses were arranged with all the unnecessary
adornments of worldlings in a manner unbecoming to Christians and
entirely at variance with our faith.
Thus has been developed the pride of heart indulged by a people
that profess to have come out from the world and to be separate.
Inspiration declares that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God; yet His professed people have expended their God-given time
and means upon the altar of fashion.
Our people have been steadily retrograding in the work of reform.
Wisdom and judgment have seemed paralyzed. Selfishness and love of
display have been corrupting the heart and deteriorating the character.
There is a growing disposition to sacrifice health and the favor of God
upon the altar of ever-changing, never-satisfying fashion.