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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
dressed young lady was passing several gentlemen on the street, one
of them made some inquiries in regard to her. The answer was: “She
makes a pretty ornament in her father’s house, but otherwise she is of
no use.” It is deplorable that those who profess to be Christ’s disciples
should think it a fine thing to imitate the dress and manners of these
useless ornaments.
Peter gives valuable instruction concerning the dress of Christian
women: “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting
the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it
be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God
of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women
also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.” All that we urge is
compliance with the injunctions of God’s word. Are we Bible readers
and followers of Bible teachings? Will we obey God, or conform to
the customs of the world? Will we serve God or mammon? Can we
expect to enjoy peace of mind and the approval of God while walking
directly contrary to the teachings of His word?
The apostle Paul exhorts Christians not to be conformed to the
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world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, “that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.” But many who profess to be children of God feel no scruples
against conforming to the customs of the world in the wearing of
gold and pearls and costly array. Those who are too conscientious
to wear these things are regarded as narrow-minded, superstitious,
and even fanatical. But it is God who condescends to give us these
instructions; they are the declarations of Infinite Wisdom, and those
who disregard them do so at their own peril and loss. Those who cling
to the ornaments forbidden in God’s word cherish pride and vanity in
the heart. They desire to attract attention. Their dress says: Look at
me; admire me. Thus the vanity inherent in human nature is steadily
increasing by indulgence. When the mind is fixed upon pleasing God
alone, all the needless embellishments of the person disappear.
The apostle places the outward adorning in direct contrast with
a meek and quiet spirit and then testifies of the comparative value
of the latter: “In the sight of God of great price.” There is a decided
contradiction between the love of outward adorning and the grace of