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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
upon that day. All who have any regard for the Sabbath should be
cleanly in person, neat and orderly in dress, for they are to appear
before a jealous God, who marks every token of disrespect. God
is offended at uncleanness and disorder. Individuals have thought it
would be wrong to wear anything upon their heads but a sun-bonnet.
Such go to great extremes. It cannot be called pride to wear a neat,
plain, straw or silk bonnet. Our faith, if carried out, will lead us to
be so plain in dress, and zealous of good works, that we shall be
marked as peculiar. But when we lose taste for order and neatness
in dress, we virtually leave the truth, for the truth never degrades,
but elevates. Unbelievers look upon Sabbath-keepers as degraded,
and when individuals are neglectful of their dress, and are coarse and
rough in their manners, their influence strengthens unbelievers in their
conclusions.
Those who profess to be Christians in these last days which are
full of peril, and do not imitate the humble, self-denying Pattern, place
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themselves in the enemy’s ranks. He considers them his subjects, and
they serve as important a purpose for Satan as any of his subjects,
for they have a name to live and are dead. Others take them for
example, and by following them lose Heaven, when if they had not
professed to be Christians, they would have shunned their example.
These unconsecrated professors are not aware of the weight of their
influence. They make the conflict much more severe for those who
would be God’s peculiar people. Paul, in
Titus 2:15
, refers to God’s
people who are looking for the appearing of Christ. He says, “These
things speak, and exhort, and rebuke, with all authority. Let no man
despise thee.” As we bear testimony against pride and following the
fashions of the world, we are met with excuses and self-justification.
Some urge the example of others. Such a sister wears hoops; if it is
wrong for me to wear them, it is wrong for her. Children urge the
example of other children, whose parents are Sabbath-keepers. Bro.
A. is a deacon of the church. His children wear hoops, and why is
it any worse for me to wear them than it is for them? Those who
by their example furnish unconsecrated professors with arguments
against those who would be peculiar, are laying a cause of stumbling
in the way of the weak, and to God they must render an account for
such example. I am often asked, “What do you think of hoops?” I
reply, I have given you the light which has been given me. I was