Mother’s Health and Personal Appearance
189
habits, dress, and opinions; and, to a great extent, they are slaves to
the thought of how others may regard them. Is it not a sad thing that
judgment-bound creatures should be controlled more by the thought
of what their neighbors will think of them than by the thought of their
obligation to God? We too often sacrifice the truth in order to be in
harmony with custom, that we may avoid ridicule....
A mother cannot afford to be in bondage to opinion; for she is to
train her children for this life and for the life to come. In dress, mothers
should not seek to make a display by needless ornamentation
To Give Lessons in Neatness and Purity—If mothers allow
themselves to wear untidy garments at home, they are teaching their
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children to follow in the same slovenly way. Many mothers think
that anything is good enough for home wear, be it ever so soiled and
shabby. But they soon lose their influence in the family. The children
draw comparisons between their mother’s dress and that of others who
dress neatly, and their respect for her is weakened.
Mothers, make yourselves as attractive as possible; not by elaborate
trimming, but by wearing clean, well-fitting garments. Thus you will
give to your children constant lessons in neatness and purity. The
love and respect of her children should be of the highest value to every
mother. Everything upon her person should teach cleanliness and order
and should be associated in their minds with purity. There is a sense
of fitness, an idea of the appropriateness of things, in the minds of
even very young children; and how can they be impressed with the
desirability of purity and holiness when their eyes daily rest on untidy
dresses and disorderly rooms? How can the heavenly guests, whose
home is where all is pure and holy, be invited into such a dwelling
Order and cleanliness is the law of heaven; and in order to come
into harmony with the divine arrangement, it is our duty to be neat and
tasty
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8
The Review and Herald, March 31, 1891
.
9
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 143, 144
.
10
Testimonies For The Church 4, 142, 143
.