The State of the Churches

PRIDE AND FASHION

“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:15, 16. SOC 18.5

“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9, 10. See also 1 Peter 3:3, 4. SOC 19.1

“And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face; and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.” Hosea 7:10. “Pride hath budded.” Ezekiel 7:10. SOC 19.2

The Michigan Christian Herald says: SOC 19.3

“Too well, already, do we all know how the foul tides of fashion and folly have swept to the very altar-places of our faith.” SOC 19.4

The Advocate, Methodist paper published at Charlestown, Mass, says: SOC 19.5

“Notwithstanding the prohibition of the Methodist principle, it is a serious fact, and one generally to be deplored, that there is more jewelry and superfluous dress worn by the Methodists of this day than there is by any other class of religious professors in our land.” SOC 19.6

A correspondent of the North Western Christian Advocate, giving an account of a young lady slowly wasting away with consumption, says: SOC 19.7

“I strove to recommend religion to her in the best way and manner that I could. She had been reading her Bible for some time, desiring to find peace in believing, still she found none. She saw so much pride in professors of religion, so many artificials, gold and costly apparel, that she was afraid they would cause her soul to be lost forever.” SOC 19.8

A writer in the New York Tribune, speaking of the FASHIONABLE RELIGION and WORSHIP of this boasted age of PROGRESS, says: SOC 19.9

“Now the worshipers one after another glide in, silks rattle, plumes wave, satins glisten, diamonds glitter, and scores of forty-dollar handkerchiefs shake out their perfumed odors! SOC 19.10

What absurdity to preach the gospel of the lowly Nazarite to such a set! The clergyman knows better than to do so. He values his fat salary and handsome parsonage too highly. So with a velvety tread he walks all around the ten commandments—places the downiest pillow under the dying profligate’s head, and ushers him with seraphic hymning into an upper-ten Heaven.” SOC 20.1

Says Mr. Spurgeon: SOC 20.2

“Do not rank and fashion gather most readily in those places where their senses are delighted, while their souls are deluded? Yes. Through the means of our Popish Establishment there has been an onward rush of error which is perfectly appalling. Watchman, when they ask thee, ‘What of the night?’ canst thou say, ‘The morning cometh?’ SOC 20.3

Ye that love the Saviour, will you open your ears to catch the meaning of all these things? Men dying, men perishing, the church slumbering, and error covering the land!” SOC 20.4

The Portland Advertizer says, “Put this and that together;” then quotes from the N. Y. Express: SOC 20.5

Pews in rev. II. W. Beecher’s church.—The sale of choice pews this year amounted to $29,483, nearly $3,000 more than last; this, with the rental—$12,158, makes the pew income $41,594, $400 being paid for choice of pews. SOC 20.6

“Simultaneously with the above announcement, there appeared in ‘The Boudoir,” the ladies’ illustrated paper of fashions, the following notice: “The readers of Boudoir should not fail to peruse every one of the pages this week. Each is filled to its limit with the liveliest reading and gossip of life, the news of fashion, the affairs of the beau monde,and all matters of general interest to ladies. We gave last week the current fashions as displayed at Beecher’s church, and in this issue we notice them as displayed at St. Stephen’s.” SOC 20.7

By putting this and that together, we may understand why high prices are paid for pews, and also what many people in these days go to church for. SOC 20.8

Fanny Fern, a few years ago, said: SOC 20.9

“When I go to the theater, I care not how common and plain I am dressed, for all go there to see the performance on the stage; but when I go to church I put on my best, for people go there to see the latest fashions!” SOC 20.10