Testimony for the Church — No. 10

Dress

We do not think it in accordance with our faith to dress in the American costume, or wear hoops, or go to an extreme in wearing long dresses, which sweep the sidewalks and streets. If females would wear their dresses so as to clear the filth of the streets an inch or two, their dresses would be modest, and kept cleanly much more easily, and would wear longer. Such a dress would be in accordance with our faith. T10 33.2

I have received several letters from sisters, inquiring my opinion in regard to wearing corded skirts. These questions were answered in a letter which I sent to a sister in Wisconsin. I will give the letter for the benefit of others: T10 33.3

“We as a people do not believe it duty to go out of the world to be out of the fashion. If we have a neat, plain, modest, and comfortable plan of dress, and some of the world choose to dress as we do, shall we change this mode of dress in order to be different from the world? No: we should not dress odd or singular for the sake of differing from the world, lest they despise us for so doing. Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. Their dress should be neat and modest, their conversation chaste and heavenly, and their deportment blameless. T10 33.4

“How shall we dress? If any wore heavy quilts before the introduction of hoops, merely for show and not for comfort, they sinned against themselves by injuring their health, which it is duty to preserve. If any wear them now merely to look like hoops, they commit sin; for they are seeking to imitate a fashion which is disgraceful. In regard to corded skirts, they were worn before hoops were introduced. I have worn a light corded skirt since I was fourteen years of age, not for show, but for comfort and decency. Because hoops were introduced I did not lay off my corded skirt for them. Shall I now throw it aside because the fashion of hoops is introduced? No; that would be carrying the matter to an extreme. T10 33.5

“I should ever bear in mind that I must be an example, therefore must not run into this or that fashion, but pursue an even and independent course, and not be driven to extremes in regard to dress. To throw off my corded skirt that was always modest and comfortable, and put on a thin cotton skirt, and appear ridiculous in the other extreme, would be wrong, for then I am not setting a right example, and am putting an argument into the mouths of hoop-wearers. They justify themselves for wearing hoops, and point to me as one who does not wear them, and say that they would not disgrace themselves in that way. Such a course would justify the wearing of hoops in the minds of the wearers, and destroy all the influence we might have, by going to such extremes. We must dress modestly, and not heed the hoop-fashion at all. T10 34.1

“There is a medium position in these things. Oh that we all might wisely find that position, and keep it. Let us all in this solemn time search our own hearts, repent of our sins, and humble ourselves before God. The work is between God and our own souls. It is an individual work, and all will have enough to do without criticizing the dress, actions, and motives, of their brethren and sisters. ‘Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, who have wrought his judgments; seek meekness, seek righteousness, it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.’ Here is our work. Sinners are not here addressed, but all the meek of the earth, who have wrought his judgments, or kept his commandments. There is work for every one, and if every one will obey, we shall see sweet union in the ranks of Sabbath-keepers.” T10 34.2