The Story of our Health Message

Basic Principles

A fuller presentation of the subject of dress was prepared by Mrs. White for the concluding and sixth article as later presented in “How to Live.” In this we may discover the following basic principles upon which a true reform must be built: SHM 125.2

1. “It is injurious to health, and, therefore, sin for females to wear tight corsets, or whalebones, or to compress the waist.”—How to Live 6:57. SHM 125.3

2. “Many females drag down the bowels and hips by hanging heavy skirts upon them. ... The female dress should be suspended from the shoulders.”—Ibid., 58. SHM 125.4

3. “The people of God, who are His peculiar treasure [should] seek even in their dress to glorify God, and by their simple style, rebuke the pride, vanity, and extravagance of worldly, pleasure-loving professors.”—Ibid. SHM 125.5

4. They should not, however, be “careless of their own apparel, ... and dress without order and taste. ... Decency and neatness” are not to be classed with pride.—Ibid., 62, 64. SHM 125.6

5. “A greater uniformity in dress would be pleasing to God.”—Ibid. SHM 125.7

6. “The length of the fashionable female dress is objectionable for several reasons. ... The dress should reach somewhat below the top of the boot, but should be short enough to clear the filth of the sidewalk and street, without being raised by the hand.”—Ibid. SHM 125.8

7. “Whatever may be the length of the dress, females should clothe their limbs as thoroughly as the males. This may be done by wearing lined pants gathered into a band and fastened about the ankle, or made full and tapering at the bottom; and these should come down long enough to meet the shoe.”—Ibid., 64. SHM 126.1

To those who might object to such a costume on the grounds that it would be old-fashioned, Mrs. White replied with emphasis: SHM 126.2

“What if it is? I wish we could be old-fashioned in many respects. If we could have the old-fashioned strength that characterized the old-fashioned women of past generations, it would be very desirable.”—Ibid., 64. SHM 126.3

She urged that womanhood should “manifest a noble independence, and moral courage, to be right, if all the world differ from them.”—Ibid., 61, 62. SHM 126.4

“Christians should not take pains to make themselves gazingstocks by dressing differently from the world. But if, in accordance with their faith and duty in respect to their dressing modestly and healthfully, they find themselves out of fashion, they should not change their dress in order to be like the world.”—Ibid., 61. SHM 126.5

Such were the circumstances when Elder and Mrs. White made their visit to Dr. Jackson’s institution at Dansville, New York. A definite stand had been taken against hoops. Mrs. White had spoken specifically against the adoption of the “American costume” because of its immodesty, its resemblance to male attire, as being contrary to the Scriptural injunction, and because of the prejudice it would raise against those who had a solemn truth to give to the world. She deplored the ultra-long dress and recommended one short enough so that it would always clear the ground. And she was praying that God’s people might find the proper medium position in these things. SHM 126.6