Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-03-19
From .he pniIadslpni. Recorder.
pass INDICATIVE or cHAnAcrGl

From the phiIadeiphii Recorder.
DRESS fNBc ATlVE or CHARACTER
Nothing is more diilicelt than to
fix luts 81 duty in detail for the gov
ernaace Of vast muliiudes in all the
minor particulars OF lie and conduct.
A. in the case of the enaciments OF
the celestial empire Of China, il Will
soon BE- made death not 10 cut toe
nails and trim the beard according to
law. / will he necessary only 10 re
fer to few kuormfacts 10 prove
the truth of this principle in lis appli
CATION 10 be sOhiect Of dress
Tine question hasheen gravely mov
ed whether exfavsg incc CT dress.
particularly amongst ladies, was not
lkcly 10 brihg down the judgments OF
God upon the land However trpe
under The Vhcocracy il nigh. have
been that the luxury md pride of the
higher classes Of society, had FASTENED
and ren lercd more terrible the de
siruc.!on of jerusalem, we presume il
would, by noae, he seriously contend
ed Thai psltry vanity amongst few
thousand women in our land can bear
any proportion TO the more awful
gait Of violated Sabhalhs, psostituted
morals, and open heaven daring SINS
in which millions are deeply implica
ted? BY 80 means ere We disposed TO
deny that much SIN is committed is
connection with fondness for dress,
and that it goes TO swell the awful az
gregate of nations guilt But we
deem il both unwise and pernicioos 10
speak al such sins il terms as streng
es San he used when swearing inten
pafance, s"iOIhDg, and asurder, are
subjects Of discourse
Apo,her ex RENE into which this
matter has been driven, is found 10
TIL as for cnsorci guniformlly of dress.
FaF from drying up the inherent fDun
tain, these rules have only opened new
aud deeper channels through which
the che bed passion has found mears
even more mlschle, ous'y Than ever to
show Itself: more csFe-more time
more money being necessary to make
n geuieel appearance IN very plain
dress than IN one OF ne fixed material
or fashion.
Besides all ibis lhs principles gcner
ally thought applicable to the sntject
and capable of guiding The conduct OF
all christians, are certainly far TOO
bread aud sweeping. For if the sim.
pile laws o decency and comfort were
strictly enforced as TO dress. equipsge
and farnilure, we should make very
broad and hasty step backwards TO
wards the Fudencss Of untiv,lized a
ges: aud if the law Of necessity were
brought to apply in all its sweeping
energy; audi for purposes Of religion
and ch5Flty we are to torego every
thing which can possibly be spared,
why surely we should ourselves be
come na,len OF harbarians, dwelling
IN caves and tents, in order 10 civil
i2e and enIighIcn ether barbarous
hordes,
The questions here return, and they
return. with very great force. Are
scrlptural rules in this case null and
of 10 effect? Are ministers and chris.
tians to suffer present excesses IN
dress to go unprcvided7 With deep.
est solemnIty we answer no.
The seriptnral rule is binding: and
Is in this as we'll as every other case,
just ~ hat ii should be Though the a
pOsile had in view customs and modes
of dress extremely different from those
which prevail amongst Us, yet with
The nsuak~isdom Of God By inspira-
ton, he writes Just as be bad knows
the state Of things 10 all ages and
countries. an like manner also let
women adovn themselves in modest
apparel, with shape facedness and so
b'lcty: not with broidered hsir, or gold
or pearls. or costly array; but, which
haaorst.fb q, - r,tara v.rf,(.e t~,r UnJISRoc