The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-09-16
One Cause Of Crime.

in particular, is an alarming fact. Tho
indulgence Of fashionable dress on the
part Of women is one cause Of it. In
the Annual Report Of the New England
Moral Reform Society, made at the
Park Street Church, Boston, May 81,
1871, wc find the following:
eve gricve to be obliged to record
our deliberate conviction OF the promi-
nent causes that lead to the violation
of the laws Of purity among women.
The conviction is forced upon lis every
day and everywhere. 1t is the love Of
dress, or display among women. The
love is fostcrcd i'll the child by parents
from its cradle. Consciously or un-
consciously, the education Of the mother
tends to this display. The child comes
to feel TINT dress includes almost
everything; that he or she is nothing
without it.
"Look at our Christian women, pro
Tossing to have rcnouncc6 the world,
its pomps and vanities. Christian wo-
men, adorned with all the paraphcrna-
lin Of the ballroom, walking the streets,
entering the house Of God, attracting
attention from all eyes by the fincncss
and quantity Of their laccs, the rarity
of their jcwclry, the costlincss OF their
silks. These arc the sermons that arc
heard, these the cpistlcs that arc read
each Sabbath day; read and pondcrcd
by the children, the poor shop-girls and
servants, while each, as soon as able,
ny fair or other means, practice what
they have read. Is it strange that we
hear Of young and older women adyer-
tising for Friends who will assist
them to dress as others do; women,
who, in return, give all that makes life
desirable to woman.
"1Icar what writer to the Chicaro
Republican says in connection with
this subject:
"'Onc result Of my investigations on
this subject is to lead me to the con.
clusion that the passion for dress and
display is the cause Of larger portion
OF this evil than any one other thing.
l am thoroughly convinced that more
girls are seduced into life of shame
through desire to keep up with the
times in fashionable attire, than in any
other way. In fact, believe that three
out Of every five enter the gate that
leads to destruction through the wilcs
Of the Fashion.
"'Thc women themselves, therefore.
who run riot in the extravaganza of
dress, are primarily more chargcablc,
in my opinion, with the existence and
extension Of the social cyil' than are
the men,
"Oh, mothers, sisters, Christian wo-
men, will you continue to give impetus
to this tide thai is drifting thousands
Of souls to sure and certain dcstruc-
ton! Will you permit your innocent
children to give and attend parties
where every friyolity in dress and
amusement, everything that can yitiate
the taste and lead to looscncss of NOR
ais, is tolerated, nay, smiled upon as
pretty, as stylish! These things arc
done done by parents protesting god
illness.
"A Christian mother, speaking with
IN the hearing of the writer not long
since, told Of the number Of parties her
child of nine years old had attended
within short space of time, saving
there were others for which she must
purchase dresses that she might an
pear fashionable, adding, 'thc poor little
thing is almost tired out with the cx-
citement!'
GA writer i'll one Of our religious pa-
pers states the fact Of little boy, who
boasted the variety OF wines that he
had for his birthday party. Can any
one doubt what the result Of such a
course of education will be on that
boy! These are not isolated cases;
they arc multiplying constantly. We
utter this note Of warning as in duty
bound, as guardians Of youth, as a call
to mothers to guard their children
against these fearful temptations"
HUMILITY Two things arc REQUIRED
for humbleness Of mind-that a man
should have true estimate of Cod.
and then n true estimate Of himself.
See Isaiah lvii: Is. There is n vast
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