American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-06-12
DnY-aooDs CHRISTIANS.
There seems to be in the cl,,


a gr,.a, strife raging. 1t is an Aus
terii.z Of ribbons. Tue carnage of
color is seen all over our religious
assemb'ages. Along on the out.
skirts CT The Sabbath audiences you
see. t,oIe and there, a picket of
fashion. But down in the middle
of the church are the solid columns,
b;aziug q way ali through the ser
vice. Five hundred s'broken and
contriie hearts" covered up in RAIN
bows and spangles. Followers of
th,. '.meek and lowiy Nazarene" all
ii jingle and IA flash. Ten cents for
the missionary cause, and two hun.
dled aud iifty dollars for trappings.
Church OF God hung by tbs. neck
with gold chains, ed
Uus"rhisticated person travelling
or two yards of silk, dragged 10y
the fady gong up the aisle in front
oi him. Diamonds enough to give
all India the Gospel. The item of
dress among Christian people on
the Sabbath day is an outrage on
he Christian religion
For graceful and beautiful ap-
parel we have admiration. But
this strife in Christian circles as to
who shall excel in cos ly millinery,
and who shall dash up TO the church
| door Ill gayeSt turn out. and who
shall make the most blazonment of
wardrobe, is one of the great hind
RANGES to religious advancement.
Oar ladies' hats and shiMls are so
H,.n ih.lt
afraid to go to church, lest We get
drop on them. Our a0-gear is
worth m~ra than our souls. We
teetor and >wagger up the aisles, to
the diSGI of good men and the
grief OF angels. Enough money is
expended by the Christians of our
city, in excess of the requisite out
lay tor dress, to relieve all the power
~, and educate all the ignorance,
and balk all the crime. Much of
the piety OF our churches is being
smotllered under shirred basques
and jabot rnffies and Louisines.
Some of our Christian gentlemen
have boots SO tight they can hardly
walk in paths of righteousness,
ami they feel in chu,ch more like
swearing than praying, because
their COINS hurt; aud our Christian
women shut OFT the sun of righ-
tcousness by twenfy-lollar parasols,
lace trimmed, silk lined, silver
mounted. The poor are kept out
of church because their plain APP
pare! looks SO bad in the contrast.
We want d great ecclesiastical re-
formation in this matter Of Sabbath
requirement. SluO the religious
ptacoc!.s ont of tue touse of God.
BY your example make subdued
and modest costume more popular
than eau.!y apparel. DO not put
so much dry-gnOds on your lack
that YOU can not climb into glory
You can not sail in:o the harbOr of
heaven with such rigging as that.
They would level their guns at you
as being blockade runner. Com
ing up To the celestial door, the
gate keeper would cry, '.Halt! you
eau go III with such regimentals."
And AS yoH answered, Il got those
jewels from Titfan,. aud that dress
frOm Arnold Il Constable, aud
those shoes from Burts,' the gate.
keeper woa!tl say to one OF the at
tendan S. Take his soul down to
ole OF the Uut-houses, and tear off
those puffs and ruf1les and knife.
pleatings aud Hamburg embroid-
rieS, and put on her more apprO
PIRATE Sunday attire; for. S"ing in
as she is now, al! heaven would
hurst ONT a-laual;in0 tt-Gbirsfi0,,
at Work.