The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-09-09
Dress and Devotion.


The Catholic eurate of St. Baptiste.
Province Of QIebec, has declared that
he will not administer the saeraman ant
hereafter to those women who wear
lew-necked dresses or "pull-backi
skirts. He regards such peeuliarities
OF costumes as so immOdest that no
Christian woman can consistently in
dulge in them. Such clerical action
Is by no means unprecedented or con-
fined to the Church of RDms. The
old Puritan divines were fierce and
decided against various fAshiOns twJ
centuries ago. Only few wears
since n Bishop of the United Brrth-
rem Church held the wearing of
hOOp-skirt to be bar to the com
muniOn table. This last decision
found fault with just the reverse of
one of the styles to which the Cana
dian curate objects. That there is
such thing as iDdefensible imprO-
priety or costume none will deny, but
few would be willing to attempt to
draw the line between the proper, the
allowable and the prohibited. The
early MethOdists, as is well known,
tolerated no useless ornaments. An
aged minister Of the NJ. E. Church
died not long ago In Ohio, who, to
his dying day, wore no buttons on the
back OF his cost. When young he
was demonstrating witi newly
converted sister for wearing Jewelry,
saying that it was needless, and that
Christian should he restricted to
what was useful. His coat had metal
buttons, as was the fashion at that
day, and the girl at once reclied by
asking, "Of what good are those but
tons st the bottom Of your waist ?"
He saw her point, called for pair Of
scissors. cut of the ornamental ap-
pendageS, and. as We have said, re-
strieted himself forever after to but
tons in front. Literal cOBstrnetionists
would seem to find scriptual war
rant for a reputation of all adorn-
ments. An apostolic writer takes
exception to broidered hair, pearls,
aad costly array, but the passage has
generally been interpreted as con-
demning the abuse, rather than lhe
use Of ornament. Indeed, If strict
utility is to be the rule, all the re-
quirements Of warmth and deeeney
would be supplied for both sexes by a
shspeles5 robe like that worn by some
half-civilized races After all, each
person must be left to his or her ideas
Of prOpriety, and high-toneI public
sentiment will discourage undue ex-
travagance or "loudness" OF costume
more eaectually than eeolssiastical or
sumptuaTy laws can hope to do.
In the early days OF the Masssebu-
sets Bay Colony, severe laws were
passed. against the use Of tobaeel ,.
They proved Intellectual, and the
General Court at last disposed Of the
matter by dodging IL, in a resolution
that "the brethren should have
liberty" in the matter, thus making
the consumer morally responsible.
Female offenders are more obdurate
than their brothers, fathers, and
lovers, aud the latter are too often
their aceomplices. Fashion will re-
sist assaults even more Obstinately
than toblceo. The London Times il
just nov charging the women with
the chief responsibility Of the extrava-
ganep of the times. bgt its lectures
will fall upon deaf ears TLere is no
doubt fearful waste OF money in
dress, and there are fashions which
violate every law Of propriety and
health. Until, however, a wOman's
mind is occupied with higher thoughts
than the cut or fabric Of her gown,
and until she is admired for mental
aud moral worth more than for her
beauties OF form or feature, the
| fashion plates will be consulted, great
| bargains sought for. aud every novel
ty fnd ready adoptiOn.-G Gazsts.