St. Landry democrat., 1881-05-14
ar, Providence we trust''-everybodye else cash
rv,urch TOilettes and Funerals.

church TOlAetaeS sAHW IL NACA sAhSs
Late exchanges, both religious and
secular, are ringing the changes upon
tho extravaganza of funerals and the
church dress of ladies'. As for for nigh
nr;ced. grave paraphernaia, universal,
outspoken, popular opinion, could eas'-
lv regulate that. Every man has a
right to bury his dead according to his
means, and it is a slavish spirit OF lm'-
tation which induces him to emulate
his wealthy neighbor i'll funeral OF IA
tombstone, which overwlielms him with
daht or takes the necessities Of life from
his living family. That is matter ev-
erv man holds in his own hands, and
the more brave and sensible and honest
he is, the less likely to succumo to an
evil passion. But the church toilette
of ladies is quite another matter. From
the days of the Apostles, any attack on
their adornments has been met with
contemptuous Indifference or indignant
clamor, but they have never receded
one step from their position. Honest
John Knox Numbered vainly from his
mint against the "trickeries" and "be-
deekmentsn of some members OF his
congregation. As rule they were So
berly dressed, but the dress leaven,
small as it was in his day, soon lead
eped the whole mass. If the Jealous
Reformer could only look in on the
fashionable congregation Of some mod
ern Presbyterian church, we think there
would be second "Blast of the Trumpet
AGAINST the monstrous regimen of Wo-
men,"
In the early days of Methodism, a
simple and modest apparel, with no
adornments of jewelry was strictly re-
quired Of every member. The pulpit
inyeighed against extravaganza OF
dress, and the earnest, jealous christian
who had turned from the world was not
willing to conform to it's vain fashions
This rigid asceticism, however, was not
without it's evil. The cut and fashion
of garment too often stood for a type
of spiritual grace, or spiritual barren
ness. There could be no worthy
Thought in head adorned with curls
or in o bosom clothed with silk and
lace. But a reaction against this So
briefly has set in. To-day well-hlleo
Methodist church is as fair a field fol
the display Of new bonnets, rich dresses
and snowy jewels, as any other public
and fashionable resort. If wesay moth
ing Of the "luxe" of the Episcopa
church toilettes, it is simply because bel
sister churches once upon time in
weighed 80 bitterly against her world
" fashions and followings," that w
have nothing to add. Naturally they ar
silent upon that score now. Whetbe
from a broader spirit Of charity, or De
cause the little foxes are devourlnl
their own tender vines, is left for then
to say.
Of course all of us have right to gu
own opinions on the subject. A churc'
of handsomely dressed people is spec
tacle quite as gratifying to the aesthetl
taste, as box at the opera filed wit
the elite of fashion. Whether it is con
ducive to devotional feeling or not,
another question. There is a KIND q
grim absurdity in hearing people pn
up ardent prayers against the woric
the flesh and the devil, when the tw
first are peeping out from every foia q
their garments, and cling to them Tx
the tabled shirt of Nessus. We mus
say one thing however, in common jus
tice. Church work and charitable en-
terprises are as efficiently carried on b
fashionable congregations, as II the
we're clothed in grogram. Ii they lac
the sweet humility Of the early chris
tan, if simplicity of attire has give
place to ostentatious luxury, it is pei
haps the fault Of the Age, an Age @
eye-pleasing, and millinery glory, an
it rates people more by the cut an
quality of their garments than by any
thing else. We hear the Gospel OF til
poor read beautifully from the pnlpit'
but we do not see the shabbiiy dTesse
man or woman led by the busting ushe
to the best places. Christian FELLOWSHIP
has it's lines and distinctions, and the
are not exactly spiritual ones.
Of course the ladies will think W
have gone outside our legitimate bust
ness to meddle with their church attirt
but they must remember that we mea
no special church nor any special place
It is merely a general evil o
inirmity far more marked in cit
churches than in country ones, thong
the latter are fast falling into line. w
can't deal with men on that subject, 10
fashion confines them to one ugly cos
tune. If they had a half a chance, the
would flaunt like peacocks, as they dil
in earlier times instead of looking lik
the modern regulation crow. But W
must wind up by saying that fine dres
sing il unsuitable for churches wher
we 10 to pray for an humble and con
trite spirit. We think reform ia tia
direction is called for, and il is reform
which can be begun by each, or an
member of christian church. Preach
ing or featuring against it will do moth
ing. But a brave. earnest. Christia
woman can easily set an example whic
would soon be followed to the sparitni
benefit of a whole community.