Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-11-19
WOMAN's OURsE.
lFrom the St. Louis Christian Advocate. ]

From the st. Louis Christian Advocated
Rev. DR.. Crosby, of New York, a
man we'll known IN religious and litera-
ry circles in this and in some other
countries, has lately published tract
entitled, "Consecrated Looking Glasses"
in which he bears all honest and solemn
testimony against the folly and sin Of
extravaganza in dress. AS part of the
tract, he uses the following language: {:
"1t l were called to point out the
most alarming sins in this city to-day
those which are most widespread in
their ravages, most deceittul IN their in
huence, and most soul destroying in
their ultimate effects-l would not men,
ton drunkenness with all its fearful
havoc, nor gambling with its crazed VIC
TINS. nor harlotry with its hellisu orgies;
but the love OF money on the part OF
men, and the love of display on the part
of women. While open vice sends its
thousands, these fashionable and favor
ed indulgencies send their ten thousands
to perdi;ion. They scar the conscience
incrust the soul with an impenetrable
shell of worldliness, debauch the affec-
tions from evory high and heavenly OBJ.
ject, and make the man or woman the
worshlper OF self. While doing all this,
the poor victim Is allowed by public
opinion to think himself or herself q
christian while the drunkard, the gam
bier, or the prostitute is not deceived by
such thought for moment"
This Is strong language but nothing
else than strong language will meet The
Case. Again he says,
81 see the chrlstian church invaded by
this fatal iniquity; see christian moth
ers iustitylng it on every hand,
and christian daughters dragged into
the vortex by the very hands that ought
to have been thrown around them for pro-
tectlou; see the influence of this self
decoration extending itself over all
classes and conditions OF society, like a
subtle poison eating out the life OF
christianity, and leaving the mere name.
And seeing this, canuot as a minister
OF Jesus Christ keep SILENT" Well,
surely, may DR.. Crosby ask women who
are parties to such iniquity, "Can you
be christianp Are you bound to
Jesus, the Lord, by the blood bought
ties OF renewed affection7 Have You
received the Holy Spirit, the sweet earn
est Of heavenly gloryp How can l be-
lieve it ? How can you believe it, when
you acknowledge that the worlds gilt
tering vanities are your destinations >
The Episcopal Recorder and Cove
nant," an Episcopal paper published at
Philadelphia, copying the extract above,
adds:
The love of outward adornment, it is
claimed, gives greatest prominence to
the b"dy, which is but vanity, to the
neglect of the soul, in which the sraces
Of the Spirit should shine forth to Gods
glory. 1t is the empty mud that loves
most to adorn the body. And beside
the injury to the person who INDUCES in
it, she lends herself TO turn the heads G,
| tools into false course of emulation
and to reduce women to rivalry with
peacocks"
"This folly involves wretched waste
OF time and money. The diary OF 8
fashionable christian woman would be {
record OF hours spent before the looking
| glass; and the rest of the day for wbici
such preparation is made Is devoted I,
irivolity. AS with time so with money