National Republican., 1888-01-30
A DISCOURSE ON DRESS.
The FOURTH OF REV. DIR. TALMAGE's
SERMONS TO WOMEN.
He Abhors the Feminine Man and
Mstcuiine Woman and wouid Have
Each Sex Wear only the Apparel
That is Designed for 1t,

Talmage, d. D., preached to-day in the Brook
lyn Tabernacle, fourth Of the series OF ser
mons to the women OF America, with impor-
tnnt hints to men," The subject of the sermon
was, Dominion Of fashion," and the text was
from Deuteronomy xxi, 8: 1.-THE woman shall
not wesr that which rertaineth unto man,
neither shall q man put on woman's gar
ment, for all that do so are abomination onto
the Lord thy Cod" DR.. Talmage said
In ,bis, the fourth sermon OF the series OF
sermons, wish those who hear to bear In
mind that take into consideration not only
tbose whom have before me on Sabbath
days, but the wider audience opened through
the printing press, and whit some things may
they are appropriate for many other localities.
And here will tell secret that have never
before told in public. About twenty years ago
opportunity OF preaching through the secular
newspaper press. The religious papers in
which my sermons had been published chiefly
stRed God for the wider 6eld in which to pro.
claim the great truths of religion and good
morals. In strange way the answer came.
matters inform me that every week there are
now thirteen million six hundred thousand
copies Of my. discourses published In this
country, and about four million in other lands.
whether English.speakiug countries or by
translation in many foreign tongues. / want
people TO understand that II Is all in answer to
and pay for grace TO occupy the field. lt Is
not therefore, presumptuous when give wide
scope 10 these disconrses and address them ITO
the women OF America, with important hints
10 men,
God thought womaniy attire OF enough i'm
roitaECe to have II discussed in the Bible.
Paul the apostle, by no means a sentimental,
themes of God, and the resurrection. writes
about tie arrangement Of woman's hair and
The style OF her iewSeiIy; Hna No II any, my teNt "
Mount sinai, declares that womanly attire
must be in marked contrast with masculine
iadignaiion Of high heaven. Just in proper
lion as the morals OF country or au age are
depressed is that law dehed. Show me the
fashion plates of any century from the time of
the delure TO this, and will tell you the exact
state OF public morals. Bioomersm in this
country years ago seemed about 10 break down
this divine law, but there was enough go1d IN
American society to beat back the indeeency.
Yet ever and anon we have imported from
France, or, perhaps, invented on this side the
seq, style that proposes as far as possible to
make women dress like men, and thousands
of young women catch the mode, until
rome enc goes too far in imitation of mascu-
Unity, and the whole custom, by the good
sense OF American Womanhood, is obliteratsd
The costumes of the countries are different
and in the same country may change. but
there is a divinely ordered dissimilarity which
from this is administrative of vice and runs
pEainst the keen thrust Of the text, which
tays; 'The woman shall not wear that which
pertaineth unto man, neither shall a man put
on womar's garment for all that do SO are
abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Many years ago a French authoress signing
herself George sand by her corrupt but bril-,
innumerable, and was a literary grandmother
of all the present French and American au-
inots who have written things SO much worse
that they have made her putrefaction quite
pTesentable. That French authoress put on
masculine attire: She. was consistent. Her
writings and her behavior were perfectly ac-
My text by implication abhors masculine
women and womenly men. What sickening
thing II is to see mau copying the speech, the
that they do not initiate a sensible woman,
but some female imbecile, And they simper,
and they go with mincing step. and lisp, ana
scream at nothing, and take on languishing
look, and bang their hair, and are the nausea
ton OF honest folks of both sexes. o man, be q
mani You belong to quite q respectable sex.
The starting figure OF the human race waS
hybrid neither one nor the other, but fail
ure halfway between.
IepnGnant are maSsnne ss nd so Women nM
the street with the stride OF walking beam
They wish they could smoke cigarettes and
Ss Thsy tag az na tbs1
roar They cannot quite manage the broad
profanity of the sex they rival. but their CON
Is SHfn
they say Il in llghtness, they would be high ur
in tain,hood. Wilhal there is an assumed
rus tosily Of apparel, and they wear mans hal
only changed by being in two or three place
smashed in and dead canary clinging TO tn,
general wreck, and mans coat tucked IN
here and there according to an nnacconnta6l'
esthetiCs. woman, stay woman! IoI
Glso belong to a very respectable sex. IN,
second figure of the human race was womai
6Ed sometimes second edition OF volum
il the first edition improved and CORRECTED
Donot try 10 cross over IT, you do you will b.
failure as n woman aud only noDdesctip
of q man. We already have enough intelleC
tual and moral bankrupts In our sex withou
your coming over to make worse the deficit.
In my text as by Il parable or figure o
tTeech 1t Is made evident that Moses, th
repPPessnSed Gti lie s esminae man and The mas
cnline woman. "rhe woman shall not wea
that which pertaineth unto mau
neither shall man put on, womans gar
uent; for all that do so are aoomination un.
My text also sanctions fashions. Indeed,
sets fashion. Thereisa great deal oil sense
/, ICES cant on the subject OF fashion. woma
Tor man who does not regard II is unit lor goo
ineigbtorhoud. The only question is what !
Itght fashion and what is wrong fashiol
Before stop want to show you that iashio
has been one OF the most potent OF retormeI
snd one ofthe viest OF usurpers. sometimes
has been an angel from heaven idinr ana ~ Sthet
The world grows better there Will be a
much fashion as now, but 1t will be arightou
fashion. In the future liie white robes go!y alway
There is a great Outcry against this submi
zion TO social custom, as though any consnltt
lion OF the tastes and feelings OF others wei
deplorable: but without II the world woul
have neither law. order, civilization, nor con
mon decency. There has been canoniz
tion OF bluntness. There are men and wome
who boast that they can tell you all they kno
and hear about you, especially If II be VI
pleasant. Some have mistaken rough bt
havior, for frankness, when the two 9nalitit
do not belong to the same family. You nav
no right with your eccentricities to crash
npon the sensjliyeness of others. There is L
virtue in walking with hoois over line carpet
Ihs most 5sgseqb eoft storm m t'e bat comes arrI
down in thunder strews rainbow colors upc
the sky and silvery drops on orchard an
T There are men who pride themselves on the
capacity 10 stick" others. They say: ~ hn'
Brought HIM, down. didn't make hi
0thSs Prize ev boast o heinz en sn
of the fashion. They wear queer hat, Ih
ride in an odd carriage, By dint OF .perpetu
application they TSa1 PeS5sHsde she nWH wGI
opinion. They are more proud OF being 20
of fashion" than others are OF being ~. IN IN
are utterly and universally disagreeable, 1ht
rough corners have never been Worn oil. I'll
prefer hedgehog to lamb.
The accomplishments Of life are in no W
productive OF eheminacy or enervation: 90,
manners and respect for the tastes or othe
are indispensable The Good Book spea
iavoIEbly Of those VINO are 'pecnllar pc
pie; put that does not sanction the behavior
gueer people. There is no excuse, under N
circumstances, for not being and acting 4
lady or gentleman. Rudeness is sin. We ha
no words too ardent to express our admiraN
for The Teiinemeuts OF society, There is
law, moral or divine, 10 forbid elegance OF Z
meanUr, or ornaments OF gold, or gems for /
person, artistic disp ay in the dwelling, graC
mness OF gait aud bearing, polite saiutaliC
or honest compliments; and he who Is shock
or offended by these had better, like the {
Scylhians wear tiger skins and take one vi
leap hack into midnight barOarism.
Christianity advances there VIII be better
paTei, higher styles of architecture, more
qu!site edornments, sweeter music, grant
pictures more correct behavior, and MT
thorough ladies and gentlemen,
But there is another story 10 be told. Wrc
fashion is ia he charged with many of