Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-30
moral bankrupts in our sex without your


coming over to make worse the deficit.
In my text as by parable or figure of
speech it is made evident that Moses, the
inspired writer, ss vehemently as our
selves, reprehended the effemInate man
and the masculine woman: "The woman
shall not wear that which pertainetn unto
man, neither shall msn put on a
WOmaB's garment: for all that do so are
sbominsliop unto the Lord thy God"
NY text also sanctions fashion. 10
deed it sets fashion! There is great
deal Of senseless cant on the subject OF
fashion. A woman or man who does not
regard 1t is unfit for good neighborhocd.
The only question is what is right fashion
and what is wrong fashion. Before
stop want to show you that fashion has
been one of the
MOST POTENT OF REFORMERs
and one Of the vilest of usurpsrs. Some
times it hes been sn angel from heaven
and at others it has been the mother OF
denominations. As the world grows better
there will be as much fashion as now, but
it will be righteous fashion. In the
future life white robes always have been
and always will be in the fashion.
There is great outcry against this
submission to social custom, as though
any consultation OF the tastes and feel
lngs Of others were deplorEble; but with
out it the world would have neither law,
order, civilization, nor common decency.
There has been csnoniZation CT
bluntness. There are men and
women who boast that they CAN tell you
all they know and hesr sboutyou, es-
pecislly if it be unpleasant. Some have
mistaken rough behavior for frankness,
when the two qualities do not belong to
the same family. You have no right with
your eccentricities to crash in upon the
sensi iveness of others. There is no
virtue in walking with hoofs over fine
carpets. The most jsgged rock is covered
with blossomiDg moss. The storm that
comes jsrring down in thunder strews
rsinboW colors upon the sky and silvery
drops on orchard and meadow.
There are men who pritethemselves on
their capacity to "stick" others. They
say, 81 have brought him down; didn't
make him squirm!" Others pri lie
themselves on their outlsndish apparel.
They boast Of being out Of the fashion.
They wear queer hat. They ride in sn
odd carriage. By dint of perpetual ap-
plIcation they would persuade The world
that they are perfectly Indifferent to pub
lie opinion. They are more proud of be-
ing "out Of fashion" than others are of
icing in. They are utterly and univer-
sally disagreeable. Their rough corners
have never been worn of. They prefer
A HEDGEHc G TO LAMB.
The accomplishments of life are in no
wise productive of effeminacy or enerVa-
ton. Good manners and S respect for
the tastes Of others. are Indispensable. The
Good Book speaks fagorsbly of those who
are peculiar" people; but that does
not sanction the behavior of queer peo-
pie. There is no excuse, under any cir
cumstaDces, tor not being and acting the
lady or gentleman. RuGeEess is sin. We
have no words too ardent to express our
admiration for the refnements of
society. There is no law, moral or
divine, TO forbid elegance of de-
mesnor, or ornaments of gold, or
gems for the person, artistic display in
the dwelling, grscefulness of gait and
bearing, polite salutation or honest COM
pliments; and he who is shocked or Of
Tended by these had better, like the old
Scythians, wear tiger skins and take one
wild leap back into midnight berbarism.
AS Christianity advances there will be
better apparel, higher styles Of architect
ure, more exquisite sdornments, sweeter
music, grander pictures, more correct
behavior, and more thorough ladies and
gentlemen.
But there is another story to be told.
Wrong fashion is to be charged with many
Of the worst evils Of society, snd its path
has often been strewn with the bodies OF
the slain. 1t hss often set up q false
standard by which people are to be
judged. Our common sense, as well as
all the divine intimRtions on the subject,
teach US that people ought to be est en-
ed according TO their individual and NOR
al sttsinments. The man who has the
most nobility Of soul should be first, and
he who has the least of such qualities
should stand last. No crest, or shield,
or escutcheon can indicate one's moral
peersge. Titles of duke, lord, esquire,
earl, viscount or patricisn ought not to
raise one
INTO THE FIRST RANK.
Some of the mesnest men have ever
known had st the end Of their name, ID,
LII D. and F. r. S. Truth, homer, chart
highest favor; but inordinate fashion
SnJG" SOuAS NV q WOLlau N4EIUCE
count her adornments." "Look not at the
contour OF the head, but see the way she
combs her hair. "Ask not what noble
deeds have been accomplished by that
mans hand, but is it white and soft?
"Ask not what good sense is in her CONVEX
sation, but,in what WAS she dressed? "Ask
not whether there was hospitality and
cheerfulness in the house, but, in what
style do they live"
AS consequence, s1me OF the mos. ig-
norant and viscious men are at the top, and
some Of the most virtuous and intelll gent
at the bottom. During the last war we
suddenly saw men hurled up into the
highest social positions. Had they sud-
denly reformed from evil habits, or grad
usled in science, or achieved some good
work for society? No, they simply had
obtained government contract
This accounts for the utter chegrir
which people feel at the treatment theJ
receive when they lose their property
Hold up your head amid financial dis
aster like Christian. Fifty thousand
subtracted from good man leaves how
much? Honor, truth, faith in God
Triumphant hope, and kingdom ofineffs
BILE glory, over which he is to reign for
ever and ever
II the owner Of millions should lose /.
penny out Of his pocket would he sill