West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-02-09
WHAT TO WEAR.
TALMAGE's SUNDAY SERMON.
A Discourse on Wearing Apparel and
Fashion

that DO so are dbOHinution unto he Lord
Thy God "-Dcuteronomy xii, 3.
In this, the fourth sermon of this series OF
sermons, | wish those who hear 10 bear i'm
mind that take into consideration not only
those whom L have before me on Sabbath
days, but the wider audience opened through
the printing press, and while some things
may not DO particu arly appropriate for one
Locality, they are appropriate Tor many other
localities. And here will tell q secret that
1 have never bc.ore told i'm public About
twenty years ago ! began TO pray that God
would open 10 me the opportunity of preach
Ing through the secular newspaper press.
The religious papers i'm which my sermons
had been published chiefly went TO positively
religious families. So 1 asked God for the
wider field I'm which TO proclaim the great
truths of religion and good morals I'm n
strange way the answer came. And the syn
dicates having charge of these matters in
form me that every week there are now
l3,6OO,O0O copies OF my discourSes punished
in this country, and about 4. OOJ 900 i'm other
lands, whether English-speaking countries OF.
by translation in many foreign tongues
want people To understand that IL Is all in
answer TO prayer to God that this oppor-
tunity has come, and pray for grace TO oc-
cupy the field. 10 is not, therefore, pre-.
sumptuous when give wide scope to these
dfscourses and address them 4" TO the women
OF America, with important hints to men"
God thought womanly attire of enough
Importance TO have il discussed in the Bible.
Paul the apostle, by no means a sentimental
list, and accustomed 70 dwell on the great
themes OF God and the resurrection, writes
about the arrangement of woman's hair and
the style of her jewelry, aud I'm my text
Moses, his ear yet filed with the thunder of
Mount Sinai, declares that womanly attire
must 10 in marked contrast with masculine
attire, and infraction of that law excites the
indignation of high heaven. Just in propor.
ton as the morals of n country or an age are
depressed is that law defied Show me the
fashion Plates OF any century, from the time
OF the deluge to this, and / will tell Won the
exact state of public morals. Bloomerism i'm
this country years ago seemed about to break
down this divine law, but there was enou0h
OF good in American society to beat back tho
indecency. Yet ever and anon we have inn
ported from France, or perhaps invented on
this side OF The sea, a style that proposes. as
Tar as possible TO make lomen dress like
men, and thousands OF young women catch
the mode, until some one goes n little too far
IN Imitation OF masculinity, and the whole
custom, by the good sense of American
womanhood, is oblterated
The costumes ofthe countries are different
ana In the same country may change, but
there Is n divinely ordered dissnilarity
which must be forever observed Any di-
vergence from thisis administrative of vice
and runs against the keen thrust of the text.
Whcn says; NIhe woman shall not w ear
that which pertalneth unto man neither
shall man put on a woman's garment: for
all that do so are abomination unto the Lord
thy Godn
Many years ago a French authoress. sign
ing herself George Sand, by her corrupt but
brilliant writings depraved homes and libra
rleS lnnumerable, and was a literary grand.
mother of all the present French and 2meri-
can authors who have written things so
much worse that they have made her futra-
faction quite presentable The French AN
thoress put on masculine attire. She was
consistent. Her writings and her behavior
were perfectly accordant
My text by implication abhors masculine
women md WOpnonly
ing thing 1t is too see man copyinr the
speech. the walk, the manner of n woman
The trouble is that they do not initiate n
sensible woman, but some female imbecile
And they shipper, and they go with mincino
step, and lisp, and scream at nothing. and
rake on languishing look and bang their
mar, and are the nauseation OF honest folks
81 h"th sexes. oh, man, be n man! You be-
long 10 quite a respectable eek. The starting
figure of the human race was a 1nan. 10
not try to cross over and so become n hvbrid
neither one nor the other, but n failure. half
way between.
Anke repugnant ara masculine women
They copy mans stalking gait and 90 down
the street with the stride OF a walking bean,
They wish they could smoke cigarettes ami
some OF them do. They talk foisterouslv and
Try TO sing bass They DO not laugh. they
roar. They cannot quite manage the b~oad
profanity OF the sex they rival but their
conversation IS often half swear: AMI II
they said 'Oh, Lordr' in earnest proyar 10
3I'en as they say II in lightncss they would
DC nigh upln sainthood lVHhal there * nm
assumed rugosity OF apparel. and they ,y7ar
mans hat, only chPngeI by being i'm two
or three places smashed in and n deal canarv
ing ne 70 the general wreck anil n man 3
coat tucked in here and there aceordin, r., an
unaccoantable csthetics on. woman SIM, =
woman! You also belong 10 a vel v rcsn,,..t .
able sex. The second figure of tie human
race was woman, and sometimes n econ
edition OF volume is tire first q itio. i'm,
proved and contracted t,rN
over IL you do you will be a failure as n
woman and only a nondescript of n man
we already have enough intellectual ami
moral banTupts in our SO -rjth.ut ,-,.,,.
coming over 10 make worse the dsHc.t
In my text. as by n parable on figure ~
speech 1t IS made evident that Moses. tie in
spired writer, vehemently as ourselves
rePrehenie the efiem nate man and the
.ltscu ine woman The woman shall not
wear that which perta.neth unto a man
heltner shall n man put on a woman's ear.
ment: for all that do so are aboninat on mt
the Lord, thy God.
NY text also sanctions fashion Indeed. it
sets tashiOnl There is great deal If so,.s,.
tiohai cant on the Jet ~ fashion i W.
uian on man who dos not regard N l. t,t,G -.
tor good neighborhool. The only ON sfior i
WAT is right ashton aud what is wronc
IaSulon Before / stop i want T. sbotv ,-,..
mat fashion has been one OF the most NJ, .,,,.
~ rctorners and one of the vilest OF ,,.lirpa.s
Soip"times 90 has boon an anyef from fre,,,,,,
oPl NJ others ~ has b "a tha mother M .l.,,.,f
nations as the world grows better thare
VIII be rs much fashion as now. but II ,yiti
be righteous fashion In the future fe
Hnits robes always have been aud always
viii be in tn fashion. '"'
lnere IS a great outrry against this suo
NILSSON 70 social custom, n though any con
suitaton Of the tastes and FEELINGS of other
were depiorable, but without il the world
would nave neither law. order. civilization
nor common decency. There has been n
tanohl1ation OF bluntness. There ara mon
ena women VINO boast that they can tell Won
~ tney Know and hear about you. csreciallv
III ~ Dc unpleasant Some have misfatey,
IOuSh DenaYior 10 frankness Fhen tie two
quantities do not belong 10 the Same fau,fi,,
You have no right with your &c entririfi.s
- crash IN upon the sensitivene-s OF ofbsr-
There Is no virtue in walking with bcofe go.
line carpets Tho most Jagged r0.k IA CO.,
ered with bloegoming moss Tho rflrfr 10. 81
comes airing down m thunder sti ews rain
bow colors upon The slsv. md silyerv dro-.
on orchard and meadow
There arc men who pride fhornsolvoa IN
their capacity 10 "stiokr others Tr., e,-,.
~ have brought him down Didn't r,4Le
him squirmT Others pride tbomaIyae an
their outlandish apparel Thrv boa.t 81
% NJ out Of the fash on. They wear n uure-
hat They ride in on old carria-o Evd.rt
~ Prpctunl application thcy would psr-
sia1e tne world That they are uorf.ct1v iu
inherent - public opinion Tnav arc moro
proud Of being Font n fashion than ofha-s
are oi bsin2 Boo. They arc utterly nnI uni
vfrsaily die1Zree1b.o. Their rough corn sr4
nave never tesn worn or They prefer
hclgehOg f0a lamb