The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-07-19

selves, reprehended the effeminate man
and the masculine woman: The woman
shall not wear that which pertaineth
unto a man, neither shall a man put on
a woman's garment, for all that do so
are abomination unto the Lord thy God"
My text also sanctions fashion. In
deed, it sets fashion! There is a great
deal of senseless cant on the subject of
fashion. A woman or man who does not
regard it is unfit for good neighborhOod.
The only question is, what is right fash
ion and what is wrong fashion? Before
stop want to show you that fashion
has been one of the most potent of re-
formers and one of the vilest of usurpers.
Sometimes it has been an angel from
heaven, and at others it has been the
mother of denominations. AS the world
grows better there will be as much fash
ion as now, but it will be a righteous
fashion In the future life white robes
always have been and always viii be in
/ the fashion
| There is a great outcry against this
! submission to social custom, as though
= anv consultation of the tastes and feel
ings of others were deplorable; but with
out it the world would have neither law,
order, civilization, nor common decency.
There has been a canonization of blunt
ness. There are men and women who
boast that they can tell you all they know
and hear about You, especially 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 SEN
sitiveness of others There is no virtue
in walking with hoofs over fine carpets.
The most Jagged rock is covered with
blossoming moss. The storm that comes
iarring down in thunder strews rainbow
colors upon the sky and silvery drops on
orchard and meadow.
There are men who pride themselves
on their capacity to ''stick" others. They
say: Il have brought him down; didn't
l make him squirm!' Others pride
themselves on their outlandish apparel.
They boast of being out of the fashion.
They wear queer hat. They ride in an
odd carriage. BY dint of perpetual ap-
plication they would persuade the world
that they are perfectly indifferent to
public opinion. They arc more proud Of
being 'out of fashion, than others are
of being in. They are utterly and uni
versally disagreeable. Their rough cor
ners have never been worn off. They
prefer hedgehog to a lamb.
The accomplishments of life are in no
, wise productive of etfeminacy or ener-
vatiOn. Good manners and respect for
the tastes of others are indispensable.
The Good Book speaks favOrably of those
, who arc n ''pcculiar' people; but that
does not sanction the behavior Of queer
people. There i3 no excuse, under any
circumstances, for not being and acting
, the lady or gentleman. Rudeness Is sin.
We have no words too ardent to express
our admiration for the retinements of
, society. There is no law, moral or di-
{ vine, to forbid elegance of demeanor, or
: ornaments of gold, or gems for the per-
son, artistic display in the dwelling,
, gracefulness of gait and bearing. polite
5 salutation or honest stcompliments; and he
who is shocked or offended by these had
better. like the old ScytiIians, wear tiger
skins and take one wild leap back into
midnight barbarisln. AS Christianity
advances there will be better apparel,
5 higher styles of architecture, more ex-
t quisite adornments, sweeter music,
: grander pictures, more correct behavior
] and more thorough ladies and gentle
4 men.
/ But there is another story to be told.
Wrong fashion is to be charged with
many of the worst evils of society, and
!. its path has often been strewn with the
: bodies of the slain. It has often set up 6
L false standard by which people are to bt
i Judged. Our common sense, as well a.
e all the divine intimations on the subject,
s teach us that people ought to be esteemed
e according to their individual and mora
II attainments. The man who has ths
S most nobility of soul should be first, ant
/ he who has the least of such qualitie
r should stand last. No crest, or shield, o.
escutcheon can indicate ones moral peer
l. age Titles of Duke. Lord, Esquire, Earl
d Viscourn or Patrician ought no
= 10 raise one into the first rank
If Some of the meaneSt men Law
10 ever known had at the end Of their nam
e D. D., LID. and +. r. S. Truth. honor
d charity. heroisln, self sacrifice should Wiz
d highest favor, but inordinate fashiol
l. SAYS: Count not woman S virtues
d count her ador0ments." Look not a
h the contour of the head, but see the wa
q she combs her hair" ASK not wha
g noble deeds have been accomplished b.
10 that mans hand; but is it white an
a soft?" Ask not what good sense IL i
a her conversation, but I'm what was sh
drcssedH' Ask not whether there wa
l. hospitality and cheerfulness in the house
% but In what style do they ive:'
4 As a consequence. some of the mo:
Id ignorant and vicious men are at the tol
.. and some of the most virtuOus and inte
e ligent at the bottom. During the Ia
+. war we suddenly saw men hurled up int
o. Ihc highest social positions. Had the
n suddenly reformed from evil habits, {
if graduated in science, or achieved son
or good work for society? No, they simpl
" had obtained 4 government contract.
ol This accounts for the utter chagri
i. which people feel at the treatment the
ed receive when they lose their propert..
ad Hold up YOUR head amid financial disa
n Ter like Christian! Fifty thousand su
III tracted from good man leaves no
It. much? Honor. truth, faith in God, Il
a umphant hope, and q kingdom of inc
G. fable glory. over which he is to reign f
he ever and e:er.
e. If the owner of millions should lose
he penny out Of his pocket would he s
10 down on a curbstoue and cry! And st;
Ill man possessed of everlasting forum
n wear himself out with grief because
ve his lost worldly treasures? You ha
ITS onlv lost that in which hundreds
to wretched nisers surpass vou. and "
have saved that which the Caesars Il
re The Pharlohs and the AleXanders cou
20 never afford.