The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-07-19
DOMINION OF FASHION.
DIR TALMAGE TO THE WOMEN
OF AMERICA.
Dissimilarity in the Attire of the Sexes
an Indication of Good Morals "A
Masculine Woman and a Womanly
Man are Alike Repugnant.


In this, the fourth sermon Of the series
! of sermons, | wish those who hear to
| bear in mind that 1 take into considera-
tion not only those whom l have before
me on Sabbath days, but the wider audi
ence opened through the printing press;
and while some things may not be par
ticularly appropriate for one locality,
they are appropriate for many other local
| tiles And here I,will tell a secret that
have never before told in public. About
twenty years ago l began to pray that
God would open to me the opportunity OF
preaching through the scculaI news,
paper press. The religious papers iI!'
which my sermons had been published
chiefly went to positively religious fam
lilies. So l asked God for the wider field
in which to proclaim the great truths of
religion and good morals. In strange
way the answer came. And the syndi-
Gates having charge of these matters
inform me that every week there are
now 1860, 900 copies of my dis
courses published in this country, and
about four million in other lands. whether
English speaking countries or by transla
ton in many foreign tongues. l want
people to understand that it is all in an
swer to prayer to God that this opportu-
nifty has come, and l pray for grace to
occupy the field. It is not, therefore.
presumptuous when give wide scope to
these discourses and address them .'to
the women Of American, with important
hints to men"
God thought wOmanly attire of enough
importance to have it discussed in the
Bible. Paul the Apostle by no means
- a sentincntalist. and accustomed to dwell
OH the great themes Of God and the
resurrection, writes about the arrange
mcnt of wOmans hair and the style Of
her iewelry, and in my text Moses, his
ear vet filled with the thunder Of Mount
Sinai. declares that womalLv attire must
= he in marked contrast with mas
culinc attire, and infraction of
that law cxcitCS the Indignation of
high heaven. Just in proportion as the
morals of u country or an age are de-
PRESSED is that law defiel. Show me the
fashion plates of any century. from the
time of the lcluge to this. and | will tell
YOU the exact state of public morals
"a liloomcrism in this country Years ago
~ seemed about to break down this divine
law. but there was enough of good i'll
III American society to beat back the in
drccncv Yet ever and anon we have
imported from France. or perhaps in
le vented on this side of the sea, a style
ne that proposes as far as possible to make
-, ~ women dress like men, and thousands of
fs young women catch the mode until some
V, one goes a little too far in imitation of
tn masculillitv, and the whole custom by the
good sense of American womanhood is
no ohlitcrated.
81 The costumes of the countries are diff
ch fcrcnt, and in the same country may
It's change. but there is a divinely ordered
dissimilarity which must be forever OBJ
ne served. Any divergence from this is
es administrative of vice and runs against
nc the keen thrust of the text, which saGs:
The woman shall not wear that which
NO pcYtaineth unto n man, neither shall a
,e man put on wOman's garment: for all
an that do so art abomination unto the Lord
H. thy God"
fe Many years ago a French authorcss
IL signing herself George Sand, by her cor,
rupt but brilliant writings depraveG
homes and libraries innumerable, anl
was n literary grandmother of all tho
A' present French and American author.
who have written things SO much worse
illtt iItN nave ll:tle Dtr Du1rH1aCtlOl
est quite prcscntable. That French authores
put on masculine attire. She was con
lis sistent. Her writings and her behavio
We're perfectly accordant.
Ny text, by implication, abhors mascu
I" line women and womanly men. What
sickening thing it is to see a man copy
ut ing the speech, the walk, the manner O
q woman. The trouble is that they d
female imbecile. And they simper. an,
ne, they go with minCing step, and lisp. an,
scream at nothing. and take on a Ian
wi gushing look, and bang their hair an,
are the nauseation of honest folks of bot
mo sexes. Oh, man, be man! You belon,
th, (" quite q respectable sex The startin,
vas figure of the human race was a man. D
her not try to cross over, and so become
hybrid, neither one nor the ether, but
IN failure, half way between.
Alike repugnant are masculine women
to They copy a man stalking gait and g
down the street with the stride of
walkngbeam. They wish they coul
smoke cigarettes. and some of them dc
''''' lhcy talk GOisterously and try 10 sin
bass. They do not laugh, they roal
red They cannot quite manage the broad pre
conversation is often a half swear; and
hess They said oh, Lord" in earnest prave
OF aS often as they say it i'll lishtness the
would be high up in sainthood. With,
-he:e Is an assumed rugosity of appare
l. ana they Wear mans hat only change
oE "lng III two or three places smashe
IN ',nd dead canary clinging to the ger
eral wreck. and mans coat tucked i
mere and there according to an unaccoun
.p '"le cethrtlcs. Oh woman. stay
IN woman! You also ielong TO n very r,
Spectacle sex. The second figure of til
I."ii!ih race was woman, and som
ngs, TIMES second edition of a volume is II
will hrst edition improved and corrected. I
GODS not Try TO cross over. If YOU do YOU wi
pe i .aliurc as woman and only n no,
o'Script OF man. We already hay
- enough intellectual and moral bankrup
,~ III our Sex without your coming over
-. make worse the deficit.
'Tssl sbsi ln my text, as by parable or Gglu
RY OF speech, it is made evident that Most
fhe inspired writer. rs vehementlv as ou