Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-09
THE DRESS CRUSADE.
Bessie Bramble Isn't Taken With tho
New Chautauqua Idea
THE LORD DOESN'T RUN FASHIONS.
She Suggests an Attack on the Princess q
Wales and Bernhardt
REFORM BYcoNyERT1NG THE LEADER
WRITTEN FOR THE prsrAroH.I

REFORM BfC0NVERTING THE LEADERS
WRITTEN FOR THE prsFAToH.l
~Custom Is the law of one descriptions Of
fools, and fashion of another; precedent Is
the legislator for the first, and novelty the
last"
This was the pithy saying Of an old En-
glish clergyman, who wrote very many
wise things. Those who resist all innoya-
tions and stick to old customs because they
are old, show as little brains as those who
adopt every novelty blindly because some
fashionable authority has set the style. AS
some people grow older they get "sot In
their ways" and think that everything
different or new is bad. In religion, in leg
islation, in manner of living. in style Of
dressing, this is continually being illustrated
by those who have respect unto precedents
and no faith in new systems or improved
methods. The power of prejudice and re-
sistance to change in religious belief is
shown in recent paper by Canon Taylor
in which he states what vast expenditure
of money and effort it takes to make q con-
vert from heathenism. He cites the case OF
China, with a population OF 49,, 0O0,O OOO,
with an annual increase of over 4, ,O0O, NO,
and in ell that vast country only 167 per-
sons were baptized in one year.
A LONG JOB FOR MIssIoNARIEA
At this rate, he estimates, that 1t viii
take the missionary society $1,000 years to
overcome the annual gain to heathenism.
In India the relapses were more numerous
than the converts. Mohammedanism is so
deeply implanted in Asiatio countries by
custom and prejudice against innovation
that the gospel is shut out In English
speaking countries where progress is the
rule and freedom in religion is not re-
pressed Calvinism is still held onto tena-
ciously in faith and by custom which con-
signs all these Asiatic and African millions
and the majority of Christians to eternal
fire by the decree of God for his own glory.
Lyman Beecher, who was one of the
shining lightsOf the Presbyterian Church
in his day, preached sermon one Sunday,
as related, on the danger of allowing
child to die without baptism. He described
in burning words the horrors of that ever
lasting hell, and illustrated it by q case in
point of mother who, through neglect and
procrastination, had not brought her child
to be baptized, and through sudden acci-
dent it was killed. "That child might have
been an angel in heaven" said the preacher,
"but it is now, through the fault Of it par
ents, tenant of hell.
REVISION OF THE CREED
Such was the customary teaching Of his
day. By force Of precept and precedent 1t
was pounded into the people, and SO fearful
now are many of the preachers and laymen
that innovation will interfere with such
education, that they resist with, all the
power that is in them the revision of the
creed that supports it. Such is the power
of custom in the church. Nor does it seem
less so in the law which holds precedents
superior to either right or reason or JUS
tice.
In Kentucky last Monday, the State Of
Henry Clay, the new Constitution which
affirms the worst features of the old common
law was adopted by an immense majority
though opposed by Carlisle and Buckner
and the foremost men of the State, showing
that the mass of men did no thinking for
themselves, but all like sheep went astray
together, dominated by the fashion of the
Bourbons which is to learn nothing.
Then it is the custom in politics to stand
by the party you were brought up to-right
or wrong! The mass of men belong to this
description of fools The few intelligent
enough to form their own opinions and hold
their sovereignty under their hats are sub
jected to derision as "Mugwumps" and turn
coats by those of the Ingalls, stripe, who
hold that ''the worst Republican living is
better than the best Democrat" 'Tidal
waves" occasionally turn up and overwhelm
a political party, but these are caused more
by fights, factions and personal bitterness
than by desire for any innovation of reform
or improvement
SLAVES TO THE OLD
But while so many have q reverence for
old times and old ways and are so opposed
to change, it is perhaps as well that there is
a counterbalance in fashion (which brings
everything into vogue by turns, it is said,
save virtue" The slaves to custom resist
new fashions as strenuously y as they hold ON to
the old ones, not dreaming, it would seem,
that it would be wise to consider whether
some changes are not for the better. There
are pig-headed old farmers who will farm
just as their fathers did. They don't want
any new tangled ways, they want to 60 to
church and sing psalms and hear long
sermons and pray with much speaking as of
old. These fight organs and stained glass
windows and such fashionable denominations,
and wear their Sunday coats for 40 years or
more These hold to the old ways
for ''the wemen," and can't see any sense
in their desire for labor-saving improve
ments and ',jimcracks" that their mothers
never possessed. These are the sort of con-
stituents that Garland came from to Wash
ington to serve in Cleveland's Cabinet.
Nobody wore dress coats in his region, and
therefore he wouldn't wear one to save
life. ''Blue Jeans" Williams
came from backwoods community where
homespun was the accepted style, and he
stuck to it after the ancient fashion.
THE socKLEss STATESMAN.
Jerry Simpson, the new man from Kan
sas, was elected from q region where it is
not swell" to wear "socks."
Mrs. Hayes would not wear her hair in any
other way than that which was the fashion
in her youth, combed fat over her ears.
Judge Lamar, of the Supreme Bench, wears
his hair long and tucked under. In these
days when men have their hair closely cut |
he shows himself devoted to the style of
long ago.
These are matters of taste and adherence
to fashions that have gone out But there |
is no special virtue in holding on to an old |
style unless it is markedly better than the |
new. The present mode for women of wear |
ing their hair "banged' is becoming to most |
faces, and yet some women imagine they are |
holding on to Christian principles by |
dragging their hair straight back, brushing |
it over their ears, or twisting it into tight |
knot. In the first centuries the fashions |
for women were arranged and enforced by |
the apostles and popes of the early church. |
Paul, Cyprian, Clement and others dictated |
the dress of women. Good women were to |
drape themselves completely SO as to con-
ceaf all natural grace. They were not per-
mitted to attend shows, nor the theaters,
nor marriage feasts, nor go about the streets,
but only to church and to visit the sick
and then were to be yelled or have their |