The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-11-19
mo. 2
Church-Going and Dress.

observation, that too many make
church going a dress occasion.
This is, for several reasons, to be
deplored. Let us consider SO me OF
these.
Church service is for the worship
of God and the spiritual good OF
those who go up to the house OF
the Lord. If an hour or two is
spent in the toilet for the occasion,
to make an elegant, elaborate dis
play of costume and charms, it
would seem to be q poor, not to
say an unsuitable, preparation for
SO solemn and important an occa-
sion. Then it looks like (though
many may not really intend it, a
deliberate intention to rival God,
and divide with him . large share
OF the interest and attention of his
worshipers. We suppose that
most who thus act have not thought
of the presumption and almost
profsne audacity of what they arc
promising to do, but, nevertheless,
we fear some are SO doing.
This elaborate display of dress
works bad result in keeping
those away from the house of the
Lord whose strained circumstances
do not allow them to array thems
selves in clothes so costly, fine and
attractive. OF course, this is a
foolish pride in the poor; but,nsver-
theless, some feel il, and permit it
to influence them. They feel
ashamed and Inundated to set
down beside and among those SO
splendidly attired; their plain cali
Goes and muslins and cheap wraps
bonnets are sadly disparaged by
the comparison. 1t is more than
their weak hearts can bear, so they
will not come at all, or only at
night, when the contrast will not
be SO obvious and glarine. OF
course, this is wrong. People
ought to dress. according to their
circumstances. 1t is equally good
taste and enlightened wisdom to do
SO, and it is bad taste aud folly to
do otherwise. But, not withstand
ing the obviousness of all this, it Ia
not seen and felt by many as it
should be; the humiliation is felt,
and some are kept from the house
and public worship of God.
Now, dear ladies, you that have
the means to dress in fine and
costly attire, take this matter into
serious consideration. Do not
make church attendance a dress
occasion. Do not humiliate the
poor, and keep them from church
service You will have abundant
and perhaps proper opportunities
for the use of your costly robes and
ornaments where no i'll will come
of their exhibition.
We mention one more reason
why church attendance should not
be dress occasion. 1t not only
keeps too many of the poor away,
but it often keeps the well-to-do
away as we'll. Many of the plumes,
the ribbons, laces and other fabrics
of ladies' wear are frail, delicate
easily soiled. A little rain almost
ruins them. These articles are
costly, and it looks like wrong and
waste to be careless of their pres
ervation. So if the weather is the
least inclement, and threatens any
injury to these costly ornaments,
their owners and wearers stay at
home. Now, if church attendance
was not dress occasion, ladies
could attire themselves in plain,
substantial habiliments, not likely
to be injured by inclement wealth
er. It is sadly true that many men
will not go to church unless the
ladies of their household will 60
also. The upshot of this condition
of things is that On many q Sab
bath, when the weather is such
that it would not hinder mep from
attending to the various business
of their callings, they are pot at
church because the ladies can not
expose their church-going attire
to the risk of injury. The preach
er goes, of course, and the sermon
that has cost him much prayerful
study is preached for the most TO
a beggarly account of empty
benches. Christian Advocate.