The sun., 1893-06-05
The Delight OF the Eye.

The great changes which have taken place
among the Friends. or Quakers. during the
last generation were indicated at their
yearly meeting In Rutherford place last
week. by the Garb OF those present. The
wearers OF the distinctive Quaker dress
were few, and these were only older mem
bers OF the society. The rest were not
distinguished in their costumes from the
people Of the world.
A similar change has occurred among the
Baptists and Methodists. 1t Is true that
they never wore a garb peculiar to them
selves. like the Quakers. but Of old their
dress. and particularly that OF the women.
was especially plain and simple. They de-
nounced costliness Of appare! as tempta-
ton Of the devil and wicked waste Of
money. diverting the thoughts Of the wear
ers from eternal realities TO the feetins and
delusive delights and vanities Of this tenn
poral existence.
A like sentiment prevailed among the
Puritans. One OF their early ordinances in
New England was a prohibition OF gowns
which left bare the arms OF women. Any
attempt OF the sort 10 provoke the admira-
tion OF men. they reprobated as sinful. The
separation OF women from men in the
meeting houses was customary in the early
centuries OF Christianity. In the third
century and later. woman was regarded as
tempter. descended from EVE, with whom
came In temptation for man: and therefore
she was compelled TO conceal or disfigure
her beauty. as dangerous to the soul OF the
masculine observer.
Now. in all churches, including Baptist.
Nafhnist Puritan ha
majority Of the congregations are women
clad according to the dictates OF the very
beautiful and captivating fashion Of the
time. This fashion enhances the charms Of
women In On extraordinary measure. and
to that degree 1t is peculiarly worldly.
The mass OF 'Somen. the country through.
take special pains to make themselves at
tractive in dress on Sunday and for church.
From the first they resist all attempts to
curb their natural desire TO set of their
beauty TO the best purpose. and even when
the Quaker garb was universally worn by
the feminine members OF the society, the
younger and more graceful Of them had
a knack OF managing 1t SO as to
give their physical charms o chance
to exercise their due influence. Pretty
Quaker girls would not hide their demure
beauty under bushel. They knew how TO
let its lustre peep forth from a poke bon
net and through the folds OF a severe robe.
The Puritan maidens also had q way OF cap
tivating the admiration Of men. which was
instinctively feminine. II they were tempt
ers, they retolced in their inheritance from
Mother EVE. Moreover. old ladies who had
wealth to expend on their Puritan or Quaker
wardrobe. made up for the simplicity Of the
dress in the costliness Of the sober ma
terial OF which it was fashioned. Wealth
came 10 the Baptlsts and Methodists as the
reward OF past restraint. and II soon began
10 manifest itself in richness Of attire.
Thus 1t has come about that in our day
there Is nothing in the dress Of the most
Puritanical OF the religious communiOns 70
distinguish them from the res. OF the
world. except it be among diminishing
number OF the older Quekers. The crowd
that comes out of a baptist or Methodist
church is as smartly dressed as any other
Tie fear OF the delight Of the eye is passing
away, and the aesthetic sense is gratiiled
without alarm as TO the safety Of
the soul. Meantime, American women
generally are accustomipg themselves
to looking on artistic exhibitions Of
the feminine form. from which formerly
they would have turned abashed and out
ragged. The stage presents scenes upon
which no modest woman would have looked
without shame generation ago. but now |
they pass before the eyes OF thousands OF |
spotless women without provoking them to |
objection or exciting in them other feeling |
than enjoyment Of their frank beauty.
A great change has come over our people |
since the time when Puritanism affected |
the sentiment ot the religious public. A