New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
MEMS GARMENTS ON WOMEN.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PASSAGE FROM pEu-
TERoNoMY ON THIS SUBJECT
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir. In Mondays issue gentleman OF Jersey CITY
Heights is quoted appealing to Deuteronomy &Ni''
4 az a divine prohibition OF "boomers as cos
tune for women Most OF us are as decidedy
amused 10 this form OF dress for women as IL
tho gentleman referred TO. But think our OPP
position will have to be put on other GROUNDS 'hah
merely the passage referred to- carefui STUDY OF
the class OF Mosaic legislation which inciudes De"
teronomy XIII s. will show that such regulations were
imposed In order fully to separate the lsraeh'es
from the influence OF idolatrous nations around
about them. The people were destined 10 hve
under the very shadow OF idolatry. deaoiy az !"
would be to a weak faith and unresuated iie
and II was necessary that the nation shouId pre-
serve its faith and allegiance to the one 600 III
onnosit,on to the polytheism OF their neighpors
An reeulationa sought this end. Gods wisdom
made use OF Moses as lawgiver TO secure TINS emu
No statute was frivolous which aimed AT TINS,
and every statute became necessary wh'ch "ouio
result In this
Hence. among other many laws was given the one
In Deuteronomy xii s: THE woman shall not wear
that which pertaneth unto man, neither shaiI d
man put on a womans garment II may Do
easily shown that this was blow at the heatheh
customs and a safeguard as well to lsraehtes'
A famous Jewish rabbi Of Spain and ESypt
Maimonides A. d. ll35 TO 1901 in his most impor-
tant work The Guide OF the Perplexed,' Chapter
- states that IN the books Of idolaters II was
commanded that men. in the worship OF Venus.
the Ashtaroth OF the Phoenicians. should wear the
dress Of women, and that women. In the worship
OF Mars the Moloch OF Moses's time, should put
on the armor OF men. Macrobius grammaran
OF the fifth century A. D.. cites Philochorus VINO
died b. c. go. as stating the same thing. and CIV
ing az the reason therefor that II was TO
show that Venus equally esteemed by both
male and female 1t not uncom-
mon indeed. for the ancients to confound
their gods and goddesses. making them some
times male sometimes female. Venus was rep
resented by the Cyprians of masculine size.
wearing a beard. carrying a sceptre, but dressed
tired as a The Romans had both a male
and q female Fortune and an armed Venus. as
Like god IKE PsOps 1t Vas no wonder tina, tina,
tate them as far as possible, This has always
oeen true in the history of religions: So It came
about that in religious worship these heather
hat properly belonging TO their sex. Firmicus
800 who wsOts and on ne
showed that this common among these two
aaions was carried from them o5.r into Eusope
Greece the practice common.
MISUNDERSTANDING the fact that the law referred
customs and. preventive, OF corruption among
the ancient lsraeliies' modern society has con-
For IT was aimed not only at idolatrous prac-
css but so on oS SpSsGd at 6r
tlans VIII commend the law. For thus Is womanly
tween male and female openly preserved, When
women forget their sex. men forget their decorum.
is soon followed by mpgdoe E
effeminacy In man. Shakespeare has it that. The
sDd the Woman sso Press this duty s Upon women
and Will have little 10 fear when
ns sSe and their sy Sgs1her
Chambersburg. Penn, Sept TO- 1895.