The Washington times., 1921-01-10
STYLES EVIL, i
SAYS PRIEST
Father Vaughan Calls Women'sI
Clothes OreadfuIly Ugly.
DepIores Their Purpose.
BY FATHER BERNARDVAUGHAN
FamOus Jesuit Preacher.

the bent of the public mind largely
toward material than spiritual
things.
We have a young generation grow
ing up void, to large extent, OF re-
ligious knowledge.
No dogma is taught in the pro-
vided schools, and the religious in,
struction which should be impaired
in the home is far too often wanting.
MOTHERS ARMS BEST SCHOOL.
The result is that children are
growing up without that religious
displicine which is so much more
effectively a deterrent OF evil courses
than any lay morality. How true
that the child maketh the man!
The finest schoolroom Is a mothers
arms. When the child rests its
naked feet on it's mothers hand with
it's little arms around her neck 1t
is then that spiritual Thoughts are
planted in the little mind. to live
forever.
The other day while out walking.
! met a man about-town. such as
you would describe him. He told
me he never felt happier in his life.
we walked back to Farm street.
and, as it happened. he sat beneath
a picture OF the Madonna and
Child"
"GOLLIwOG AGE"
The sight moved him to tears. and
when asked him the reason he
said, II told you l was happy; IT
Is not true. am the most misera-
ble man on earth. The sight of that
picture brings back my childhood
days. remember that same picture
hung over my cot. and at night ]
would stand on tiptoes to kiss the
feet. But since then the feet have
vanished out of sight-and happi-
ness has vanished too! May God
bring it back"
If you go into the modern nursery
you find II full of golliwogs and
quaint drawings. But how seldom
do you find sacred pictures telling
Of God? l do not sa ythat nursery
should be a church. but l do feel
that one religious picture over the
cot would be profitable and wise
variant Remember how impression
able is the child mind.
The exaggerated womens fashions
are another blot On the age. l al
ways understood that dress was in
tended for three purposes-warmth,
beauty and decency. How many of
the dresses that we see about the
streets today fulfill any of these pur-
poses? And they are so dreadfully
ugly They look from the back ele-
walton like hold-alls.
A lady one day asked me to COM
ment on her dress. Did think it be-
coming? replied that l did not
comment on habits which might be
Questionable before ! had finished
speaking, and that I reserved all my
comments for evil habits which per-
sisted and always remained in fash
ion.
TOO MUCH PRODIGALITY.
There is too much prodigality. We
create wants and then supply them
l suppose because we are a nation of
shopkeepers. We are like children
living with no post and moo future.
1t is all: Give it me now"
st. James speaks Of man behold
ing his natural face in the glass and
straightway forgetting what manner
of man he was. st. James was clever
He did not say this of woman, be-
cause she stays long enough in front
of a glass to find out what she is like.
IL I might say so. how much better
were some Of the time spent in front
of glass for vanity's sake devoted
to spiritual reading. such as the I'm
itation of Christ" or the Lives of
the Sains," or the Old and New Tesla
ments. We lose the secret of sane
tity when we neglect pious reading.
The simple life is the happiest A
wealthy lady once said to me: rs
there nothing you would like for
yourself. a motor car for instance.
seeing how advanced in years you
are?" I replied: There is only one
thing l need, and that is tooth
brush, which I can get at home"
II / had my life over again-and
am led thus to ruminate by the re-
peated invitations made to me to
write my memors-I would still elect
to become Jesuit novice. even
though for fifty-four years I should
not enter a theater or visit a race
course--not that I deny other people
from going. / am satisfied to make
my own bed, sweep my own room and
look after my own fire.
HAS NEVER VOTED.
1t may seem strange, but I never
have recorded a political vote. To my
thinking. a priest had best leave poll.
tics severity alone. 1t will take him
all his time to go for higher pur-
suits. 1t is the house to house going
priest who makes the churchgoing
parishioners
The kinema / occasionally visit, bu,
I do think that opportunities OF enter.
tainment, which should recreate the
mind as well as the senses. are neg.
lected. 1t all seems to me an orgy OF
halrbreadth escapes, murders, plung-
es down ravines, jumps from burn
ing buildings, and 20 on. But ] am
full OF hope for the film future. There
is in 1t the seed of wheat as well as
of tares.
| would say OF the age that the bad
are worse and the good better The
war, In my mind has wrought much
good. 1t has done a wonderful tn ms
for our boys In blue and khaki.
never have come across n soldier or
sailor In hostel or hospital withou
being struck by his fine spirit-th,
product OF wonderful triple ALI
ance--discipline comradeship and suf
] g.. IL