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A Little Grace
or
Looking at Appearances
An Essay for 
Short 
Discussion by Eugene PrewittDisclaimer: This is not a balanced paper. That is because it is a short paper. It is not possible to be balanced and accurate and brief at the same time. Sincesomething has to go, I have chosen to let it be balance.So this paper does not well explain the gospel. It doesnot adequately lift up the cross as the only reason todress well. In it I do not take significant pangs to showthat dress is not to be the big issue in life. Nor do Iaddress the jewelry issue. Yes, you read that correctly.Disclaimer continued: This paper does not pretend toexhaust the arguments. Nor does it well represent theother sides of the issues that it discusses. Nor does itmake the important point that pride, selfishness, and acritical spirit are more harmful than poor dress. Whichmeans that there are people that dress not best and aremost precious for their sweetness. Nor does the paper  present itself as the final authority on the issues. Nor have I, as the author, tried much to show how dearly andtruly I appreciate many of my fellow-workers who maynot (yet?) see these issues as I. Nor am I as certain that Iam correct on these issues as I am sure that I am right onwhether or not we should keep the Ten Commandments.So now maybe you don’t want to read the paper since itdoes not say any of the things a good and balanced paper on dress ought to say.
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 But I am not done with mydisclaimer.Disclaimer continued: This paper is written in acolloquial style. Every sentence of it excepting thatfunny sentence just before this one that used the word“colloquial.” So the grammar should be perfectlyaccurate for conversational English. This is intended toease the feelings of tension that tend to fill with hot air and start rising when the issue of dress is touched. If youdo not understand how dress could be a hot issuewithout discussing jewelry, then you should probablynot read any further. This paper assumes that you think wearing jewelry is not best or appropriate for Christiansliving in the time of the judgment. So this paper iswritten for a very few people. If you want to copy or distribute it, please do so only with the disclaimer attached. This paper does not offer much evidence or  proof for ideas that will be readily believed by anyone
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I have written many other papers on such topics as faith,grace, love, salvation, history, the Testimonies, and such like. If you want a balanced perspective, there are other authors thatwrite better than I that have addressed each of these issues. If you want to know if 
 I 
have a balanced perspective, you maywant to read those papers. Write me atcanvassing@canvassing.orgfor info on how to find them.
that has done a few hours of study in the
Testimonies
onthis topic. (i.e. This paper does not work to prove thatour clothes should be clean.)Disclaimer concluded.So what is this paper intending to do? To present ideasand thoughts perhaps not yet thought of by the reader.And what is the goal? To bring members of Christ’schurch more into line with dress that would be pleasingto Him.Dangers: It is entirely likely that you already have your mind made up on this subject. That is dangerous on anytopic at any time. Critical thinking, well done, is tofollow the thoughts of the presenter, refusing to make aconclusion while significant data has not yet beenevaluated. It is, in the same vein, to rethink conclusionsthat were made
before
the data was in.Critical thinking is ill done when it refuses to consider new data on the basis of a previously-made conclusion.(Disclaimer: This paper is not a balanced presentationon critical thinking.) Now the paper is half done and I will get to my point.God has presented several ideals to His childrenregarding dress. Our dress is to be: Neat (and in this sense, attractive)CleanDurableHealthyModest (not revealing)Modest (not strange)Feminine or masculineOn the last point, there is the familiar verse:
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The woman shall not wear that which pertainethunto a man, neither shall a man put on awoman’s garment: for all that do so areabomination unto the LORD thy God. De. 22:5And the somewhat less familiar paragraph:
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It is important to read familiar passages very slowly lest theLiving Word of God become a dead letter.
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It is important to read unfamiliar passages very slowly less thethoughts of the Inspirer be lost in the mixing of what we arereading with what we are thinking. Selah.
 
[Some ladies]
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will imitate the opposite sex,as nearly as possible. They will wear the cap, pants, vest, coat, and boots, the last of which isthe most sensible part of the costume. Thosewho adopt and advocate this style of dress, arecarrying the so-called dress reform to veryobjectionable lengths. Confusion will be theresult. Some who adopt this costume may becorrect in their views in general upon the healthquestion, and they could be instrumental inaccomplishing vastly more good if they did notcarry the matter of dress to such extremes.{2SM 477.7}In this style of dress God's order has beenreversed, and his special directions disregarded.Deut. xxii, 5. "The woman shall not wear thatwhich pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment for all that do so areabomination unto the Lord thy God." This styleof dress, God would not have his people adopt.It is not modest apparel, and is not at all fittingfor modest, humble females who profess to beChrist's followers. God's prohibitions are lightlyregarded by all who would advocate the doingaway of the distinction of dress between malesand females. The extreme positions taken bysome dress-reformers upon this subject crippletheir influence. {2SM 477.8}God designed there should be a plaindistinction between male and female dress, andhas considered the matter of sufficientimportance to give explicit directions in regardto it; for the same dress worn by both sexeswould cause confusion, and great increase of crime. St. Paul would utter a rebuke, were healive, and should behold females professingGodliness with this style of dress.There is an increasing tendency to havewomen in their dress and appearance as near likethe other sex as possible, and to fashion their dress very much like that of men, but God pronounces it abomination. "In like manner also,that women adorn themselves in modest apparel,with shamefacedness and sobriety." 1 Timothy2:9. {1T 421.3}WAIT! You aren’t done reading.
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The ladies mentioned here were secular reformers that werecourageously working to reverse unhealthy trends of society.Other ladies of the time were generally wearing far too muchclothing, were restricting their bodies in horrible ways, andwere gathering “filth” from the streets with their heel-lengthskirts. These noble reformers, on the other hand, advocatedshorter attire and enough clothing for warmth rather thanenough to start a Dorcas society. Some of them thought thatmen’s pants were more practical and warm than the lady’sclothing and began to adopt them. Society as a whole wasunready for this innovation.
Look at the statements again. Which of the following propositions is closer in truth to the intention of theinspired young lady that wrote the testimonies?1.“Pants on women” was a bad idea in 1880 becausewomen at that time almost all wore dresses.2.Women’s Pants were being advocated and this wasoffensive to the morals of the times3.There was a movement to have women wear pantsas part of a larger plan to have men and womendress more healthfully without regard to keeping asignificant distinction between them. This wasabominable.If you answered the last question too quickly, you mayhave done it by feel rather than by fact. Options one andtwo are popular views, but are they really able to bedrawn from the text? There was a prophecy attached tothis testimony. There would be a significant increase incrimes (moral crimes by inference) if there was a changein dress.Ladies, I write to you for a moment. St. Paul is not aliveto utter a rebuke. But let your heart be broken for the persons who have suffered as the victims of incest, rape,and sexual abuse brought on by the breakdown indistinctions between feminine and masculine dressing.I can not prove it to you, but I will tell you, a ladydressed modestly and femininely has an atmospherearound her of wholesomeness that represses wickednessin men. The feminine presence reminds them, by way of contrast, that they are men and not brutes. It awakens inthem a longing for something that their worldy life doesnot offer.So perhaps it can not be argued today that society views pants as “man’s” clothing. If the message of Deuteronomy 22:5 beckoned us to adhere to acceptednorms regarding gender and dress, this would be a moresignificant observation. The tendency of society is todiminish the differences. In some circles, the effort is toabolish them. The message of Moses’ admonition is thatGod’s people should stand against these movements.Can we stand against the movements today and beconsistent with ourselves while adopting the changesthose movements brought into society fifty years ago?To a second point:Dressing similar to the world does not increase our influence with them at all.Many dress like the world, in order to havean influence over unbelievers; but here theymake a sad mistake. If they would have a trueand saving influence, let them live out their  profession, show their faith by their righteousworks, and make the distinction plain betweenthe Christian and the worldling. The words, thedress, the actions, should tell for God. Then aholy influence will be shed upon all around
 
them, and even unbelievers will take knowledgeof them that they have been with Jesus. If anywish to have their influence tell in favor of truth,let them live out their profession and thusimitate the humble Pattern. {CH 598.1}I saw many traveling in this broad road whohad the words written upon them: "Dead to theworld. The end of all things is at hand. Be yealso ready." They looked just like all the vainones around them, except a shade of sadnesswhich I noticed upon their countenances. Their conversation was just like that of the gay,thoughtless ones around them; but they wouldoccasionally point with great satisfaction to theletters on their garments, calling for the others tohave the same upon theirs. They were in the broad way, yet they professed to be of thenumber who were traveling the narrow way.Those around them would say: "There is nodistinction between us. We are alike; we dress,and talk, and act alike." {1T 128.2} Notice the worldly wisdom in the last sentence. Our dress, though a little issue in our own Christian life, may be a salvational issue of huge proportions in the lives of those who know us.WAIT! There is something else…I was in an airplane some years ago reading a magazine.I found an article about Calvin Klein clothing. Beforethat point I had not really noticed Calvin Klein items. Imean, I had seen them, but didn’t think much aboutthem. The article explained the advertising theme of theman himself. There was a full-page add that impliedincest, others highlighting child nudity, and the theme of all the CK advertisements was sex. This theme of thecompany is published widely. One writer indicated thatyou can open any magazine and find an erotic add fromKlein’s marketing department. Calvin Klein himself hasworked to glamorize homosexuality in his advertising.Would Jesus wear Calvin Klein? If a trim of blue was to be a message to the world that the Jews kept the law,what do the letters CK say to the same world? Myopinion…Christians should not wear items that areassociated with lust. We have a different message tocarry to the world.And a final item:Our clothing should be constructed for durability and practicality. It should be well-fitting and warm in coolweather. Does this require following fashion? Adoptinga style of dress that is in keeping with our faith is goodregardless of whether or not the world may wear it. Butfashion is an idol and I am afraid that more people putmoney offerings before Molech than would admit todoing it.The lives and teachings of Christian parentsshould be in marked contrast with those of unbelievers. Worldlings teach their children tolove display, and to bow to the idol of fashion.They sacrifice themselves and their childrenupon this altar of Moloch. But Christians who profess to be seeking the heavenly Canaan,should obey the instructions of the Bible. Weurge modern Israel to lay aside their ornaments,their jewels of silver and gold and preciousstones, to put off their costly-apparel, and toseek for the inward adorning, even the ornamentof a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sightof God of great price. Let children be educated,not to become devotees of fashion, but to beservants of God. {ST, May 26, 1881 par. 23}So that is all. We want to win the world. I conclude fromthe data above and lots and lots more that if ladies woulddress ever so wholesomely that they would be amazed atthe increase in their witnessing effectiveness of men. If they would make a stand that they would not bow at theidol of fashion, they would take a step that would makeit more difficult for the world to say “they dress like us,they can’t be that much different, why change?”I didn’t address the modesty issue really at all. Maybe Iwill after writing another long disclaimer about being aman and writing about sensually dressed females.
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Thatis an awkward activity. But as a hint in the meantime…teasing outfits (that almost reveal or make almost possible to see…) are to most men what a free cigaretteis to a struggling tobacco addict. Less shear, less tight,more careful, and you would be dressing kindly.Beautiful and sensual, these are not synonyms.Review: The changes in what society regards as clothingfor females and males are arrayed against the plainstatements of God. The changes have diminished thedistinctions. This is the very movement forbidden byGod though Moses in De. 22:5. Changing society maydictate what “pertains to a woman” but never can dictatehow similar that may rightly be to what pertains to aman. In other words, the Jesus-pleasing woman maychoose her “pertains to a woman” attire from amongthose items society labels as feminine. But she must letconscience dictate which of those “feminine” articles arethe result of a societal slide towards neutrality. These areto be avoided for reasons mentioned above and to boycott the Devil’s cruel trick that is causing so much pain today in solemn immoral crimes.Respond….let me know how you react to this paper.The EndAppendix Only
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One point perhaps must be made. Form fitting jeans and pants promote evil thinking. And loose jeans and pants look masculine. It is a lose-lose game that I suggest not playing.
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