BROTHER FANNING:—If you think the remarks below worthy of a place in the Review, I shall be pleased to see them.
Dear young sisters in Christ, have we not reason to conclude, when we compare the multitude of young Women who profess to be the disciples of Christ, with what the word of God requires, that there are but few Christians among us? In love I would ask you, if we can with any propriety claim to be the disciples of Jesus, while we live in constant disobedience to his commands?— I fear we too much neglect to examine ourselves by the word of God. What avail will it be to us, that we have done as well as others, if others have failed to obey God? O! my dear sisters, we must stand as single creatures before the judgment seat of Christ, and a mere profession of Christianity will not screen us then. Eternal life is promised to them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honor, and immortality. We are exhorted not to be conformed to this world; but are we not greedily following the customs of the world, even in opposition to our great lawgiver, to say nothing of our daily deportment in other respects? I fear that in following the fashions of the world as we do with reference to dress, we trample upon the precepts and examples of the New Testament more than we are aware. Let us attend to the language of inspiration: “In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.” 1 Tim. 2: 9, 10. Also 1 Pet. 3: 3. And now, sisters, are we not spending much money, and not only money, but time, to do what is here forbidden, and in this manner preventing ourselves, to a degree at least, from doing what is enjoined, that is, good works? If the money that is spent to adorn our persons in a manner God disapproves, were spent to support some faithful evangelist, or many, would they be compelled to retire from the field, or suffer their families to be deprived of the comforts of life? Were it given to the poor, how many would be relieved from the sufferings of cold and hunger? Were it spent for Bibles, how many might have the word of life in their hands, who have not the means of obtaining them? I think these are important interrogations. Let us look into the matter. Have we not both precept and example for feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and enlightening our fellow men, as we have opportunity? And shall we deprive ourselves of the means of so doing, by spending what we possess for that which God disapproves? He who was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich; shall we refuse to deny ourselves of those things which will do us no real good, in order to please him and benefit our fellow men? If we will do so little to please Him who gave himself up to suffering and death for us, while we were his enemies, have we any reason to think we love him? Let us listen to the words which fell from his lips, while on earth. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Our Savior, while on earth, went about doing good, being despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and shall we not better follow Christ, imitating his example, by spending more of our time visiting the sick and attempting to alleviate human sufferings, and less of it in preparing and placing ornaments upon our bodies? Can it be otherwise than that we wound the feelings of our brother, whom we call upon to teach ourselves and others the word of truth, when they see that we spend much in sinfully adorning our persons, while their families are in want? Is this loving our brother as ourselves? Certainly, we can be under no less obligations to our brother than our neighbor. Do we consider that in thus injuring our brethren, we injure our Savior? “In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Perhaps, dear friends, I have already wearied your patience, but I wish to say a few words in reference to conversation. Do we suffer unkind words to fall from our lips, and thus reproach the cause of Christ? And oftener do we not indulge in vain conversation? O that we might each remember the exhortation of the Apostle, not to let foolish talking and jesting be named among us as becometh saints; but rather giving of thanks. Also, let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. O that we might give head to all the admonitions of the word of the Lord, that it might indeed be a lamp to our feet and alight to our path, and guide our feet in the way of peace. Let us remember, my dear sister, that we are each exerting an influence on our fellow travelers to eternity, and O that the influence might be holy. Time is hurrying us on to eternity. Death is often admonishing us.— May its voice be regarded. We have but a little time at the longest. It may be we are spending our last hour; and may we live as we shall wish we had when we come to the. May we so live that with joy we may stand before our judge. Let us remember that he who soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. With a great desire that we may sow to the spirit, I bid you adieu.
A SISTER.
Christian Review, December 1844, issue 12