“There is an increasing tendency to have women in their dress and appearance as near like the other sex as possible, and to fashion their dress very much like that of men, but God pronounces it abomination.”  1T:457.  See Deuteronomy 22:5.

 

“[459] God’s prohibitions are lightly regarded by all who advocate doing away with the distinction of dress between males and females. . . [460] Were the apostle Paul alive, and should he behold women professing godliness with this style of dress, he would utter a rebuke. [1Ti. 2:9 quoted].”  1T:459-460.

 

“Jesus, the Commander in the Heavenly courts, laid aside His crown of royalty and His royal robe and stepped down from His royal throne, and clothed His Divinity with the habiliments of humanity, and for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might come into possession of eternal riches, and yet the very ones for whom Christ has done everything that was possible to do to save perishing souls from eternal ruin feel so little disposition to deny themselves anything that they have money to buy.”  3SM:248.1.

 

“Let us dress in such a modest, becoming way that we will be received wherever we go.  Jewelry and expensive dress will not give us influence, but the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit -- the result of devotion to the service of Christ -- will give us power with God.”  3SM:248.4.

 

“We see the world absorbed in their own amusements.  The first and highest thoughts of the larger portion, especially of women, are of display.  Love of dress and pleasure is wrecking the happiness of thousands.  And some of those who profess to love and keep the Commandments of God ape this class as near as they possibly can and retain the Christian name.  Some of the young are so eager for display that they are even willing to give up the Christian name if they can only follow out their inclination for vanity of dress and love of pleasure.  Self-denial in dress is a part of our Christian duty.  To dress plainly, abstaining from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind, is in keeping with our faith.  Are we of the number who see the folly of worldlings in indulging in extravagance of dress as well as in love of amusements?  If so, we should be of that class who shun everything that gives sanction to this spirit which takes possession of the minds and hearts of those who live for this world only and who have no thought or care for the next.”  3T:366; BEcho, September 19, 1898.

 

“The apostle has given most explicit directions on this point. . . [1Ti. 2:9 quoted]. Here the Lord, through His apostle, speaks expressly against the wearing of gold.  Let those who have had experience see to it that they do not lead others astray on this point by their example.  That ring encircling your finger may be very plain, but it is useless, and the wearing of it has a wring influence upon others.”  4T:630.

 

“There is a terrible sin [NOTICE she calls it a “sin”] upon us as a people, that we have permitted our church members to dress in a manner inconsistent with their faith.  We must arise at once and close the door against the allurements of fashion.  Unless we do this, our Churches will become demoralized.”  4T:648.1.

 

“But the Word of God gives us no sanction in making changes in our apparel merely for the sake of fashion, that we may appear like the world.  When the desire for display in dress absorbs the mind, vanity is manifested.  All this must be put away.”  6MR:159.

 

“Those who have bracelets, and wear gold and ornaments, had better take these idols from their persons and sell them, even if it should be for much less than they gave for them, and thus practice self-denial.  Time is too short to adorn the body with gold or silver or costly apparel.  I know a good work can be done in this line.  Jesus, the Commander in the Heavenly courts, laid aside His crown of royalty and His royal robe and stepped down from His royal throne, and clothed His Divinity with the habiliments of humanity, and for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might come into possession of eternal riches, and yet the very ones for whom Christ has done everything that was possible to do to save the perishing souls from eternal ruin feel so little disposition to deny themselves anything they have money to buy.”  9MR:117.

 

Here she calls it “sinful:”  “Shall those who profess the name of Christ see no attraction in the world’s Redeemer?  Will they be indifferent to the possession of truth and righteousness, and turn from the Heavenly treasure to the earthly?  Can you, my sister, use the Lord’s money to purchase diamonds or any other jewels for any person?  These cannot save one soul.  They will not lead anyone to accept the saving truths for this time.  Let us do nothing to encourage a vanity that is sinful.”  9MR:119.

 

“Christians are not to decorate the person with costly array or expensive ornaments.  All this display imparts no value to the character.  The Lord desires every converted person to put away the idea that dressing as worldlings dress, will give value to his influence.  The ornamentation of the person with jewels and luxurious things is a species of idolatry.  This needless display reveals a love for those things which are supposed to place a value upon the person.  It gives evidence to the world of a heart destitute of the inward adornment.  Expensive dress and adornments of jewelry give an incorrect representation of the truth that should always be represented as of the highest value.  An over-dressed, outwardly adorned person bears the sign of inward poverty.  A lack of spirituality is revealed.  Extravagance in dress requires the expenditure of means that is needed to advance the work of the Lord.  Extra ribbons and bows mean pennies and shillings spent needlessly.”  BTS, May 1, 1908.  Let alone the expense of Jewelry these days.

 

“True refinement does not find satisfaction in the adorning of the body for display.  The Bible teaches modesty in dress.  ‘In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel.’  1 Timothy 2:9.  This forbids display in dress, gaudy colors, profuse ornamentation.  Any device designed to attract attention to the wearer or to excite admiration is excluded from the modest apparel which God’s Word enjoins.  Self-denial in dress is a part of our Christian duty.  To dress plainly and abstain from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind is in keeping with our faith.  Are we of the number who see the folly of worldlings in indulging in extravagance of dress as well as in love of amusements?”  CG:423.

 

“The pure religion of Jesus requires of its followers the simplicity of natural beauty and the polish of natural refinement and elevated purity, rather than the artificial and false. . .”  LHU:305.

 

“Female loveliness never appears to so good advantage as when set off with simplicity of dress.  No artist ever decks His angels with towering feathers and gaudy jewelry; and our dear human angels, if they will make good their title to that name, should carefully avoid ornaments, which properly belong to Indian squaws and African princesses.  These tinselries may serve to give effect on the stage, on the ball-floor, but in daily life there is no substitute for the charm of simplicity.  A vulgar taste is not to be disguised by gold or diamonds.  The absence of a true taste and refinement of delicacy cannot be compensated for by the possession of the most princely fortune.  Mind measures gold, but gold cannot measure mind.”  RH, October 31, 1871; HR, November 1, 1871.

 

“The inspired apostle has given most explicit directions on this point:  ‘Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.’  Here the Lord, through his apostle, speaks expressly against the wearing of gold.  Let those who have had experience see to it that they do not lead others astray on this point by their example.  That ring encircling your finger may be very plain, but it is useless, and the wearing of it has a wrong influence upon others.”  RH, July 8, 1880.

 

“In the third chapter of Isaiah’s prophecy mention is made of the prevailing pride of the ‘daughters of Zion,’ with ‘their tinkling ornaments, ... the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets,. . . and the headbands, and the tabrets, and the earrings, the rings, and nose jewels, the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the veils.’  Chap. 3:18-23.  How different this picture from that portrayed by the apostle Peter of the God-fearing woman, who, estimating at its real value the ‘outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel,’ chooses rather to cultivate beauty of soul, ‘even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.’  It was ‘after this manner in the old time’ that ‘the holy women. . . who trusted in God, adorned themselves;’ and their ‘chaste conversion coupled with fear’ (1 Peter 3:1-5), as revealed in daily life, was ever a standing rebuke to their sisters who followed after folly.”  RH, March 4, 1915, paragraph 11.

 

“There are many whose hearts have been so hardened by prosperity that they forget God, and forget the wants of their fellow man.  Professed Christians adorn themselves with jewelry, laces, costly apparel, while the Lord’s poor suffer for the necessaries of life.  Men and women who claim redemption through a Saviour’s blood will squander the means intrusted to them for the saving of other souls, and then grudgingly dole out their offerings for religion, giving liberally only when it will bring honor to themselves.  These are idolaters.”  ST, January 26, 1882; 2BC:1012.

 

“[180] Some have had a burden in regard to the wearing of a marriage ring, feeling that the wives of our ministers should conform to this custom.  All this is unnecessary.  Let the ministers’ wives have the golden link which binds their souls to Jesus Christ, a pure and holy character, the true love and meekness and godliness that are the fruit borne upon the Christian tree, and their influence will be secure anywhere.  The fact that a disregard of the custom occasions remark is no good reason for adopting it.  Americans can make their position understood by plainly stating that the custom is not regarded as obligatory in our country.  We need not wear the sign, [181]

 

“for we are not untrue to our marriage vow, and the wearing of the ring would be no evidence that we were true.  I feel deeply over this leavening process which seems to be going on among us, in the conformity to custom and fashion.  Not one penny should be spent for a circlet of gold to testify that we are married.  In countries where the custom is imperative, we have no burden to condemn those who have their marriage ring; let them wear it if they can do so conscientiously; but let not our missionaries feel that the wearing of the ring will increase their influence one jot or tittle.”  TM:180-181.

​