abroad over the landscape, and see with what
exquisite taste God has clothed the flowers of the field. There is a
symmetry of proportion, a skilfulness of arrangement, and a fitness and
adaptation of colors, which strike the eye with unmingled pleasure. And
if God has shown a scrupulous regard to the pleasure of the eye, we may
do the same. This opinion is also confirmed by the practical influence
of the gospel. This is particularly observable among the poor in our own
land. Just in proportion as the religion of Jesus prevails among this
class of people, you will see a scrupulous attention to personal
appearance. By this, I do not mean the _pride of appearance_; but a
decency, modesty, and propriety, opposed to negligence, coarseness, and
vulgarity. But this is more strikingly manifest among those people who
have been but recently raised, by the influence of the gospel, from the
lowest depths of heathenism. Of this, you will be convinced by examining
the history of the missions among the North American Indians, and the
South Sea Islands. The same principles will also apply to equipage and
household arrangements. Such regard to comfort and decency of
appearance as will strike the eye with pleasure, and shed around an air
of cheerfulness, doubtless contributes to moral improvement, and is not
only authorized, but required, by the spirit of the gospel.

But this is a dangerous point. There is such a tendency in the human
mind to mistake gayety and extravagance for neatness and propriety; and
so much temptation to the indulgence of pride and vanity, that you have
need of constant watchfulness, that in no respect your heart may lead
you astray in this matter. You ought to make it a subject of daily
prayer.

4. _Have a regard to health._ The duty of using all proper means for the
preservation of health, I have already considered. Among these means,
attention to dress is not the least important. Great care should always
be taken that it be suited to the season, and a defence against the
inclemency of the weather. This is a Christian duty; and any pride of
appearance, or carelessness of habit, which leads you to neglect it, is
_sin_. But, above all things, avoid the compression of any part of the
body, for the purpose of improving the appearance. This is a most
pernicious practice. It is astonishing that intelligent ladies can so
blindly follow the mandates of fashion, as to indulge a habit so
destructive of comfort and life.