SC.P ^5, MR. JUDSON’S LETTER. TO THE 'FEMALE MEMBERS Of Christian Churches in the United States of America. f t.1' * y C'F ■pEIUCETOH nt.CiV-'i^* ioci's.' ^ '7HEOLO6I0*^j^' PHILADELPHIA : 183 % ■ • f i:; r O'c :>ixiA,Sr/,d'^iy/ ' :'’'f -'■- ^Ariiioixvv'. ' ) -.jVn'V, 3,';'; jfV ir^yiMX) I ' I. ^ \ ■ ‘J‘r.t;rciA.nii'i .£Csir MR. JUDSOIV’S r^ETTER. To the Female Members of Christian Churches in the Uni~ ted States of ^Jimerica. Dear Sisters in Christ, — Excuse my publicly ad- dressing you. The necessity of the case is my only apology. Whether you will consider it a sufficient apo- logy for the sentiments of this letter, unfashionable, I confess, and perhaps unpalatable, I know not. We are sometimes obliged to encounter the hazard of offending those, whom of all others we desire to please. Let me throw myself at once on your mercy, dear sisters, allied by national consanguinity, professors of the same holy religion, fellow pilgrims to the same happy world. Pleading these endearing ties, let me beg you to regard me as a brother, and to listen with candor and forbearance to my honest tale. In raising up a Church of Christ in this heathen land, and in laboring to elevate the minds of the female con- verts to the standard of the gospel, we have always found one chief obstacle in that principle of vanity, that love of dress and display (I beg you will bear with me,) which has, in every age and in all countries, been a ruling passion of the fair sex, as the love of riches, power and lame, has characterized the other. That obsta- cle lately became more formidable, through the admis- sion of two or three fashionable females into the church, and the arrival of several Missionary sisters, dressed and adorned in that manner, which is too prevalent in our beloved native land. — On my meeting the church, after a year’s absence, I beheld an appalling profusion of ornaments, and saw that the demon of vanity was lay- ing waste the female department. At that time I had not maturely considered the subject, and did not feel sure what ground I ought to take. I apprehended also, that I should be. unsupported and perhaps opposed by some of my coadjutors. I confined my efforts, therefore, to private exhortation, and with but little effect. Some of the ladies, out of regard to their pastor’s feelings, took off their necklaces and ear-ornaments, before' they entered the chapel, tied them up in a corner of their handkerchiefs, and on returning, ^s soon as they were out of sight of the Mission house, stopped in the mid- dle of the street to array themselves anew. In the mean time, I was called to visit the Karens, a wild people, several days journey to the north of Maul- mein. Little did I expect there to encounter the same 2 MR. judson’s letter. enemy, in those “wiltls, horrid and dark with o’ershad- owing trees.” But I found that he had been there be- fore me, and reigned with a peculair sway, from time immemorial. On one Karen woman, I count- ed between twelve and fifteen necklaces of all colours, sizes and materials. Three was the average. Brass belts above the aticles, neat braids of black hair tied be- low the knees, rings of all sorts on the fingers, bracelets on the wrists and arms, long instruments of some metal, perforating the lower part of the ear, by an immense aperture, and reaching nearly to the shoulders, fanciful- ly constructed bags, inclosing the hair, and suspended from the back part of the head, not to speak of the orna- mental parts of their clothing, constituted the fashions and the ton of the fair Karenesses. The dress of the female converts was not essentially different from that of their countrywomen. I sav/ that I was brought into a situa- tion that precluded all retreat, — that I must fight or die. For a few nights I spent some sleepless hours, dis- tressed by this and other subjects, which will always press upon the heart of a Missionary, in a new place. I considered the spirit of the religion of Jesus Christ. I opened to 1 Tim. ii. 9, and read those words bf the in- spired apostle; “I will also that women adorn them- selves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and so- briety, not tvith broiclered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” I asked myself. Can I baptize a Karen woman in her present attire ? No. Can I administer the Lord’s Supper to one of the baptized in that attire ? No. Can I refrain from enforcing the prohibition of the apostle? Not without betraying the trust I ha\e re- ceived from him. Again, I considered, that the ques- tion concerned not the Karens only, but the whole Chris- tian world ; that its decision would itivolve a train of unknown consequences, that a single step would lead me into a long and perilous way. I considered Maul- mein and the other stations ; I considered the state of the public mind at home. But '■^tvhat is that to thee9 folloio thou me,” was the continual response, and weigh- ed more than all. I renewedly offered myself to Christ, and prayed for strength to go forward in the path of duty, come life or death, come praise or reproach, sup- ported or deserted, successful or defeated in the ulti- mate issue. Soon after coming to this conclusion, a Karen woman offered herself for baptism. After the usual examina- tion, I inquired whether she could give up her ornaments MR. judson’s letter. 3 for Chri.st? It was an unexpected blow! I explained the spirit of the gospel. I appealed to her own con- sciousness of vanity. I read her the apostle’s prohibi- tion. She looked again and again at her handsome necklace (she wore but one,) and then with an air of mo- dest decision, that would adorn, beyond all outward or- naments, any of my sisters whom I have the honor of addressing, she took it off, saying, / love Christ more than this. The news began to spread. The Christian women made but little hesitation. A few others op- posed, but the work went on. At length, the evil which I most dreaded came upon me. Some of the Karen men had been to Maulmein, and seen what I wished they had not. — And one day, when we were discussing the subject of ornaments, one of the Christians came forward in my face, and declared that at Maulmein, he had actually seen one of the great female teachers wearing a string of gold beads around her neck ! ! ! Lay down this paper, dear sisters, and sympathize a moment with your fallen Missionary. Was it not a hard case? Was it not cruel for that sister, thus to smite down to the dust her poor brother, who, without that blow, was hardly able to keep his ground ? But she knew it not. She was not aware of the mischief she was doing. However, though cast down, I was not de- stroyed 5 though sorely bruised and wounded, I endea- voured to maintain the warfare as well as I could 5— after some conflict, the enemy fled the field, and when I left those parts, the female converts were, generally speak- ing, arrayed in modest apparel. On arriving at Maulmein, and partially recovering from a fever which I had contracted in the Karen woods, the first thing I did, was to crawl out to the house of the patroness of the gold beads. To her I related my adventures, — to her commiseration I commended my grief. With what ease and truth too, could that sister reply. Notwithstanding these beads, I dress more plain than most ministers’ wives and professors of religiop, in in our native land. These beads are the only ornament I wear ; they Avere given me when quite a child, by a dear mother, whom I never expect to see again (another hard case 5) and she enjoined it on me never to part with them, as long as I lived, but to wear them as a memorial of her I O ye Christian mothers, what a lesson you have before you. Can you, dare you give injunctions to your daughters, directly contrary to apostolic commands? 4 MR. judson’s letter. But to the honor of my sister, be it recorded, that as soon as she understood the merits of the case, and the mischief done by such example, off went the gold beads, and she gave decisive proof, that she loved Christ more than father or mother. Her example, united with the efforts of the rest of us at this station, is beginning to exercise a redeeming influence in the female depart- ment- of the church. But notwithstanding these favourable signs, nothing, really nothing is yet done. And why ? This Mission and all others must necessarily be sustained by con- tinual supplies of Missionaries, male and female, from the mother country. Your sisters atid daughters will continually come out, to take the place of those who are removed by death, and to occupy numberless stations, still unoccupied. And when they arrive, they will be dressed in their usual way, as Christian women at home are dressed. And the female converts will run around them, and gaze upon them, with the most prying curio- sity, regarding them as the freshest representations of the Christian religion, from that land where it flourishes in all its purity and glory. And when they see the gold and jewels pendent from theirears, the beads and chains encircling their necks, the finger rings set with diamonds and rubies, the rich variety of ornamental head-dress ; “the mantles and the wimples and the crisping pins” (see the rest in Isaiah 3d chap.,) they will cast a bitter, reproachful, triumphant glance at their old teachers, and spring -with fresh avidity, to re-purchase and resume their long neglected elegancies 5 — the cheering news will fly up the Dah-gyaing, the Laing-bvvai and the Sal-wen ; — the Rarenesses will reload their necks and ears, and arms, and ancles ; — and when after another year’s ab- sence I return and take my seat I>efore the Burmese or the Karen church, I shall behold the demon of vanity, enthroned in the centre of the assembly, more firmly than ever, grinning defiance to the prohibitions of apostles, and the exhortations of us who would fain be their humble followers. And thus you, my dear sisters, sitting quietly by your fire-sides, or repairing devoutly to your places of worship, do, by your example, spread the poison of vanity, through all the rivers, and moun- tains, and wilds of this far distant land ; and while you are sincerely and fervently praying for the upbuilding of the Redeemer’s kingdom, are inadvertently building up that of the devil. If on the other hand, you divest your- selves of all meretricious ornaments, your sisters and MR. judson’s letter. 5 daughters, who come hither, will be divested of course ; — the further supplies of vanity and pride will be cut off, and the churches at home being kept pure, the church- es here will be pure also. Dear iShlers, — Having finished my tale, and therein exhibited tbe necessity under which I lay of addressing you, I beg leave to submit a few topics to your candid and prayerful consideration. 1. Let me appeal to conscience, and inquire, what is the real motive for wearing ornamental and costly appa- rel ? Is it not the desire of setting off one’s person to the best advantage, and of exciting the love and admira- tion of others ? Is not such dress calculated to gratify self-love, to cherish the sentiments of vanity and pride? And is it not the nature of those sentiments to acquire strength from indulgence ? Do such motives and sen- timents comport with the meek, humble, self-denying re- ligion of Jesus Christ? I would here respectfully sug- gest, that these questions will not be answered so faith- fully in the miclst of company, as when quite alone kneeling before God. 2. Consider the words of the apostle, quoted above from 1 Tim. ii. 9 : — “I will also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness,, and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or cosily array.” I. do not quote a similar command re- corded in 1 Peter, iii. 3, because the verbal construction is not quite so definite, though the impori of the two passages is the same. But cannot the force of these passages be evaded? Yes, and nearly every com- mand in Scripture can be evaded, and every doctri- nal assertion perverted, plausibly and handsomely, if we set about it in good earnest. But preserving the posture above alluded to, with the inspired volume spread open at the passage in question, ask your hearts in simplici- ty and godly sincerity, whether the meaning is not just as plain, as the sun' at noon-day. Shall we then bow to the authority of an inspired apostle, or shall we not? From that authority, shall we appeal to the prevailing usages and fashions of the age? If so, please to recall the Missionaries you have sent to the heathen ; for the heathen can vindicate all their superstitions on the same ground. 3. In the posture you have assumed, look up and be- hold the eye of your benignant Saviour ever gazing upon you, with the tenderest love, — upon you, his daughters, liis spouse, wishing above all things that you would 6 MR. judson’s letter. yield your hearts entirely to him, and become holy as he is holy, rejo'.cin,^ when he sees one and another accept- ing his pressing invitation, and entering the more per- fect way ; for, on that account, he will be able to draw such precious souls into a nearer union with himself, and place them at last in the higher spheres, where they will receive and reflect more copious communications of light, from the great fountain of light, the uncreated Sun. 4. Anticipate the happy moment, hastening on all the wings of time, when your joyful spirits will be wel- comed into the assembly of the spirits of the just made perfect. You appear before the throne of Jehovah 5 — the approving smile of Jesus fixes your everlasting happy destiny; and you are plunging into “ the sea of life and love unknown, without a bottom or a shore.” Stop a moment; — look back on yonder dark and miserable world that you have left; fix your eye on the meagre, vain, contemptible articles of ornamental dress, which you once hesitated to give up for Christ, the King of glory; and on that glance, decide the cjuestion, instantly and forever. Surely you ran hold out no longer. Y ou cannot rise from your knees, in your present attire. Thanks be to God, I see you taking off your necklaces and ear-rings, tearing away your ribbons and ruffles and superfluities of head- dress ; and I hear you exclaimi What shall we do next? An important question deserving serious consideration. The ornaments you are removing, though useless and worse than useless, in their present state, can be so dis- posed of as to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the sick, enlighten the dark minded, disseminate the Holy Scrij)tures, spread the glorious Gospel throughout the woidd. Little do the inhabitants of a free Christian country know of the want and distress, endured by the greater part of the inhabitants of the earth. — Still less idea can they form of the awful darkness, which rests upon the great mass of mankind in regard to spiritual things. During the years that you have been wearing these useless ornaments, how many poor creatures have been pining in v/ant! How many have languished and groaned on beds of abject wretchedness? How many children have been bred up in the blackest ignorance, hardened in all manner of iniquity ? How many im- mortal souls have gone down to hell, with a lie in their right hand, having never heard of the true God and the only Saviour! — Some of these miseries might have been mitigated ; some poor wretch have felt his pain relieved; MR- judson’s letter. 7 Some widow’s heart been made to sing for joy; some helpless orphan have been rescued from hardened depra- vity, and trained up for a happy life here and hereafter. Some, yea many precious souls mipfhthave been redeem- ed from the quenchless fires of hell, where now they must lie and suffer to all eternity, had you not been afraid of being thought unfashionable, and not “like other folks !” had you not preferred adorning your per- sons, and cherishing the sweet seductive feelings of vani- ty and pride ! O Christian sisters, believers in God, in Christ, in an eternal heaven and an eternal hell! and can you hesitate and ask what you shall do? Bedew those ornaments with the tears of contrition; consecrate them to the cause of charity; — hang them on the cross of your dying Lord. Delay not an instant. Hasten, with all your might, if not to make reparation for the past, at least to prevent a con- tinuance of the evil in future. And be not content with individual exertion. Remember that union is strength. Take an example from the Temperance Societies, which are rising in their might, and rescuing a nation from the brink of destruction. Unite, Christian sisters, of all denominations, and make an effort to rescue the Church of God, from the insidious attac ks of an enemy, which is devouring her very vitals. As a counter part to the societies just mentioned, may I respectfully suggest that Plain Press Societies be formed in every city and village throughout the land, recogniz- ing two fundamental principles, — the one based on 1 Tim. 11: 9; a// ornaments and costly dress to be disused; the other on the law of general benevolence, — the avails of such articles, and the savings residling from the Plain Press system to be devoted to purposes