By REV. J. MACLEOD, Greenock.
THE Word of God is the only rule given us for our faith, conduct, life, and conversation as long as we remain in this life. We live in an age which is (in the light of God’s Word) tremendously wicked. It may be noted in future ages that our generation is one of those ages of wicked men that cast off the fear of God as happened in the days of Noah, and Lot in Sodom. Many youths are nurtured by godless parents, and teachers, and those that happen to go to College, and University have tutors, and professors some of whom are secret, or open, atheists. The outlook is serious, and very dangerous to those that desire to escape the modern pollution.
The Lord’s people shall escape it as sure as Noah escaped the judgment that destroyed the people of the old world. Why were they destroyed? “And God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (Gen. vi, 12, 13). The great declension began when the sons of God took them wives of the daughters of men. The “sons of God” were the believers, and of the seed of Seth of which line Noah was; and we doubt not “but the daughters of men were the seed of Cain” which all perished in the flood!
Cain was a murderer, and his seed were extremely wicked—”the daughters of men” were of that line, and the “sons of God” should not have married them, for by so doing the true religion was virtually lost, and a race of giants in wickedness rose that knew not the God of Abel, and Seth. We read elsewhere that marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled. It was not that they married—that the “sons of God” committed the great blunder, but in the women that they took as wives—”the daughters of men.” In the days of Paul men were converted to the true religion who were formerly heathen, and women were converted who were before heathen (or pagans), while their spouses remained in the mire of heathendom, probably all their days, at least in some cases.
This case we are discussing from the Book of Genesis is quite different. The “sons of God” knew, or might have known very well that the “fair daughters of men” were of a wicked race, born, and reared in utter ignorance of the true religion. “That they were fair to look upon” implies that the carnal mind in the “sons of God” was very active, and strong; and the spiritual mind sickly, and weak. “Fair to look upon” can only mean their physical appearance, for we are sure enough that “their inward is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue” (Ps. v. 9). If that was the character David gave to the men and women in his own day, they were equally bad in the day that the “sons of God” went into the daughters of men.
The conduct of the “sons of God” brought the visible Church into ruin, and were at last swept from off the face of the earth. The “Church in thine house” was now confined to the house, and family of Noah. Sin remained, and the sons of Noah soon revealed that corruption dwells in the heart of man for from this race of sinful men Nimrod sprang who became a mighty “hunter” before the Lord. No doubt a “mighty hunter” to set up, and establish idolatry in the earth which we see even to-day in what men call the “Christmas Tree,” and the “Babylonish Madonna” of the Papal corruption.
The Babylonians had their Madonna, the tree illuminated with candles, the Easter “egg,” and a “divine son!” The Romans were not the inventors of the modern Babylon, but the ancient Babylonians, who had Nimrod “the mighty hunter” as their founder. In this sense Nimrod is the “father” of the Italian Popes! The Popes should on all occasions trace their descent, and pedigree to Nimrod. For Popery is the incarnation of Nimrodism. In fact, Popery can be traced to ancient Babylon with the one exception that the “Mother of all abominations” on the face of the earth, calls herself, “christian,” instead of “Babylonish.”
Our main reason in referring to the above is “that evil communications corrupt good manners.” When men or women depart from the Word of God, the fruit, and effects of the departure is noticeable in the conduct. Mother Eve was first in the transgression in the garden of Eden! We dislike that attitude of mind on the part of men, whether in pulpit or press, that delight to make the females the butt of their abominable satire. It is simply bad taste, and extremely nauseous.
The Holy Spirit left on record to the end of time for men to see what God thought, and said of noble, and excellent women: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Yes, her price, or value is “far above rubies.” We have the deepest respect, and tenderness towards our sisters in the Lord. We hate sham in men and women. The God of heaven honoured her above men or angels in the coming of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ into our nature, “born of her yet, without sin.” That is enough for us to respect womanhood to the end of our life in this world! It is from that respect that we do not hesitate to rebuke, and exhort men, and women when we see them going astray from the Word of God.
If they may think the correction, exhortations, and exposure of their sinful conduct severe, and harsh the motive in view is their eternal happiness, salvation, and sanctification. “For without holiness no man shall see the Lord.”
We read in the Word of God that “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God” (Deut. xxii. 5). It is quite common to see women wearing garments which do not belong to their sex. This is an abomination to the Lord. What is an abomination to the Lord should be abhorred by all modest women, and a righteous disgust in the eyes of all honourable men! We know that clothes we may wear in some parts of the world are not suitable for other parts of the world, but the distinction between the male and female attire holds good under all climatic conditions whether they live in Norway, or in the Persian Gulf. It is a divine command which holds good in all ages, and in all parts of the inhabited earth. It is an abomination to the Lord for a woman to put on the attire of a man! No argument or quibble can stand against the Word of God. “The law of the Lord is perfect.” Indeed it is our considered and candid opinion that the civil magistrate should assert his authority here, and strictly prohibit females wearing the attire of the male whatever silly names weak-minded women call the male attire. We know that they give them fanciful names as if they were to blind the eyes of men, and other women, who detest to see these unbalanced-minded females in the attire of men.
What is the motive behind all this modern fashion? It is not from a moral motive. The moral standard of some of these females is very low, and degrading to their honourable, and humble sisters. It is said that women working in factories cannot work among machinery in the usual attire of females. That is purely an invention of Satan, and a lie from the same source. The place where the female cannot work unless she changes her attire to that of the male she should not be engaged in such work or place. “The law of God is perfect.” They are not engaged in any work when they go about the countryside during the summer season in “Shorts” showing their unseemly figures to the disgust of the upright, and a laughing-stock to the frivolous-minded public!
We read of the attire of the harlot. “For at the window of my house I looked through my casement. And behold among simple ones, I discerned among the youth, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: and, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now she is without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day I have paid my vows. Therefore come I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee; I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves” (Prov. vii, 7-18).
Is this the motive behind the “Shorts,” and “Slacks,” and the male attire, the painting of the lips, nails, and shearing the hair like the males? According to the Word of God, the devil is behind all this madness, and wickedness. The mind is unbalanced, and the Word of God ignored. However, the “law of the Lord is perfect.” These silly females call it fashion. There are no fashions weeping, and wailing in a lost eternity. It is verily immoral and dishonouring to God that a woman should shear her hair to suit the “fashions” of her age! It is an “abomination to the Lord that she should put on the garment of the man” whether in clothing or in cutting her hair like the male. No honest, honourable, modest, or God-fearing woman would ever bow to such vile practices in the light of God’s direct prohibition.
There are no “fashions” or styles in the “lake that burneth with fire and brimstone,” which is the second death. Heaven is no place for the ungodly. “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Rev. xxi. 27). “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” “For if the woman be not covered, let her be shorn, but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.” (See the whole chapter, and study it carefully, and prayerfully. I. Cor. xi).
No woman, young or old should ever be permitted to sit at the Lord’s table with her lips painted red, and her hair shorn, or shaven, which is contrary to the Word of God, for no woman who feared God, loved the Saviour, and had due regard to the Words of the Holy Spirit would ever dare to act so clandestinely and wickedly.
Whatever is allowed in other churches, all kirk-sessions within the pale of the Free Presbyterian Church should always watch that no daughter of Jezebel with painted face, and shorn hair should receive church privileges unless, and until she should repent, and walk in the ways of the Lord according to His Word. We know that we are dealing with a “hornet’s nest” but truth will prevail, and we are appointed to instruct our people in righteousness, and let us never shun our duty where we are led to own, honour, and respect the Word of God. If it is popularity we seek after, and the applause of the ungodly, our tongue and pen will be silent in case we offend the flesh of the graceless!
Some people argue “that it is not the clothes, or fashions, but what is in the heart.” Yes, what is in the heart comes to light in the conduct, and conversation of men, and women. God is the authority of what is in the heart of man, and He declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” That is the divine testimony, and witness of what is in the heart of sinful mankind. “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. xvii. 9, 10). As we sow so shall we reap. As we live so shall we die. Do we sow to the flesh? If so we must reap eternal death. If we ignore the Word of God, and live according to the world, the end is evident from God’s Word. “The wages of sin is death.” The grave knows no new fashions, new styles, and “new looks!” The body that was once the god of the graceless soon decays, no paint left, the shorn hair perishes among the denizens of the grave! “When Thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah” (Psalm xxxix. 11).
Can all the cosmetics in the world keep death, and decay, from the dying, and decaying body? Not for a second of time. Millions of money are spent each year on cosmetics, according to public reports, and if these huge sums of money were wisely spent on advancing their own spiritual welfare, and the good of other unfortunate sinners in Africa, China, Japan, the slums of London, Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh, it would be Christian, and reasonable service instead of spending thousands of pounds decorating the “shorn hair” at the barber, and the millions they hand over to chemists, and to clairvoyants, who profess to have powers of seeing things not present to the senses. Is this going to the witch of Endor for advice on future events? Let our women apply themselves to the Word of God, and find all the instructions necessary for the life that now is, and for eternity in the blessed Book of God whether married or single, old or young.
The Word of God is fitted to guide and instruct the young woman how to live, and behave in the sight of an infinitely holy God. The mother will find the necessary light, and instruction how she should live towards her husband, children, and neighbours. It is simply deplorable how guilty mothers are (not all, of course) and backward in instructing their young daughters how to behave, and watch their steps at the most delicate years of their life! Many a poor girl goes out into a cruel, and deceitful world without the least instruction from her ignorant mother as to the dangers that surround her at the most impressionable years of her life.
In recent months Parliament discussed the awful immoral conduct of vast numbers of the people of the nation. Every branch, and part of society is permeated with immorality, and among the gruesome reports Sodomy raging in some quarters! Is this the end of all flesh? Well, we know that Sodom could not be destroyed till Lot was out of it. It is good for us that God’s precious people are left in our midst as a nation!
Our young people should read carefully the “Larger Catechism” and if you turn to the Seventh Commandment you will observe what a solemn serious view the Westminster divines took of the sin of uncleanness in the light of the Word of God. We live in dangerous times, dangerous to the well-being of the soul, morals, and sober living. The saving grace of God is all-sufficient to meet all needs, and conditions if poor sinners turn to the Lord, His Word, and seek His saving grace to glorify God in eating, drinking, apparel, and walking humbly as in the sight of God.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecc. xii. 13, 14).