The first outward fact that presents itself to us, is the fact of the
origin of the Quaker-dress, if the early Quakers, when they met in
religious union, had met to deliberate and fix upon a form or standard
of apparel for the society, in vain could any person have expected to
repel this charge. But no such standard was ever fixed. The dress of the
Quakers has descended from father to son in the way that has been
described. There is reason therefore to suppose, that the Quakers as a
religious body, have deviated less than others front the primitive
habits of their ancestors, rather from a fear of the effects of
unreasonable changes of dress upon the mind, than from an attachment to
lifeless forms.
The second outward fact, which may be resorted to as furnishing a ground
for reasonable conjecture, is the doctrine of the Quakers upon this
subject. The Quakers profess to follow christianity in all cases, where
its doctrines can be clearly ascertained. I shall state therefore what
christianity says upon this point. I shall shew that what Quakerism says
is in unison with it. And I shall explain more at large the principle,
that has given birth to the discipline of the Quakers relative to their
dress.
Had christianity approved of the make or colour of any particular
garment, it would have approved of those of its founder and of his
apostles.
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