MS.

Text: ’The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garments: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God." –Deuteronomy 22:5

Matthew Henry, (Independent) --"The distinction of sexes by the apparel is to be kept up, for the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, ‘NATURE ITSELF TEACHES’ THAT A DIFFERENCE BE MADE BETWEEN THEM IN ’THEIR HAIR’, I Corinthians 11:14, AND BY THE SAME RULE IN THE CLOTHES, WHICH THEREFORE OUGHT NOT TO BE CONFOUNDED either in ordinary wear or OCCASIONALLY. To befriend a lawful escape or concealment it may be done.... It forbids the confounding of the DISPOSITIONS, and AFFAIRS of the sexes: MEN MUST NOT BE EFFEMINATE, NOR DO THE WOMEN’S WORK IN THE HOUSE, NOR MUST WOMEN BE ’VIRAGOS’, PRETEND TO ’TEACH, OR USURP AUTHORITY.’" -- Timothy 2:11,12

John Gill, (Baptist) – "’The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man’ –IT BEING VERY UNSEEMLY AND IMPUDENT, and contrary to the modesty of her sex; or ‘there shall not be upon her any ‘INSTRUMENT OF A MAN’, AND UTENSIL OF HIS WHICH HE MAKES USE OF IN HIS TRADE AND BUSINESS; AS IF SHE WAS EMPLOYED IN IT, WHEN HER BUSINESS WAS NOT TO DO THE WORK OF MEN, BUT TO TAKE CARE OF HER HOUSE AND FAMILY; ...and the word also signifies ARMOR, as Onkelos renders it; and so HERE FORBIDS WOMEN PUTTING ON A MILITARY HABIT AND GOING WITH MEN TO WAR, AS WAS USUAL WITH THE EASTERN WOMEN ; and so Maimonides illustrates it; ...and IN LIKE MANNER JOSEPHUS EXPLAINS IT, ‘Take heed, especially in war, that a woman do not make use of he habit (clothing) of a man, or a man that of a woman....’

‘Neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment; which would betray effeminacy and softness not becoming men... and SINCE IN NATURE A DIFFERENCE OF SEXES IS MADE, IT IS PROPER AND NECESSARY THAT THIS SHOULD BE KNOWN BY DIFFERENCE OF DRESS....’"

Adam Clarke, (Methodist) --"’The woman shall not wear that which, pertaineth unto a man.’ ‘keli geber’, the instruments or arms of a man. As the word, ‘geber’, is here used which properly signifies a strong man or man of war, it is very probable that armor is here intended.... IT... APPLIES PARTICULARLY TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE THE DRESS ALONE DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE MALE AND THE FEMALE. THE CLOSE-SHAVED GENTLEMAN MAY AT ANY TIME APPEAR LIKE A WOMAN IN THE FEMALE DRESS, AND THE WOMAN APPEAR AS A MAN IN THE MALE’S ATTIRE. WERE THIS TO BE TOLERATED IN A SOCIETY, IT WOULD PRODUCE THE GREATEST CONFUSION."

John Trapp, (Anglican) – "The woman shall not wear’ –BECAUSE IT IS AGAINST BOTH NATURAL AND CIVIL HONESTY. ‘Neither shall a man put on’ –The word is ‘put on’ ...The same word is used of David’s putting on Saul’s armor.... So full are our hearts of distinctions and shifts...." distinctions and shifts.... "

John Calvin, (Presbyterian) – This decree also commends modesty in general, and in it God anticipates the danger, lest women should harden themselves into forgetfulness of modesty, or men should degenerate into effeminacy unworthy of their nature. ...AS IT IS DISGRACEFUL FOR MEN TO BECOME EFFEMINATE, AND SO ALSO FOR WOMEN TO AFFECT MANLINESS IN THEIR DRESS AND GESTURES, PROPRIETY AND MODESTY ARE PRESCRIBED, NOT ONLY FOR DECENCY’S SAKE, BUT LEST ONE KIND OF LIBERTY SHOULD AT LENGTH LEAD TO SOMETHING WORSE. The words of the heathen poet are true:

What shame can she, who wears a helmet, show

Her sex deserting? --Juvenal

Wherefore decency in the fashion of the clothes is an excellent preservation of modesty."

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown --"THE ADOPTION OF THE HABILIMENTS (clothing) OF THE ONE SEX BY THE OTHER IS AN 0UTRAGE ON DECENCY, OBLITERATES THE DISTINCTIONS OF NATURE BY FOSTERING SOFTNESS AND EFFEMINACY IN THE MAN, IMPUDENCE AND BOLDNESS IN THE WOMAN, as well as levity and hypocrisy in both; and, in short, OPENS THE DOOR TO AN INFLUX OF SO MANY EVILS THAT ALL WHO WEAR THE DRESS OF ANOTHER SEX ARE PRONOUNCED, ’ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD.’"

Thomas Scott, (Anglican) --"This prohibition no doubt was intended to exclude the customs of the heathen worshippers, who shamefully violated it for the worst of purposes: yet, it is of moral tendency and of general obligation, as it is added, ’FOR ALL THAT DO SO ARE AN ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD,’ WHICH IS NEVER ANNEXED TO A MERELY CEREMONIAL INSTITUTION. The practice prohibited is not only indecent and of bad appearance; but it has in all ages been made subservient to lewdness...to prevent which it is of vast importance, that the distinction of the sexes should be visibly marked in their garments without variation.... And LET YOUNG PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT THIS CHANGE OF APPAREL IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS A FROLIC, BUT AS AN ACT OF REBELLION AGAINST GOD. --THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMANDMENT ALSO REQUIRES THE DISTINCTION OF THE APPEARANCE, DEPORTMENT, AND OCCUPATIONS OF THE SEXES. A MAN APPEARING EFFEMINATE AND AFFECTING THE APPROPRIATED EMPLOYMENTS OF WOMEN: AND A WOMAN OF A MASCULINE APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOUR WHO ENGAGES IN THE EXERCISES OF MEN, ARE UNNATURAL AND OFFENSIVE CHARACTERS"

John Brown, of Haddington, (Presbyterian) – "...LET IT BE MY CARE TO PLEASE GOD IN MY APPAREL. FOR INDECENCY IN DRESS IS NOT THE LESS SINFUL BECAUSE IT IS FASHIONABLE.... "

MAY

17, 1510-- Sandro Botticelli dies and is buried in the Church of the 0gnissanti, Florence, Italy. His paintings attest that he has been profoundly affected by the preaching of Savonarola.

1806 --Henry Martyn, two days in Calcutta, writes in his journal, "I almost think that to be prevented going among the heathen as a missionary would break my heart."

18, 1843 --Horatio Bonar joins the Free Church of Scotland.

19, 1848 --Ashbel Green dies. He has drafted the Constitution of Princeton Theological Seminary of which he was one of the originators. He has served as chaplain to Congress for 8 years.

20, 325 --The Council of Nicea has convened. It will prove to be the greatest of the Eastern Church Councils settling both the Question of the Trinity, and of Easter.

1506--Christopher Columbus dies. His name "Christ-Bearer" gave him what he felt to be the purpose for his life, On his first voyage, he conducted Vespers at sundown aboard ship; offering both prayers, and expounding the Scriptures. He has led his men in reciting the Apostle’s Creed. In preparation for his fourth voyage, he asked for clergy to help him "in the name of the Lord Jesus to spread His name and Gospel everywhere."

He has asked to personally choose these men, Contrary to popular belief today, he was not a gold-seeker since he was granted a modest 10% of his returns; nor was he a glory-seeker for when he alighted from his ship on an island in the New World, he named it "San Salvador"--"Holy Saviour."

1720 --An Act of the Assembly of the "established church" condemns the book The Marrow of Divinity because it maintains a universal call and offer of the Gospel to sinners. Defenders of the free offer, nicknamed, "marrow men", include Thomas Boston, and the Erskine brothers.

1813 --Robert Murray M’Cheyne is born.

27, 1564 --As the sun sets, John Calvin dies.

29, 1810 --Andrew Bonar is born.

30, 1640 --Peter Paul Rubens dies when gout reaches his heart, Shortly before the birth of this artist, his family was exiled from Spanish dominated Flanders when his father’s name appeared on a list of Calvinists.