Given that someone was recently blogging on the topic of wearing a robe to preach, the following quote seemed worthwhile:
Their children were dressed not in silks and satins, but plain as becomes the children of those who in all things ought to be examples of Christian simplicity.
That quote comes from George Whitfield on the topic of Jonathan Edwards's children. (as cited by Noel Piper 28 minutes into this talk on Edward's wife)
A defense of wearing robes notes that robes were worn by folks such as Jonathan Edwards, but neglects to note that folks like him also used to wear wigs (or that in earlier times tunics were common). I'd reckon that a fair number of members of a church might almost fall out of their chairs laughing if their pastor showed up to preach wearing a powdered white wig one Sunday. A robe to me seems to violate the "plain" clothing that Whitfield was speaking about - compared to typical daily dress its rather odd - a wig would just be a greater example of this. Even the defense linked to notes that the robe is odd:
[The robe] may seem strange, especially if you are used to “getting to know the man” in the pulpit.
(quote from Danny Hyde on page 2)
(Also note in that Noel Piper's talk, just before the quote on children, there's a comment about Jonathan Edwards spending a large part of the service where Whitfield preached weeping - compare to the stoicism often present in modern-day Reformed/Presbyterian churches)
