2. G. W. Colcord
H. W. Hall
G. H. Bell
J. M. Aldritch
J. Q. A. Haughey
W. H. Littlejohn

3. At the 1866 General
Conference Session on May
17 a series of resolutions
passed by the Battle Creek
Church were read.

4. These resolutions included the
following statement:
R. H. Cogshall
“We hold that in the matter of shaving
and coloring the beard, some of our
brethren display a species of vanity
equally censurable with that of certain
of the sisters in dressing the hair; and
that in all cases should they discard
every style which will betoken the air
of the fop; but while we have no
objections to a growth of beard on all
parts of the face, as nature designed
it, yet where any portion of the beard
is removed, we think the brethren
greatly err from the sobriety of the
Christian in donning the mustache or
goatee.”
H. W. Gibbs

5. This was not the only occasion that such an issue was
raised at the Church’s highest levels. In 1857 the
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, not only included
articles on theological or other topics being discussed
by church members, but also answered questions sent
in by subscribers. One topic that came up for
discussion several times was whether or not it was
proper for a man to wear a beard.
J. H. Waggoner R. F. Andrews

6. Editor Uriah Smith responded to one query:
“In view of the feeling which is growing up on this
subject throughout the country as evinced by the many
unshaven faces which one everywhere meets, and
considering moreover that some of our correspondents
have expressed themselves quite warmly in favor of this
reform, if reform it may be called, it may be proper for
us to say a word on the subject at this time. We would
say then that we must beg to be excused from taking
any interest in the question, or discussing its merits or
demerits in the REVIEW, we cannot look upon it as Bible
question.
Like that restriction which would exclude swine’s flesh
from the list of our eatables, whatever other plea may
be urged in its favor, we think it cannot be made to rest
upon Bible ground. We do not regard that book as
imposing upon mankind at the preset time any
restriction on these subjects. Then let every one be fully
persuaded in his own mind.”

7. “If a person is fully assured
that shaving is
incompatible with health,
we would not of course
have him do anything to
injure his constitution; and
if he thinks that the
sympathy between his eyes
and his upper lip is such
that he cannot shave the
latter without injuring the
former, we see no other
way but that a mustache
must develop itself.
Though in our opinion the
views which many take on
these points stand much in
need of confirmation.” Uriah Smith

8. “Again, as to its looks, and the plea that has been
advanced, that to shave was to mar the divine beauty of
the human visage as God designed it, we must
remember that all have not the same ideas of beauty,
and that in the eyes of many a projecting mustache and
flowing beard, are as apt to make a man look like a
rough goat as a venerable patriarch, and perhaps more
so. We only say, let every one endeavour to form correct
views of propriety and abide by them; and if under these
circumstances they can feel free to make a meal of pork
steak, or brandish a razor, we have no objections to
offer. Upon these subjects, until they shall assume more
importance than we can at present attach to them, we
design to be neutral; and neutrality, now-a-days, is
silence.”
Review and Herald June 25, 1857, p64.

9. James White D. D. Whitney
Apparently Smith’s only real concern
was with those who wanted to make
a religious test out of something
that the Bible was silent on, not
whether or not a man grew a beard.
Another time he wrote, “We care not
whether a man wears a beard or not.
The Bible says nothing against it and
it says nothing for it”
Quoted in Eugene Durand, Yours in the Blessed
Hope p120-121.
J. B. Whipple
J. O. Corliss

10. Not all Adventist leaders agreed with Uriah Smith’s
viewpoint. In 1868, John Norton Loughborough in his
Handbook of Health had strong words for men who
shaved: “Another, by no means slight, evil
inflicted on the surface of the body,
is in shaving the beard. Nature
requires its growth. If you think you
must shave, do it in cold soft water.
Better still to keep the razor off your
face.”
John Norton Loughborough
presents here not a biblical
argument, but rather a medical/
scientific one, albeit one for which
we know has no supporting
evidence.

11. Apart from her descriptions
of God, Jesus, and various
Bible characters as being
bearded, Ellen White makes
only a single reference to
beards. In an 1882 Signs of
the Times article she
encourages Adventist men to
shave before the Sabbath
begins.
It should be noted however,
that her husband James
sported a quite impressive
beard himself for much of his
adult life.

12. However, in the 1865 book How
to Live, edited by James and
Ellen White, non-Adventist
physician Russell T. Trall is
quoted positively: “That the
natural clothing of an unshaven
beard is a protection against
affections of the throat and
lungs, I have no doubt. But if we
will render ourselves
preternaturally susceptible by
shaving, we would not
aggravate the susceptibility by
binding up the neck with tight
clothing.”

13. On April 5, 1923, the editor of the Review
Francis McLellan Wilcox commented that
the editorial staff had received
“numerous letters,—so numerous,
indeed, that we have long since ceased to
peruse their contents,—decrying the
present practice of shaving, and
advocating that every man should let his
beard grow”.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the Review
column, “Bible Questions Answered”
dealt with the issue three times in
response to questions submitted by
readers. On each occasion the author—
Calvin P. Bollman—concluded that there
was no biblical prohibition against
shaving. He did however, on one
occasion note that “there are faddish
styles of shaving that are inappropriate

14. In the early 1970s, a similar issue surfaced. The May
18, 1972 Review carried a “Homemaker’s Exchange”
column which solicited the opinions of readers on the
related issue of long-haired sons. Opinions varied
from “the length of one’s hair is a matter of individual
taste, as personal as a choice of ice-cream flavors” to
“since the long haired fad started with those of
questionable reputation, I do not see how Christians
can condone it.”

15. At some point most
Seventh-day Adventist
schools and colleges
have introduced a dress-
code containing a
statement on facial hair
and hairstyles. To take
just one example, in
1973, Helderberg
College (South Africa)
changed their policy to
allow College students
“to grow short, neat
moustaches” while only
senior students were,
“permitted to wear short
neat beards.”

16. In 1985, one Review reader saw the issue of a lack of
church growth as directly related to the growth of a
minister’s facial hair: “If they want our churches to
grow, let the pastor’s and ministers shave and clean-
up”.
Some readers responded in support: “Amen! to the
letter about no beards for pastors”.
Others were critical of this proposed connection: “My
dad is a minister and he has a beard. I think he looks
better with a beard than he did without one. The
church grew just as well when he didn’t have a beard
as when he didn’t have one.”

17. It is difficult to find recent discussions of facial hair in
Adventist literature—the issue seems to be regarded
as of little consequence currently. Of course,
discussions of numerous other lifestyle issues remain
heated. An examination of changing Adventist
attitudes toward facial hair and of other standards of
behaviour in the Church reveals to us that our
understanding of these issues is strongly influenced
by cultural factors of time and place. While we may
laugh at our predecessors’ discussion of facial
hairstyles—at a General Conference Session no less—
we can also learn from Uriah Smith’s 1858 statement
on the same topic: “We care not whether a man wears
a beard or not. The Bible says nothing against it and it
says nothing for it. If a person thinks that health or
convenience, one or both, demand the undisturbed
development of his beard, we shall regard him no
differently on that account from one who does not do
this.”