Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-02-02
MISCELLANY

occurred IN Inc parish OF worthy
minister, at a SEASON OF peculiar Sc
rio,isnrss among the YOU of his paste
raj IN rye, and many of them, frofn
CONSCIENTIOUS motives, having declin
ed to attend, their absence was aitri
bu,tI TREMENDOUSLY 10 the influence
and iatcrferencr OF their pastor, who
in coa,eqnsnce received the following
anonymous uOte:
SIR: -O,.y the voice of Hol,
Scripture. Take the following for
: your text. and contradict il. Sow IN
what consists the evil ofthit innocrm
amusement of dancing Eccles iii 4
"a time to weep, and lime tolaugh;
tim. to mourn, and time 10 dance ~
ATrue Christian, but no Hypocrite
The minister immediately wrote the
following reply, which, as the note
was anonymous and without address,
remained in his possession for some
time, when he communicated it to the
public. thinking it migh meet the eye
and correct the opinions of the writer
of the noe and others.
"MY DEAR SIR Your request that
/ would preach from Ecc'es. iii a, 1
cannot comply with at present, since
there are somr Christian duties more
importan. than dancing, which pari
Of my people sem disposed TO neglect
Whenever | perceive, however, that
the duty of dancing is too much neglec
ted, Ishall not fail to raise warning
voice against so dangerous an omls
sion In the mean time, there are
certain difficulties in the text which
you com n'nd to my notice, the soln-
lion Of which | should receive with
gratitude from "A true Christian"
My first difficulty respects the time
for dancing; for, although thetext de
clares there is time TO dance, yet
when that time is, it dos not deer
mine. Now this point | wish to as
certain exactly, before preach upon
The subject; for it would be criminal,
I conclude, 10 dance at the wrong
time, as to neglect to d nee at the
right time. have been able to salts
fly myself, in some particulars, when
1t is not "a time to nance" We shall
agree, i presume, that on the sabbath
day, or at funeral, or during the pre-
valence OF pestiIence, Or the rocking
of an earthquake, or the roaring of a
thunder s'orm, it would he no time to
dance. If we were condemned to
die and were waiting in prlsonthe day
of execution. this would be no time for
dancing; and if our feet stood on a
slippery place beside preclpice, we
should not dare to dance
But suppose the very day to be as
cerlained; is the whole day or only q
part, 10 be devoted to this amusement.
And ifa part of the day only, ther
which part is "tbe time to dancer
From the notoriously pernlclous effects
OF might meetings in all ages, oott
upon morals and health, no one vii
pretend that evening is the "hme Il
dance;' and perhaps il may be IN
material which portion OF the day bgh
is devoted to that innocent amusement
But allowing the time to be ascertain
cd, there is still an obscurity IN tin
text Isit command TO dance, o
only permission! Or is il merely
declaration OF the fact, that, IS mel
are constituted, there is time wheI
all the events alluded to 10 the text d
in The provi1ence OF God come t
pass: If the text he command, 1t
Of universal ohIig ition; and mnst "oi'
men and m4iiens, young men an
children dance obedience: 1t a per
mission: does il imply permission al
81 10 refrain from dancing, IT any ar
disposed? Or if the text be merely
declaration that there is time whe
Tnen do dance. as there is time whe
they die, then nigh! as well be re