The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-12-19

sfh inDm her lFuny. By saving . n Vas NJ
FIRE the Lord admitting llai had dis ~
beea shs esse. her rsbuke would kay,
been menled. aK !
Sam. xviii. 0. On accoun, az a,
victory of Saul and David over he Ph;lis
tines, ihe women came out Of al the ci
lies Of Israel singing and dancing
Psalm exiz- ?. Lea them praise nj
name N the dsnce.'
Psalm Xxx. n. .Thou hast turned 10
me my mourning into dancing The de
liyerance here spoken Of was 4 recover,
frnm sickness. and die dancing an expires
sion Of religious gratitude and JOY.
Exed. xxi. 10. 'As soon as he cam,
nigh unto the camp. he saw the calf an,
The dznring.' Prom This il appears tl,a
dancing WIS a part also Of idol-wonhip.
Jer. XXI. 4. =. o virgin Of Israel, thor
shalt again be adorned with Thy labrels
and 20 forth IN the dances Of them Tia
make merry The passage predicts IN.
return IRON captivity, and The restoration
q The Divine favour, with The consequent
expression of joy.
Man. <. ~. we have piped unto sou
and We have not danced; we have mourn
ed unio YOU. and We have not lanenled.'
Fiat Is, neither the judgments nor The
mercies Of God produce any effect upon
this iaeorrigible generation. They mel.
ther mourn, when called to mourning by
his Providence; nor rejoice with the usu.
al tokens Of religious joy, when his mer
cies demand their gratitude.
Lake Nv. 25. Now his eldest son wa.
in the field; and as he came, and drew
nigh unto the house, he heard music ant
dancing. The return Of the prodigal
was joyful event for which the grateful
Father, according 10 the nsages of ihe
Jewish Church, and the exhortadon o.
the Psalnist, praised The Lord in the
dance. t
Eccles. iii. 4. "A time TO mourn, and
time TO dance Since the Jewish
Church knew nothing of dancing excep
as religion. ceremony, or as an expires
sion Of gratitude ani PRAISE, the text is 4
declaration that the providence Of Cod
sometimes demands mourning, AMI some,
times gladness and gratitude. @@-
Maui. xiv. O. But when. IIerOd's birth
day was kept, the daughter OF Icrodia,
daarcd before them, and pleased Herod.
In this ease, dancing was perverted from
its original object to purposes Of vanit,
- -s--.--s
job xxi. z. Wherefore do the wirke,
live, become old, yea are mighty in pow
err Verse n. They send forth tlIci
little ones like ilock, and their children
dance. They spend their days in wealth
and in moment go down TO the grave
Therefore they say unto God, Depar
from us, for we desire not the knowledg'
of thy ways. What is the Almight,
that we should serve him.-and wha
profit shall we have il we pray unto him!
There wealth aud dancing are assigne'
as the reasons Of their saying unto God
: depart from us ! and their not desirin
the KIN Wedge Of his ways, or Of servm
him, or praying to him.
From the preceding quotations, it vii
sufficiently appear
|. That dancing was a religious act
both Of the ,rae, and also of idol worship
2. That it was prac,ised exclusively "
joyful occasions, such as national festival:
or great victories. a.
3. That it was reformed by maiden
oply.
4. Tha, it was performed usually in tn
daytime, in the open air, in highways
fields, or groves.
5. That mea who perverted dancin
from sacred use to purposes of amusC
meats, were deemed Infamous.
6. That no instances of dancing al
found upon record in the Bible, in whic
the two sexes united in the exercise eithe
as an act Of worship or amusement
Z. That there is no instance upon recor
Of social dancing for amusement. excer
lh,t of vain {. lows devoid of shame t; q
their irrcligious families described by Jot
which produced increased impiety. an
ended in destruction; and of lIerodias
which terminated in the rash vow of lie
ro,l, and me mrier IF John the BaptisI
congratulate you, sir. on the assure
hope which you seem TO have attained
TIKI, YOU are true Christian and on tn
meckness and modesty with which yo
have been able to express it; and mos, sin
cerely do join with YOU in the condea
nation of all hypocrltes.
ana allec,ionately, yours, DC.
PiY WHIT THOU GWEST.
4. Paw the Sabbath its claims, BY risin