The State guard., 1848-05-30

men. This might avoid some of those fla tal conseuuences which sometime result from placing daughters under the instruc- ton of travelling dancers, whoes only merit lies in the elasticity of trained muscles, while they are totally devoid of principle and moral worth. And, may here remark, that have lately seen fe- male seminary-mder the watch-care of a religious denomination, too,-where the pupils are trained in the dance, but un- der another name.
 My opinion, however, where the two sexes unite in the exercise, is, that it is both immodest and corrupting-the initia- tory step to degrading calamities.
 Upon this subject, with your leave, MT. Editor, l send you an article, extracted from "The Christian Index," Feb. 18th 1881, when that paper was published in Philadelphia, by the lamented Brantly.- Igive you the whole with the editors pre- iatory remarks. It is entitled.
 A TIME TO DANCE.
 4 worthy clergyman, who had been suspected of having improperly interfered in influencing some of the young people under his pastoral charge, to absent them- selves from ball that took place in the parish, received, in coesequence, the fol- lowing anonymous note:
 "SIR :-Obey the voice of the Holy Scripture. Take the following for your text, and contrast it. Show in what con sists the evil of that innocent amusement of dancing. Eccles, iii. A., "A time to weep, and a time to laug'a, time to mourn, and time to dance.'
 "A TRuD CHRISTIAN, BUT NO HYpo-
 CRITE."
 The minister immediately wrote the following admirable reply, which he inser- ted in a perodical publication
 My DEAR DIR (oR MADAM )-Your request that would preach from Eccles. iii. A., l cannot comply with, at present, since there are some Christian duties more important than dancing, which part of my, people seem disposed to neglect.
 Whenever perceive, however, that the duty of dancing is too much neglected, q against so dangerous an omission. In the mean time, there are certain difficult ties in text which you recommend to my notice, the solution of which should re- .ceive with gratitude from "Irue Chris tian."
 My first difficulty respects the time for dancing: for although the text declares that there is time to dance, yet, when that time is, it does not determine. Now, this point wish to ascertain exactly, be- fore l preach upon the subject? for it would be as criminal. conclude, to dance at that wrong time, as to neglect to dance, at the right time. 1 have been able to satisfy myself, in some particulars, when it is not sa time to dance." We shall agree, presume, that on the Sabbath day, or at a funeral, or during the prevail ence of pestlence, or the rocking of an earthquake, or the roaring of thunder storm, it would be no time to dance. If we were condemned to die, and were waiting iii prison the day of execution, this would be no time for dancing, and il our feet stock on slippery place, beside a precipice, we should not dare to dance.
 But suppose the very day to be accer- tain; is the whole day, or only part, to be devoted to this amusement? And it a part of the day only, the which part is ''the time to dance p From the notori. ously pernicious effect of night meetings,' J in all ages, both upon morals and health, no one will pretend that the evening is 'the time to dance;' and perhaps it may be immaterial which portion of the day. light is devoted to that innocent amuse. ment. But allowing the time to be ascer- tained, there is still an abscurity in the text. It is a command to dance, or only permisson? Or is it merely declara. ton of the fact, that as men are constitu. ted, there is time when all the events al. luded to in the text, do in the Providence of God, come to pass? If the text be a command, is it of universal obligation and must old men and maidens, young men and children, dance in obedience If a permission, does it imply permis- sion also to refrain from dancing, if any disposed? Or, if the text be merely de- claration that there is time when men dc dance, as there is time when they die, then 1 might as we'll be requested to take the first eight verses of the chapter, and show in what consists the evil of those innocent practices of beating and making war, and killing men, for which, it seems, there is Ca time,' as well as for dancing.
 There is still another difficulty in the text, which just now occurs to me. What kind of dancing does the text intend ? fol it is certainly matter of no small conse. .quence to "True Christian," to dance in scriptural manner, as we'll as the scriptural time.
 Now, to avoid mistakes on point of SC much importance, have consulted every passage in the Bible which speaks of dan. -cing; the most important of which per. init me to submit to your inspection.-
 Exed. xv. 20. "And Miriam, the pro. phetess, the sister or Aaron, took time. brel in her hand; and all the women wen, out after her. with timbrels and with dan. tces." This was op account of the over. throw of the Egyptians in the Red Sea.
 IsxIr VI