Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-08-11

lime so suitable us when n wants cXer-
else either TO give expression 10 exuber-
ant feelings of pleasure, or when one Is
dull and requires increased circulation oil
the blood. No place appears so proper
as in The open airl The real objection
10 dancing is the fashionable occompani-
menls,-the untimely hours, ovcrheaIed
roolns and unreasonable dresses which
have made it a fruitful source of disease,
instead Of what it ought TO be-a means
of preserving or regainiug health. Dan
cling has been called the poetry of mo-
ton. and we cannot sec that sin is any
more essential 10 its nature than TO the
Poetry of words. Both have been pros
tituted 10 impure and improper uses. but
if that forms a reason why n should be
discarded totally, ii is just as good against
the other. If nobody should ever dance
because many practice immodest dam
cling, then nobody should read or write
poetry for very many write and read very
obscene verses, If nobody should ever
dance beca1se very many have ruined
their health thereby, nobody should ever
eat, very many have died Of s%ur(eils.
If religious people would use their in
huence 10 regulate, instead Of 10 abolish
dancing, they would accomplish much
more good. They might with as much
justice and hope Of success, try TO keep
lambs from skipping and birds from iut-
tering in idle sport, as 10 keep young
people in good health from physical ex-
ercise Of some kind, calculated 10 give
expression 10 their exuberant activity
To us no other exercise appears so suila-
bic as dancing The music is an intel.
%lectual feast and recreation, the motion
is a delightful exercise, and altogether it
is the nost natural, graceful and appro.
pirate amusement Of which we know any
thing. A parent who encourages aud as.
sists his children 10 dance an hour each
evening, certainly does more for their
happiness and improvement, than permit
ting them 10 run the streets for exercise
as is now the custom. There ought 10
be family dancing in every house, as
well as family prayers. There is one
idea received in the religious world and
is that serving God must always
mean some set act OF what church Judi.
c~atories have termed religious worship;
and lhatthe scripture which says "wheth-
er We eat or drink, or whatsoever We do,
do all 10 the glory Of God" must intend
us 10 be forever saying prayers.
We do not believe n word ofthis, and
think the heart as apt 10 turn TO thoughts
OF heaven and immortality in the midst
Of healthlul and innocent amusements,
as on an I" anxious seat, Every thing
is beautiful in lis season; and twas new
er designed we should live on our knees
or in a church, or that the name of the
Deity was 10 be forever on or lips, else
ii would become a mockery there. We
never knew but one person a,,empt 10
convert a pleasure party into a prayer.
meeting, and we are quite certain she
would have stolen silver spoons at a
wake. We have a perfect horror Of
saintship, and would rather undertake to
live amongst the California diggers, than
in a community where the people were
all especially interested in some ''glori.
GUS revival Of religion" The entire
spirit ofthe business appears 10 be SO com.
plelely mixed up with rivalry, d~etraction,
sell-righteousness and money getting,
that we dread any special outpouring OF
it as we would dread a plague. 1t was
lis universal opposition TO dancing which
first set us TO thinking the later mus, be
right. We never could find it was any
time to do anything for humanity, 10 take
any decided stand against slavery, inlcm.
perancc, or any benevolent REFORM
Exlorlioners, the grinders Of the poor, the
vendors of rum, The lraficers in slaves,
could join in The exercises and carry on
their other trade between lines, but the
poor dancer was aye the lepcr, who was
10 go outside The camp 10 be cleansed.
Under the wing of this false religion, The
love Of money has reached a hight in
this country which it perhaps never nj.
lained amongst any people before. The
worship Of God and Mammon have 10 all
appearance beer reconciled, and those
who worship God mos, loudly, serve The
almighty dollar most ~devoulIv. We see
nothing 80 unfavorable TO this Mammon
worship as healIhful, innocent, invigora.
ling amusements, and, therefore, look up.
on them as acceptable service TO Him
who gave us the faculties they are calcu.
lated 10 develope and improve. We in,
tend 10 laugh, sing and crack Jokes "a:
long MS we live, and dance 100, unless we
get lame or 100 old and stiff 10 try. We
have no idea that looking solemn is any
more pleasing 10 The Almighty than look.
ing cheerful; on The contrary, it is a sir
Tor any man TO twist his face awry, as
The manner of some is. If The good Be.
ing had wished us 10 look like we had the
jumping toolhacbe, lie would have made
our faces in that shape at first. and if
mirth had been offensive 10 Him, he
would have told us about it.