Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-12-15
For the Arkansas Intelligencer.
ID NCTN


Gospel and the growth of grace in the sot.-- d
Some individual in this county thinks the Bs stist a
Association has done wrong another inthe anne i
county thinks differently. 7
"a Subscriber argues that rs there is n tex- ,
press command in regard to dancing, the Bo lists
transcended authority.
The Bible does not say these words -Thoulhalt
not dance neither does il say, Thou shah notplay
cards and horse But such thnS to my 4;
mind seom opposed to the doctrines and Sirit of
that blessed Book. It's pages teem with psccpts
Of condemnation to such practices. Havesuch
words these no bearing upon them? - Foithe |
grace of God that 5ringeth salvation hath appeaed
to all mon, teaching that denying ungodlinas |!
and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righ-
teously, and godly in this present world" 1t
would look strange 10 see person with these
words in his heart. juggling in a ball room or
hopping around in ridiculous pcstures, = more po-
itely termed the graceful balancez, chassez, ladies'
chain, promenade, all etc. l fancy that
Martin Luther could nos have witnessed of
our regular jigs without censure, or hornpipe
executed with extra agony,-to say nothing OF a
niger ball where the real I" "hoe-downs and
Perhaps the ~ Sgd slais ia 'hs performers.
"proved all things" when they decided dancing
was not "good,'' and imagined they could see
/" appearance Of evil in the scientific hops, skips
wrggIes, and jgges of the dance; perhaps they
thought the tendency of modern dancing ap-
preached the Herodias kind nearer than that
mentioned in tho parable of the Prodgal son.
"a Subscrber" " ilaczes the word " merry,''
and TO think dancing necessary to merri
ment. If express terms be now insisted upon,
those that merry certainly have their mode
of enjoy ment prescribed in James, fifth Chapter
thirteenth verse. tr.
GA Subscriber" further says: " If it can be
pointed out in the scripture where dancing is pro-
hibited, | for shall condemn the Practice
Shall condemn nothing because it is not pointed
out in Holy Writ! If not, we may say, rumble
ten pins, rattle billiards, without rebuke, as well
as the thousands Of other inventions of the devil
in modern times. In the first part of the com.
munication we are noticing, the writer calls dane
ing an " idle amusement >" in the sentence last
quoted he says he will not condemn n-of course
rega riding idle amusement as less heinous than
an idle word of which we have account Matthew,
18th Chap, Both verso.
Martin Luther is brought to bear. There is
nothing common than to bring up great
names to support opinions. Look how Wings
and Democrats quote Jefferson - how Immersion.
lists appeal 10 Calvin, Beza, Doddridge = the dfIe-
rent religious sects to the Fathers. do not ad
NIT that dancing is spoken Of in language Of ap
probation, in the parable of the Prodiga Son.
Dancing was not the question; it used in H.
lustration. Our Lord used many things thus
without approving them. Shall we deceive
neighbor. buy his estate, because we know it con-
tains god mine, and he is ignorant Of it ?-See
the parable of the hidden treasure. In fine, see
no more commentator of dancing in the parable
Of the prodigal son, than do of dishonesty in that
of the uni Just steward.
After noticing dancing as it is mentioned in
Holy Writ, II appears TO me to be very different
species from that the Baptists fhaxe condemnetl I
Il seemed to be metl,ed Of testifyipg great joy,
When Pharaoh's host had been seegulfed IN the
waters of the Red Sea. and The children of Israel
saw their deliverance accomplished oMir.am ynnd.
othor women, with timbrels and dances manifested
their JOY. When David brought the ark from the
house of Obed Edom 10 his city, he sacrificed
oxen and fatlings and 50 danced before the Lord"
Such dances as these tho Baptists would not con-
denim. 1t is dancing as 1t as they censure. These
ousiere Christians have seen the concomitant owls
of the practice They wish to avoid the 8 profape
and vain babbngs" of the ball room, although il
be pleasant place where cologne macassar.
and the perfumery of the ladies, mngle with the
whiskey breath of gentlemen, and nonsens min.
giles with nothing else. The world may crv out
against the Bapts,s, orators may rail, parsons de.
nounce, but their fercest enemies will be found in
the dandy dancing masters, and French and free
nlgger BARRIERS, and perfume venders in Cities
These will most holly contend that dancing is moi
opposed to tho growth of grace in the SOUL
l. too, MIR. Editor, wish not TO make your co.
lumns the arena Of religious controversy | have
merely paved up the sand, and, as there is li,,le
to gain in such arenas, | will retire 10 better pas
lures = at the same time, wishing " to bring men
to reflection on both sides of " this subject of i'm
portance to the religious word,'' and hopino
somewhat that they may be induced to regard
dancing as do--a Characteristic trait of sin.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Dec. l, 1919. ].
District Of Columbia.--A move will be made.
at an early period of the session. for the cession
OF the District 10 the States of Virginia and Mary
land. 1t is altogether probable that this move
ment will be successful. We think it should be,
because the government and care of the District
have already cost the American people, in con-
sumption of congressional time, moro than every
acre OF II is worth three times over, and because
this will remove of the principal causes of
dIssenslon between the north and the SOUTH
ReUeiUe.
DARK Forebodings.-We find the following
letter in the last number Of the Journal of Com
merce a-
Washington, ,Nouem6er 2.
fear that there are matters ina4isation at the
H.. wh r. for III