Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-06-10
From the Pittsburgh Visitor.
AmuSements.


AmuSemenls.
We have been thinking for some time
TO write an article on this subject; but just
now we have reminder. Wednesday
was devoted TO amusement-to a pic mic
with the young folks. When we were in
high g!ee, on the road to the ground
letter was handed us, from lad whom
we much respect, containing a most SOL
emn injunction to dedicate the day to the
service Of God and set an example Of
which, we need not be ashamed at the
judgment seat. to the youth under our
charge The writer was mistaken in
thinking the youth were under our charge!
We, were, for the time, one of them, as
eager TO amuse and be amused as any;
and if any had come and tried to convert
our party into prayer-meeting we should
have come home. We went there to
laugh, sing and dance-to get our blood to
flow rapidly, and avoid mental exertion!
All this we did 10 the best of our ability,
and feel nc remorse. We believe that so
far from amusements being sinful, they are
duty. Our physical and mental vigor
require their aid to recompense for the
waste of corroding care; and the idea that
there is any thing irreligious in the exu-
berant spirits Of youth and their natural
manifestation, is, we think, grand mis-
take. One amusement which has been
held up as special object of snimadver.
sion is dancing. The churches have We'd
with each other in their zeal on this subject.
A Methodist preacher once. after admit.
ting his church had winked at slavery,
rumsellng, avarice and Misunderstanding,
very complacently boasled that dancing
had never yet been baptized in the name
of Methodism. And yet we have never
heard a single text Of scripture brought di-
rectly to bear against it! On the contrary
we are expressly told there is ''a time to
dance" as well as to die, and we can think
OF no time so suitable rs when one wants
exercise either to giveexpression or exuber.
ant feelings of pleasure, or when one is
dull and requires increased circulation of
the blood. No place appears SO proper as
in the open air! The real objection to
dancing is the fashionable Accomplishments,
the untimely hours. overheated rooms
and unreasonable dresses which have made
it fruitful scource Of disease, instead of
what it ought 10 be-a means Of preserving
or regaining health. Dancing has been
called the poetry Of motion, and we can
not see that sin is any more essential to ats
nature than to the poetry Of words. Both
have been prostituted TO impure and i'm.
proper uses, but if that forms a reason why
one should be discarded totally. il is just
as good against the other. If nobody
should ever dance because many practice
immodest dancing, then nobody should
read or write poetry for very many write
and read very obscene verses If nobody
should ever dance because very many have
ruined their health thereby, nobody should
ever eat, very many have died OF. sur.
feits. ~..' rs=@
IL religious people would use their in.
funce to regulate, instead Of to abolish
dancing, they would accomplish much more
good. They might with as much justice
and hope Of success, try 10 keep lambs from
skipping and birds from fu,lering in idle
sport, as to keep young people in good
health from physical exercise Of some
kind, calculated to give expression to their
exuberant activity. 70 US no other exer-
else appears so suitable as dancing! The
music is an intellectual feast and recrea-
ton, the motion is a delightful exercise, land
altogether it is the most natural, graceful
and appropriate amusement Of which we
know any thing. A parent who encour-
ages and assists his children to dance an
hour each evening, certainly does more
for their happiness and improvement than
permitting them to run the streets for ex-
ercise as is now the custom. There ought
to be family dancing in every house, as
well as family prayers. There is one
idea received in the religious world and
that is that serving God must always
mean some set act OF what church judica.
tories have termed religious worship; and
that the scriptures which says "whether
We eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do
all to the glory OF God," must intend US
to be forever saying prayers.
We'd not believe word of this, and
think the heart as apt to turn to thoughts
of heaven and Immortality in the midst OF
healthful and innocent amusements, as on
an "anxious seat" Every thing is beau
tiful in its season; and it was never de-
signed we should live on our knees or in d
church, or that the name Of the Deity was
to be forever on our lips, else it would be-
come mockery there. We never knew
but one person attempt to convert q pleas
ure party into prayer-meeting, and we
are quite certain she would have stolen
silver spoons at wake. We have per.
feet horror Of saintship, and would rather
undertake TO live amongst the California
diggers, than in community where the
people were all especially interested in
i some "glorious revival of religion" Tbs