The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-01-29
From the Presbyterian of the West.
.CHARITY-BALLs-DANCING.
TpuBLIsHEp BY REQUEST. |

~ T. r. . u -.
ss4s (PuBLIsHED BY REQUEST.
The Roman Catholic Bishop Of Detroit
has solemnly prohibited the people from
participating in what are called charity
balls. And on the subject Of dancing ne
says some things which it were well for
Protestants 10 consider. Without endors-
ing all his authorities, we doubt not there
is much truth in the sentiments
To our age Is reserved the honor OF
adding to the dictionary of our language
the word chariiy-baH, and of teaching that
what dishonors God, blasphemes our Ho-
ly,Religion, and places stumbling block
to q multitude OF souls, who find in It both
spiritual and temporal ruin, can be right
and praiseworthy on account OF that relief
which it may afford to the poor. In other
words. that the end justifes the means,
however criminal they may be in them
selves, or in the circumstances attending
them. You are well convinced, and we
loudly proclaim, that you must give aims,
according to the repeated precepts OF our
Lord. But, remember well, that this God
infinitely wise, cannot be Indifferent to the
manner in which you acquit yourself of
this work of charity, in order that it may
answer to His design, and be meritorous
to you. For, in order that any work
Whatever may be truly good, it does not
suffice that it should be good under a GER
tain relation, or in some of the circum-
stances attending it, but it must be good in
every relation; in its object, which should
be proportioned to the act; in its end, and
In its circumstances, which should all be
In harmony with the act itself-in fine, in
It's intention, which should be nothing else
than the goodness Of the act itself. lfone
of these conditions be wanting, itnot only
ceases to be good, but it becomes vicious
and detestable in the eyes of God, it be-
comes q sin.
After this, can we imagine that God will
receive, as righteous and meritorious, an
act of so called charity, throug n this in.
srumentality Of balls and dances, with all
those dangerous and criminal circum-
stances that, especially in our days, &C
company them? Is not this to overturn all
the rules Of Christian morality, and insult
God, by pretending to perform an action
agreeable to Him, whilst we make use oi
means which He Himself has forbidden,
which the Church, ever guided by the Holy
Spirit, condemns, of which even men OF the
world themselves avow the fatal conse.
ouences, from their own experience, and
which Psgans, despite the laxity OF theil
morals, have marked with infamy. "Dan'
cing," says Cicero, sis the last Of all vi
ces: one must have run the career of all
others; he must have delivered himself up
TO all other excesses before he can yielo
himself to this" Dancing cannot exis
save among those whose hearts are already
possessed ofevery other vice, 'for no one,
says the great orator, ''no one dances
whether in private, or convivial assem-
bles, unless he be either intoxicated
or fool" The Pagans were so con
vinced of this, that TO render the followers
ofPhilip of Macedon odious, it was enough
for Demosthenes to accuse them of having
danced. At Rome, when they desired tc
paint the portrait of prostitute, it was
enough to say that she danced more ele
gantly than was becoming a modest wo
man. Ovid, that poet, so voluptuous ant
80 regardless Of morality, styled dancing
houses places of shipwreck for modesty
and the dance itself the seed of vice. Blu
if such was the opinion of Pagans con
cerning dancing, that Of people of TIT
world, Of modern age, is not more favor
able. "The dance," says Petrarch, sis
frivolous spectacle, unworthy of man, hell
in detestation by chaste eyes, prelude tt
the exercise of the passions, the source
numberless infamies, from which nothin!
issues save irregularity and impurity.'
Boyle, the impious philosopher, who ever
professed to disbelieye the existence OF
God-Boyle says, "The dance can onl..
serve to spoil the heart, and wage wa
dangerous to chastity" But it is no
among the Pagans, nor among the impl
Gus, that Christian should 60 to learn TIL
knowledge of his duties "Fly from feast
and dances, accompanied by music,
says 81. Gaudentius, "the houses in whic
such disorders are found present all tn
dangers of the Theatre, let all which re
lates to the pomps of the devil be banishe'
from the houses of Christians" 'Sh'
Dances" says St. Ambrose, speaking Q
the daughter Of Herodas, "she dances
but it is the daughter Of an adultress. LIE
mothers, then, who love chastity and mod
esty, give to their daughters lessons of re
lieion, and not lessons of dancing. Ant
you, o men! who pride yourselves upol
your gravity and prudence. learn to detes
those abominable places Of resort, and t
avoid those who freuuent them" Th,
same Holy Father calls the dance "th
choir Of iniquities, the ruin of innocence
and the grave Of modesty." Tertullial
pictures to US the places OF worldly dance
as ''the temples Of Venus, and the sinks c
,impuriiy." St. Basil paints them to us a
.'sthe places in traffic Of shameful obscen
Nitiss." st. Chrysostom regards them a