The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-28
Lecture or Rev. DE-. Hatfield on The Modern

Yesterday evening the Rev. DR.. Hatfield delivered
\ sermon on the Modern Dance, at the Presbyterian
church, corner of Ridge and Broome streets The
reverend gentleman took his text from the twenty
first cbauter of the Book of job from the eleventh to
the fourteenth verse-They send forth their little
ones like flock and their children dance they take
the tmbre and harp and rejoice at the sound OF the
organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in
mement 60 down TO the grave: therefore, they say
unto God, depart from US, for we desire not the
knowledge Of thy ways" He then proceeded to
say:-Woridy prosperity serves almost universally
to encourage luxurious habits of living. When the
necessity of labor is taken away the disposition to
occupy life with round of festivities is the
developed. Pleasure becomes the pursuit of the
wealthy, much the means of support is the OBJ
ject with the poor But thelives thus spent in con-
tinued qualifications Of sensual and selfish propensi
tiesl invariably dispose to irreligion and impiety
That relie zion alone is worthy of the name which
teaches its disciples self denial and to bear the cross
and will alone lead to sanctifcation and salvation
Therefore it is that prosperity leads to corruption, to
irrehgion and often to immortality. "The prosperity
of fools will destroy them and therefore it is that
the rich can hardly enter the kingdom of God, and
therefore it is that pubcans and harots enter that
kingdom before them. Many give themselves up to
the delights of carnal indulgences pass their DAYS
in unbounded festivities and bringing mp their chill
dren to the pursuits OF voluptuous music and dane
ing, withhold them from OF the ordinary
pursuits of pleasure, and allow them to under
mine their constitutions that they sink down
into the grave, and die as the brute DOTH Their
very habits of unbounded indulgence ndiposes them
for the service of God and nclnes them to say unto
God, depart from us, for we desire not the know
ledge of thy ways Such are the tendencies of
worldly destinations. Among the many forms OF Sc
duction by which the world aures the young into
hoWery deyiOuS mr.
than the dance II constitutes of the principal
attractions and is practsed among all classes on oc-
casons OF festivities from the prince to the peasant
The youth are eager TO be initiated into its mystic
ries and become, unfortunately perfectly infatuated
The parents, too no less eager to put the child
in training, and regard o proficiency therein as a
most necessary accomplishment of polite educa-
ton. The dancing school and dancing maste, must
be encouraged as well any other school teacher
All learn to dance. None are fit for society who
cannot dance. So the world DEGREES, so fashion i'm
Interesting question, both to the young and those
who have been interested in their care and nstruc
ton-ls the art OF dancing, as ordinarily practised
among Christian Inations, to be encouraged? Are
the influences and tendencies Of the practice salu
tary? Does it promote the health and vigor Of the
physical system Does it elevate or degrade the
public morals? Does it refine the intellect purify
the heart? Does good or evil flow from it? These
particular questions of great social importance,
and of vast consequence to both morals and religion.
We must not regard the practice of dancing merely
as an exercise for the body. No one will at
firm that any particular movement Of the body with
measured STEP to the sound of musical instruments
Or the voice, is of itself sin. The question
is not this at all No one will dispute the proprety
OF my dancing about my for q short period, to
restore elasticity to my exhausted body, after sitting
for hours at my desk preparing discOurses for your
instruction. We are not called on to consider Of
dancing merely as mode OF exercise. Some kinds
Of dancing may be perfectly right and proper 1t
does not therefore follow however that all kinds are
to be encouraged. We are called on to determine
The moral character of particular diversions Does
the union of the sexes in vouptuous dances tend to
good or evil! This Is an important consideration
But met by the assertion that the Bible autho
rzes the custom. 1t is said there is a season and
time for everything, and amongst the many things
mentioned is dancing. But examination of the
inspired writer's will show that there is no opinion
pronounced on the moral character of any of the
actions 80 mentioned. 1t is not shown that though
these events are brought to pass they are therefore
proper and right. They do not tell Us the exact
to be born to die to i've to hate to make war;
but merely that such things will come to pass. There
is, therefore, no warranty for the time ordinarily
chosen for dancing. 1t would be somewhat difficult
to find in any part Of the Bible any intimaton what
ever that the time which the God Of nature has al
tntted to the purpose Of refreshment and sleep, is
The time in which it is right and proper to engage in
exercises violent and SO exhausting the modern
dance. But if the Scriptures could be brought
as evidence that it is right to dance and that night
is the season for it, it is still to be shown that the
dances of this day are the same the dance Of
that time, or that it has similar character
Among the ancients it was customary to cele
brate a solemn religious festival by dancing
and We all know that when the Ark Of the Lord
was brought up to the city Of David, the king him
self danced before it with all his might The Hebrews
long continued the of these sacred dances, but
seemed to know nothing OF the of those so COM
mon among us. Among the Greeks and the Romans
the dance was introduced in order to infame the
appetites of the company They were exhibitions
such we see now on the boards Of the theatre.
This form OF dancing introduced in the corrupt
If aud Tha 1npp
sisted the introduction Of these demoralizng Gus
toms. They prohibited by statute, and frown-
ed down by the higher classes. Even as late as the
days Of Imperial Rome, when the manners Of the
people had become corrupted, several senators
removed from Office because of their participation in
the mysteries Of dancing. But the custom in
creased, Rome sunk more and more in the mire Of
the most shameless enjoyments. Now, no one will
contend that the sacred scriptures anywhere uphold
such dancing as was practised in the decline of
Greece and Rome which bears the strongest resem-
blance to the dances OF the present day. This modern
method has the most injurious influence on the
health of the body, the vgor of the mind, and the
purity of the heart Some such exercise, we are
told is needful for the promotion of the healthful
state of the system Now exercise Is necessary but
not all kinds Of exercises. To the full bene-
fit, exercise should be taken in a healthy atmos-
phere at regular intervals In parts OF France
both young and old engage in the diversion of dan
cling on the village green or in the fields and doubt
less they invgorated by the air and exercise but
no such custom prevails among The scenes Of our
dancing are rooms OF contracted dimensions, hall or
theatre entirely shut in from the air amidst hundreds
of human beings. And the exercise is invariably
pursued at night. 1t commences late and ends not
till the voice of the chantcleer is heard procaiming
the approach Of day. Common sense teaches US that
such recreations 40 more hurt than good. II il be
right to take the hours of night for this purpose
son instructs us that the exercise should be unex-
hausting; but the contrary Of this is the fact As
usually practised il stirs up the whole animal frame
and taxes every muscle Of the body. The digestive
organs, overburdened with ices and various articles
Of diet in addition 10 the food Of the day mperatvey
demand repose. Incapable Of performing their func
tons, they take summary vengeance on the general
system and disease or less virulent results How
Often too do we hear OF death unheralded and unlock
ed or But it is said that there is no other way for
the young TO acquire grace. Now, thousands never
enter ball room in their lives, and yet among
the most graceful Of their sex and form the most ac
compshed members OF society. The GRACE OF the