Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-04-09
For the Southern Standard
Dancing.

DdnCIHSS
Mr. EDIToR-Ianias are common s'now-a-davs"
and if we may Judge from passing prognostics, we
are safe in saying that the dancing mania has taken
hold the citizens of this city. Scarcely a week
passes, and often not night, without the sound of
revelry being heard in part of beloved little
city. AS soon days deity passes away, the clerk
leaves his counter the doctor his apparatus the law
yer his green bag, the young miss her toilet, the
Their her children the wife her husband and the daugh
ter her sick bed and then to the hall of Joy and mirth
away. And now the vo1uptuous swells of "fddle'
fills the earand rises with these swells the excite
ment of the faithful votaries. The voice of mirth,
the ringing laugh, and would be sparkling JEST fills
the bachenaen scene and thus hour after hour pass
es off in "moral bliss" till late at night, wearied
limbs, while the quiet sons of earth softly sum-
bering these worshipers grope home with suen
mean to sleep till p m, then rising homeo-
Pathcally dine then Sit with aching head, to think
over pleasures past, but never over time misspent
This, for the world will debut the Church is it
ever represented there Oh yes, and sometimes they
will dance; but often they and gossip on idle
silly things ndthink it right. Certainly not many
thus will act Alas many that although the Par
sons heart should bleed, his fall hot and thick
mis- voice cry aloud in pity and in love- Yet his So
lace is suffer his God and Church abused or see
them retire, himself in sorrow-"solo'' starve
Poor man of God! you to be pitied-for when you
charge, they pay with threats-dsmembering one,
they all will leave.
And thus, through the instrumentaty Of this moral
amusement the Minister'S best feelings are trampled
under foot-God insulted and the cause of Heaven
outraged. Oh my God, save US from ruin
But they contend, their part, that there is no
harm in this ''moral passtime-that the Bible speaks
of it. The latter admit. The Bible does speak
ofit but in what connection Simply in coHnsc-
ton with other sayings in the same chapter to admit
the practice of which, would be to admit ourselves
practical fools We read A time to dance'' and vet
little farther, in the chapter A time to kill
Now admit the and certainly the practice of she
other follows in quick succession and in close con-
junction with dancing schools, you will have schools
in which the art of killing is incrcated
"But it is such pleasant recreation" Truly if
does recreae. PRIDE vanity, extravaganza and indo-
ence thereby produced in all its horrors and its
most fearful aspects.
In attending these places of "morai amusement"
the grand design to be show. Excelsior, seems
to be written on every face-faure writes envy hate
success adds ambition, PRIDE extravaganza And
pass-no kill-time Observation-Disclosures, yea, thou
sands of dollars annually fddled away, or gng-
ged with glee by the steady merchant into his swell
ing Golfer. Let the honest merchant have it. But
there is another class of recpients-these cat-gut
peddlers-walkng music bags, who make living bv
learning people manners e. learning them how to
jump light, slide about and out shoes Yes they
must be paid for these "meody and graces,' alas at
the expense of the poor. Oh We philanthropist!-ye
lovers (pretended) of Jesus why do We not rather
save your money, and the wings of Christian love-
carry comfort and peace to the widow orphan and a
cted OF your city, by the means of that money which
! you every day spend in the service of mammon
! Webelieve dancing injurious to christian perfection
Go to your hours of first love to God ask it, in those
happy moments of bliss, you would have gone to such
places as these-would you have been happy where
the name of Jesus not heard-where SONGS of
praise were not sung! No, no, no. Your heart is
now Chill void, dank-and now to fill that aching void
you patronlze the Devil, who fills your mouths with
paiatives.
ut is such beautiful exercise" Yes, very
Shut your ears, then look There sits fellow who
looks like he was trying sling his right arm off or
with wide dlstended mouth and protuding eyes, baws
out doggre French himself not knowing what he saws
nor half who hear. But look out on the floor, and
mere oowng' sliding, hopping, jumping-frst jerking
one oot then the other while trying to look
hle Then, sir, there is the "elite and they call this
graceful motion. God save the mark!
/ Ihese amusements often carried on in places
where the altar of pray er should be established
Does dancing make you religious Do you feel
IKE prayer while there Did Jesus go to kick ups =
Is it commanded in the Bible! Do you keep unspot.
ted from the world Do you feel like sacrament next
day! Are you letting your light shine! How much
alG you spend to show off What did you give to the
INDECENT! How many did you convict while there
On Tor shame-shame on professors-a shame on
Methodism. Round breasted coats farewell. plain
uress adieu. Simple maids and plain matrons good
Oye ana now welcome walking tailor shops Wei
ye MOODS OF vanity-ye swells of prde-and farewell
Prmltive christianty-you fast dying here, smoth
ered choked, danced to DEATH Poor thing, Moses has
gone up to the mountain-top, and your pretended
friends have turned you into golden calf They
have tied Aaron and usurped the law.
i EUGENE.
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On the 18th, in New York. man named Rich.