Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-10-20
NASHVILLE FEMALE AcADElfY-DAvcINo

a complaint has been bzoOaht fst having dansir
n taught in the Nashville Female academy, was il
y troduced. The Bishop affirmed and sustained Il
5, dscisson Of the Presiding Elder"
e The above is the language Of thu Nashville Adv,
, in its account of the proceedings Of the Tel
Il nsssee Annual Conference at its recent session
= Murfrees0oro Now if the practice of the MASH
. vile Female Academy in regard 10 dancing--whic
) in some form has existed here Si more than fort
: years--has been before the Tennessee Conference
and II Bishop has been called upon TO decide upo
the :" proprletyD Of my connection with the dRncin
IN the academy, this has been done in violation q
the understanding between the Rev. w. D. T. Sawri
ana myself, as viii appear upon the records of tn
Quarterly Meeting Conference.-The violation of tn
unqualified declaration Of the Rev. A. S. Riggs VIII,
clearly announced that the Nashville Female Aead
envy out Of the prosecution-in violation of the
decided declaration Of members ,f the Quarterly
Conference, made TO the Trustees Of the Academy,
and to other citizons of Nashville that was tried
alone as private man, and not IL my connection
with the Academy-and in violation Of the compact
between the Quarterly Conference ard myself as wan
also be shown BY the records Of the Conference as
wen as by the evidence Of members Of the Confer
ence and other brethren who were present.
This question and this question only, went before
the Bishop-(the Nashville Female ACADEMY was
left entirely out Of consideration ana the case was
| assumed of my being local minister In my own
| house. with nv own private family are the
| words of the question: % Can have my own chill
dren in nv own house. to learn and practice dancing
alone for the sake Of health, cheefulness and re-
creation and in manner consistent with the spirit
Of piety and devotion 2" The principle involved in
this question was the only one before the Quarterly
Conference. If the Bishop says this is Improper
conduct in the sense in which these words are used
| in our Discipline, have promised tc withdraw from
the Church. ] am ready to act according to the
Bishops answer, and suppose in this the COM
munity will feel but little interest in the matter
Rs1ff ba IN tha Mach
is another affair altogether. When i am tried for
this, l apprehend the Trustees, Stockholders and
community at large viii feel somewhat interested
am ready, as have been for ten years, to answer
for my connection with it, but when do answer, it
must be clearly understood that 1t is for my oonnec
ton with dancing in the Academy As this is a
question of conduct and not of opinion, win con-
fine myself to facts. My opinions not secret and
they can be given to the community at any time. l
suppose there is not quite enough Of bigotry,
with those who have for years attempted to annoy
me about this matter, to arraign Tor my opinions
or TO let my opinions have any influence pro or con-
in a case which is simply of fact and conduct.
The parties who have created all this disturbance
have known the truth of the following statement
from the rstthey have also known that it has been
satisfactory to Presiding Elder after Presiding Elder
and to Pastor after Pastor of the McIendree Church
for ten years; they likewise know that it is now
satisfactory to nine-tenths of the Methodists of
Nashville, to Pastors Of Presbyterian, Baptist and
Episcopal Churches and TO this entire religious
community. Not that any Pastor professor of re-
hgiOn in the city approves of dancing or even Of
dancing as practiced in the Academy but they will
say, that under the circumstances, have done the
best that could be done, and they win not find the
least objection to me as a minister Of the gospel
for this cause
Nay, more, they will commend me for conducting
Worldly Institution las will appear below,) so
that il has come to be eminently a religious school
five hat bo,- ~
years, more conversions in the Academy than in the
McKendree Church, or in any other single Church
in the city, if not in all put together-conversions
Of young ladies who are this day members of the
Baptist, Episcopal Methodist, or Presbyterian Church
Indeed, it is well known that it IS almost an impos
sibility for young lady to receive her education
here without becoming Christian woman. There |
is demand in Nashville outside of certain clique
for trouble on this subject In my recent trial. there
was no argument used by the Pastor and others but
this, ''The Church abroad demands of us to do /
something" How this demand abroad was created,
by whom and for what purposes also the conduct Of
those influenced by it here, not before me just
at this time They and will continue to be
matters of interest to the Methodist Church.
The Nashville Female Academy belongs to fifty
gentlemen and was erected by them Of their Fathers
than forty years ago. for the education of their
own daughters mainly. 1t is managed for these
stockholders by seven of their number as Trustees,
from whom receive my authority and TO whom
am accountable OF these seven Trustees, FIVE will
favor dancing as taught and practised with my
appreciation for the last ten years. About the same
proportion of the stockholders are of the same op
ion, and many would approve of it a fash
ionGble amusement. As religiOnsts would call it,
the Academy is worldly institution, in sense
under the control Of any sect, and repeatedly
pledged to give no influence in its oairs, to any
Denomination more than to all others. l am the
agent of its Stockholders and Trustees charged to
I il OH d1rfry ]
duct the Institution TO meet the wants of all
Denominations and of those who are of no Demon
nation at all. Before my day in the Academy, it
was the practice for its pupils to go to be taken to
the PrOmiscuous Dancing Schools in the city, and
for a while tried the same plan, hut soon gave it
up. Both as Teacher and minister, found insu-
perable objections to it,
! then gave the subject Of Dancing a careful ex-
animation in connection with the Bible the Laws Of
all the churches interested in the Academy with the
writings of Wesley and many other expounders Of
Gods Woodland arrived at the conclusion that !
ought under the circumstances TO have it taught and
practised alone recreation, for the sake of the
health and cheerfulness of young ladies' This has
been done for ten twelve years in the Academy, |
and upon this platform, the extremes of the Board
of Trustees of the Stockholders and the Patrons Of
the Academy, have met and are satisfied. Not that
either received all they wanted At any time, the
majority of the Trustees except out of regard for
the feelings Of the minority ready to vote the
Dancing here. The Pupils of the Academy, as
such, have right to be taught Dancing which has
been acknowledged by the Trustees and all former
Presidents from the first. | found them going out
into the city, and taught Dancing as a fashionable
accomplishment, to fit them for the Ball Room and
similar places of sinful amusement. l took the
Dancing to the Academy Invested it of its charae-
acteTistics as an accomplishment, and had it taught
and practiced only recreation, for the sake of
health and cheerfulness and in manner consistent
with Piety and Devotion. | have brought about
such results affecting the religious intellectual and
social character of young Ladies' that at this day
the Academy has the largest patronage of any SINH
lar Institution in the United States, including the
daughters of Ministers and members of the Baptist
Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches, all
of whom are entirely satisfied with the Academy.
This is my offence, most positively my whole Of
fence in regard to dancing in the Nashville Female
Academy.
How dark must be the chapter of personalities
when written, Of those who out Of this, have ere
sted all the present excitement For my connection
with it, am ready and have ever been TO answer to
any and to every body, who has made inquiry Of
me. hold that a matter of the kind is entirely
beyond church authority, just the same act is in
private family. Still l ready to meet the ques
ton anywhere with this qualification The next
time tried it is to be before the public, and not
in the secret session of a Conference.
More of this hereafter
OcT., 10, 1857. C. D. ELLIOTT.
cpAND am AFAcNJFrCPNT