New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-16

The Bap,;st 90 there seems to be danger OF the
d.m.els of the Sa.yille Female Academy dancing
the Methodist Church South 10 sunder. 1t appears
from a statement of Principal of that conser'a-
tory of Southern rOse.buds that the blight OF
sstaory heresy has fallen upon their damask petals
Nay, worse that it has been fostered and invited
az il were and this by Minister of tae siethodIs'
Episcopal Church South This heresiarch seeks 70
excuse his irregular and schsm site behavior on tae
Ground that the heterodox abOuination in question
~as introduced by the trustees, who have no oolec
t:on-s msiority Of them-eyen to promlscuous
dancing, and that the Constitution OF the school
forbids its being influenced by one denomination
more than another. We can by no means admit
the suffciency of this apology. Dancing having
been repestedly denounced by the authentic oraces
of Southern Christianity, as an invention OF the Evil
One for making the downward course toward Ms
domains the more easy and rapid, we cannot too
strongly censure any attempt to cover over the
traps and pitfalls Of the Academy with the worldly
authority OF the prosperous sinners Of Nashville
Nor do we think that the Rev. c. ID. Elliott has
mended the original and inherent sinfulness OF his
shape which he has given to it. 1t seems that these
eve lambs of his fold used to be permitted TO go
forth on Saturday afternoons to the public danciug-
schools of Nashville, and there receive Their fatal
lessons But the Rev. Mr. Elliott, finding that thIs
custom was NJ insuperable obstacle between his
"pupils and the social religious and literary stand
"ard he had erected" had the dancing g-school
removed first to the usgbborhood of the Academy,
and afteIward to the very Academic shades them.
selves This he did to bring the dancing under his
own eye, "as recreation; TO surround It by such
'.m0ral and religious influences as might give hun
" assurance il would not be used for vain and
foolish purposes" We trust that it was not tor
his o,en recreatonfor the qualification Of the lust
of the eye or the pride of life-that Mr.. Elliott
made this change Of rsnne. And we should like TO
know the nature of the moral and religious lnfu-
ences with which he surrounds this device OF the
Enemy of Souls. Doea he ePen snd conclude tho
exercises of the afternoon with prayer! Does he
ask blessing on the Z" many tsinkng feet " before
they begin sweetly to csper to the prOtane scaping
of cat.gut, and return thanks after the entertain.
ment is over Does he say grace over the redowas
and pokas of his pupils, and pray thss " the Ger
man" may be sanctifed unto them We know that
Charles Lamb thought that grace should be said
before seeing fine picture or hearing fine piece
of music as much before meat but Charles was
a wording and sinner, and no authority what
ever in mere case of conscience like this.
Should we find ourselves iu Nashyille-which, as
matters now stand it is not likely will be suddenly
hall iply ala info IN hA
to assist as the French say, at so novel and edi-
f!ing service.
Our readers will not be surprised to hear that an
irregularity of this Importance excited the atten
ton ard reprobstion Of the Saints that dwell in
Nashville and the region round about. Rev. DR..
McFerrip editor of The 1drocots, has warned the
religious public against patronizing this heretical
Seminary. A Rev. d. d. Baldwin has denounced
il as 4" dance. house" And asks, What pious
person would send a child 10 dance house -
Tie matter seems to have made great stir in those
regions and the offender has had to appear before
Councils and Conferences, aud has suffered greatly
in his usefulDess, and We take it for granted in his
business, too, by this scandal he has brought upon
the Church South. We must do him the justice,
however, to say, much as We would discOmmend
his practices, that he seems TO be plucky fellow,
resolved to stand by himself snd to persist in having
his noyices taught 10 dance. But We conceive him
to be in very tight place between the Church and
the World. The latter will not send its daughters
to him unless they are taught to dance, while the
former holds its thunders over his head if he COM
ply with the secular demand. Aud we do not see
how he proposes to hinder the steps Of his pupils,
after they have received their direction in that way
from straypg into the forbidden paths of proms-
cuOus dancing. Unless, indeed he should succeed
IN reforming the bathrooms of Nashville according
TO the pattern laid down BY Mr.. Spurgeon and
recommended BY Mr.. Punch of having separate
apartments for the two sexes, 80 that the men can
dance together in the one end the women in the
other.
But We are not moved 50 much TO express. our
sense of ttis .candaous conduct Of Brother Elliott
because Of the direct mischefs which the dancing
schools may bring upon the Church South, as by
the collateral dangers which may well spring from
the agitation of this question. Quieta non
mortre,' to let well enough alone, and "not to
wake sleeping dogs are legal aud popular proverbs,
which should never be forgotten in the Christandom
Of the South. Hthere is one sin more than another
that has met the stern rebuke Of Conferences and
Assemblies, il is that Of dancing. This vice has
more than once been cen.ured as unworthy of
Christians by solemn Councils of the Church, under
their various names, at the same session when the
virtuous institution Of Slavery has eceived their
open or indirect sanction and blessing. About the
very time that the Address of Mr.. Elliott is dated
(Jsnusry, ls5s) there was session Of the Missis-
sipp Conference Of the Methodist Episcopal Church,