M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-05-20

MRS. swIssheIen onDancIng
lFrOm the St. Cloud, Minnesota, yisitOrl
In an article Of onr last issue we
ceommended dancing as a substitute
I or promiscuous kissing, in social
parties. For this, the Rev. Mr.. In
man, in a public sermon, has admin.
istered a very severe reproof. He
takes the ground that dancing is in
separable from drunkenness and quar-
reiing, and that although the mere
act ofdancing is no more sinful than
the rising and letting fall of his arm,
in public speaking, yet the practice
should be abolished on account OF lts
indispensable accompaniment Of
drinking and fighting; that when a
lady was led ou. on a floor she was
disgraced, dishonored, DC. o. aoe ST.
With all due Difference, we must
say that such assertions are simply ab-I
surd. David called on the people
"to praise God in the dance" Did
he mean for them to get drunk, have a
knock down and dishonor their neigh
boris wives and daughters, by way Of
praising Godl Did David and Miri-
am and the virgins of Israel have a
fight and knock down when they
danced and, when Solomon tells us
''there is a time to dance" did he
mean that was the time for a general
broil9 All this is simply ridiculous,
and the religious prejudice against
dancing is without a shadow of tonnd-
alton in the Bible. The good book
mentions dancing in twenty different
places, aud never once with dlsappro,
bation..
We think it is the best social
amusement we know ANYTHING about
and that SO far from being q sin, it is
a duty, at it, more than any other ex-
ercise, is calculated to'promote health
of body and mind. The factthat it is
liable to be abusedis no more argu-
ment against it than the fact that eat
ing is generally carried to excess, II
not glnitOny, is an argument against
taking regular meals. ..rH .,J
Dancing wants to be regulated, not
abolished. Young people should uot
be driven from the well regulated
family circle to enjoy a relaxation
that nature SO imperitively demands.
This act, as innocent in itself as the
raising Of an arm, sEould not be ban
ished to haunts Of vice, to add the
witchery of its attractions to the abode
of the tempting bowl. Nofamilyis well
managed where the young folks can
not dance without going to tavern
where they will be liable to witness a
scene Of drunkenness and quarreling-
Amusement ofany kind, atmidnight,
is sinful, because it violates the com.
mand "Thou shalt not kill" in that
it shortens the life by depriving the
system of its natural rest. Saturday
evening amusements are seldom right,
because they cannot always be so con-
Quoted as not to hinder proper prep
aration for and keeping Of the Sab
bath. But dancing is not necessarily
connected with midnight or Saturday
night, OF any other conceivable wrong.
We have been in the habit, for full
twenty years, of attending dancing
parties, now and then, and we never
saw any other social gatherings goof
more innocently, and with less ofevi
and more of good. We never saw
fight connected with a dancing party;
but we have seen little child after
dancing her hour, and then saying hel
prayers preparatory to going to bed
look up and say, "Mother, is not God
good to make US all SO happy to.
night"
Reform the mode of dancing. Do
as the sensible Queen of England has
done. Danish all dances which per.
NIT personal liberties, and bring to
perfection the art of graceful motion
in harmony with inspiring music,
We say graceful motion, and no move
ment that savors Of indelicacy OF
corseness can be graceful. There
are few more pleasant sights in this
world than a troop of dancers,
Gas they 60
n