Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-07-14

ton, if indeed it be one; but be o source of graft
fcation to the young persons who attend Them
But has this objection really any weight? Do pa
rents pretend to overlook their children in every
action of life? Are they never to be trusted out OF
sight? If this be the case, the objection may be
urged with equal reason against every species of
rational amusement and recreation; against par
ties of every description, and even against walk
ing or riding upon the public highway for recrea-
ton for in all of these cases, they are quite as
far removed from the parents care. The neces-
sity for this strict surveillance over their children,
augurs n dereliction in their duty as parents for
if such moral and religious principles nre not in
stilled into them in childhood, as will govern them
in youth and maturer years, how are they ever to
fill their places in society as responsible human
beings? Besides, dancing is not confined to young
persons alone. Inevery community, there are per-
sons who indulge in it, whose age and experience
en,itlc them to be proper supervisors Of youth
As to transferring their daughters to the pro-
lection of those on whom they cannot rely" pa
rents always have an opportunity of knowing what
will he the character of the company with which
their daughters will meet on such occasions
Tickets of invitation ore always accompanied by
several responsible names now, if parents con-
slider those persons whose names are affixed, rs fit
associates for their daughters, that should be a
sufficient guarantee for the character of the COM
pany which they will meet; for those who have
the management of such places are just as re-
sponsible, in this particular, as those who give en-
tertainments at their private houses. The first
objection being answered, the second has no weight
whatever,'viz: "that our sons are there and there
freed from the restraints of the parents eye" for
if dancing parties are fit places of amusement for
sour daughters" there certainly can be no objec-
ton to sour sons attending them" Indeed we
con conceive of no more proper place Of resort
for young men they are there brought within the
sphere of female influence and are bound to con-
duct themselves as gentlemen. The third argu-
ment runs thus, 1--WE know unqualified dancing is
sin, the liberality and intelligence Of our commu'
uity cannot license sin therefore we disallow Of
dancing when unqualified, at all" Here is plain
" o logical fallacy, a '.petitio p~rincipi," or beg
cling the question, since the whole argument is
based upon IN assumption of the question we are
discussing. We by no means admit "that dancing
is sin !" that is the very point in controversy, and
any argument based npon this premise then, is
worthless.
Your correspondent further says Of dancing,
that 'sChristians cannot indulge in it without, IN
some degree, bringing q ~reproach upon themselves
in the profession which they make. Why is this"
We answer, that they only bring reproach upon
themselves in the estimation of those who regard
dancing as sinful in short, those who are preju-
diced against 1t. There are professors Of religion
in every community who indulge in it without
bringing q reproach upon the Christian character.
sNor," says he, scan a Christian on entering
upon q dance, implore upon his knees, the bles-
sings of God to attend him in it. Why is this =
We answer by putting another question why
would it be u~nseemly for q Christian, Son his knees,
to implore the blessing of God" upon him, when
he enters upon the enjoyment Of o conversational
or social party of any kind? upon setting out on
a fishing or hunting excursion? upon attending o
musical concert, or any expedition for pleasure
merely Are these regarded as sinful? why then
characterize dancing as such, when oil are alike
lab. to the same objections? Thirdly, he asks
"why is it that q Minister Of the Gospel will not
be tolerated in this nor any other evangelical COM
munity, when found in q dance to-day, and in the
services of religion tomorrow ?" There are many
amusements and occupations intrinsically harm
less, in which Ministers Of the Gospel cannot en-
gage as common sinners" ma, Let US illustrate;
it is certainly not deemed wrong to engage in poll
tics yet q minister who would perform the part
of the politician at the hustings, would scarcely be
tolerated in the pulpit. Again, fo1-tnnting is a
harmless amusement, yet we think a fox-hunting
preacher scarcely less Objectionable than one who
dances. The 'rule of right action" here, is SIM
ply this these things, which are innocent in
themselves, are inconsistent with his profession as
O Minister of the Gospel.
We will now examined pretended argument from
scripture, which this opponent Of dancing endeaV-
os to use. ''On the whole" says he, sob says
of the wicked" "their children dance" Job, chap.
81. We beg leave to differ with him in the con-
s~truction of this passage; here it is. "Where-
fore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are
mighty in power. Their seeds established in their
sight with them and their offspring before their
ewes, &c. They send forth their little ones like o
flock and their children Dance" If the dancing
of their children is peculiarly descriptive of the
wicked, living, becoming old, and being mighty
in power, are quite as much so; for they are ap-
piled in the same connection. No JOB is des-
cribing what is often the state of the wicked in
this life, but what it would seem should be the con-
dition of the righteous only; for he says in the
beginning of his speech to his companions, "hear
diligently my speech and let this be your consola-
tion," viz: that the wicked sometimes enjoy these
things which the righteous ought only to enjoy.
This passage then, if it bears upon the question
at oil, is clearly in favor of instead of bearing
against dancing. Again, it is urged that "the
dance of HERoD1As' daughter cost the head Of
JOHN the Baptist" Let US expose the fallacy
here by the method of reductio ad absurdum; here
is q parallel argument fire has caused the des-
~truction of millions of property and thousands Of
lives, therefore fire is an unmitigated evil and
should not be tolerated-a conclusion whichis evil
IDENTIFY absurd. Because HERoD happened to bea
rash, inconsiderate monster, and HERoD1As a fend