The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-01-26
sistent with religion. They can ask God

and fandangoes. They can ask Him to
enable them to disseminate far and wide
| the influence Of such highly useful exer-
cises. The parent can ask God to make
his children graceful dancers, and cause
them to become eventually active leaders
in the midnight fandango-active pro-
motors of cause 50 noble. But the low
or of dancing never asks God for any such
thing. He dares not do it, for it would
be hooking God. 3 l''.'
We find, moreover, that professors OF
religion, or those who seemed CONVEX
ted, forsake religious conference meetings
and refuse to bear part in them, when
ever they become interes.el in card par
ties and balls. Such facts are notorious
and have been cxemplified in this village.
Again, they are inconsistent with the
praise of God. They are INDUCED in
for nothing more or less than to CRAFTY
strong passion for gaming and amuse-
nent, or to while away time that ought
to be spent in some useful employment.
The thought of praising God does not
in all probability once enter their minds.
But, if such thoughts should enter their
minds, to show that such praise is accep-
table to God would be difficult task
We envy not the position of him who
tries it on bible principles. .'a"
Again, they are inconsistent with the
example Of Christ aud the Apostles and
of course with all true piety. Christ did
not dance nor game. Neither did he d.
rectly or indirectly uphold anything of
the kind. His whole life is living epis-
tie against it. He declares that many
who hear his word, instead of receiving
it into good and honest hearts, that they
may bring fortf. fruit unto eternal life,
receive it mixed up with the cares, rich
es and pleasures of this life, and bring
forth no fruit to perfection. Being lovers
of pleasure more than lovers of God."-
They ''go about to establish their OVID
righteousness not having submitted them
selves to the Righteousness of Cod
Such false teachers bring upon themselves
swift destruction," ''treasuring up to
themselves wrath against the day of wrath
aid revelation cf the righteous judgment
of God; who will render to every man
according to his deeds" The Ap ,stles
aud primitive christians did not dance
nor game. The church at Jerusalem "did
eat their meat with giadncss an | single
ness of heart, prais;ng God"-but not
with dancing. ''The Eunuch went n his
way rejoicing" hut not dancing. The
Jailor "rejoiecd believing in G ID with all
bis house." but not with dancing. We
look in vain for examples of dancing a
mong primitive christians. They areno
to be found. They continued ''steadsa t
immovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord; "reioicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for the
name of Jesus" but never with dancing.
AS we have already shown, the soul
that has been truly "delivered from the
power of darkness and translated in the
Kingdom Of Gods dear Son" finds no such
worldly and vain pleasures in that king
dom. Its pleasures are of heavenly orr
gin; hence we are exhorted to f" set our
affections on things above, &c to lay up
our treasure there,"-'' TO be not con-
formed to the world" and to .'lore not
the world, neither tho things in the world"
A Christian living thus devoted to God
feels a hungering and th;rsting after
Righteousness" a "panting after God"
that the blessed Jesus alone can satisfy.
/ And when thus satisfied, he is enabled
to "mount up with wings as eagles, to
run and not be weary, to walk and not
faint To such q Chr star, ossrd p!,y ing
and dancing appear exceedingly worth
less, and only calculated to allure people
away from the path Of piety, caus ne
them to fall into temptation and a snare,
and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown mon in destruction and per-
dition."
Again: No one would like to be called
from time into eternity while INDUCING
in these pleasures. Men may boldly de-
clare that it makes no difference with
them, but they would rather not be put
to the test after all. The partial sccptic
| in q sail boat on Lake Ontario. might
boast of not being afraid to meet death,
! but when the sudden flaw of wind caught
his sails, upset his boat, and plunged him
into the. surgiDg waves, he cried aloud
for mercy, aud promised God if he would
save his life. he would renounee his skcp-
| t;c;sn and become Christian. So with