St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-03-07

christianity taught the world better. In.
stead Of living in seraglios and being car
ried about under wells, eating at separate
tables and dancing in separate rooms, they
now eat, and walk, and ride, and talk like
folks who can be trusted out aud Of course
this change extends to dancing The Jews
appear to have danced on all occasions of
rejoicing, both o. religious and temporal
nature; and though MIR. Nelson thinks it
would detract 80 much from the dignity Of
the Apostles to say they danced, We eau
see no reason to suppose they did not As
dancing was part Of the merry making
at weddings, our Savior was certainly
present at dance in Cana of Galilee. He
gave the history Of dance when the Prod
igal returned, and never limited that it was
wrong. He condemned the Fhar.secs for
their long prayers, but did not say word
about their long dances. Yet the whole
Jewish idea Of prosperity and happiness is
So closely connected with dancing that it
is difficult to suppose they were not danc-
ing in the Savior's day FIVE times as much
as they do now.
To show that Gods favor was connect
ed in their minds with dancing, we refer
to Psalm l49, 3. "Lct them praise His
name in the dance: let them sing praises
unto Him with timbrel and harp" Jer 81,
IL. "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the
dance: both young men and old together,
for will turn their mourning into joy, and
will comfort them, and make them rejoice
in their sorrow" This looks as if the men
and women danced to- ether. Lam. 5, Is
"Our da"ce is turned into mourning. X X
Woe unto US that VIC have sinned.'
Then we Want some one to tell US what
that does mean in the Sd of Ecclesiastes,
when it says 'there il time to Dance"
The Bible surely does not admit that there
is a time to sin. In Jeremiah 81, 4, the
Lord says:
"Again will build thee and thou shalt be
built. virgin Of Israel! thou shalt again be
adorned with thy tabrets, and shall 20 forth
in the dance. Of them that make merry
Ps Inns 81. IL. 'Thou hast turned for me
my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off
my sackcloth and girded me with gladness!"
We come now to part of the sermon
which is painful to recall, viz, its temper.
We knew Mr.. Nelson's cause was weak,
but did not dream he was so sensible Of
its weakness as to lose his temper, and in
dulge in puerile personalities in the pull
pit. As to our ''fceble health" preventing
US from walking forty rods to a prayer
meeting, while We lean dance as much''ln
one evening as would carry US to Sank
Rapids" MIR. Nelson ismistaken. Since
our health has become so az to prevent
our walking forty rods We have not
danced; have only gone two or three
times to took at other folks dancing, and
then, have had comfortable conveyance.
We have not danced forty rods in year;
but it is not want of health which keeps
US out Of prayer meeting, for we should
not golf we were strong as Hercules
When We built our house we picked a lot
as near heaven rs any other in S.. Cloud,
SO that if We shout take notion to pray
the Lord might be able to hear US from
this point There is no class of people
here with whom we agree 50 we'll as to join
them in a prayer without being on the
alert to watch. what petition Was coming
next, and spending half the time in a men,
tai protest. We never need anything not
included IN "The Lords Prayer" and we
doubt the profit Of going forty rods to crit
icise other peoples prayers. But Mr..
Nelson either wilfully or isnorantly SLAM
dered his neighbors when he said they
could dance all night, but could not sit
three hours with the SICK Mark Led.
beater il the best, ami tenderest male
nurse in St. Cloud. He watches with
friend and stranger, spends as much time
caring fur the sick as any three people in
town. and NO dancing party is complete
without him. He is no exception, Tor
neurly all the watching and nursing Of
the sick during the past winter was done
by members Of the dancing school, or
those who approve Of dancing. Night
after night they worked in what was