The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-01-09
REELECTION slATTnns.
A sLRmnN oN nANClNn.
Delivered "a As Pc1gJurg M1Odid Episcopoi
Church, on SoJJaG Ereuing, December, 22nd, 1861.
"A time to dance" Ecc,. 3dc., mr.


or tins.
Thus, if yuu plant in the spring, and cultivate in
the summer, you may reap AN abundant harvest ui
corn in TIE autumn bui II you delay your planting
until aptunu you labor for ndupht and your hope
il vain. u YOU educate IN youth, you may sue
cccl, ,--if you dchr il ill ngc, you cannot
But. the 2ni general remark Is, that Uud has
givcn umrrs rycdly--to MN, that portion OF duri-
ton called Tim'. IN tim, all the operations OF
nature AMI Of nuimtls are carried ou aud in fine
man docs all those works that affect his present
state, aud fV his future destiny.
Nature is steady IN her course. The animals are
true To their instincts but man uses time for great
many purpOscs-iOr sune uf which God never
made time, space, not opportunity. The time was,
the space was. and the opportunity was, but to say
that God made them for the purposes FOR which
they were used, when used wckcdly, Is an attempt
cd libel on the Almighty, and sncb is the attempt 10
mike Gods word approve modern dancing, by
quoting the text, " y time to dance
In Ills word, Gud has only affirmed that :" 10
everything thtrc is a scnson and time 10 every
purpose un Ter hcavrn," but IGr does not say there
/ il i'm, when we mty be bad with propricty nor
that there Is Il hm which will sancify wickrdncss.
Il il j. objected that this exposition Is go simple
t!m, j. needed not to hc revealed, answer, first,
tina this is no murc simple AMI Lowell with human
capacities aud h 'cryn ON I. al that Other revealed
truth, that " It the iron b. blunt and lc do not
whp the clgr, tn VI must put tp tn more strength
but wisdom is profitable tu direct
Secondly answer by pointing to every lazy,
/ loihup. lounging, un'utiyacd young man, and to
| every silly siinpl', thimproNcd aud unlmrrovnblr
Young woman about your town. and ask, in turn, IL
there has not been, and Is MT now, sufficient evil
dcncc that these have not pruli'cd by this word
however simple It's meaning. q, tell go", Young
mon aud young women, mcr' drOncs in the hive of
humin industry, gay, duncing butterflies Of fashion,
living ON AMI for the Swcct, Of fashions folly and
cxcil 'mcnt your age will be miserable MS mfnl-
bly, will he who sow not good seed in spring beg
/ in harvest and have nothing
But to attend more directly 10 uur tcXt.
! Dancing is referred TO in our Bible twenty six
| tim's twcnty-unc times in the Old, and five times
/ in the New Testament. We will divide these into
scycn classes aud sec If either class gives counten
! uncc to modern dancing.
| l. Dancing is spoken Of as mn act Of religious
/ Worship in Psalm li9 3: " Let them praise His
nlmc IN the dance; also, in Psalm 30 Il :" Praise
/ Him with the tmbrcl and dance" Query /. Docs
! the attendant upon modern dancing parties, 90 Ia
/ thom to praise God? and, query 2nl does the hi
/ blc warrant us in doing for mere amusement That
which it cnjOns ON us Hs duty? Pray for amusc-
ment ? preach for amusement?
/ 2. Tho word is sometimes used ny the opposite Of
mourning, as in Psalm 30 II "Thou hast turn
cd for me my mourning into dancing" " or MS La
mrnHtuns . 10: The Joy OF our heart il ccas-
ed cur dancing is turncd into mourning"
s. II is once usedto signify the motions Of n wild
beast. Speaking Of the ruins Of Babylon, Isaiah
says. "Shtyts shall dance there" While this at
fords no assistance to those who would sustain tlcir
dancing habits from the Scriptures, it is suggestive.
Let the ruins Of Babylon find their tulhlliugypc in
! the carnalilcd, ruined church Of Christ. and th,
SUtyr its autitypg in the cold, cdrm minded, dane
ing professor Of the religion Of Jesus and YOU have
u picture of dcsuatiun more 10 b, dcpured than
that seen in the prophets vision
1. Dancing is sometimes rciclrcd to in the Iblc
something that had occurred, or might occur, Ms
in Judges 81 II, % WHOM the daughters of Shi-
luh dtuccd and were carried of by the Benjamin
ties and in lst Samuel, 81 II where the two
men in dances sang of David and Saul also,
Z Mat
have pipcd unto you and yc have not danced" and
| our text.
B. Dancing was used as n manner Of expressing
great joy for public mcrcics received, as when
Miriam and her womon went oul with timbrels
and dances, Exodus 10 20 Jcptha'S daughter
! alSu went out to meet her father with dances =
the women met Saul with dances - David dane
ed before the Lord" and there was emusic and
dancing" when the prodigal returned to his faith
cr's house.
6. In Exodus 30; l0 At the time when the Al
mighty gave many hslnw, dancnig Is spoken of as
connected With the sudden and fearful apostacy.
! You remember, Moses had gone into the mount 10
| receive the law. While he was gone, the people
were unemployed and restless. They finally said
tn Aaron, Here, make gods TO 60 before us for
rs for this Noses, we don't know what has become
of him.. Aaron, easy soul, consents. They wOr-
ship the IDOL and immediately in connection with
their ilodtry, thcy-&mcs. Aarons answer to the
rcbukc of Moses, is exactly similar 10 the ex-
cuScs Of dancing members of the church, in this
age, that it is worthy ot notice. He says: Let
not the anger my lord wax hot" Chat is, keep
cooL, dopt irct) thou knowcst the people that
they are set ON mischief" That is, "thcy must
have diversion, their hearts lead this way, and So
they worship the calf and dance"
l. DancingiS referred to in the Bible ms an act Of
mere amusement orpcnslIrc. The Amcloctcs are
said, LIST Samuel 30: 10 : tn have been "Spread
abroad upon the earth, eating, and drinking and
dancing" job 2l II says, "the children of
the wicked dance" In Matthew II; q: and Mark
6; %, we have the nearest approach given us in
thc Biblc-to modern dancing but this is not ap-
proved by the spirit o. Cod and is only mentioned
aS one at the steps to the murder, by llcrod, of
John Baptist.
So much for the Bible argumcnt in favor of dane
ing. II any one shall say that the bible does not
forbid it; admit il docs not, but il docs condemn
"chamhermg and wanonncss," than which no
words that remember would better oNprcss my
conception of the modern form OF this amusement.
But wish now to attend To few of the excuses
by which persons who attend these places Of amuSc-
mcn seek To justify themselves.
|. Young people cannot BE- expected sufficiently
To enliven their social gatherings without dancing"
Can't they Then it this ne true, when that young
man approaches that young lady. 10 ask her hand
in the dance. let him say honestly, " Miss find
your Efforts to interest me in conversation iutolcr-
ably fail, and propose that, rs the htdR has milcd
we will Try our feet awhile
=. " But there can be no harm in dancing" In
the simple act itself of moving the body, probably
items, in which there is harm aud
!. The expense. The adage is, g. They that
dance must pay the fiddler" Where this is actual
ly done it is 10y Ell the least item OF expense EN-
ira dress must be procured. Extra refreshments
must be paid for. and not unIrequeutly those who
arc poor are put 20 great straits, and almost suffer
want in other things, that they may appear we'll At
the dance,
., The dissipation.
Late hours are almost invariably kept at the
dance. Young and old are by latchours-by ex.
'crcsc long continued in heated rooms by ,lnypn-
sonable eating and drnkiug-aud last, but not
least, by unnatural excitement of the passions
making drafts ON their stock of health that leaves
them untitled for the duties of the next dav, and
That cannot he long continued except to their ma
ltrm INJURY. Nor Is this all the dissipation. The
dance NJ first, affords sufficient cNMlnratio hut
when the novelty is past, the sparkling cias is in
roiuced 10 hagI aud coutnuc good fcllnwship-to
stimulate the passions aud rouse the hagg,nw cn,r
gl2s and nlaS tuo often the foundation is laid of
habit ha; ere long will lay the hopes Of a father
m u dsgraced grave, and bring 10 an untimely end
the youthful promise Of the widows SON.
On! have seen the time whom youth and beau
", Wreathed in smilcs almost angelic, have pre-
Sentcd me the ruby wine, aud when, bcwilderdnuj
entr1nccd by the scene, the presence the hour, |
would nave been tempted Ia drink il had known !
II was quick poison AMI such are the associations
that are called hormess; and-"tcll il not in
Gath, publish il not in the streets lest thcmcircuu-
cised triumph - called harmless by members Of
the church OF Christ
=, II Is said attendance on dancing is necessary
To give grace To form and ease 10 manners Is this
une what constitutes grace of form, but health
What grace IN torn or manners is so winning MS
that unconscious grace, which is the result of com
hined innocence, health and charity? Ar, u,ese
elements OF real grace and good manners likely 10
oe cultivated by attendance ON balls and dance par
uesF ! speak ON this subject uiderstandpglv | |
know, from eNpVlipncc. TINT the tnndpnrV ~ tLa.