Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-08-07
Dancing Advocated.

Dan nclng Advocated.
\ gentleman writes thus sensibly to
the Examiner and Baptist Regiter:
Il have been young, and am now old
er, and have discovered great need Of
finding home entertainment for youth
about me. Dancing is natural express
sion of pleasure or joy Of any kind, either
animal or spiritual. 1t is also the gener-
ator Of joy, in the glow and excitement
which pleasant exercises Of any descrip.
ton afford
Now, if asked the meaning of the pas
sage, "a time to Dance" should say it
stood there, because there is "a time to
dance" as well as " a time to die, and
time to weep" l should say the time
to dance was on the evening OF rainy
day, when all the family had the blues
for want of exercise. An hour or two
dancing, after tea, would send them to
their rooms cheerful, happy, and if Chris
tans, grateful and dcvout, instead Of dole
ful, and discontented with home and home
friends.
should say "a time to dance was
any time in the day, or before ten o'clock
at night, for all young women engaged in
drawing, sewing, designing, or other Sc
dentary employments, that they may have
vitality enough in their blood to bless
God, and rejoice with, instead of groan-
ing over doubts and fears, begotten often
by wretched state of health "a time
to dance is when you take fifty or
hundred children to the woods on pic
nic or excursion; or when shut up on
board ship for weeks together; for pa
tlents OF q hospital when they are con-
yalescent; or when son, husband, broth
er, or friend comes home safe, and with
honor, from the war When peace is es-
tablished, and slavery is abolished, shall
be ga time to Dance and it will be re-
l;glous dancing, according TO the feelings
and emotions Of thc hearts Of those en-
gagged
Now, TO cne ca. look on such dancing
rs here described, and at the eleven COM
maudmentS, including the Saviours own
''ncw commandment" and make it out d
breach OF either Of them. The real and
only difficulty is the great facnation Of
this amusement, which renders it difficult
TO control. Yet Scotch Presbyterians
have danced for centuries Swiss Calvin.
lists dance before their own cottage doors
French peasants dance and sleep with
conscience; and cunGot we Americans
learn an equal amout Of self-control in
such matters?
There are one or two items worthy of
note in the Bible view of the question.
First that the historic dancing named is
not condemned, but the idolatry or licens
tousncss connected with it. Now, that
dancing and sin have gone hand and govc
from the beginning of the world, needs
no proof; but so has music and sin, eating
and sin. What We want is an eye clear
enough to discover what and which is the
sin, and strength of Will or grace enough
to leave the Que while taking the other.
In the glorious lists Of graces and vir-
tues named by the various Apostles as
the fruits of the Spirit, dancing is not
named as one Of them, therefore | have
no faith in religious dancing" bu.
neither is it named in any list of any
OF any fruits of the carnal mind. The
just inference, then. seems that it has in
itself no moral character whatevar, that
rs right or wrong is dependent altogether
upon circumstances.
y ote, also that Solomon makes no men.
ton Of "a time to die or "a time to
blaSpheme." or "a time to be drunk -
real immoralities The fact is, the sub
ject Of what is sin, ard what is not, il
still greatly misuhed-hundreds of men,
whose conscienees are quite easy while
those who reap down their fields receive
naught for their work, would be horror
stricken to see a son or daughter skipping
about the parlor to the music of the pi-
ano. Hundreds of women will keep
girls working in their kitchens cooking
heavy dinners on the sabbath, who would
be shocked not to he seen in their own
seats in church themselves, and yet have
never pointed one soul to Christ during
all their life, and do not feel condemned.
When shall we cease tithing mint and
cummn, and attend to the weighticr
matters of the law?
Let all young persons take especial
notice that | make no plea or excuse for
balls, masked ball, expensive dressing and
always planning about dress, late hours,
aud being so fatigucd by " recreation"
as to require, perhaps, more than all the
next day, to recover from it. Living in
aud for pleasure. in any form or shape.
is often enough condemned both by Moses
and by Christ but learn, young friends
to use the "world" as yourown aud Christ's
servant resisting all its attempts to over.
come"