The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-05-16

buo puUJOSts ~ DS"~" thSAA sho'
the sports, though innocent, are SO
fascinating that they cannot be in
dulged in without excess and abuse
is also dangerous. This increases
their craving for them and, il
they break over your prohibitions
(and the statistics of Christian
families will show that more than
halfof them do break over such
prohibitions), then they have your
word for it that the destinations Of
these amusements are irresistible
and they launch themselves into
reckless dissipation. To teach them
that they ought to abstain because
of the good they can do by abstain.
ing has no effect, since by the sup.
position that they are notunder the
sway of Christian love, and such O
motive has very little weight with
them.
We might, therefore. conclude
beforehand that there would. be
greater danger in prohibiting
those games, that in allowing them
and guarding them against excess
and abuse. A careful study of hu-
man nature would teach that this
was likely to be the case. And my
observation of facts confirms this
Judgment. For many years, some
Christian families, protesting a
gainst the current teaching on this
subject, have allowed and encour.
aged these pastimes in their own
houses. They have carefully taught
their children that the amusements
were right, and the abuses were
wrong; and they have given the
children the amusements at home
under their own supervision, for
bidding them to seek them amid
evil companions, and to indulge in
them excessively. And, after care
full study of the results of this
method, | am ledto believe thatthe
children ofsuch households fall in
to evil ways much less frequently
than the children of householde
where the other method has been
adopted, If a household is only
nominaly Christian, if the parents
are utterly worldly and frivlous,
then evil consequences will follow
whether they permit or prohibit
these amusements. Even in these
cases, however, l believe it is safer
to permit than to prohibit then
But, leaving such families out Of
the account, l believe that care
full examination of the subject will
show that in those families where O
genuine and vital piety prevails
this policy of allowing such sports
has been far more successful than
the other. An excellent deacon
speaking to me, the other day, o.
the dangerous fascination of dan
cling, mentioned the fact that
though he had carefully instructed
his children on this subject. ant
had forbidden them to engage in
the pastime, yet they had repeat
edly stolen away from home to at
tend public dances. "But how is i
with the children of your neigh
borP' I asked. (This neighbor il
man who for his piety and hi,
wisdom is known all over the land.
''They dance at home, with theil
fathers free consent" "Have they
ever been known to run away tt
balls 2" He was compelled to ad
nit they never had.
A letter from a lady in q Yves
tern State brings me this evidence
IL have seen the children of wor
thy deacon dance everywhere a
way from home, among very unde
sirable associates, at very lat
hours, and with an exaggerate'
fascination for. the amusement tha
no one could doubtwas greatly en-
hanced by the prohibition at home
In another family, at whose hea,
was just as holy and as wise a man
were gathered large numbers o
young people, who we're regularl.
provided with athletic sports fol
daylight and social dancing for oc
6asional recreation in the earl,
evening; and the influence upol
all ,oas good, dad good DULY" Sue
testimonies come TO me, almos
daily, from all parts Of tho ooun
try. If any one is in doubt in re
gard to the practical workings Q
the two different methods, let hir
study the history of the Christia
families he has known. and see
the proportion of the children VIII
fall in vice is not smaller amoni
those who had the amusements a
home than those who are denied thel
at home. Questions Of expedienc
like this must be submitted to th
test of experience. And thisis ju'
what we desire with regard 10 thi
question.
Thetact is that the policy of fprc
hibition has not been effectual, an
it never can be. A majority of th
children of Christian parents hav
disregarded such restraints, an
| this will always bo the case. Whe
good people forbid these pastimt
in their houses they do notprever
their children from indulging
; them, they simply consign the
musements themselves to. CORFU
ton, and make it morally certai
that those of the children who al
attracted to them will be ruined b
I, them. These are attractive pa
! times. But Christian people hay
forbidden that they should attac
. their children to their homes, an
!. have ordained that they should
employed only as allurements
vice. That they have been actuatt
. n aa