North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1868-12-30
People VIII Dance.

The clerical broadside against dancing
to which We adverted few weeks ago,
might as well have been fired ut the man
in the moon. The light fantastic toes of
our youths and maidens are irrspressible,
and if all the Puritans in Christendom
were to tread on them to- day, they would
be ready to beat time to impious tiddies
and unsanctitied pianos tomorrow. As
soon as the Rubicon Of Christmas shall
haye been passed, the ball campaign will
open in earnest, and this iast-anchored
isle and the coasts adjacent will culver
nightly beneath the flying feet of pleasure
loving crowds. They have no idea, poor
brates beneath them, that there is only
the thickness OF plank between their
sinful sotes and burning Tophet. They
cant believe that tile inspiring tunes that
set their limbs in graceful motion are from
Sata::'s repertoire, nor that all their pas
are registered as taur pas by the Record
ing Angel. 1t is true, if we may credit
Bobby Burns, that Tam O'Shanter saw
the fiend at fandango, and that the devil
once danced through Edinb ro town with
an exc;seman, (small blame to him for so
doing ) but then, on the other hand, we
have Scripture warrant for saying that
godly Hebrews Of both sexes footed it to
the music of hackbut, harp, and psaltery
in Jerusalem the Holy, and that David.
who played and sung devotedly, went SO
| far as to dance before the Lord. Per Sc.
therefore, these saltatory exercises cannot
he the diabolical amusement that some
fanatia al preachers, whose dancing days
are over, would have Us suppose. With
the Shakers dancing is form of worship.
and certainly that sect Of celebrates cannot
he justly accused of licentiousness
Furthermore, lis a physiological fact that
the exercise acts uron the passions as
sedasive, not as an excitant. If the mis-
taken zealots who denouncc it as ''grossly
immoral" will talk the matter over with
the Faculty, they will find this to be
strictly and necessarily true.
Upon the whole. We advise the sanc.i-
monious opponents of this delightful,
innocent Bible-sanctioned amusement to
retire from the contest. The more they
rail, the more the people dance. Nothing
will ever stop them short of amputating
their lower limbs and putting them on
crutches. The truth is, it is natural tn
dance-almost rs natural, and we bt lieve
quite as unsinful, as it is to walk or leap
or run. The leaves dance, the waters
dance, and "children dance through the
morning to SCHOOL, The tendon Achilles
itself is not unlike piece of catsut, and
it twitches in involuntary unison with the
vibrations of a fddle-strng. Stop dane.
ing, forsooth !! 1t would be as easy to
stop the tw nkling Of the stars. We are
t,Id that there is joyful music in heaven,
aid it may he that the saints made perfect
time in their movements to the melody of
golden harps, for dancing is the visible
expression of Joy. 1t was because he was
fore the Lord"
Considering how luxuriantly tangible
crime of every description hourishes in
our midst, would it not be we'll for the
pullit sensationists to concentrate their
energies upon the crying evils of the day
They can pitch into the pastimes Of the
people when they have put down THEFT,
swindling, murder, perjury, and adultery.
Let them do the rough work first. Her
cules. when he broomsd out the Augean
stables, did not begin with the unsoIied
straws. If ''the enemy of souls is to be
conquered, he must be taken by the horns.
In the meantime, ION with the dance!'
When people are dancing they cant be
doing anything worse. sen are always
made better hy pleasant social intercourse
with the virtuous of the other sex, and
We are OF opinion that as many virtuous
women are to be found at the private
balls Of the respectable classes as at
camp. meetings and blue.light conventi-
cles.
Engage your halls and bands, therefore,
We preur cheraliers and gallant squires of
dames. Let US have merry season. On
with the dance-and tig for fanaticism
IN y. S. Times.