The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-04-07
Dancing.
KrRKvILLE, March %, 10.

l Aoea oA WIS hlohoh Vo Auu q hVoNN ai-
gument from Exit :" against dancing,
and in consideration of the space occu-
pied in proportion to the weight of the
argument, we feel assured that your pa
tience was not much excesded by that of
the "Man of W." and from this circum-
stance, we have presumed to trust that
what we offer, partly in review of Exit"
and in favor of dancing will be publisll-
ed, unless something better, from more
competent source is offered.
In answer to doubts wb ether any res
pectable physician ever prescribes dan
cling, quote from DR.. 8. s. Fitch:
"At the head Of all exercises for;deli-
cate persons, and those pre-disposed to
consumption, and invalids, is dancing.
Dancing in company to the sc und of har-
monious music. Its
practice promotes cheerfulness, symme-
try Of person, full exercise of the lungs,
and expansion of the chest. once knew
true consumption cured by dancing. =
When young persons, and
old persons meet in their small social
circles, instead Of sitting in conversation
for hours. dance little while, if only for
half an hour. The
various musical instruments which are
now SO common will have positive value
in thsm. IL they incite to dancing."-Si
Lectures on Consumption, p. 80.
| DR.. Fitch is known from Maine to Cali
fornia, and his book is one of the best
medical works ever offered to the public
Testified bv thousands.
Exit" says, I" exercise can always be
had in much more sensible and profit
able manner than dancing" DR.. Fitch
says not so; dancing stands at the head
of all exercises for delicate persons"
| Exit" says again, But if the art of
dancing be unworthy the attention of an
intelligent lady, it is certainly more con.
temptible in the view Of any sensible
man." Shoe Fly! Who but himself sup
poses " Exit !" to have so much more dis
cernment than intelligent ladies. Near
| the close of this rev lew is an extract from
lady writer, supposed to be quite INTEL
ligent, and yet she differs from Exit"
1t is written of Lafayette, that he was
usually, and his family always present at
the weekly dances given Cat the hateau,
Qs16.)
Balls were given and attended by Pre-
| sident Lincoln at the Presidential Man
sion. "As star differeth from STAR" who
will dare say that "honest old Abe " is
not one of the brightest stars in the firm
| ament of cloudess glory!
You will notice that Exit " merely
| nAakos assertions without proof. Here il
the only attempt he makes at argument:
Dancing is religious.or anti religious,
1t cannot be both. If it is religious, all
who do not dance are not and cannot be
religious. If it is anti-religious, all dam
GERS are irreligious. All who do not dane
may not be religious, but those who are
religious do not dance" This argument
is 80 extremely little that there is no part
big enough to take hold of; therefore, we
pass it with only this, to show its force,
viz:
Corn hoeing is religious or anti-religi.
Gus, 1t cannot be both. If it is religious,
all who do not love corn hoeing are not and
cannot be religious. Ifit is anti-religious,
all corn hoers are irreligious. All who do
not hoe corn may not be religious, but all
whoare religious do not hoe corn.
What" Exit" says about affliction and
death at parties is, not worth noticing.
Preachers have been known to fall dead
in the pulpit.
We often sec dancing condemned in Lam
guage similar to that of Exit" but we
have never seen written of it, Tekel
Upharsin." 1t is always found wanting,
and sentence of condemnation pronounc.
ed without the weighing process. And
why? We think the answer is simply
because an investigation would enlighten
those whom it is desirable to keep in ig-
norance of its merits.
We are sure that for dancing there is
not one word of condemnation in the
whole Bible; but on the contrary, there is
much in its favor. Ex. 15:20.-" And Mi
riam took a timbrel in her hand, and all
the women wen after her with tim
brels and with Dances" Here are dances
but no word of condemnation. I'd. Sam.
o: l5 Is, And David danced before the
Lord with all his might. Michal, Saurs
daughter, looked through q window, and
saw King David leaping and dancing be.
fore the Lord, aud She despissd him in
her heart" Here dancing is mentioned
agsin, and by the s. man after Gods own
heart, with q priests garment on, in or
der to offer acceptable sacrifices to "his
Lord our God," but wicked Michal des-
pissed him, and we think she has repre-.
sentatives in our day. Psalm I5O:4.-'
"Praise him with the tim brel and dance.
Hero is a command to dance given by til
inspiration of God.
We have seen that physicians do recom-
mend dancing becaQse it promotes health.
Then can the Savior condemn it, who
s'healed all that were sick ?" Tea chers
recommend it because it improves man
ners. Then it cannot be evil, for evil
communications corrupt good Manners
The good, the wise and the great are in
favor of it, and it is practiced most
among the most enlightened nations.
Everybody favors moderate eating,
but not gluttony; everybody favors fine
dressing, but not extravaganza every
body favors money making, but they do
| not believe it should be done at the ex-
pense of life and honor. Abuses will at
tend the use Of almost everything in life,
| and it is to individuals and society that
| We look for the correction OF these errors.
Emphatically then We say, we do not be-
lieve daacing a sinful recreation. 1t seems
to us as innocent as the babbling of the
brooks, the singing of the birds, the
sporting of the lambkius, or the merry
shout of childhood. God has given to all
hearts a sunny side and he who casts sha-
dows thereon does an unkind and un-
generous deed. Praise God in the
| daAce.'"
The name of Exit perhaps uuin-
tentioually on his parts significant.
Webster explains exit to mean, "going
out We think he ought to go out for
ever, after having perpetrated such dark
act Of bigotry, aud we believe we are JUS
tilted in helping him out with