The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-03-17


100000. When he assumed control,
gold sold at$1.32. In one year, March
10th, 10, it sold at about $I.12. The
people firmly believe that he will
give us three more years of cores
ponding progress. In the face OF
such advances, do not tell me that
gold "will 60 up" J..
CDAHLoNEGA CORRESPONDENCE.
Dancing.
Dancing is taught by some would.
be religionists, to be innocent amuse-
ment, Religious amusement. AS the
fruit ofsuch teaching, we have dan
cling religion, and religious dancers,
which is misnomer for Bible relig-
ion, or Bible christians.
1 am fully aware that the signs OF
the times are becoming somewhat
in favor of religious dancing. Vari-
GUS opinions are promulgated rospec.
ting tho practice of dancing. Some
profess to regard it as o useful exer-
else for the promotion of health
Whether any physician of good
reputation ever gives this prescrip.
ton is very doubtful. Perhaps the
reasoning that prompts the practi.
toner to give any such prescription,
has more to do with heart, (Which is
deceitfnl above all things" than en-.
lightened reason. No sensible per.
son whose single aim is to promote
health, would ever think of gaining
it by spending bis or her nights
amidst the revelry Of q ballroom, in
preference to peaceful slumber at
home. That exercise, taken in mod.
GRAFTON, is good for health, is readily
admitted by all but it can always
be had in q much more sensible and
profitable manner than dancing.
There are others, who view dar
cling, as an innocent amusement. We
want to look at the subject from
their standpoint. How can any
amusement be innocent which con,
sumes large amount of time, atten.
ton, and means without imparting
any good whatever? No sane per.
son will contend that dancing confers
any useful knowledge, any love Of
mental improvement, any lasting
pleasure, vr uuy weight vf uh~rnct-'
in respectable society; on the con.
trary, it tends to idleness, frlvolity
the neglect of domestic duties, and
lowers it's devotee in the estimation
of all serious and sensible persons.
Just let it be known that such a
young man or lady, was at such a
dance, and il at once lowers them in
your estimation. Where is the man
or woman that thinks it an honor,
for it to be known that they were at
a dance which was held in one of the
villages of this county during the
present winter. All, you say that
was q hoe-do,un. l will admit it was
hoe-docn-but they stepped and
swung just as they do in your draw
Jag rooms and halls-so there must
be some hoe.down about all OF them.
Some would say, it is advisable to
attend dances, or more properly
balls, in order to learn good manners
and graceful carriage. l have yet
to learn that any affected carriage is
either graceful or becoming. The
natural gait and appearance of any
person, is always better than an aft
ected one.
The good opinion OF those whose
admiration ola lady could be excited
by seeiug her stepping and leaping
to the sound of a violin, is of no real
value. What sensible young man
would choose a companion for life
who was celebrated only for the
dissipating amusement of dancing !?
He would very naturally conclude
that those who are good for dancing,
are seldom good for anything else.
But ifthe art of dancing, with its
kindred fooleries, be unworthy The
attention of an intelligent lady, it is
certainly more contemplate in I'll e
view of any sensible man.
The most inconsistent Of people,
however, on the subject of dancing,
are those professors OF religion who
show it any countenance. A mem.
Der of any church who gives, or
attends cotillion parties, or allow
their children to do so publically,
his or her own profession
of religion and thereby notifies all
men, that he has only name to live,
while in truth he is spiritually dead.
g Ye cannot serve God and man,
mon." Dancing is religious, or anti
it cannot be both. If it is
religious all who do not dance are
not and cannot be religious.
lit is anti religious, all dancers
are irreligious. All who do not
dance, may not be religious, but all
who are religious do not dance.
Praying and dancing never can be
carried on to an advantage at once,
by the same individual che will hate
the one and love the other, or despise
the one and cleave to the other"
both can not be served. All the
truly pious OF every church, regard
dancing to be foolish in itself and
sinful in its tendency, time wasted.
money spent, indeed "for that which
not y The chaffy CONVEX
satioa INDUCED in about beaux, bellies
and parties, and the public perform
ance itself, are all foolish in the
extreme, and unbecoming rational
beings, God has often rebuked such
oily in signal manner, by the sud
len afflictioD aud death of some one
ot the party. In all such cases, the
BALL is at an end, but If dancing be
light in the sight Of Heaven, why
lot dance on amidst afl1icti IN and
leath?
Who would be willing 10 meet
heir judge at such q place?
Common dancing is not Of God,
,e gave US no example OF that kind
when on earth. 1t is not the fruit
If the good tree, but OF the evil.
# it is not of God it must be Of the
levil, aud his servants you arc whose
york we do. I know Of no such
hing IS q religious Cotillion party,
it is given by a professor of
eiigion or not.
Dancing has the appearance Of