The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-03-17
The General Assembly and Dancing.
A reader sends us the following request

The General Assembly and Dancing.
A reader sends US the following request !:
"Has the General Assembly made any
deliverances on the subject of dancing? If
80, will you please favor number of the
readers of the Southern Presbyterian by
quoting the 'ipsissimsa vsrba' of the law"
In reply. We quote from the Minutes Of
our General Assembly, for 1865, Vol. l.,
pages 361 and 1862, as follows:
The report of the Committee on Bills and
Overtures on Popular Amusements, (Over-
ture No. 81 was accepted and adopted, and
is as follows:
Overture No. ga paper from the Rev.
DR.. Ross on the subject of fashionable
amusements, containing three inquiries, with
their proposed answers.
The committee recommend that the in
quiries be answered as follows, viz:
l. Whether every church session has the
right to make it a rule that dancing and other
amusements are disciplinary"
Answer.-No church judicatory has a
right to make any new rules of church men,
bership, different from those contained in the
constitution; but it is the unbounded right
of the church session and of every other iu-
dicatory, to make deliverance, affirming it's
sense of what is San offence" in the mean
ing of the Book of Discipline, ch. l, sec. 3.
2. "Whether such rule commonly exists
in Presbyterian churches?
Answer.-Probably none of our judicato-
ries are as faithful as they ought to be; but
it is believed that the churches generally do,
in some form, discountenance dancing. And
the Presbyterian Church, through its su-
preme judicatory, has repeatedly borne its
testimony against dancing, and other worldly
amusements.
3. "Whether such rule is expedient; or
what should be the mind Of the whole body,
and what its action :"
Answer.--It is the duty Of every julica-
tory to enforce the teachings of our stan
dards on this and other fashionable amuse-
ments, such as theatrical performances, card
playing, etc. And while the Assembly
believes that the "lascivious dancings" de-
clared to be forbidden in the seventh COM
mandment, by the answer to the 139th
question of the Larger Catechism, are not
those usual in our best society, yet it is our
belief that the tenor of the teachings of the
Scriptures and Of our standards, is in direct
opposition to this social usage. Christ's
kingdom is not of this world and the Apos-
tie exhorts Christians not to be conformed
to the world. Though We do not say that
all these worldly amasements are Sin their
own nature sinful" it is clear that they ''may
tempt" those who engage in them, and 9TH
ers, to sin: and moreover, the Scriptures con-
demn them as worldlineas. If the practice
of the dance in mixed assemblies be not con-
forming to the world, it is difficult to name
any offence against the injunction of the
Apostle. Nor need the Church of Christ
have any hesitancy in announcing it's position
on this subject; for the men of the world
with one consent agree that it is inconsistent
with the nature of the Christian profession,
for members of the Church to engage in the
dance.
In this connexion, the Assembly would
take occasion to exhort our Christian people
to avoid the excesses into which they are in
danger Of being drawn by the demands of
fashion. The Scriptures forbid "revellings,'
and all Incorporate self-indulgence; with
which teachings the prevalent custom of pro-
tracing social assemblies, with or without
music and dancing, to the hours of the morn
ing, but especially when accompanied with
drinking or card-playing, is manifestly In
consistent. Moreover, the Assembly, OBJ
serving that parties of pleasure are usually
composed almost exclusively of unmarried
young people, would give it as its earnest ad-
vice that the best form of social reunion be
made to partake as much as possible of the
style and tone of the family circle, in which
youthful enjoyment is tempered by the pre-
sence Of the older and married members.
The Assembly expresses itself with the
more earnestness on this whole subject, be-
cause of the disposition which is observed in
all parts of our borders to run into the inor-
dinate indulgence of worldliness at this
time, in forgetfulness of the mighty chasten-
ings of God which are even yet upon US and
because we see members of our churches and
our beloved baptized youth, in forgetfulness
of the covenant of God which is upon them,
carried away With the worlds delusions to
the subversion Of the divine influences of the
sanctuary, and to the neglect of the interests
of their souls. Wherefore, the Assembly
would urge our people to take the word of
exhortation; to abstain from all forms of
evil; and to study and pursue that sobriety
which becometh the Gospel, so that the
Church of Christ shall indeed be ga peculiar
people," And We hereby exhort our minis.
ters and church sessions to discharge of
their duties. Let them proceed by affection
ate and faithful instruction from the pulpit,
as well as in private; by admonition, and by
such other measures as Christian prudence
may dictate; but when all other means fail,
then let them proceed to such methods of dis
cipline as shall separate from the Church
those who love the world and practice con-
formity thereto rather than to the law Of
Christ.
Many other deliverances have been made
} by past General Assemblies; but the above
is more full and explicit than any made by
: our Assembly since its formation in 1861.
i Southern Presbyterian