The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-28
PROMlSCUOUS DANCING.
Different Clerical Views Upon SaItatoral
Exercises.

Promscuous dancing or the association Of the sexes
IN that amusement has received the condemnation Of
the churches for many years past II Is considered an
evil Of increasing magnitude and that highly in
curious to the morals we'll to the and the
health OF young people. Prayer meetings and church
services neglected because OF IT. and church men,
bers sometimes encourage by giving to their children
and their little friends balls and dancing parties and
terainmeDts in which dancing in the programme
somewhere This thing has grown from simple amuse-
mcn to be vice OF hideous mien and deserving Of tho
strongest anethemas that DO brought against II
And hence the Catholic Church. than Protestant
bodies, has lifted its against the evil and through
its councils condemned promiscuous dances The Meth
odsts Bapsts and Presbyterian through their highest
judicatories have done the thing And they
have done II year after to let their people know
that cannot be looked upon with any degree Of favor
by them The General Assembly OF the great Pres5y-
tcrian Church. gathered in Brooklyn has followed
the example Of many usrious predecessors and given
deIverancc ON this subject and reairms former de-
iverances on It Il CONDEMNS the practice of promis
cuous dancing, and recommends the sessions Of the
several local churches within jurisdiction to all
in their power to repress this and to instruct
their young people against And yet the vice the
amusement as 1t may be called by its opponents ts
advocates grows favor and there In II manifcsty
great attraction for the young OF both sexes
The patriarchal and scrIptural mode Of dancing
was by the sexes apart, and this is what the
modern Church would 60 back to II It could.
But there was time, too, when in Methodist
and Presbyt and other churches the sexes wor-
And II not why nots No evil has resulted from this
association of the sexes In worship. May
dances ao 'ne be- 1ssuassa n even IN
shall appear therein? Promscuous dancing
has excuses which might very properly and probably
be dispensed with, while II has certain peasurablc at
fractions for tue young which might be retained and
utilized for their good There two sides this as
the varying Of views Of some OF our clergy.
men will appear below. Many Of them, however,
It, IN this instance purely Presbyterian Concern The
views OF Rev. Mr. rockingham, Father Heaey DR.. s.
h Tying, Jr Rcv. J. D Wilson, Rev. William Spell
with
Rev. Mr. rockingham being interrogated said he
was not at al surprised that the take the
position they have In this matter IL il
70 snns aos they ne
Is as we'll known that all evangelical Christians object
TO such amusements on principle In liberal circles,
however, little thought, II any, Is given TO the subject
and dancing is regarded something which the social
code Of the times not only toleratcs, but cncour-
other things and what is to-day of recreation
and enjoyment may in time become obsolete and un-
tiers Of this kind, and l 90 not fancy that
the pulpit has anything to do with It, or
course dancing may become tho cause Of abuses
In where overcxctement ID produced and causes
detrimental to health and morals alike result from the
commingng OF the sexes in warm rooms whore the |
mind is unbalanced oy the Wild delirum Of the waltz |
and the proprieties Of social lie dsregarded
But this depends entirely upon circumstances and for
my part nothing derived from tho dance in well
ordered society but wholesome recreation and real
enjoyment Personally l have seen many young
70 folks and IN sIwsv, IN The houses
graceful and innocent amusement. | have |
never seen It made the cause of abuses, and |
useless for cergymen to prescribe it. Prcsbyterans
and Quakers both object to dancing they do to all
amuscmonts overstepping simple recreation.
A CATHOLIC PRIESTS VIEWS.
Father Hcaley pastor Of St Bernard's Roman Cath.
Ninth avenues aidssThe Catholic church In general
is not opposed to any innocent amusement; she only
condemns that which Is Of criminal nature criminal
tendency. She does not condemn the theatre in
stance Neither docs stc condemn dancing or course
certain plays ana certain dances she does
condemn and she not only condemns but iorbds round
dancing AZ INDUCED In in modern society"
AN EPIsc0PALlAN ON DANCING.
a. M VI s,Ss a Ky ss himself
what called 'round dances" he thinks, certainly
immoral as proved by the observation OF any who
studies life. This 10 on the general question. What
the Prcsbyterians may do think Is scarcely his BUSH
ness. He believes in Soomon's charge about time 70
dance
A PRESBYTERIAN on THE DANCE
Rev. James d Wilson had not read anything about
the question, being brought up He thought tho Gen.
discussing such question. He did not think there was
any harm IN square dances and as 10 round dances
them. However" no said, II preach the gospel and
leave such questions TO the peoples intelligence
CATION from dancing In fact in my mind, the great
objection about dancing keeping IL up to such late
hours"
coLoREp RArrrsr's VIEWS
Rev. William Spelman, Of the byssinan (colored)
Baptist church, while conversng tho subject said
demning tho practice of promiscuous dancing because
OF his own observation OF its evil fruita II
IN without bad results, but he had noticed
that almost invariably when young people began to
grow fond OF they became lax in their attention to
denim themselves. IL Is dangerous pleasure and on
that account have always opposed indulgence in It,
because in that course there Is the only security
against Its temptations"
ANOTHER CATHOLIC PRIESTS VIEWS
The following Is the substance OF what Catholic
priest said TO q reporter yesterday on the subject Of
dancing He declined to give his tor publication
IN connection with his views His reasons Tor SO doing
were that, while many viewed the subject in the
light with himself others. who his seniors the
Church, were more stringent In their Interpretation
the SUBJECT and he did not wish to
stand in position which might DO considered pre-
svmptivc. His remarks were follows-The Council |
OF Baltimore, drawing tho attention OF Christians
10 the dangers arising out OF the practice had under
consideration what are called round dances and prop
erly pointed and condemned promscuous indulgence
In them. He dd not take their condemnation OF the
practice In radical sense. but merely so far il
dcmned any indulgence which was the occasion OF
sinful thoughts in the In public dancing halls
and on occasions where tho company is mado
up Of strangers or people but slightly
quaintcd he thought IL proper that round
dancing should be RETAINED lrom even by
the most pure minded, because, though absolutely
free from danger Of by INDUCING In It themselves
they could not answer for their companions Il IL
matter which the conscience must guide u.s. and the
Church, calling attention pointing out the
dangers attending the enjoyment OF dancing seeks to
preserve the good conscience Of all Christians that thev
may not DO led into sin by u. He did not con-
strue the expression OF the Council To han
ish the practice entirely, but only when |