The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-13
The General Assembly.
Answer to Overture from Presbytsry of At
lanta Relative to Worldly Amusements.
(FIFTH DAY.


(FIFTH DAY.
1. The Assembly has uniformly discour
aged and condemned the modern dance il
all its forms, as tending to evil, whether
practieed in public balls or in private par
lOrs.
2. Some forms of this amusement are NOR,
mischieVous than others-the round dance
than the square, the public, ball than the pri
vste party but none of them are good.
3. The extent of the mischief done de-
pends largely upon circumstances. The
church session is, therefore, the only court
competent.to judge what remedy to apply
that in most cases it is the result of thought
lessness or ignorance. We recommend to
sessions great patience in dealing with those
who offend in this way.
Mr. Montgomery was ready to adopt the
paper. He thought the Assembly had pass
ed papers enough on this matter.
Dr. Smith thought an Interpretation of the
action of the Assembly necessary when
brethren asked for such an Interpretation.
The question was one that was involved in
difficulties.
Mr.. Dodge moved that the report be made
the order of the day for TO- morrow, at 10
o'clock The motion was lost.
DR.. GUerrant rose to bear his testimony,
as one from distant Presbytery, that just
such a deliveranee was needed from this
Assembly. The advantage is taken of that
word "prOmiscuous" by good members of the
Church. TIE largest church in Central Ken
tucky has nearly had its usefulness destroyed
by dancing. The pastor told me he had not
attempted to handle it because of the ambi-
guilty of the deliversnce. A friend told me
that, in famous Northern city, one of its
most noted ministers permitted dancing in
the parsonage. DR.. Guerrsnt opposed all
dancing. He thought it did more injury
than drinking and horse-rscing, for our
Church members do not indulge in such low
amusements. ! He had tried to show to his
young members that the Bible opposed
all dancing. Why, even spOssste Churches
have opposed dancingl A Christian man
not only ought not to dance, but if he were
in a proper frame of mind he would not even
want to dance. This is great and growing
evil, and we need just such deliVerance
from the Assembly.
Mr.. Mcpherson could not altogether agree
in the views of the committee. That word
'spromiscuous" is the root of all the Difficult
culties. The word was doubtless gotten up
to compromise conflicting views, so as to suit
eyerybody-a word left to indefinite con-
ssruction. He desired that this question
should be settled. 1t had been dividing
question in his portion of the Presbytery.-
The report says card playing " is to be
thrown aside. Well, is that worse than
draughts, backgammon, chessl Is it, per Sc,
wrong? And so of dancing. Is it wrong
per seq 1 would like to see clear defui
tion of the truth itself on this subject. The
round dancing general ball where all at
tend-of course that is wrong, and We need
no deliveranee on the subject. But | have
doubt whether every other kind of dancing
is wrong per Sc.
Dr. BeaR thought the report was indef
mite. The phrase ''are not good" ought tc
be changed to " all are evil.
A member offered the following amend
ment:
That dancing, whether round, oval OF
square, is wrong, and ought not to be en-
gagged in by members of the Church, and is
a disciplinable offence.
DR.. GaerrGnt favored the report as il
stood. His Interpretation of ''promiscuous'
dancing and sacred dancing was that the lat
ter was dancing before the Lord, and tht
other dancing before the devil.
He thought that the dance-houses Wer'
the most dangerous evils in New Orleans
We are to avoid the very appearance of evil
Dancing was certainly of the appearance 0
evil. It's tendencies are evil and only evil
and that continually.
So of card-playing. The cases were FIRE
quent of young men learning to play card
in the family circle. have known such
man sitting up night by night in gamblin
hell with a revolver by his side. He learne
to play in the psrlOr.
Mr. Kennedy approved the report of tn
committee, except the expression " are no
good" He moved to add after "good,
Sbut all are evil, and should be discOunte
nanced." He ethougbt that card playing an
dancing had almost Oblterated the line be
tween the Church and the world. Tha
Church would be the purest spirituality tina
utterly discarded these things, but the Churc
that is unconcerned about these things wi
exercise an influence for harm.
lEr. Graham thought the amendmer
would not improve the overture. The repOl
of the committee is eminently wise. II
wanted the amendment voted down.
Mr. Conan wanted a very plain deliver
snce. The evil had begun in the ambiguit
of the Assemblys deliVerance. He ha
come from a church whose spirituality ha
almost been destroyed by dancing and car
PLAYING. If the evil is tolerated in the Cit
it breaks down those who are trying to mai
tain the cause in our country churches. v
have in the cities these dancing masters al
dancing schools. They are seducing paren
to send children to them, on the ground tn
il culsivates graeefulness. Now, l want Il
Assembly to include these dancing schools
this deliveranee, for some are sending
these dancing schools, not to cultivate dan
ing, but to cultivate grscefulness. They 81