The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-01-13

gushing from her mouth, flowing II
such stream as to color the Who'll,
front of her dress with its crimson hue
and dying, she said: "I have dancet
my body into the grave and my soul in
TO hell"
V. holdIthat passion for dancing
Is an indication of small intellectual re
sources and sign of q low order Of
taste. Ii is an animal substitute fol
lack of intellect. That any one should
lend their brain and soul.to the physical
and sensual ecstasics of the dance, is O
proof that the body with,its demands is
stronger than the soul kwith its aspira.
tions. An invitation to ball to IL young
lady of large, benevolent soul and as.
piring mind, ought TO be taken as au
insult. DR.. Crane says that An invi-
tation to dance stripped of all its blar.
ney means this Young lady, your con.
versation is exceedingly insipid, and !
| am weary of the vain effort to entertain
you; do let us do something in which
You will be able to succeed better"
vi. With its necessary belongings
dancing is diametrically opposed TO
common morality and true picty. 1t il
urged that some Christians dance.
incline to the opinion, with the light OF
this Gospel day on thi, subject, that no
Christian will dance. but some peo-
pie who dance are faithful attendants at
churches" True. Not to attend some
church would be disreputablc to those
anxious to keep In good society. Do
we find dancers Jealous workers for
God in the church, Do they pray in
their families? DO they bear witness
for Christ In the prayer meetings: Are
they Jealous pupils or teachers in the
Sabbath School? do they give Of their
means and time to support mission
schools: Are they the right hand help
crs Of their pastor In his work Of reach
Ing and sa> ing the lost! Such i, the
public opinion forming on this subject
that those churches who have heretofore
held indifferent relations to dancing are
beginning to realize its dangers. In
1860 the General Assembly Of the Uni
ted Presbyterian Church adopted the
following resolution:
Resolved, That members of the Tni-
ted Presbyterian Church be exhorted to
avoid all association with men of the
world, in vain and cnsnaring recrca-
tons, such as promiscuOus dancing, the
sssi itttA 5uClI llht
ments, as are adapted to ALLEVIATE the at
fectlons from God and expose the Chris
tian character to reproach, and that pas
tors and sessions be careful 10 warn
those under their care, in relation to the
danger of having any fellowship with
tho world in any such practices.
A leading organ Of the Protestant
Episcopal Church speaks thus plainly
on this question:
"Young people are taught by the
knowing ones to believe that the Epis-
copal church regards opposition to dan
cling as puritanicnl, and the effect is that
the educated youth of all denominations
are crowding our courts rs the world
ling's saloon and the devils ballroom.
Religion, modesty and virtue are in
great danger of vanishing from one sex
when swimming in airy circles and IL
centiOus waltZes with the other sex.
Something must be done, or we shall be
compelled to close our churches; for
these rcyelers during the week profane
our services on Sunday by their shame
full irreverence. Light brains, light
hearts and light heels go together in the
worlds carnival, and Satan looks on
we'll pleased to see his slaves tripping
1t so merrily 'on the light fantastic toe,'
particularly when he sees protesting
Christians entering heartily into the
sport, 1t being sure sign that their re-
ligion does not hurt them. There Is no
question that Ii interfcres with vital pi-
ETY., and prevents many young people
from entering upon Christian life"
"Why may we not play cards" |
"a N Eor1r liutsn1tsx-ns.-
bler's tools; their moral tendency is bad.
10 have Il young man carry pistol,
dirk and billy, in well regulated civil
lied community, isN sign of II despera-
do. So the use of gamblers cards Is q
bad sign. The cards that are usually
used by gamblers have bad history.
Their belongings are for the most part
bad. They infect the atmosphere with
satanic influences; and no Young per-
son anxious for sound character :and
good reputation ought to have anything
To do with them.
Then. too, card pla, ing IL nn extreme
iy selfish game. II makes the players
oblivious. of the happiness Of any one
else In an evening COMPANY. When
any one goes into company he has obli-
cations Of some kliid, to all present,
which he cannot pay if he sit down un-
der the absorption of n game of cards,
in which the primal and ultimate
thought II his own Success" This is
the quintessence of selhshness. II makes
but little difference If you do "play for
amusement only" Playing for amuse-
ment is the highway to gambling. Good
players rs a rule do not restrict them
selves TO playing for amusement. There
Is no life III n game of cards merely for
amusement. There Is no life in a game
of cards merely for amusement. These
are the legitimate steps: "Amusement"
-" To pay for the game "-'' Cigars"
- Drinks -" Dollars -" Property"
-''Reputation''- "Character" Soul"
-''LOst'-''LOst, forever"
Dancing and card-playing out of the
way, | am now prepared to tell YOU
what amusements can be substituted
for them. Ii seems to me that this oues-
ton of amusemcnts ought not TO per-
plex our young women budding into
maturity. Children may get puzzled
about pastimes, but we of larger
growth, coming into the rlpeness Of life,
ought never TO be perplexed how TO pass
the time away at AN evening company.
limo w uo VuBht " puh5 puiChiA tipuHn
without the study ofmethods to make il
pass, or TO kill 1t, as some say. But if
we must have pastimcs, there are hosts
of games far removed from the dangers
of dancing and card-playing, that young
people can while away the winter eve
nings with. The best brains of the
country have been taxed in the prepa-
rations of games in the arts, sciences
and literature. There are geological
games, and games geographical, bio
graphical, historical and mechanical.
There are several games of authors,
which when played intelhgently, are
very instructive, and afford opportunity
for inspiring conversation in their pro-
gress. There is new historical game
just prepared, consisting of sixty cards
which can be used in fifty different
ways. Most of our religious publishing
houses have issued Biblical games.
which are by no means void of pleasure
and profit. .