The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-01-23
THE DAMNING DANCE.
Pulpit illumination Hurled at the
Festive Folly-No Christian
Church Offers an Asylum
to Refugee Dancers.
Rev. 7 J. runoan's Exhaustive Sermon.


fashionable dancing is undergoing
change, and that the time is not
far off when all churches will cease
opposition. The idea also prevails
that neither the Bible nor any of
the church creeds prohibit it in
positive terms even now, and for a
minister or any one else to de-
nounce l. is evidence of overzeal or
fanaticIsm. People were curious
for these reasons to hear the matter
ventilated, and the large audience
gave the preacher the utmost at
tention.
He read as a lesson the chapter
recording the joyous song and
dancing of the children of Israel
after their safe passage of the Req
Sea, and then the passages recount
ing the beheading of John the Bap.
tist TO fulfil the promise of Herod to
the daughter of Herodias made be
cause he was pleased with her dane
ing fefore him. These two chap
tiers describe the only kind of dane
es alluded to IN the Bible-the one
an expression of thanksgiving to
God, and the other an indecent dis
play for a foul purpose before an
incestuous tyrant. He had heard
that some church members say that
If they are molested In their dane
ing that they will quit this church
or that and go to some other where
dancing is not prohibited, and now
let US see if there is a Christian
church that offers an asylum to
refugee dancers. He is met every
day by the most profound ignorance
on the part of members OF his
church with the teachings of the
Discipline and many believe that it
does not refer to dancing. 1t ex
pressly says that members are not
to indulge in such diversions as
cannot be taken in the name of the
Lord Jesus, and in another place.
where this section is interpreted by
the Bishops under order of Confer
ence, ''modern dancing" is men
toned as one of the diversions pro-
hibited; and further, that its viola
ton is justifiable grounds for judi
cial action by the church. A mem
Der is bound by his VOW to respect
and comply with this law.
He then took his text from James
ist and 10th: brethren, these
things ought not to be-"
Brethren here includes women,
for the brethren do not dance by
themselves. The Bible records
dancing in service or thanksgiving
to God. and David enjoined that
his name should be praised in the
dance, but the modern dance is un-
like this in that 1t is not for the |
requisite purposes. Men and wo-
men did not dance together in the |
dances of the Bible, whereas in the
modern dance this is essential and |
is one of the most Objectionable |
features. Revelry is expressly for
hidden in the Book and the Greek
word cosmos" translated here rev
elry" means '.jovial festivity with !
music and dancing" ''There is a
time to dance,' the bible says, and !
that time comes under circumstan-
ces similar to those under which !
Moses led it, and the preacher said |
that if the time for such a dance in |
honor aud praise of God should |
ever come in Pulaski he was ready |
TO take set himself.
He tLen took in detail the chris |
tian churches to see where the refu
gee who is hunting a place where
his or her revelry will not be pro-
hibited would land. He read from
a letter from Catholic Bishops in
council which warned their people |
against fashionable dancing as
fraught with great danger, and 9th
er authorities tending to show that
it was contrary to the teachings of
this church.
There are many who suppose that
the Episcopal Church is not OPP
posed TO this amusement, but they |
do it great injustice. Bishop Hop |
kins said that mo ingenuity can
make it consistent with baptism"
and many and all others eminent
in the Church strongly deprecated |
it. Bishop Cox of New York said |
that he would not lay Episcopal
hands upon candidates for confir
nation until they renounce dane
ing"
Baptist divines and periodicals |
are universal in condemnation of
the dance. One paper commented I
40 severely upon it that the preach
er would spare the bushes of his |
hearers and not read it. 1t asserted |
that passion is the secret of its pop
ularity, and rightly.
The Presbyterian Confession of
Faith puts dancing as one of the
sins forbidden by the seventh com
mandment. Johu Knox, the great
reformer of Scotland and founder
of Presbyterianism, especially de-
nounced it as dangerous and i'm
moral. Its ministers and councils |
universally have deprecated and for
hidden dancing, making no distinc |
ton between "round" and square" |
or to dancing alone, or men and !
women commingling in its mazes.
The Missouri Synod recommended |
that reproof should be first given |
and all means used to reclaim err
ing dancers, but these failing, then
to separate them from the church.
He quoted here numerously, and,
indeed, his whole discourse was
bristllng with sayings and quota
tions from men and councils and
papers and creeds of all the
churches.
He wrote a letter recently to Rev.
Mr.. Templeton, pastor of the G. p.
Church at Columbia, asking if he |
would receive a dancer into the
church, and if there was any law
for turning out dancing members.
To the first he answered he would
not, in very positive terms, and to
the second he responded that there
was such a law, but the Assemblies
very wisely left the decision of such
questions to the Sessions. DR..
Baird condemns it, and DR.. Davis
had said that he did not know a
dancing Christian who was useful
.,,or,,I,,. rbO ,,raya1 in mpptlnUS