The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-25
For the Central Presbyterian.
The Dancing Question.

Oily would have closed discussion of this
subject. But an elaborate article by DIR.
A.dger In the Southern Presbyterian Re
v'eao for April last, together with an oc-
caslonal squib in our Church papers,
make 1T plain that some regard it as an
open question. This paper is submitted
therefore under the conviction that it is
very important and practical question.
and that it ought to be settled. We can
do little more in this article than outline
an argument which might, we think, be
protitably amplified if we were writing
for ReUieoO We summarize our discus
sion under the following heads:
L. 1t is conceded sometimes that dane
ing IN itself is not sinful. This is a loose
admission, and when made, the eonces-
sion, we think, is never intended to mean
more than that the mere act of keeping time
to music with the feet and body is not
sinful This is dancing-and this action
is the substratana of all dancing, and the
concession has this extent and no more.
that this common basis, or underlying
7aeTetS of the circumstances of all dancing,
is not per Sc sinful. But in this discus
sion those who favor discipline never,
imagine, employ the word dancing in this
primary and narrow sense. They in
tend, | think, by the word, combined
movement in concert of males and fe-
males with measured steps to music,
whether this action is in parlor or ball
room, and which has the technical title of
round or square This definition does not
cover all culpable dancing, butt serves, we
think, to signalize and express the popu-
lar sense of the amusement criticized
Dancing in this sense is we believe, Der
Sc sinful We remark:
2. That which is in itself innocent NAV
become unquestionably sinful through
the circumstances of its commission. !"
When this is the case, the thing to be
pronounced upon is not the act in itself
considered, but the act with its accessories
the act thus circumstanced. The alge-
bralc value of A is very different from
THAT of A combined with Gao. Mr.. A
may privately pirouette to his hearts con-
tent, with impunity. The mere act of gyra-
ting even to music is not sinful. But
when Mr.. A opens his arms and embraces
Miss @, and thus circumstanced, whirls
with her in the voluptuous waltz, the
thing Is very different. Miss @ NAV be
and likely is mere circumstance, but it
is circumstance which alters the case
The matter to be judged is not Mr.. A
simply, or Mr.. A keeping time solo to
music, but Mr.. A thus circumstanced
And now if this gentleman for one may
be sinner and a gentleman in the pop
ular sense too, should be charged with
sln IN thus dancing, it would be very ir-
relevant to reply that simple dancing is
innocent. Such defence would be about
as pertinent as for one charged with naa1y-
de1' to meet the accusation with the state
ment that killing in itself is indifer-
ent. If dancing thus circumstanced is
sin, cannot for the life of me under.
stand why the Assembly, by deliver
ance in thesl may not .authoritatively, in
supposititious case, say so.
3. The tendency of any act to evil
makes that act for the Christian sinful.
(See Shorter Catechism, question 6gO
The moderate drinking of whiskey at
home might not be in itself sinful. But
suppose a minister should, in the exercise
of his imagined liberty, take his moderate
drinks at public bar, who would denv
that his moderate drinking thus circum-
stanced is per Sc sinful? The accessories
Of place and publicity have operated to
transmute the character of his act. from
a thing Indifferent, into that which is pey
Sc sinful. Why? Simply because these
circumstances have invested the act with
tendency to evil. The moderate drink
ing under these circumstances may not.
as a matter of fact, injure single soul,
but it is sin and forbidden because it
tended thereunto. Moderate drinking
in private and moderate drinking at a
public bar, are physically and mechani-
cally the same act, but in respect to moral
character they are as far apart as the
poles. IF the whole tendency then of the
ordinary dance is evil, then this dance is
per Sc sinful. 1t is no answer to respond
that the evil tendency is due to the will
full Perversity of those damaged. We
must remember that the present state is
complex, and that one Of the constituents
of this complex state is total depravity.
The Christian is bound to recognize this
element, and the presence Of it makes
him IN an important sense, his brothers
keeper, and clothes him with tremend-
Gus responsibility in respect to the con
duct and destiny of his fellow creatures.
and gives fearful import to the precept'
7" Walk in wisdom toward them that are