Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-06-23
From the BaptiSt Courier.
Nav a Member ola Baptist Church
Engage in the 1Ioderl Dance'
No. 4.

NVs ~
10 this question /: answer no, most
emphatiealIy No-at no time, M
der no circumstances should they
thus act. Bnt why?
Because The rules OF the church
forbid it. haze been connected, as
memrer OF pastor, with quite NUM-
ber Of churches, ard [ don't remem-
ber one that did not have some law
condemning the practice Of dancing;
and ! know Of Init one Baptist church
that recognizes dancing as pernassl'
bic, even under certain conditions,
and cu account OF that permission
tha1 church lost the best pastor taat
it ever had, ana is now, to nse the
words oi one Of the most capable
ministers, VINO knows it and knows
OF it, "hodge,p2age' with no discl.
pline whatever. When the standard
was lowered to allow of da@clns un-
der certain restrictions, in walked
swearing. drinking, back biting, duel
ing and what not.
Ths ore,t conceusus of Christians,
not only Bapiists, but Pres0yterians
and Methodists, condemn the modern
dance. This Is something; to me 1t
would be great deal, if I were Dis
posed to engage in this amusement.
Iy beloved brother or Siser, is II d
small thing to run counter to the
wisdom and piety OF the majority OF
your brethren and sisters? The ma
ioritv must he sgainst>it or the rule
could not scand. In questions. where
conscience is not involved, is it not
unwise to set mp ones Judgment
against the great body OF ones
church
But Why have Christian churches
forbidden dancing? They think that
they have the authority of Gods
word to sustain them. To such scrip
lures as these would they refer you
Avoid the very appearance Of evil.
A. least il al pearance dancing Is
wrong, j. e., when the young lady al
.ows ;heembrace ofthe young man q
in "The German.
"se! yonr affections on things
,bove, lot on things on the earth;
for We are dead-dead to The world,
and your life is mid with Christ IN
God" What heavenly influences are
there 10 be found in the ballroom?
Do not such amusements tend rather
10 make one more worldly and gay
and .flvolous:: Is noT zoe SAT oi
-.;r-ce-w4liiing il tie b.. soom
And whatsoever We 30, do all to
the glory oI God !" but Geo is not
spoken oi, nor thought of-mnch
less glvriGed al modern dance.
That which tends rot to the glory
OF God i. unaecoMing ~ the church
member.
"Ye are not your own; yc are
bought with :. price. GIorify Cod
therefore, in your body. This you
may DO in buying, selling. glowing
teaching. reading, marrying, eating,
but can he, does he 10 it in dancing?
Who will claim that he does:
"And have no fellowship with she
uafruitfal works OF darkness, but
rather reprove them" We think
that this general interdict Of the
apostle includes dancing. Letus see.
Q) Dancing is pre- eminently an
amusement of the world. The world
c'aimsit, and no one disputes their
claim. J. is as mach the property OF
the nns.nct;ied world as is horse.
racing, thea5re,goin and circus going.
Dancing is not and has not bsen an'
der the protection orpatronage Of the
c clurch. No church is wiling to car
ry it: even the Roman Catholic Church
is most severe against the "round
dance Neither Christ, nor the apos.
ties, nor early Christians gave it any
S slnction. 1t must he of the world
or church one; 1t as Of tho 1corla.
Then, brother, sister, "have no fel-
.owship with it.
~ The men and women who adj
vocate and sustain dancing are the
people she Lel.nd horse IA, ing, cail,
playing, theatre going, "men and wo-
nj IN of the world" who make no pre-
t.nce to piety. Dancing is IAN un-
fruitful work Of darkness" If not,
where are its fruits of light, religion.
grace ? If it has good fruits, let its
friends snow them to lis. With those
church. members who practice and
defend dancings the onus p2o6a9di
rests OF proving that it is not IAN
unfruitfuI work Of darkness, that
tae great majority Of the Christian
world are wrong and that they ars
right.
.-~-a,..-.-
Doe Of the most sensible remarks
yet made upon the revised New Tes-
4,.. :; ~, C,,,n, po, Ganr.-o Dana