The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-03
Dancing and the Presbytcrians.

Dancing and the Presbytcrians.
1t seems that 1t will have to be decided
positively whether Presbytcrians can dance
without breaking tho law Of their Church.
The great Emlenton case is to be again car
ried to the General Assembly, which will
hardly be able for second time to avoid the
duty OF expressing an opinion in regard to it.
Tho Emlenton case is the case OF Mr..
HEBER DONALDSON. He is a lawyer Of Oil
City In Pennsylvania, and a Presbyterian.
During the winter OF 1881 he danced on two
occasions. For so doing he was summoned
before the church Session, as an offender
against Presbyterian discipline, was found
guilty, and was sentenced to excommunica-
ton until he manifested repentance for his
light conduct. But Mr.. DONALDSON refused
to repent. He contcnded that he had done
nothing wrong, nothing moro than many
other Presbyterians had done with impunity.
That he had danced, however, there was no
dispute. He did not himself deny the charge.
II 1t is contrary to Presbyterian rule to dance,
he was justly sentenced by the Session. But
he appealed to the Prcsbytery on the ground
that he had violated no sufficiently defined
rule. The Presbytery, however, voted to
sustain the church. Dancing, 1t decided, was
| an amusement in which Presbyterian is
forbidden to take part. He carried the case
to the Synod, which reached the same con-
| clusion. Finally, he took it to the court of
last resort, the General Assembly, but that
great body lodged the issue. II sent the case
back to the Session for n now trial, though
the facts were not disputed, and had been
proved beyond doubt. The General Assem-
| bly, had prcteXt, however, for its action, in
| that no written testimony was presented at
the original trial.
| The Emlenton Session have therefore tried
| Brother DONALDSON anew this week, and
have come to the same conclusion as before.
He has accordingly again appealed from its
verdict, and his case Is pretty sure TO be
passed IN to the next GeneralAssembly. That
Is just what we said would happen when the
Assembly higgled over it last spring, and
very manifestly tried to escape the responsi-
bility OF committing itself in regard to dane
ing. The facts are admitted. Brother DON
ALDsoNs Session say that because of them
he is unfit for the communion, having vio-
lated the law Of the Church. Now the Gen
eral Assembly must say whether there is or
Is not law against dancing.
1t will be cowardly for it to try to again
escape from deciding the issue. 1t will, more
over he unjust to Mr. DONALDSON to leave
the Presbyterian rule on the subject unset
tied 1t will be unj ust to the great mass OF
Presbyterians also, for their consciences
ought to be clear as to this matter Many Of
them now dance, thinking the amusement
harmless and unforbidden. Many others alb
stain from 1t because they suppose the law Of
the Church Is against it as Of immoral ten
dency, as pastime unbeftting Christian,
worldly, frivolous carnnl, and spiritually
damaging to the dancer.
1t must be remembered, moreover, that the
form OF dancing in which Mr.. DONALDSON
INDUCED was the most innocent. He danced
in public hall, it is true, but only with n lit
tie party OF his acquaintance, very reputable
people, and the dance was quadrillc merely
The occasion could not have been n very
festive one. The party broke up early. There
was no wine; no refreshments whatever, In
fact were served. The music was not intoXi.
eating. III Mr.. DONALDSON had waltzed
1 danced the galop, the racket, or the german
and refreshed himself with champagne al
) supper time, whether at private or a pub
, lie ball. the case would have been different
= But all he did was to walk through a few
! stiff quadrlles, quenching his thirst, whcr
necessary, with ice water only. If to do that is
1 to offend Presbyterian law, how hcinous mus
3 be the offence of those Presbyterians who
5 have been dancing all sorts OF round dances
s at watering places the summer through!
4 Even If it does no more the General As
$ scmbly might draw the line between tn,
. square dance and the round dance OF late
, years even people who are not of Puritan
n severity, have criticised the whirling dances
as they are now commonly practiScd. Blu
i young men and young women who are font
i OF dancing, whether they be Presbyterian
4 or not, look on the square dances as too
r slow, too llavorlcss. They want the others
= and if either must 90 they would vote to dis
o pcnsc with the quadrillcs. 1t is doubtful
y whether many of them would not even pre-
= fer to leave the Presbyterian communion
y rather than be made wall flowers Of a
o dancing parties.
II Many OF the Catholic priests are bittcrl
opposed to these round dances Bishop
4, have Illuminated against them, and paris
= priests warn their ocks against them. Bu
70 they go on very much the same. Indeed, tn
j. dances grow rather more Objectionable
$. they are Objectionable at all. The manner c
" dancing them is much more open to critlcisi
n, than it was twenty or thirty years ago, an
L. that is probably why the opposition of II
y, priests has been SO frequently aroused.