Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-23
that be known by anyone, then for that one f1 a71Oaoa iy. if ia sinfuI

that be known by anyone, then for that one to engage in it is sinful.
 The real important question then IS one of fact. Do dancing and card playing in hu- man society have an inherent evil tendency i? It is not simply whether they can be abused, but whether their nature and tendency are such that if indulged in they will do harm to the highest welfare of men to the salvation of souls. The results should be measured, not by the narrow boundary of this life, but also by that of the future state.
 Now for the facts. If there is so much gain, as many claim, in the great modern in- crease of dancing and card playing then the advantage ought in a marked degree to show itself. For the late increase of those amuse-. ments is enough to produce great improve mepts. Behold See the benefits How much more people attend church than they used to How much better they keep the Sabbath How the people, young and old, flock to the church communions, and the Christian sacraments Why did we not dis cover the possibility of this great advantage long ago?
 An we forget We are not now to reason from the theory, and make the facts with pen and ink. No; we are to drop theory, and look at tho cold, staring reality. Well, the truth is that for three years past there has been steady and large decrease. in the ad- mission of members to our churches on pro- fession of faith, as compared with the years before dancing and card playing became so prevalent. A result just the opposite of what the theory calls for.
 Look at it from another direction What do those men say about it who have been most successful in winning souls to Christ Ask pastors most successful in this, or evangelists, such men as Messrs. Moody and Pentecost. They tell us most emphatic ally that these amusements stand right in the way of revivals of religion, or of winning souls. Even many Episcopal rectors and bishops, who expect spiritual harvests in Lenten time, have given strong testimony against both dancing and card playing. In revivals themselves, what has been the testi- mony? Many inquirers have found that such amusements were obstacles to their conver- sion. With not a word said about those amusements from the pulpit, many converts of their own accord have witnessed against them The late Chancellor Thacher of Iowa, known to many in New Haven, had this ex- perience with church in tAe West. Re- peatedly there were signs and beginnings of
 revival. But just then influential people | would appoint a dancing party, and that each time destroyed all, or nearly all, his good hopes. He at last on that account be- came discouraged in his labors there, an re- signed his charge; and the Lord soon pro- noted him.
 On the scale of morals alone, these amuse- ments are of evil tendency. In a western city lives Universalist, though not church member, who each winter has about one I hundred men engaged under him in the pineries, and in the spring and summer has those men along the streams, driving the 1 pine logs to the mills below. He lately tes- l tified that he could not and would not allow those men when in companies at night time to play cards His reason was that they were so likely and so certain with that game to get to gambling and quarreling. And he added: "If you people here in the city would not play cards, my mea would not so wish to play. You make it fashionable and popu- lar."
 Two inherent reasons stand against card playing. One, there is tendency in the game to the use of deceit. One wishes his oppen- ent not to know what cards he has and many are tempted to deceive about 1t. Here is 8 farmer, an old card player, who says that is so and yonder is college professor who says the same. So many others The other inherent evil is the tendency to gambling. One proof of this is that so many commence gambling with cards, and another is that so many professional gamblers find the game so well suits their evil purposes.
 Two inherent reasons also stand against dancing. One is the tendency to frivolity kind of frivolity which is inimical to study, and due sobriety for the interests of this world and the next. The other reason is the tendency to impurity. Many may not feel it. Circumstances and place may make it possible. Enough that tens of thousands have confessed to the contrary. The dances in general admits of intimacies otherwise not allowable. Guard and protect it as much as you may such, is the fact. The dance is an i. evil 1eE loose in society. It may not assault everyone; 1t will and does assault some.
 ANOTHER ''CeNGREGATIoNAL PAsTeR."