Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-03-20
For the Democrat.
THE MODERN DANCE.

Mr.. Collins, pastor of the NJ. L. Church,
Fryeburg, delivered a lecture on this sub
ject, giving the history and influence Of
'The Modern Dance" We give a few
of his quotations of public opinion.
Gail Hamilton said, the thing in It's
very nature is unclean, and cannot be
washed. The very pose of the parties sug-
gest impurity.'
Roman Catholic Archbishop Spaulding
said, 'the confessional revealed the fact
that nineteen women out Of every twenty,
who had fallen from virtue, dated the first
step in their downward career to dancing
parties.
An outside paper, Syracuse Journal,
says, there is something for preachers,
church members and parents who encour-
age dancing. The Chiefof Police in New
York says that three-fourths Of the aban-
doued girls 10 that city, were ruined by
dancing How wnuld this do Tor an Illus
tration of the harmlessness of the prac-
tice?'
a writer has recently said, at is fact
that cannot be denied, in fashionable So
clety, the dance occasions large percent
age of the divorce cases that occur, per-
haps larger than any other one social In
fuence."
The dancing hall Is the nursery of the
divorce court, the training ship OF prosti.
tuition, the graduating school of infamy."
A dancing professor felt 1t his duty TO
try to win many associates 10 Christ.
Co" said he, IL long To see you q
Christian: do come to Jesus, won't you!'
"For what" was the blunt rcjoinder.
t.Why for salvation, don't you want 10
be saved?'
Eyes, do; but what particular sins do
YOU want me 10 be saved from!'
.swhy we are all sinners, you know"
Eyes, know; but do not cheat, steal,
lie, swear, nor use tobacco. What lack |
yet?"
"Do you pray
"No; do your"
Yes" said the "Name 10 Live" pray
for your
"For me when I'd like 20 know: Mon
day night you were at the dance; Tuesday
night met you at the ball, and we didn't
get home, YOU know, until four O'Clock In
the morning; Wednesday night saw you
al the Sociable, and like the rest OF Us, You
carried on like sixty; Thursday night |
don't know where you We're; but If cards
could testify, they would tell what YOU
were up 10. until nearly two o'clock Fri
day night; and for the life of me ! can't
what time you've had for prayer this week,
or when You could have felt like II. ..
forget. Your Church holds prayer
iug every Thursday evening, does II not:
Yes"
"Aud was that where you were last
Thursday nightI'
Yes. certainly
"Did YOU pray for me there;'
Il tried 10, WAS the faint response.
well, don't want 10 hurt your feel
ngs, but for coscience' sake don't do that
again. Ifyou pray for anybody, pray for
Yourself You claimed when you were
converted. to have had more happiness In
one hour than YOU had In your whole life
before. aud II that had been true | should
have been q christian long before now; but
as far Is can see, you seek happiness
lust where do-in the world; and II II is
right for YOU, II can't be wrong for me.
MCDoNALD.
Here Is what a purely secular paper,
the Nclr York Journal y Education, says
about dancing a great deal can be said
about dancing, for instance, the Chief OF
Police OF New York City says that three
fourths of the abandoned girls in this city
were ruined by dancing. II requires
neither brains nor good morals to be q
good dancer As the love OF the one iu-
creaSes the love Of the other decreases.
How many OF the best men and women
are skllml dancers: In ancient times the
sexes danced separately. Alcohol Is the
spirit of beverages. SO sex Is the spirit
OF the dance. Take II away, and let the
sexes dance separately, and dancing would
90 out of fashion very soon. Parlor dane
ing is dangerous. Tipping leads to
drunkenness, and parlor dancing leads q
ungodly balls Tipping and parlor dane
ing SOW TO the wind, and both reap the
whirwiud. Put dancing in the crucihle,
apply the acids. weigh II, and the verdict
OF reason, morality, and religion l.,
Weighed in balance and found wanting