The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-11-13

their way of living is innocent l
know mothers who encourage their
children in dancing and neither pa
rent or child processes to have evil
dence Of acceptance with God! Yet
claim to be Methodists, and insist
on the harmlessneSs of this worldly
conduct. PromiscuOus dsncing is
an unclean and soul destroying
folly. Hear the verdict of our
venerable Bishop. Yours truly
G. w. HORN
From Sermons by Southern Meth. Preschers.
Having stated the principals of
the text, and the distinctive feat
ures of those who are condemned
by them, / propose to make an ap-
plication of all to a single popular
amusement.
/ select dancing as the most com
mon, most popular, the least defen-
sible, and in some respects the
most demoralizing. In the cities
other expressions of the worldly
spirit occur aud abound. They are
in the same condemnation. Dane
ing is common to town and coun-
try. The evil is ubiquitous, pre-
vading all places and all grades of
society. 1t identifies itself as an
evil by its effects on MIND, character
and social life. Whatever its form,
from the reel to the waltz, round or
square, private or public, my obser-
vation is that in spirit, tendency
and result, it is inimical to every
element of genuine religion. 1t is
death to spiritual life. 1t is an intru-
der upon the sanctity of the church.
A dancing community is not religi-
ous-will not be, cannot be. Bishop
McIlvance uttered great truth
when asked by a lady, els 1t any
harm for christian to dance" re-
piled, ga christian never wants to
dance" He or she has no heart for
it. It is forbidden thing, ,unbecom
ing, incongruous, out Of character.
The desire for it is proof either that
we Enever were renewed in the
spirit of our minds" or that we
have forfeited the grace of God and
are backslidden. To patronize it,
to defend it, to advocate it, is to
take sides with the world against
Christ. Nobody ever knew a very
religious person to engage ia it.
The feaE and love of God, life of
prayer and holy communion, the
Joy of the Holy Spirit, rule out this
vanity
1 confess L have no patience with
it, no federation of it. / think it is
the sillIest, the most nonsensical
amusement that rational beings,
so called, ever engaged in. 1t is
heathenish in its origin a pastime
of savages-is a part of idolatro us
worship-lewd, sensual, obscene.
This is its history. 1t appeals TO
the lowest instints Of humanity and
is the chosen sport of the vilest and
most imbruted of our race. The
slum of society every where revel
in it. RoWdies and prostitutes
these are its patrons. 1t is vile in
its origin, yet worse in its associa-
tions, and worst OF all in its analy-
sis. 1t has been refined, polished 1
grant, but it cannot be dignified nor
elevated. The venom Of the ser
pent is in it. The taint of its birth,
the virus of its constitution, is inc
radicable. 1t is evil, only evil, and
that continually.
No one claims for it q place
among the agencies for promoting
piety. No one has ever been made
better by it. 1t is not so designed
or expected. 1t is a carnal enjoy
ment, simple and incorporated.
The public estimate of the moral
character of church members who
indulge in it is lowered. Take any
man noted for his piety, any sanity
woman, introduce them on the
dancing floor, and let them "trip the
Hight fantastic toe"-the sight
would be shock even to the bad.
Everybody would feel there had
been a fall, a sad eclipse Of consis-
tency, a disgraceful betrayal of the
church and Christianity. For some
pc ople to do this would excite no
surprise-nothing better was expec.
ted of them but for those of real
christian reputation to mingle in
these follies would be, not only in
the church, but among decent sin
ners, a cause Of sorrow regret and
shame. The Well-nigh universal
feeling would be that religion has
been discounted, and the world
damaged by the church.
There is nothing intellectual
about il TO redeem it. A dog, an
elephant, a monkey, can learn IL.
The fact is, take away the glamour
OF fashion and the countenance
which men and women Of culture
give it, the whole thing would be
contemplate and would fall into
desuetude IN all respectable society.
II is humiliating that our weddings,
dinners, suppers, picnics, leyees, en-
tertainments for friends and visi-
tors, are all degraded by this pagan,
idoIatrous, barbarian pastime. Ibis
q reflection upon the Intelligence Of
cur friends, as If they could not be
interested without this childish ac-
compartment; and upon our own, as
II We cculd not be polite and enter