Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-20
REcREATIONs.
Does Dancing Occupy Too Much
Place in Modern Soeietl2
DEADLY MIDNIGHT DlssIPATIoNs.
when Herod's Birthday Was Kept, the
Daughter of HerOdias Danced Be-
fore Them and Pleased Herod."
DANCING IN MODERATION VS.. EXCESS
Special % Me Register.

BRooKLYS, N. Y, April l9.-Dr. TAI
mage is now preaching at the Brooklyn
Tabernacle brief series OF Sabbath morn
ing sermons on "Recreations, Good and
Bad" His subject this morning was "Does
dancing occupy too much place in modern
society," He expounded the third chapter
Of Eccleaastics, setting forth that there is a
time to weep and time TO laugh, and that
q smile may be as sacred as tear. The
opening hymn was:
"He leadeth me! oh. blessed thought!
| Words with heavenly comfort fraught."
The text of the sermon was from Mat
thew xiv-6: When Herods birthday was
kept the daughter OF Herodias danced be-
fore them and pleased Herod." Following
is the sermon in full:
1t is the anniversary of Herod's birthday.
| The palace is lighted. The highways lead
ing thereto are ablaze with the pomp OF IN
viied guests. Lords, captains, merchant
princes and the mightiest men of the realm
are on the way to ming in
The Festivities.
The tables are fitted with all the Injuries
that the royal purveyors can gather-splced
wines aud fruits and rare meats. The
guests, white robed, anointed and psrtumed
take their places. Music! The jests evoke
roars of laughter. Riddles are propounded.
Repartees INDUCED. Toasts drunk. The
brain befogged Wit gives place to uproar
and blasp6emy. And yet they are not sat
isfed. Turn on more light, Give US more
music. Sound the trumpet. Clear the
floor for the dance. Bring in Salome, the
graceful and accomplished princess.
The doors are opened and in bounds the
dancer. Stand back AID give plenty Of
room for the gyratons. The lords are en-.
cbanted. They never saw such poetry Of
notion. Their souls whirl in the reel and
bound with the bounding feet. Herod for
gets crown and housekeeping but the
iasc nations Of Salore. The magnifcence
OF his realm is as nothing compared with
that which now whirls bef3re him on tptoe.
His heart is in transport with Salome as
her arms are now tossed in the air and now
placed akimbo He swsys with every mo
ZION of the enchantress. He thrills with
the quick pulsstions of her feet and is
bewitched with the posturing and
attitudes that he never saw before
in moment exchanged for others just as
amazing. He sits in silence before the
whirling, bounding, leaping, flashing wonder.
And when the dance stops and the tinkling
cymbals pause, and the long, loud plaudlts
that shook the palace with their thunders
had abated the entranced monarch swears
unto the princely performer: Whatsoever
thou shalt ask ofme will give it to thee, to
the halt of my kingdom"
Now there was in prison minister by the
name OF
John the Baptist,
who bad made much trouble by his honest
preaching. he had denounced the sins OF
the king and brought down upon himself the
wrath Of the females in the royal family. At
the instigation of her mother, Salome takes
advantage Of the king s extravagant promise
and demands the head Of John the Baptist
on a dinner-plate. There is sound OF
heavy feet and the clatter Of swords outside
of the palace. Swing back the door the
executiorers are returning from their awful
erraud. They hand platter to Salome
What is on that platter? A new tsnkard
of wine to replenish the mirth of the lord?
No 1t is redder than wine and costler.
1t is the ghastly, bleeding head Of John the
Bsptis: Its locks dabbled in gore. Its
EYES set in the death stare The distress of
the last agony in the features. |
That fascinating form that |
just now swayed 80 gracefully in the dance,
bends over the horrid burden without
shudder. She gloats over the blood; and |
Just as the maid Of your household goes,
bearing out on try the empty glasses OF
the evening entertainment so she carrie
out on platter the discovered head OF that |
good man. while all the banqueters shouted |
and thought it grand joke that in such
brief and easy way they had freed them
selves from such plain spoken trouble
some minister. What could be more limo.
cent than birthday festival? All that
kings from the time of Pharaoh had cele-
brated such days; and that the cymbals
should clap and that the royal guests
should go TO a banquet; but before the
rioting and wsssail that closed the scene OF
that day every pure nature revolts.
am not going at this time 10 discuss the
old question, Is dancing right or wrongH
but
Does Dancing Occupy too Much Place in
Modern Society?
and in my remarks hope to carry with me
the affections of all thoughtful people
Whatever you may think Of the amusement
you must admit that from some circles it
has crowded out all opportunity for intsllec-
tusl conversation and made the condition
of those who do not dance, either because
they do not know how or are not in suffi.
cient health to endure it. or because they !
must coGscientiously decline, very uncom- |
Portable You must admit also that with |
many it has ceased to be recreation, and
become a dissipation. With many it has
become such an over-fatigue that you can
understand the bewilderment Of an edu- |
Gated Chinsmsn who, standing in bril-. |
ant house where for many hours the |
dance has been going on, asked the wealthy |
proprietor: Why do you not let your ser
wants do that for your furthermore, it |
will be admitted by all reasonable people |
that whatever they may think Of the old |
fashioned square dance aud many of the |
professional romps, in which can see no |
evil,
The Round Dance is Administrative of
Harm,
and deserves to be hurled out Of respect.
sble circles. / su BY natural temperance
and religious theory utterly opposed to the
position Of those who are horrihed at every
demonstration Of mirth and playfulness in
social ffe, and who seem to think that every
thing, decent and immoral depends upon
the style in which people carry their feet
On the other hand / can see nothing bat
ruin, moral and physical, in the dissipatioas
of the ball room, which have despoiled
thousands Of yourg men and women Of all
that gives dignity to character or usefulness
to Efe.
Harmless Dancing.
/ am not ready to e1eommunicats al
those who lift their feet beyond certain