The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-03
To the Young folks VINO wear
Their B~ed-cIothes 10 the
Ball.

Rev. DR.. A. Toomer Porter. "ho
came to Raleigh. riding D a ekass
cart twenty years ago, ana struck Mal-
Rufus fuckers dinner table just about
the hour Fitzpatrick was burning the
fences at Mrs. Lawrence Hintou's, has
been raising old Harry in Charleston by
the very Highest 81 High Church tax
He : an E~p.,copalianl a. 'ollows:-
..Thi. j, as good a tiu!c a, any q sah
tbat the present condition u our young
people is alarming. ask you, Christian
parents. If the tamtly, the fountain o.
lite and the bulwark OF the Church OF
Society, is not 10 an unsatisfactory con-
dItion: Is there not great re~atlFeness
under parental authority: Is the wish
of the mother the Law OF the many dau1h
Ter. and sons: Do you find If you thwaTt
the wishes of the children, that quiet
submission is at once accorded Are You
argued with: Are you not regard
ed as harsh. as peculiar, as old-tlme IN
YOUR notions: Do younot find the pres
sure from without 50 strong that you
sometimes give way rather than make
your children singular, or unpopular or
out of Society"
BEG you to look at the behavior OF
many young people in the streets the
rather loud manners OF the streets the
bo.dness Of the intercourse W. the
sexes the demonstrativeness ia the
cars the very shocking behavior some
times in the church of God not coniln-
ed to bows and Youths | am not the
only observer. | hear a great many
people talking of these things. Their
nrfyate position does not call attention
to where we are drifting. Mine does.
and | fear God more than men,and there
fore will | speak. Are not our young
people growing toe fast: Are they not
being exposed to very many lncalcuia-
BILE evils Are we not tolerating, with
out remonstrance, the introduction INTO
our best circles OF a style OF dress al
evening entertainments which cannot
be called modest? Are we not letting
our Young daughters go out from balls
and parties walking through the streets
at late hours alone with youths: On,
are we not letting the bloom OF lnno-
cence, purity and modesty be rubbed
OIL, for fear of being thought prudlsh and
old-time in our notions-a bloom which
once lost can never be rcgained:
[ am perfectly aware that will not be
agreed with in that which | am about to
say. remember very well when in a prl-
vate house in this city the modern round
dance not one-tenth as Objectionable
as now was first introduced. 1t was
a shock. 1t took some time to tamlllarlZe
our society with it. But now every
other dance IS too tame and stupid.
| have even heard ii said young ladies
would not attend Il party unless they
] were to have the round dance. And
have seen with my own eyes such eA-
hibitions on the floor that my spirit has
been fired with indignation. | do not
say that | believe dancing Is a sln q
graceful dance, the poetry OF movement
stirred by music, IS beautiful and lnno-
cent; but | defy any one to find poetry
or grace or elegance III the bolsteroue
rush of the modern round dance, the
heated, flushed faces of men and Wo-
men in this mOnstrouS craze or modern
society.
Some may say you might as well tIy tc
stem Niagara. 1t the christian mothers
of this city would say this shall be abol'
ished, round dancing would vanish quick
er than it came. | believe as firmly as
live that the decentralization Of the day,
which is an open secret freely discussed
has its origin in this pernicious amuse
ment. | was:very glad to fud in a recent
conversation with that scholarly aud EN-
inent divine, DIR. Junkin, that he agrees
with my vi VS. entirely. | DO not know
ID Christian minister or a Christian man
or woman who has made any attainment
in the Christian life who does not con
denim and abhor it. We have got I,
rise and assert ourselves. There is how
ever, enough left in truth to make itselI
felt. | acknowledge that | have beer
weak enough to permit the i1troductloI
of this dance where | had control, but
have lone 50 for the last time. Christian
parents every one of you, let the com
mand 20 out from your fresides: Tn:
thing is done, your daughters shall no.
dance the round dance, and YOU have
cut out one of the main oots producing
the evils. you deplore. You canno'
trim and cut off this and that and leave
the demoralizing Influence at work
And you do not deprive your daughters
of real good. The generation whici
knew no round dance had as happy 9
time, yes, happier, because purer, thal
any who have INDUCED in 1t. Said q
prominent physician to me III my study
one week ago-a man who is not a con
municant of the Church: II charge the
pulpit with derellctlOn Of its duty.
speak as a physician and [ speak that
which | EROtc, that the round dance is q
physical, moral and mental evil unmiti-
gated; that to it directly may be traced
physical and moral evils that have beer
irr~cmediable."
My words will fall ur needed on many
ears. but they will accomplish thai
whereunto they are sent. God knows
it is for love to tie people. love to the
young, love for society, love for the
Church, love to God. love for the deal
blessed Lord, who came down to The
Virgins womb and went up to Gethse-
name and Calvary and the Tomb in The
Garden IN our behalf, that | speak these
plain things to you. could uarrate tC
you Incident after ihcident, painful. dis.
! tressing, shocking; but | have no pur
pose to expose to public gazr our shame
r tit a hrd Of the things that hive beer
commonly spoken about Were printed
i. we would all implore that the type be
broken up.
| think a great deal has been done
thoughtlessly = unintentionally to dc
wrong; but the sober second thought
the Christian reflection of tn" truly pi-
Gus people of our city will ere long jus
tify me in thus plainly pointing on
some of the evils to which we are ex
posed.