The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-11-15

SeXSWe SQOulQ De 1OcllQeQ 10 say CQaL
dancing partakes of the feminine gender.
Men tire of it much sooner than women
and multitndes come at length to feel,
like the Chinaman who, on seeing q
company of perspiring dancers, innocent
tly asked how much they were paid for
the work.
WoAfAN's love FOR DANCING.
"''Whoever saw two men Waiting to-.
gether in the parlors of a summer hotel :?
But have seen young women dancing
together BY the hour, for the mere love
oft, dancing where there we're no men
to dance with them, and when there was
scarcely q soul to look on and admire.
And there is manifest reason for, this.
Man is q rough, burly creature, who
takes his delights in ruder sports. He
takes more interest in q horse race than
quadrille. He would rather steer 8
boat through strong sea than guide his
partner over polished floor. He may
be won by pair of beseechipg eyes or
ruby lips to join in the dance, but after
all he regards it as efeminate, and does
. it to please the ladies. This is the way
most men feel about dancing. It is
otherwise With the women. In their
Judgment dancing is delectable, and
Increasingly delectable in proportions to
the interest taken in it by the men. The
grace and poetry of motion appeal to
their finer sensibilities; they are more
deeply stirred by strains of music, and
ere inspired to convert rhythmical sounds
into rhythmical action. The very fine.
ness of their sympathy leads them to
dance.
DANCING AS a JOYFUL EXPRESSION.
"Our text introduces us to an ancient
Jewish household, wherein is much hill.
arity. Strains of music greet our ears,
and as We look in up ID the festive throng
We notice mirthful dancers fitting hither
and thither. It is indeed a beautiful
home. like picture which our Savior gives
of the prodfgal's return. The good
spirits of the family we're such as to com.
pei bodily manifestation, End this /
regard as the origin. of all dancing the
world over. There is a psychological
basis for this amusement, it is the natural
outflow of q happy, exhilarated state Of
mind. It is, in its inception, the limo
cent expression of mirth. You watch a
company of careless, happy children
going home from school, and you will
notice that instead of walking they go
skipping along. It's really form of
dance. It's the physical sign of mental
freedom and innocence. Every organ
grinder gathers the children, who keep
time in 8 highly original style of dance.
The colored race is equally noted for
their love of dancing.
Look where you will in this world
and you will find dancing of some sort.
The word in Hebrew for dance means
leap for Joy The lame man who was
cured in the temple began to dance and
praise the Lord, and he had good reason
to, for it was the first time in forty years
that be had had the use of his legs"
INNOCENT DANCING NO SIN.
The speaker touched upon the germ
of his discourse by asking: "Is it right
to dance 2"
aScripture says, Let the children of
Zion be joyfnlin their king, let them
praise his name in the dance.' Therefore
If your dancing is such that you can
glorify God in its performance then
dance. But if it tends to scandalize the
Lord you should give it up. If you
con6ne your dancing to respectable per-
sons, respectable places and respectable
methods, and maintain your self respect
and purity of heart, then I can see no
objection. It is the abuses of dancing
which isthe danger, and there is a mighty
divergence of opinion on the question.
Some say all dancing is sin, they dispose
oft by one bold stroke. They divide
the community into two ciasses-one is
walking toward heaven, the other is
Waiting into hell, but they are in the
minority. In this age such heroic treat.
ment will not work.
'sThere is a great and growing class
of Christians who regard such questions
in the light of common sense and acknowl-
edge that dancing In itself is not wicked
any more than riding or driving. The
Church cannot lay down laws on the
subject. It is time the barrier was taken
down. In Congregational and Presbyte.
rian churches it has been pulled out of
the way long ago and it is growing
smaller in the Methodist and Baptist
church. If we excommunicated those
who dance we would lose the larger part
of our congregations.
WHEN AND HOW TO DANCE.
"True religion has no objection of your
having good time in the world. The
question is, Where shall we dance, when
shall we dance and how shall we dancer"
Thespeaker thought that people should
go home early and not spend an entire
night at bail. Two hours for the pur.
pose is enough. To many it is dance
of death, for they expose themselves to
draughts in light clothing Then there
isa proper way 20 dance. A man shou' d
not clasp woman in his arms. Simply
guide her. Shameless and conspicuous
hugging was di-gracelul Men who have
danced all,their lives, alter marriage will
not allow their wives to dance at all,
because Of the embraces permitted The
speaker described the manner and method
of fashionable dancing. He claimed
that the liberties allowed constitute one
of the causes of vice and crime. The
chief of the New York police had stated