St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-30
SHOULD We DANCE ?
And Is II Just the Thing to Watch
Camille Die?
A SUMMIT AVENUE VIEW.
The Seductive Waltz and the Ere nch
Play Held to Be Harmful
to Mankind.

L was asked my opinion IN regard 10
attending theaters, but | declined to be
interviewed, promising at some future
period to give my views in commune
cation to the GLOBE; and now, with
your kind permission, will enlghten
the world with a woman'S views upon
the subject. There are many plays in
my judgment harmless in themselves.
Take, for instance, the plays OF Shake
speare, or of Bacon, as Mr.. Donnelly
would say. If presented on the stage
as written, no one could object, as none
of them have demoralizing tendency:
but to meet the demands of certain
class, there is injected between the
acts, somethnE to shock the
moral sensibilities of refined peo-
pie. do not believe that
ballet dancer, whose garments are de-
cOllete at both ends, is calculated to
raise the standard of modeSty and mo-
rality of this or any other community;
and there is always introduced i'll these
plays, to fill up what would otherwise
be gap. something to detract from the
play and to leave an unpleasant MEM
DRY Of an evening passed in theater.
After the main play is over then comes
the farce. made as broad and vulgar as
possible, in order TO entertain the low
and debased. In all my life | never at
tended ID theatrical performance and
felt that was morally elevated and
better fitted to discharge my duty to my
God; OH the contrary | have felt that |
have lowered myself i'll my own, as
well as in the estimation of my
friends. Remembering that everyone
however humble. has some influence
for good or evil. in every community,
long time since decided that | would
not be a stumbling block in the way Of
any poor soul by being seen in fronG of
the footlightS, and have abSented my
self from all sucn amusements. There
is one play which seems to draw well.
1t is Camille" Now. who would de-
sire to have her young, innocent daugh-
ter witness such play? Can one han
die pitch without defilement? Can one
look at this play and not be lowered in
the scale of virtue and morality? The
fact is, we are retrograding. Vice and
immortality are spreading, and religion
is placed in the BACKGROUND.
| suppose my views are well known,
but the occasion is oprortune to speak
of another kindred subject. Should
Christians dance and teach their chill
dren to do so? Some will say it is an
innocent amusement which enables our
young people to pass pleasant evenings
with their friends. Let me say that the
same time consumed in the education of
the feet. if applied TO the Improvement
of the intellect, would enable our young
people to entertain their friends in
manner much more eleyating and en-
nohling.
Protesting Christians not only 90 to
the theater, but dancing parties; and so
general has this custom become that it
is difhcult to tell who are the followers
of the Lord, unless we are in the habit
of attending the various churches on
communion SabbathS. On other occa-
sions, Christians and strangers to the
commonwealth of Israel are so init
mately associated together that the
saints cannot be distinguished from the
sinners. In social circles they seem to
be as fond of worldly amusementS as
other people. They are as enthusiastic
in dancing, and appear to derive as
much solid enjoyment from partlcipa-
ton in that kind of nonsense as the con-
firmed man or woman of the world.
Christian women and young girls
often appear to be as fond of
the pleasurable excitement as if they
had ever experienced ''clange of
heart" In Lental seasons there is some
relaxation, yet the sacred season is of
spiritual refreshing" to only limited
few. Has the devil joined the church.
or has the church sworn allegiance to
his Satanic majesty? These are ques-
tionS of vital importance, and we should
answer them carefully and prayerfully.
Have we not wandered away from the
teachings OF our parents and entered
upon the pleasures OF the world, forget
ting our Christian duties and Obliga
tiunS? Do we not put on our wraps and
go forth to the theater or TO a dancing
party while our church bells are ringing
to summon us to the prayer meeting?
If such is the case. then truly
have we strayed away from the
fold. We are told that tins is progress
Sive age: that the sense of science
and philosophy have discovered that
we have been humbugged through all
these ages; that exalted thoroughbred
reason has brushed away the cObwebS
of superstition which enveloped the
minds and hearts of our fathers and
mothers. and liberated us from the
chains of ''old women'S fables" and
freed us from all care for the future.
Away with such nonsense. Give me
the pure and undefiled religion of that
sainted mother who first pointed me to
the great Sufferer on the cross, and
will willingly forgo the pleasures and
vanitieS of the world, that may pass
eternity with her.
Mrs. J. T. SoRRELI,
Summit Avenue.