The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-21
DANCING DENOUNCED.

The Rev. William Eakins Objects to 1t
as a Pastime for the Young.
The first of series of discourses to the
young on Popular Amusements and
Recreations" was delivered last evening
at Simpson NJ. E. Church, by the pastor,
the Rev. William Eakins. His subject
was:-"D Dancing as Related to Church
Membership
He said:-'Dancing has existed in some
form in every age and land. The two
oldest forms of dancing mentioned in
literature are the war and religious
dances. Plato says that Egypt, boasting
of the most ancient civilization, knew
nothing of dances, except those of war
and religious forms. The modern dance
is cross between and the offspring of
the two most ancient forms.
1t is objected to dancing that it brings
young people into intimate relations with
many of questionable character. II
public dance or ball Is advertised have
as good right to go as you, and the man
just out Of Jail for running away with
his neighbours wife, as either of u.s. We
are liable to be brought into contact, it
may be said, when in the Church, with
those whom we would be very sorry to
select as friends. A young lady of rare
beauty and unspotted virtue may sit in
the same seat In church with the most
the utmost liberties that he would dare to
take would be to admire her handsome
face and shapely form; but in the dance
it is not thought improper should he en-
circle her person with warm embrace"
Several instances. were cited to show
the impossisiiity of excluding those of
questionable character from the public
dance and ball so as to render them fit for
respectable society.
sDancing would be an invigorating
exercise, kept within proper bounds, but
it is INDUCED in to excess, and is, there
fore, injurious to the health of the body
The young in our land are, as a rule, en-
gagged in some kind of mental or physical
labor during the day. We have no idle
aristocracy, for which fact we should be
thankful. The young, who work during
the day, have not the vital force to enable
them to dance half the night once or
twice during the week. Persistence in
such Rmusements, night after night, is
suicidal. Dances and balls are held at
such unreasonable hours as to compel
their participants TO turn night into day,
and day into night, to the injury of
health.
tinued, ''that it retards mental develop
ment. The late Hubert o. Thompson,
speaking of his great business responsi-
bilities, said he found them wearing, but
that they were not such hard work as
leading the german used TO De. NOW, II
he stated the truth, II It Is twice as hard
to lead the german rs to discharge the
duties of one of the most important posi-
tions in the country, It must be fact
that dancing retarfs intellectual growth.
The people who write books, who invent
machines, who are Mt the head OF large
business Interests. the philosophers, the
scientists, the historians, the men who
make to themselves names that can never
die, who shape the thinking OF the world,
have no time, and, II possible, less dis
nosition for this fashionable recreation
aud would make sorry figure on the
floor of.the dance hall or the ball room.
.oThe life Objectionable society Il one
continued round Of excitement aud dis
sipation. The newspapers talk about the
or,eninu of the season In fashionable
clrcles but there IL practically no snoh
thinn. scarcely IN the season closed In
our large elites when u opens e the sea-
side or among the mountains. From the