Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-02-28
DANCING.
What One of the Hearers of Evangelist Will
Jams Has to Say About His Discourse.
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Jams Has to Say About His Discourse.
FoRT WORTH, Tex, Feb. 20, 1880.
To the Gazette.
Judge not, that We be not Judged occurred
to me again and again on listening to Mr. D. c.
Williams TRADE against dancing. 1t seems as
il he had forgotten one of Christ's best teach
ings. Also does he not seem to realize that we
are creatures of circumstance, controlled largely
by parental influence, modified by surround
ings. 1t is hardly possible that who has
been raised IN filthy, unclean atmosphere, of
spring of decayed tree perhaps, spending a
life of dissipation, eating and drinking to ex-
cess, and thus inhaming his lustful desires, can
be q Judge of right and wrong for one who has
been raised by refined, wise parents into LIE
of purity and discipline, received a liberal
education which teaches moderation in all
things, and that to the pure all things are pure.
Certainly there is no prettler sight than seeing
Gently, and although am past fifty and have
danced all my life, and with as much pleasure
the dance for itself and the poetry OF molten. L
never knew before, until heard it asserted so
sweepingly by Mr.. w, that dancing leads
toward ieWdness and lust. Undoubtedly il does
in some people, for as a man thinketh so is he,
and the type OF men he describes are
seldom seen at private parties and
pleasant gatherings, for they do not like
the gaslight to ''squeezs their lemons in and
then throw them away" preferring the mantle
OF religion ana hypocrisy nlQe unuer only 700
often, and thus proving severe stumbling BLOCKS
to earnest believers. would be very sorry to
have my daughter marry mar VINO cannot
dance and remain q gentleman. Though the
learned gentleman's intentions undoubtedly
good, fear he has done far more harm by put
ting immoral, improper thoughts, into the
minds of our innocent young people than good,
by the language used, most OF which would be
more suitable for the Third ward than for an in
telligent, refined audience; How does he know
terpret the Bible to suit himself? Anything can
be proven by it, fer in 10th Psalm, verse IL, it
appears that the Lord turned David's
mourning into dancing: put off his
sackcloth and girdcd him with gladness.' -
Again, in the parable of the pTodigal SON s re-
turn, Jesus makes it appear in ST. Luke xv.,
verse %, that there was music and dancing for
Joy over the return of the repentant sinner,
which is proof that GOD means his children 10
be happy. 1 have been reared and confirmed in
the church by the noblest and best OF ministers,
who did approve of innocent Joy and dancing,
who spent his eighty-six years of useful lie IN
doing good, in elevating and instructing man
kind, in sharing his daily bread with the poor,
in caring for and nursing the SICK
self, jewels and diamonds for his wife,
preaching in the humblest of churches,
Christ, believing i'll works not in wodrs and bonn
bastic denunciations, p acticlng the golden
rule of ''doing unto others as he wished to be
done by;'' and there are many just such good,
worthy preachers right here in Fort " ORTIZ VINO
are so pure and guileless in heart that they ap-
prove of dancing in moderation and in good
gladness. Is he man who confesses that his
thoughts have been so lascivious that he
couldn't come in contact with a woman
without immoral desires capable of
judging such pure men from his
narrow, contorted standpoint? How dare he
presume to say ''such a preacher is not worth
killing as far as his spiritual influence is con-
cerned. -
We need more just such leaders. The example
of works is far more necessary than words-and,
unfortunately, there are too few of them-as the
majority spend their time in damning souls and
preparing for the next world, of which, at best,
all is uncertain speculation; but all can be sure
and certain that if they lead pure, moral,
charitable. useful life here below, loving their
neighbor as themselves, the next life Will take
care of itself.
Suppose Mr.. williams would use the same
language in the parlOr to mans wife
daughter that he is guilty of in the pulpit? The
shotgun would come forth as quickly as If he
were found with his arm around her waist.
will admit that colds disease and death fol-
low often from imprudence in dressing or over
heating. but far more women, on an average,
are killed annually from overheating over the
cook stove, washtub and sewing machine,
yielding to brutal husbands, than in
the parlor dance ballroom; poor
creatures who never knew the pleasure of an
innocent lance for recreation; and more men go
the same way by over indulgence in gluttony and
passion. The majority of premature deaths are
caused by excessive overeating, impure air and
total ignorance of the laws of health. and not by
dancing in moderation, and though jealousies
do exist everywhere and young are some
times shot at dance, never yet have heard of
or come in contact with one single such instance
happening in gathering of refined people, such
as compose the audiences Mr.. Williams speaks
to in Fort Worth. ''FAIRPLAY.''