Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-12-19
ABOUTTIIE MODERN DANCE
REV. WHITES SECOND SER.
MON ON AMUSEMENTS.
Twelve Hundred People Hear
His Sermon at The First Baptist
Church-"The Dance Relic of
RnrlNn lSnna

ChurCIl-"The Dance a Relic of
BarbarisIa "
"The Moderr Dance" was the subject
of Rev. !. l.. Whites discourse last even
ing at the First Bapsist church, and an
audience of perhaps 1,2o0 people of all
demo ominations heard it. Mr.. Whites
text was:
And the daughter of the said Herodias
came in and danced Marx 6:22.
Dancing" Mr.. White said, "is relic
of barbarism. 1t takes its origin from
the ancient Egyptians, who ascribed it
to an invention OF their god Thoth. In
India, Egypt and Rome there were girls
who danced on public occasions, but it
was commonly taken for granted that
they were women of bad character. 1t
was disgraceiul both to dance, and for
virgin to come into the banqueting
hall.
TIE Bible says There is time to
dance So there WIS. Miriam danced.
David danced with all his might before
The ark of the Lord. 1t was not social
amusement, but strictly religious act,
and even this was learned from the
beathen. Descendants of Abraham never
danced until they had become acquainted
with Egyptian ways.
ain the dancing of the heather and the
Israelites the sexes never danced to-
gethcr. Now there is no dance without
women, Whenever did comany of old
bachelors meet together to dance? Men
and women like to dance because they
like the sensation it produces. We pro-
pose to discuss the dance as practiced at
this time. German clubs are in nearly
every city and village. The State fairs
must always close with an imposing
ball. Every newly elected Governor and
President must respect thecustom. Alas
that leaders should encourage this bar.
barian custom which soils our social
purity. Whenever a young lady visits
neighboring town there must be a
dance in honor of her presence. AS the
old year nears its end society has a
'twisti6cation.'
"Such is the little harmless amusement
which society defendsso vigorously. Its
champions advise the pulpit to keep
hands off. 1t is not innocent. 1t is
guilty of great sins, for which we de
nounce it as the most insidious enemy
of our homes. 1t DESTROYS the health o
many. 1t has been only few months
since the papers announced the death of a
lady in Norfolk, Va, from dancing. In
stances are many of persons dying o.
heart disease after nights dance, but
the truth is, excessive fatigue from dane
ing was the cause. The requirements O
the ball room make it doubly dangerous
Women must dress so as to repress res
piration and to embarrass ease of move
ment, must remain in a room heated
BY dense crowd, breathe a corrupted
atmosphere, often stopping tc partak'
of sumptuous midnight feast. Then
at 2 or o'clock, they rush out into tn
damp atmosphere, insufficiently clothed
and contract colds, catarrh and con
sumption.
THE dance adds nothing to worth o
character. The young dancer has nj
potential influence. He is a dude. H
can move his feet with grace, but mon
keys can do the same thing. The dane
does not advance piety. No man o
woman was ever known to be conse
Grated to the work of Christ who at
tended the dance. All Christian denomi
nations are pronounced in their utter
ances against the dance,
"The dance hinders intellectual develop
ment. We pray for the day to haste
when young ladies can entertain thei
company by their mental attainment
and not have to resort to the dance.
is an i'll omen for the brain to be lodge
in the feet.
"The dance destroys true social enjo,
ment. What does this herding togethe
of mute people going round and roun
accomplish for the rational and soci;
element of man? The peacock struts
Haunting his plumage; swine fill the
filthy stomachs; dogs leap and dane
and embrace each other. Humans ca
initiate these animals and have goo
time, but alas for the end of sue
society.
"The dance tends toward gross i'll
morality. 1t is always made up of tt
sexes. Of this organization Rev. W. {
Wilkinson writes: The dance consis
substantially of system of means co
trived with more than human ingenuit
to excite the instincts of sex howey
subtle and disguised at the moment,
its sequel the most bestial and degra
ing. charge that here. and not els
where, in the anatomy OF that elusi
fascination which belongs so peculiar
to the dance, the scalpel is laid upon Il
quivering secret of life. Passion-passic
transformed, if you please. never
- much subsisting in no matter how maj
finely contrasted degrees of sensuality
passion and nothing else is the basis
the popularity of the dance No chan
work has made the dance this. 7
freedom which is allowed by woman
man has produced it in part. The adva
tage that men debased in character ia
of this opportunity is the other reaso
Nowhere else are such privileges allow
men.
Young men, don't encourage Il
thing by saying Evil to him who e
thinketh. You know how constant dal
- ing emboldens you to make bolder 6
y ULYSSES W young lauiSo anu INV III
" by little they yield to your entreati
When you hear the rattle of the sna
you say keep away There is son
thing dangerous after the rattle-t
poisonous fangs piercing your flesh.
I'VE assert that there are many pu
hearted women and men among dance
but unconciousness does not defend ,
9 purest mind from the hidden sens,
tendency of the dance.
"Christian fathers, husbands a
brothers, think to what hazards of d
radiation the dance exposes your dau
ters, your wives and your sisters.
any pure-hearted woman ever ag
share the dance from which so much
Il comes, especially to her sex? Let s,
ETY. 60 it's own low ways of seli-gratif
ton. Resent its dictations for the 81
of noble manhood and womanhood.
better have no society than such WI
tends to destroy virtue"
In the course of the sermon Mr.. WI
referred to the charity ball, saying
wanted nothing to do with anyth
4 that n n n IN he ounDorted hy n hall uT