The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-03

BROOKLYN. Sept 30.-The Rev. DR..
Talmage, who is still absent on his round
the world tour. has selected as the sub
Jet OF today's sermon through the press
''The Quick Feet" the text chosen being
Matthew xiv. 8. when GIerod's birth
day was kept. the daughter OF Herodias
danced before them and pleased Herod."
Il is the anniversary Of Herod's birth
day The palace is lighted. The highways
leading thereto are all ablaze with the
pomp OF invited guests. Lords, captains.
merchant princes the mighty men OF the
and are coming to ningle In the festivi-
tlas. The table Is spread with al the
Injuries that royal purveyors can gather.
The guests, white rJbed and an0inted and
pzrfuIned. corne II and sit at the table.
Music The jests evoke rOarS or laughter.
Riddles are propou1ded. Repartee is in
Gulged. T'oasus are drunk. The brain is
befOgged. The wit rolls on into uproar
and biasphcny. They are not satisfied
yet. Turn on more light. Pour out more
wine. Music, Sound all the trumpets.
Clear the floor for a dance. Bring in Sa-
lone the beautiful! and accomplished prin-
cess. The door opens ard IN bounds
the dancer. The lords are enchanted.
Stand back and make room for the bril-
nant gyTati0Ust These men never saw
such poetry Of motion" Their soul
walrls IN tho reel and bounds with the
Herod forgets crown ard throne and
everything bul the destinations Of Sa-
lone. All the u1sgnificcnce Of his realm
- as il5thing now compared with the
splendoT that whir,s on tiptOe before him.
His body SWANS from side 70 side. cor
responding win the motions Of the en-
ch9Etress His sou. IS thri.,ed With the
pulsa tiouz ~ The f=at and bewitched with
the taking pastures and attitudes more
and Tncrg ans ling. After awhile he sits
IL eucha0tel silence looking at 1he flash
Ing. leap'ng. bounding beauty. and as the
dance closes. and the unkling cymbals
cease TO cap, and the thunders Of ap-
plause that shook the palace begin 70
abate the enchanted monarch svears 10
the prince,y performer. Whatsoever thou
shalt ask or ma 7 VIII give it thee to the
half Of my kingdom" Now, there was in
prison at that time a minister Of the
gospel CT The name OF John the Baptist.
and ne had been making q great deal of
trouble by preaching some very plain and
honest sermons. He had denounced the
sins OF the king a1J brought down upon
him the wrath Of the females Of the
royal household At the instigation Of
her mother. S1lome takes advantage OF
the eXtr9vGgant promise Of the king and
says. Bring me the head of John the
Baptist ON a dinner Plate"
Dissipation and Murder.
Hark to the sound Of feet outside the
door and the cIatter of swords, The exc
cutiOners are returning from their awful
errand. open the door. They enter and
they present the platter to Salome. What
Is on this platter? \ new glass Of wine
TO continue the uproariOus merriment?
No. Something redder and cOstlier-the
CHASTITY, bleeding head OF John the Bap-
tist the death glare still in the eye, the
locks dabblcd with the gore, the features
still distressed with the last agony. This
woman, who had whlrled 50 gracefully in
the dance, bends over the awful burden
without a shudder She glOats over the
blood. and with as much Indifference as a
waiting maid might take a tray OF empty
glassware out of the room after an enter
tainEnent. SaIome carries the discovered
head OF John the Baptist. while all the
banqueteTs shout with Laughter and think
II a good joke that in so easy and quick
a way they have got rid Of an earnest
and Outspolxen minister Of the gospel.
You will all admit whatever you
think Of that style OF amusement and eX-
ercise, that from many circles IL has
crowded out all intelligent conversation.
You will also admit that ii was made
the condition Of those who do not dance,
either because they do not know how, or
because they have not the health to en-
dure 1t. or because. through conscien-
tiOus scruples, they must decline the eX-
ercise. very uncomfortable. You viii
also admit, all OF you, that it has passed
IN many cases from an amusement TO
dissipation, and YOU are easily able TO
understand the bewildcrment OF the edu-
Gated Chinaman who. standing in the
brilliant circle where there was dancing
going on four or five hours and the
guests seemed exhausted. turned % the
proprietor Of the house and said, why
don't You allow your servants to do
this for your
The EnervatinE Dance.
You are also willing TO admit what
ever be your idea in regard to the amuse-
ment 1 am speaking of. and whatever
be your idea OF The oId-fashioned square
dance and Of many OF the professional
romps III which I can see no evil, the
round dance is administrative Of evil
and ought 10 be driven out of all re-
spectacle circles. / am by natural tenn
permanent and religious theory opposed
TO the position taken by all those who
are Mortified AZ playfulness on the part
Of the young, and who think that all
questions are Neutrality-suspicious. of de-
cency and mOraIs-by the position Of the
feet, while. on the other hand, l can see
nothing but ruin. temporal and eternal,
for those VINO go into the designations Of
social life, designations which have el-
ready despOiled thousands OF young men
and young women OF all that is noble
in character and useful in life.
Dancing is the graceful motion OF the
body adjUs-ed by art To rnc sound and
measures OF musical instrument or Of
the human voice. All nations have
danced. The ancicnts thought that Cas-
tor and Po.lux taught the art 70 the
I.acedaemOnians. But whoever started
f. all chimes have adopted IL.
In ancient times they had the festll
dance, the military dance, the mediate
rial dance the bacchanalian dance. and
queens and lords swayed to and fro in
the gardens. and the rough baCkwOOds-
man with this exercise awakened the
echo Of the forest. There is sOmet hing
I'm the sound Of lively music to evoke
the movement Of the hand and foot
whether cultured or uncultured. Pass
ing down the street we unconsciously
keep step to TIE sound OF the brass band
while the Christian In church with his
foot beats time while his soul rises upon
some great harmony. While this is so I'm
civilized lands the red men Of the forest
have their scalp dances. their green corn
dances. their war d7nces. In ancient
times the exercise was so utterly and
completely depravcd that the church
mathematical &C.. The old Christian
fathers expressed themselves most vehe-
mently against 1t. ST. Chrysostom says,
'''rhe feet were nos given for dancing,
bat 70 walk modc5ty; not to leap impu-
IDENTIFY. like camels" One Of the dog
mas Of The ancient church relds: ~
dance is the deviFs possession. and ne