The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-02
THE SOCIAL ULCERS.
Or TALMAGE DENOUNcES THE
WICKED DANCES
They Are He Says, the Avenues OF Lust
and Social Rum and Destruction Fol-
low In Their Wake-A Most Remark
able Sermon.

BROOKLYN. Sept so. 1s94--Rcv DR..
Talmage, who is still absent on his
round the world tour, has selected as
the inject of to-day's sermon. through
the press: The Quick Feet, " the text
chosen being Matthew Il: vi: When
Herod's birthday was kept the daugh-
ter Of Herodias danced before them,
and pleased Herod-"
1t is the anniversary of Herod's
birthday The palace is lighted The
highways leading thereto are all
Abiaze with the pomp Of invited
guests Lords, captains merchant
princes, the mighty men of the land
are coming to mingle in the festivi-
ties The table is spread with all the
Injuries that royal purveyors can
anointed and perfumed. come in and
sit at the table Musicl The jests
evoke roars of laughter. Riddles arc
propounded- Repartee is INDUCED
TOas is are drank The brain is be-
logged The wit rolls on into uproar
and blasphemy. They are not salts
fed yet Turn on more light Pour
out more wine. Music Sound all the
trumpets- Clear the floor for a dance
Bring in Salome. the beautiful and
accom- plished princess The door
opens. and in bounds the dancer.
The lords are enchanted. Stand back
and make room for the brilliant gyra-
tions These men never saw such
poetry of melton Their souls
whirl in the reel and bourd with the
bounding feet Herod forgets crown
and throne and every thing but the
destinations of Salome- All the mag
nificence of his realm is as nothing
compared with the splendor that
whlrls on tiptoe before him His
body sways from side to side, CORE
spending with the motions of the
enchantress- His soul is thrilled
with the pulsations of the feet and
bewitched with the taking postures
and attitudes more and more amazing
After a lille he sits in enchanted
silence looking at the flashing, leap
ing, bounding beauty, and as the
dance closes and the tinkling cym balls
cease to clap and the thunders of APP
plause that shook the palace begin to
bate. the enchanted monarch swears
to the prin cely performer: '-Whatso-
ever thou shalt ask of me I will give
It thee, to the half of my kingdom !"
Now. there was in the prison at that
time a minister of the gospel by the
name of j ohm the Baptist and he had
been making a great deal of trouble
by preaching some very plain sermons
He had denounced the sins of the
king and brought down upon him the
wrath Of the females Of the roval
household. At the lnstigation of her
mother SaIome takes advantage of
the extravagant promise Of the king
and says, Bring me the head of John
the Baptist on a dinner plate"
Hark to the sound of feet outside
the door and the clatter of swords
The executioners are returning from
their awful Grand Open the door
They enter. and they present the plat
ter to Salome. What is this
platter? A new glass of wine to con-
tinue the uproarious merriment2 No
Some thing redder and costlier-the
chastity bleeding head Of John the
Baptist. the death glare still in the eye,
the locks dabbled with the gore. the
features still distressed with the last
agony. This woman, who had whirled
SO gracefully in the dance, bends over
the awful burden without a shudder
She ploats over the blood, and with
as much indifference as a waiting
maid might take q tray of empty
glassware out of the room after an
entertainment Salome carries the dis
severed head of John the Baptist.
while all the banqueters shout with
laughter and think il a good joke that
in SO easy and quick way they have
got rid of an earnest and outspoken
minister of the Gospel
Well. there is no harm in birthday
festival All the kings from Pharaoh's
time had cele brated such occa sions
and why not Herod2 No harm in
kindling the lights No harm in
spreading the banquet No harm in
arousinr music But from the riot
and wassaiI that closed the scene Of
that day every pure nature revoits- 1
am not at this time to discuss the old
question is dancing right or wrOng2
but / am to discuss the question. does
dancing take too much place and Oc-
cupy too much time in modern society,"
and in my remarks l hope to carry
with me the earnest conviction of all
thought ul persons, and I believe l
will
You will all admit whatever yon
think of that style of amusement and
exercise, that from many circles 1t
has crowded out all intelligent con
versation You will also adm that
it has made the condition of those who
do not dance, either because they do
not know how. or because they have
not the health TO endure it. or because
through conscientious scruples they
decline the exercise. very uncomfort-
able You will also admit all of you,
that it has passed in many cases from
an amusement to a dissipation. and
YOU are easily able to understand the
bewiAderment of the educated China
man who. standing in the brilliant
circle where there was dancing going
on four or five hours. and the guests
seemed exhausted, turned to the pro-
,-~S.+<,~ ~ 4Ra horea and said why
don't Won allow your servants to do