The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-10-29
\ SERMON on DANCING.

! .Hr. Editor: Bacon in describing the
lneu!::i alterations Of the nlin;:, arising
frym prcjudices, restless agitation,
mode t.! impress; u, &c. des:gEates
the s.i:!o's Of tie tlens'' as ''origina-
! ting, il the peculiar nature Of cacA
! i.diriduqrs miad end body, from cdu-
cation or !:abit," and a:lvists "ctH,ion
ia exercising lhtse, rs they exert the
grc::c<; powc: III prlin.iug the under
s.ahdi"g."
On" IF the t&voritc "ido!s OF the
dcu" o: religious Don Quixotes is tic
raising Of the Windpiil Of tlanciny At
stated periods. Fearing t. attack the
Kingdom Of iNan by denuaciations of
Of moral pollution, drunkenness and
general rascaiil!; the "innoctnt and
passing excellent nastime' of dancing
"a hcalthful recreation and one might
say the only social exercise the oung
enjoy-iS denounced in such terms
publicly, as causes tic innocent to
blush and associates vulgar and pol
lu,cI thoughts with this "tpcn pas
tim"," which Of itself is so conducirc
to good b3layior and q preventive Of
cTiI deeds in stcr,t.
DAN ing for some Thousand years
Was religious ceremony. The Jews,
by Lev;t:cal law, celebrated solemn
feasts by il. Alter the passage Of the
Rid Sca, tvo bands Of women and
meu celebrated" it by prescribed
daAce Tie sors Of "Benjamln"
found t::c ''i'!ughters Of S!i!oh,' dart-
ing, and by lie advice Of The Elders
of Israel, made tte.n their wives.
The dancing OF David is often quoted
and some commentators think every
Psalm had each Il distinct dance.
In the temples Of Jerusalem, Salnaria
and Alexan;iria stage IVES erected in
one part, called tie Choir, for this
exercise. Ii has been ou!y q few cel-
turies since the custom has been sus-
pended. In 1852 all the people danced |
at mass in Spain and France. Then
in our own country were the "dancing
Methodists," Of Philadelphia.
The Egyptians had their solemn
dance5-the Greeks had many dances
the rustic dance Of :Panthe Bail
dance OF Comu: or Terpsichore which
has descended to us and one dance Of
iunccence by virgins. The SpartaHs
accompanied their dances by singing.
Marriage was celebrated in Greece by
the ';nupuai dance" performed By
, ocng women who surg nup;ual sorgs.
Dancing fer centuries has been al
universe! paSti:ae aud favoEitc amusc-
ment ell ocer the acorld. The nobility
of tie European courts counteNspccd
it by their example and several mon
archs of England we're praised foT
their skill in dancing.
| heard q discourse once ag&irst the
"butterfy life of the innocent boys
and girls OF our towu! Well! It Las
lis day truly, Il short existence Of say
five years-il.cn he rocr gir!s malry
and turn into gEuJ arorms. But neither
the boys or the girls c"Ir forget the
innocent pleasures Of those bright
days, and Tie rasr and grace acquired |
in the darcirg s!'oo! always cmb:l-
fishes their manners.
Another discourse Or Davi4's dane
iny praised The ancient e!ancil g a:
more deceut, because the men danced
olone! 4 "s:ag dance" to my mind is
aIvihing but q synonym OF deceacy.
The Individual den Of any man who
thinks "stag dancing' preferable to
the sexes moving in ''poetry Of mo-
ton" 10 coed music, is certainly in
perverted state, and we advise, as
Bacon, caution i'll this special "idol'
lest the understanding be polluted
Tic indcccncics Of dancing generally
originate in such understandings.
Carpe Diem.