The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-04
DANCING A. Great EVIL.
SO Declared Rey. David JOneS from
His Pulpit Last Night.
BLlGnrS THOUSANDS OF LIVES
lie Quoted Professor Faulkner TO Prove
That Two.thirds of the Girls Who
Enter Dancing schools Fall.
The Duty OF Christians.

| The Duty OF Christians.
| Some Thoughts on Dancing" was
the topic that Rev. David Jones dis
| cussed in his evening sermon in the
| First Welsh Congregational church yes
! terday. This text was the words found
| in Phil. iv: s. During his discourse he
trraigned the practice of dancing in the
| following severe terms:
Il propose to bring before you this
| evening some things that are worthy
| Of your earnest consideration. They
are of equal Importance to all ages,
The young people should give heed unto
| them, lest they should innocently play
| and trifle with the enemy of their
health, comfort and happiness in this
| world. and their eternal welfare i'm the
world beyond. These thoughts are
| worthy of the study of parents, and
those to whom the subject which ! re-
| fer to, Is not enticing nor fascinating.
| All interested in the morals of our COM
| munity. should think most earnestly
what can be done to rescue our young
| people gu. of peril and put stop to
the machination of the devil. -
II have reference to the dancing
| classes, and balls held so frequently M
| our part of the city. There are three
| or four of these classes in existence.
| They advertise their meetings and do
ings as regularly as do the churches
their proceedings. During the last two
weeks We have had their commence
ment exercises In the form of ball,
| a.fitting consummation u the work car
ried on during the winter months. If In
addition to the silk dresses. the paint
| ed faces and the odor of the fragrant
| flowers, we could represent, the true
.t.fN Il tkHnf
have been blighted during the same per-
iod. would be willing to have these
grand demonstrations annually, If lost
| purity. innocence and. virtue could be
| pictured therein. But the unfortunates
| are not allowed to make their appear
| ance on these occasions. Their pres
| ence would mar the joy of the ball and
would be more eifectual to paralyze the
limbs of :he dancers than the hand
writing ON the wall in Belshazzar's s
feast
PULPIT SHOULD SPEAK:
THE press of our city has given due
| prominence To these displays, and
think the pulpit with one accord should
| speak out and give its opinion and that
| In rot uncertain sound of the dance,
and .he ball wherever they are held.
| This pulot at all events will not be
guilty of acting the dumb dog usaiah
| wi, 1O). ! do not hesitate to condemn
these practices as devices of theAwicked
one. But ! shall attempt to discuss the
question In a fair way. If time would
| permit We would review the influence
| of the dance on the development of
| form and grace of movement. on gen
eral health. and on manhood and .Wo-
manhood but this evening we will con.
fine ourselves to its power in the growth
VI the Christian character
! Il should not like TO be misunderstood
as one Cp?osed to all kinds of amuse-
ments. That conception of your pastor
| would be erroneous. There are amuse-
ments which are innocent, that will not
in themselves tempt you and lead you
to forget your moral responsibilities.
do not wish to make old people out OF
young ones, the young Will become old
| soCn enough. IL Is natural for the
young to crave for recreation, but LET
| me caution you in your selection, lest
| you Should be carried away into re-
! gion in which you Will find yourselves
| lost to all that can be- said In favor of
dancing together, which, In my opin-
| ion, are few and very ethereal. Then
! say in face Of them all that the dangers
| to body. mind and soul are too numer-
Gus to justify it. The risk is too great
| to sanction It, What Is in view to the
| public IN balls and dances looks very
| beautiful. The room Is decorated In
an exquisite manner signs of grandeur
| are eviden. on all hands. But wha,
| waste of money on dresses on flowers
on drinks and barouches? Who could
| think that the times are poor In Hyde
Park. II they We're to know the hun.
dreds of dollars paid for these luxurie.
by comparatively poor young men dur
| ing the past two weeks"
TO ALLURE THE INNOCENT.
But the sacrifice should be done il
order to appear grand and gay In tn.
public eyes. and to allure the innocent
to join next scasoH. | remember many
years ago | read a little book calle(
Behind the Scenes" and 1t was a reve
lation to me how the young girls tha
appear in glittering costumes on tn,
stage. in fairs and theater live behinC
the scenes. Last week J read another
book entitled From the Ballroom I,
| He'll" written by an EXCHANGING master
and formerly proprietor of the Los
Angeles Dancing academy. and in thi.
book there are some pictures of scene.
that take place behind the curtains II
the ballroom and parlor dance. Tn,
outlines are drawn by an eye witnes,
and teacher of the art and are sucf
as to make any ordinary man to shud
der. This man knows of what he |.
speaking and can verify his statements
We know something's too. and if W.
| We're to watch more closely our knowl
edge would be wonderfully increased
| We have known some enthusiasts %
the dance. What has become of them
Some are ruined. some have lost thei
selfrespect. some are inmates o
brothels, and some are i'm untimel!
graves.
II am not delivering this address t,
you because some young people in som,
other church are guilty of attendin.
dancing classes and balls. That woult
be mean and cowardly; but I am con
strained to do ii because | fear ther,
are some of our youth In the habit o
going To these places. and that Others
will follow unless they are warned. lie
me admonish you 10 beware of thes
dens of evil" | read once of trac
distributor going into a hospital an,
passing through the different ward
where patients lay in their beds. and "a
1t happened he gave a tract on the evi
of dancing to a poor fellow that ha,
good to him. he would never be abl
to dance. Such would he my address /
there be none here .hat attend dance
or have no inclination to so to thes
places. But l think. as | said before
that some young people within thes
walls are in need Of this counsel, an,
Furthermore, parents may be in need o
being aroused TO take greater precau
Il, II as to where, their sons and daugh
trrs go. and at what hour do they re
turn home. Mothers and fathers shOul'
not take too much for granted.
WHAT FAULKNER SAYS.
Professor Faulkner says in his book
4 have known young people to be a
Sunday night dances, and In low com
pany. when their narents thought the
were at church. They made u practic
of going to the church and remainin
long enough to get the text Of the pas
tors discourse and then going away t
spend the time in dancing. and If ques