The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-14
THIRD OF THE SERIES
Rev. o. @. Clark Devotes . Ser
mon to the Dance.
IT'S A MORAL WHIRLPOOL
The Dance and tho Dancing School
Deserve Absolute Abhorrence.
A Snare and q Deiusion-The
Sad Results.

MISSOURI NOV. lo-lne tnlEu OF tne
series of sermons upon social questions
| by Rev. o. c.. Clark of the Congrega-
tional church had for its theme THE
| Dance" and was as follows:
Ponder the path Of thy feet and
let all thy ways be established Prov
cribs. 4:26.
"The card table. the theater and the
dance are the associated pleasure Of
this amusement-loving age
ITO the two former we hav given
a C a Sabbath morning hour. Upon
the latter we will dwell to-day.
1T has not been without misgivings
| thai I have turned aside from the gos-
| pei themes upon which IL is the preach
er's high calling to dwell. to consider
the questions of the amusements of
the day. ] have felt myself justified.
| however. from the fact that these
amusements are standing directly In
the path of many young ives over
HON 1 long to have the gospel infiu-
ence exert Its power, and i wish them
to fully realize the character and ten
dency OF these pleasures which are be-
coming so controlling I'm their lives. IL
is with reluctance that / approach the
subject before US to-day, from the fact
that IL II not my purpose to speak
alphabetically of a custom h a l be-
lieve to be attended with so much evil
as the dance. N II / deal with IL hon.
| estly inc frankly. as the case demands,
IL will necessitate plainness OF speech
that / would be glad to modify. But
to call sin by any other name than
SIM. is only to mislead.
I'm this discussion particularly. but
also in all the rest of the series. ! have
CLEANED In every field. I "A consult
ed the best authors who have written
upon these various topics to get the
consensus OF intelligent opinion upon
questions in regard to which there are
such widely differing conclusions. The
authors to whom I am most indebted,
however, are Rev. James Brand of
Oberlin and Rev. Perry w. Sinks of
Painsville. Ohio.
by common consent the dance Is the
queen of amusements.' Among the
amusements offered in society to-day
there is none that reaches more. or
that has as great an influence as this.
This being true. there In no wonder
that for the young people over whom
IL exerts an especial charm the ques-
ton Is often asked. is there any harm
in dancingy and to answer this ques-
ton we a only present to them ar
array of facts in the light OF which
they must decide for themselves.
we fully admit that the Bible does
not forbid dancing. Christ did not
dance. so far as we know. and he left
no command hat his disciples should
or should not dance. But all OF this
prove nothing either way. IL Is sim
ply in harmony with h whole plan
and purpose OF scripture to lay down
general principles and leave us to de-
eide for ourselves I'm view of these
principles and in the light of expert
ence how We should apply them In a
given case.
1T is essential to the building of a
truly colossal character that we should
be permitted. nay, required. to decide
cases Of casuistry which affect spirit
ual life in the court of our own soul
and In the sanctuary OF our closet.
where we will God
1T Is not our purpose this morning to
consider the origin or the antiquity Of
the dance. II Is admitted to be an
amusement that has been known from
Nor shall we dwell in detail upon the
teachings of the Bible regarding Il.
These teachings have been summarized
by DIR. Lyman Beecher as follows:
"Ffrst-Dancing was a religious act,
both in true and in idol worship.
~"Second-It was practiced exclusively
on joyful occasions, such as national
festivities or great victories.
"Third-It was performed by maidens
only.
"Fourth-It was usually I'm the day
time. In the open air, I'm the highways,
fields and groves.
"Fffth-The men who perverted dane
Ing from a sacred use to purposes of
amusement were regarded as infa-
nous.
'Sixth-No instance IL recorded in
the Bible I'm which the two sexes unit
ed in the exercise. either as an act OF
worship or OF amusement. II II thus
very apparent that the dance approved
In the Bible is essentially different from
the modern social dance.
THAT the dance In itself Is perfect
~ innocent no one denies. IL is as
harmless to dance as IL Ii to walk or
TO run As little girls dance by them
selves, or as school girls dance at the
gymnasium. II would be hard to find
anything to condemn in IL.
Where the sex element is eliminated
n where IL is performed as among
the peasants OF sunny France. upon
the green sward and under the pure.
celebrating atmosphere of heaven, IL
surely cannot be harmful.
But 1T Is not the rattle that one
hears in the neighborhood of a snake
that Is dangerous. A child can play
with the rattle-the danger is in the
fangs. and In the poison
1T Is not the lance in the abstract
that we are to consider. The dance
Is a usage OF modern society. Its as
sociations and tendencies must come
into account. Our question. then. re-
lates to the modern social dance as
II exists to-day in reputable society.
and while l shall discuss IL earnestly
and with strong convictions, IL surely
will not be with anything but consld-
crate regard for those who agree with
me I'm zeal for good morals. but who
differ with me in opinion upon the
present question.
II h arraign the dance under Ave
distinct n specific charges:
"ta). II is al expensive luxury. IT
Is true this is a subordinate view OF
the case. but IL deserves a passing no.
tice. Every tudent of history knows
that there is n close connection be-
tween the sumptuary habits Of a peo-
pie and their moral and physical thrift
and vigor. 'Extravarant luxury Is the
foe TO longevity. whether OF the nation