The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-01
IS DANCING A SIN 2
Rev. Dr.. Broughton Says
That it is.
AND GIVES HIS REASONS
ARE WE BECOMING A PLEAS
URE-SEEKING NATION?
MEN SELLING THEIR SOULS FOR MONEY
A Very Large Crowd Heard the Sermon Las
Night. Both the Church and The Sum-
day School Room Filled
With PEOPLE

Baptist church last night, to hear Rev
DR.. Broughton's sermon on THE Devils
Auction" was very large, filling both the
church and the Sunday school room.
The text was taken from the twenty
fifth chapter of Genesis-Esau's sale OF
his birthright for a mess of pottage.
You have doubtless observed in your
experience just such cases as this, saia
the preacher by way of introduction
1.-TWO boys, brother maybe, brought up III
the same home, given equal advantages
and afforded the same opportunities.
And yet how different they are in after
life. One magnificent character, a
brilliant SUGGESTIVE other a stupendouS
failure despised and spurned.
why this difference? 1t is differ
once. not of training, but of character.
Jacob, now, was what would to-day
he called a shrewd business man--one
of those skin-a-flea-for -hide-and-tal-
low sort of fellows; sometimes for less
than his hide. Had he lived to-day he'd
have made an excellent curb-stone
banker. You know what that is. One
of these shrewd, cold men that stands
around and lends money at big interest
to men that are bound to have 1t.
mo doubt Jacob stood well in his
community. The man who is making
money always stands well, no matter
how he gets it, The man who is losing
money is ever below par, no matter how
he's losing it. Jacob, then, was good
business man. But mind you, there's a
good deal that the world calls good bust
ness that has its origin down there in
hell Good business may be good
deviltry.
..Esau. on the other hand, was one of
these goody goody sort of folkS-good for
nothing | expect he was a sport. A
dude, no doubt, who wore a red necktie
and parted his hair in the middle He
and his companions had been hunting
and they came back hungry and empty
handed.
You know If there's anything that
makes man want to cliss and kick him
self and everything around him, it's to
come back from Il hunting or fishing ex-
petition on which you've had no luck"
DIR. Broughton then went on to speak
of the birthright and its Importance
among the nomadic families of those
early days.
Every man in this world to-day" he
continued. has birthright. 1t entities
him to salvation. That's what the Bible
means when it says whatsoever will may
come But many of us-men right here
in this congregation-are selling it to the
devil. What are you getting for it?
Here's one sells it for money-greed
for gain.
.Tha liquor dealer does that Now lei
Y.iob r lilo hlrc
ing the whiskey-seller. / feel more like
going for the fellow that gives him Ii
cense. For the man who finds himself
under the necessity Of dealing out death
and misery to his neighbor TO keep the
wolf from his own door have only love
and tenderness and sympathy. How
would like to see him converted. Around
the whiskey-seller and the gambler fee
like putting my arms and taking them tC
Jesus. They are. selling their birthrights
and for money. They are making
widows and orphans, bringing grief to
homes and tears to loving eyes. dealing
out poverty and disease-and for what
Money.
But there are others than whiskey-
dealers who are selling their birthrights
for money. There's the stingy deacon
He's MS guilty of covetousness as the fel
low that stands behind the counter and
dishes ont the stuff. People talk about
squeezing dollar so hard that you make
the eagle on it holler It's a lie. If that
We're possible there'd be such a squeak
ing and squawking and squawking il
Raleigh to-night-right in this church-as
You never heard.
Then there are those that are selling
their souls for worldly pleasure. This
is an age of pleasure-seeking. We are
drifting back TO the time of the Roman
sports and Athenian games. when mer
lived for pleasure only. 1t has beer
said that the devil has a mortgage on
MI the pleasures of the world. That's
not true. Every pleasure he's got is
surrounded or covered up by a poisonous
serpent. whose sting will in1ict the pang.
Of death.
Take the dance. / mean no reflection
on you or any person who Dances But
there is only one real charm in TIL,
modern dance, and that is the mos
hellish charm with which we have t,
deal. 1t is the charm of RIGHTEOUSNESS
We are rapidly drifting in that direction
and unless the tide is stayed / trembl,
for the future. There are plenty o
people who dance that would not admit
the truth Of this statement. and I've M
doubt they are honest in ii. I'm speak
ing Of the general tendency and the rule
Did you ever see two girls at Il german
dancing together, or two men? AnC
seldom do married folks dance. WheI
they do it's people who are unhappily
married"
Whiskey, Mr.. Broughton said, was
necessary adjunct TO- dance He haC
never heard of a biz german at which
it was not drunk. Ninety per cent OF
the dancers drink he said. 1--WE never
seen dancing church member that was
worth feather in the wind in church
work. Show me dancing-punch- bow
church member and I'll show Won one
without influence in his church or among
Christian people,
Another curse of the present age. the
preacher said. was Righteousness. He
smoke of the immortality of the great
cities. OF the vice that staikcd the
streets nv NIGHT The cacia1 ayiI bn CO ~