The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-02-02
IS DANCING A SIM
ANJERSEY CITY MINISTER HAS IN
AUGuRATED A GLASS.


He Logically Defends Himself and Ills
Motives.
There rs Il great tlutter of excite
ment in church circles IN Jersey City.
There is an elaborate controversy go
ing on. which has spread all over the
United S~Ses. H'he question in dis
pute isis It or is it not immoral for
n church. not only to countennncc n
dancing school. bat to practically faith
er such IN insttutionl And the an.
swors have come from all parts of the
country, from Maine to California.
Both parties to the arguments have
warm adherentS in every city, town.
village and hamlet whose inhabitants
are Interested in church work.
The inception of the whole upris
ing was the establishment of a dane
ing class last January by Rev. Il. T.
Stoddard. II. d.. rector of st. Johns
Protestant Episcopal Church, in Jersey
City Heights This experiment proved
so successful that the school had been
continued this fall, and one on the
same lines was opened by Rev. John
IL. iN'Ilutl, IhSlbl vi ill' 4 llol Nph-
grcgational Church.
DR.. Swaficii. in his sermon, said
Il look upon the modern church dane
ing school rs one of the devils mis-
sions Of amusement, and the gilded
saloon rs another"
"In the worst days Of Rome it was
n disgrace for any man to dance. \
Roman philosopher said that a man
who danced was either drunk or IL
fool. The MohammcdauS denounced
dancing, and the Koran expressly pro.
hibits this. This custom of dancing
borrowed from bad age, and is not
Improved by being smiled upon by the
Christian CHGrch. The modern dance
tends to drag young people down to
perditon. lis tendency is not to puri
fy, but to dlsSracc. and it interfcreS
with the usefulness of the true child
of God
To this rather sarcastic criticism.
DR.. Scuddcr replied by an open letter
in the Outlook. in which he said
Regular Instructions in dancing
and occasional receptions where dane
ing is allowed are and have been feat.
ures of our Peoples Palace work
in lower Jersey City for years. This
movement is nothing new. 1t is no;
conducted by either of our churches.
Our church on Jersey City Heights il
n family church and needs nothing of
this kind, but the Tabernacle is locat
ed far down town in the tenement
house district, and Is surrounded bv
| saloons, gambling hells and brothels.
1t is pre-emincntly an institutional
church and is adjusting itself to its
| environment with conscientious com.
| mon sense.
"In conjunction with the Tabernacle,
and yet in no sense part of 1t, We
have erected our Peoples Palace,
| which is Il secular institution, operat-
| ed, however, under religious auspices
| 1t does not stand on consecrated
| ground. 1t has n separate treasury
and beard of managers. The object
| of our Peoples Palace is to lift the
| people living about into n higher life
| by methods that are eminently prac
teal.
1T operates n day nursery. This
| summer 1t save over 14000 free bath.
in its swimming tank, it gives indus
trial training, and it provides n rea
refuge from temptation by supplyin:
innocent amusement. 1t has gym
nasiums, bowling alleys, billiard tab
les. schuffleboard, theatrical stag
lsand other G.ycrsional facilities.
Among otler things, we give les
sons in dancing, showing young peo
pie how when and with whom T.
dance. Dancing is allowed on publ
occasions and the best people in tn
church are present to see that every
thing is done decently and with order
We are extremely particular an,
palnstGEing IN guarding this pastimc
There have never been any imDro
prieties or scandals. Everything i
kept sweet and clean.
Our position is this:-As God ha
placed rs in this district to save tn
people from the hurricanes Of tenn
tation about them, as the people wi
go to saloons to play billiards. to til
variety theatre to enjoy dramatic el
|
order to dance, the only way we ca
wCan them from these resorts is I
compete directly with these question
able institutions ana give innocel
amusement 10 the people under conG
tions that are hcalthful and upliftin:
If the people Of God do not suppl
these amuselents the children of til
devil will.
Young people will dance, and thei
, is no stopping them. The poor cam,
dance in their own homes. They hay
, no pianos, and the flats are many ,
them only eight feet in width. T|'
flock to cheap dances in halls whel
there are all sorts and conditions
I, men and women. There many of the,
, dance to pcrditlon. Now, If they mg
: dance we think they should dance II
s other way. we are wrestling amu2
t ments froI, Satan and using them
: the service IT God. .Aul ii we "a
TO do this ia; Almighty will hold I