The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-27
THE GREATEST SOCIAL EVIL.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REASONS WHY
DANCING SHOULD BE STUNNED.

Physicians VIII Testify That Lights
and Music Will IntOxicate the
Brains and Fire the Passions, Said
DIR. Van DeVenter-TwO-ffth of
New YOrk's Fallen Women Trace
Their Ruin to the Dance, He
Every Sense of DeIicacy and
MOdeSty.
1.-THE brilliant lights. seductive music,
improper embrace, suggestive move
ment, warmth of another body, the
warm breath and strange looks of
another eye brings the young woman
in the ball room as close to the devil
as ever was ia. Eve" declared Rev.
Robert Van Deventer in his sermon at
the Duffy Street Baptist Church last
night.
Rev. Mr. Van Deventer preached the
third of his series of special sermons,
the subject being Evils Of the Dance"
BY way of introduction to what he
should say DR.. Van Deventer called the
attention of his congregation to the
sixth verse of the fourteenth chapter
of the book of Matthew: But when
Herod's birthday was kept, the
daughter Of Herodias danced before
them, and pleased Herod."
in the outset" said DIR. Van Devon
ter, Il wish to reply to some people
who claim that the Bible itself
tolerates the dance, that these dances
were of the religious order This is
not the case now. In the olden days
the men danced by themselves and
the women by themselves, which is
not the case now. The church does
not seek to deny its members any of
the wholesome pleasures of life. Many
ask the question when join the
church shall give up all pleasure?"
This is certainly not the object. No
objection is offered to any of the pleas
ures that do no harm to the MEM
bers. / believe that the world Is ready
to acknowledge that there is evil in
the social dance"
why the Dance Is Evil.
There are reasons, the first of which
is from physiological standpoint. II
there is no harm in the dance the
church certainly has assumed a foolish
and silly attitude, The church is COM
posed of men who have broad minds,
and they have said in all ages don't
do this You will ask what harm is
there in motion to music. 1t is i'm
possible to discuss this subject here In
the abstract. There is no harm in the
rattlesnakes rattle. nor is there any
harm in dance music-the harm is in
the snake. The motions to the music
OF the dance is the rattle of the snake.
You have got to take into considera-
ton the tendencies and influences of the
ball room. The lights and music in
toxicates the brain and fires the pas
sions, and the young woman is tempted
to do imprudent and fatal things. II
you doubt these statements ask any
physician in the city of Savannah II
the lights, music and motion in the bal
room does not fire the passions Every
pose is suggestion of impurity, and
the position and suggestions of the
dance is not tolerated outside of the
ball room. Gale Hamilton says the
dance is unclean and cannot be washed
End is Satan's means to deprave tnt
passions without evidences of evil The
devil is just as close to the younl
woman who dances as he ever was 4
Eve when she comes in contact with tn,
warm breath, strange looks of anothe
eye and the thrill of the touch of an
other body and n spirit of abandon
comes over her 1t draws her as nea.
the brink as ever Eve was Youn,
woman take care lest you fall wher,
thousands have fallen.
III the dance has no danger,
asked DIR. Van Deventer, why did DR.
Macarthur, the eminent New Yorl
divine, assert that two-fifths of tn
fallen women in New York were in
debted to the dance for their condi
ton?
She Knows 1t Is Wrong.
The next reason why the dane
should be Stunned is because ever,
young woman will admit that it i
wrong. You say no you don't. but
say you do. Let me prove it to you
You don't waltz with strangers. d.
you? That means that your modest,
causes you to shrink from the Hber
ties that the dance entities your part
ner to. The young woman knows Il
her soul that it is wrong, even though
she will not say no. 1t is a hard mat
ter to discriminate in the matter o
accepting partners at a public dance
If you refuse the offers of a newl
introduced young man 1t will be look
ed upon as an effront to your hostess
and few have the courage to do this
and yet there are many inscription
men who seek the dance as a mean
OF relations with pure young wome
that would not be tolerated under an
other circumstances.
Why is II that husbands object I