Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1905-08-14

You admit this fact in your plea that
it is evil only in appearance and not
in reality. Also in your contention
that dancing is not as bad as some
forms Of amusement in which Chris
tlans engage. All this may be true,
tor many Christians do that which
is not at all complimentary and which
really deserves severe censure and
feDuke. But we are positively COM
handed TO s.Abstain from all appear
anee CT evil. Not only from evil itself.
but from whatever appears to be evil.
For Christian to dance or encourage
others to dance causes his good to be
evil spoken Of" by the ungodly and
thus weakens his influence for doing
good. Oh. yes, my friend, the sinner
may invite you to dance with him
and he may greatly enjoy having
your company in the dance, but at the
same time. almost without exception.
they regard it as highly improper for
a professed Christian to dance. They
lose respect for his piety and his re-
llglon OF one thing you may be sure.
no anxious or dying sinner ever
thinks of calling on a dancing Chris
tian to pray for him. but with him it
is, physician. heal myself Surely
| then. there is something wrong about
dancing if even the sinner has this
idea of it. If you encourage your
children to dance it means the same
thing. The approval of evil is evil
itself, and if modern dancing has the
appearance of evil. as all admit, then
the approval of it must have the same
appearance. Listen. parents. while I
read I Sam. 3:13. Pocr old Eli.
Punished because he didn't try to re-
strain his children from wickednass.
! Think Of your RESP hsibility Let not
the blood of your own girls and boys
be on your heads by encouraging
them to participate in that which has
the appearance of evil.
The modern dance obscures the
light of the Christian. To all his fol
lowers Jesus says: Eye are She light
of the world" Matt. 514-tG They
are to be Giving epistles of Christ.
known and read Of all mon" You
ere seen and watched constantly Ivy
tho ungodly BY minoling in the
eddy dance you obscure your light
and drive men of the world from the
Savior I Luke 11:35: Matt. G:23.
Accordingly Paul exhorts, Phil
2:15. Now, 7 ask. are Christians
'blameless' and "harmless" in the
ball room. Or dancing party? Is net
their light darkness" and "eroat
darkness" and are they not justly
/ liable to "rebuke" etc. Grain up a
child in the way he should go: AMI
when he is old, he will not depart
from it," says Solomon. Prov. 900.
Is modern dancing any part of that
training? Let the facts answer. Oh.
Christian. dancing obscures your light.
The modern dance grieves and
gives offense to the church. Now, if
we learned here in the Bible that it
were a commanded duty to engage in
dancing, then we would not be doing
right by refusing to dance, but no one
claims that it is commanded. There
ing from it, On the other hand read
I Cor 1922, Cor S:12 It is at least
doubtful Therefore let it alone. even
were it an innocent amusement. if it
gives offense. then abstain from it.
Rom. 14:13-23.
Modern dancing leeitimatelv leads
to greater evils. Now, there may be
nothing morally wrong in the mere
act of playing cards for amusement:
but it legitimately leads to gamblinc
drunkenness. debauchery and many
other evils. That parent who would
employ a professional gambler to
teach his son the use of cards would
be justly condemned by prudent r"r.
sens. So there may be nothing moral
ly wrong in the mere act of dancing.
hut it leads to frivolity. gayety, irrc-
ligion and many other evils which
drown souls in perdition. The parent
who teaches his or her child to dance
is Justly chargeable with whatever
evils may follow, and must give ac-
count to God. Oh, the associations
formed! Oh, the designations encour-
aged, Oh, the souls lost! James
Tx oh. narent. how fearful is your