Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-24
More on ''t11e Church and Dancing
Mr Quaen)

brothers; where he permitted his dis
ciples to pluck the corn on the Sab
bath day, that they might satisfy their
hunger, demonstrating that he meant
His followers to be governed by in
stinct, and reason rather than custom
and prejudice. Whether or not Jesus
would go to theater or a ball game,
know not, but we do know that he went
to a wedding. and apparently enjoyed
all that took place. While on this sub
ject we might we'll quote the following
from Martin Luther, published in a
volume written by Professor Tulloch,
ming Life and commencing with page
297 Whoever" says Luther, ''despises
music. as is the case with all fanat-
les, with him I can never agree. for
music is a gift of God = and by
making man happy he loses all anger
pride and every other vice. Most of
all l approve these two recreations and
amusements namely, music and chiv-
alrous exercises, such as fencing,
wrestling, ETC., the first chasing away
melancholy thoughts. the other bene-
fetal in exercising and improving the
limbs, and keeping the body in health"
Concerning theater- going, Luther says,
page 304, quoting in part for brevity:
plays are to be allowed, because char
acters are portrayed and represented
by which people are instructed. circum-
stances are exhibited in plays the
knowledge of which is generally useful
And christians ought not to throw
comedies aside because there some
times occur expressions not proper for
every ear. for even the bible itself
might by this view be kept out of sight.
Those objections, therefore, which are
brought forward why christians should
be forbidden to read or perform plays
are feeble and groundless." Concern
ing dancing, Luther says. page 307.
Inquiry is made if dancing is to be
reckoned a sim Whether among the
Jews, dancing was the custom do not
indeed know, but since among us it is
customary to invite guests to dine, to
eat and to be merry and also to dance,
I do not see how this practice is to be
rejected. The abuse, however, is to be
avoided That wickedness and sin are
often the consequences, is not attrib-
utable to the act of dancing. If every
thing is done with decorum, you win
be able to dance with your guests.
Faith and love are not banished by
dancing" We have quoted thus freely
from Luther, not with the thought of
Strengthening any argument that
might be made in behalf of the dance
and the theater as proper christian
amusements, but simply to show the
d. 4. -
pleasure and recreation, of one Of the
worlds greatest religious teachers. If
we refer matters of creed and doctrine
to Luther, why may we not likewise our
amusements? OF course the reader will
understand that the writer rejects,
what we give the name, human au-
thority." Wesley and Luther were
great leaders of thought in their day,
and to them the world owes much, but
we would not for a moment suppose
that they were competent. to give the
world creed, and to specify proper
amusements. that would fit the COM
ing generations centuries ahead This
age and all subsequent ones must
shape its own conceptions. AS James
Russell Lowell says:
Makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward,
Who would keep abreast of truth.
Lo, before US CLEAN the campfires; we
Ourselves must Pilgrims be-
Launch our Mayfowers and steer
boldly
Thru the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempt the futures portal with
The past's blood rusted key.
Brother Qualen entirely missed the
point in my former article on the SUBJ
ject Of amusements. which was that
christian parents and communities
should provide suitable amusements for
the young people, and then give them
parental presnce and patronage, so
that the atmosphere of christian
homes may be carried into public
amusements. There is vast differ
ence between taking the world into the
church, and taking the church into the
world. What we may sanction is
matter of question depending on many
things Perhaps if christian people
would agree with opera house manag-
ers to support clean plays, said man
ayers would keep out all other kinds lie
would in our judgment be worth trial
Whether or not we can sanction dane
ing depends upon many things. and
most of all on the moral and intellect
ual development of the community
There are communities even in Iowa
where public gatherings are made oc-
casions for drinking and general rowdy-
ism. The writer helped conduct re-
vival meeting few years ago in such
a community, where in the course Of
six weeks we made sixteen arrests for
different kinds of ruffianism.
In the community Of Ellsworth where
the moral and intellectual standard is
high we might approve of many things
| impossible in the locality described
above. Here in Ellsworth we are work.
| ing along some lines experimentally,
the outcome Of which 1t is too early to
speak. but we are not dancing, and the
latter has not entered into our pro-
gram. OF course Brother Qualen ought
to know that a Congregational min
! lister can speak only for himself for he
is essentially free from ecclesiastical
/ oveTsii s GIT IN the Congregational church
the doctrines and practices are con-
trolled by the local congregation. Each
local church makes its own creed, or
accepts the scriptures themselves as
sufficient, without any additional con-
fession OF faith. This makes us flex-
ibie body. We carry no weight of
musty opinion. and there is therefore
no impeachment in the way of our de-
velopment in harmony with the spirit