Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-06-28
White House.

Now, these good men and women
must believe that dancing, just like
every other amusement, may be mis- a
used and perverted OF be made an "
innocent, healthy and commendable !!
We know that
there are some who believe that y
dancing is corrupting, and those who o
feel that way should avoid the 7
dance. e
The Great Teacher said: "If thy
hand or thy foot offend thee, cut
them off and cast them from thee
and again: "If thine eye offend
thee, pluck it out" But he never
said that the eyes and the hands
that did not offend should be de-
|stroyed
Those who are morally MANNED
and capable Of being corrupted by
dancing are objects Of real pity, for
they VIII be very apt to find some
much more convenient mode OF be- !
coming corrupt when dancing is de-
MED to them. Dancing is not wrong
per SIC, that is, wrong in and of
Itself; for the well-bred and the
proper-minded, the clean-handed and
the pure hearted can shape it into a
God-given recreation to soothe and
compensate fcl the trials and drudIs-
: cry of this life. But, on the other
: hand. the vile and the vicious, the
o base and the vulgar, the men and
0 the women who are foulheaned
!. and unable to think pure thoughts
y in a dance room or any where else,
r can, and sometimes do, use the
ri dance as means to promote their
evil objects and purposes. But such
r individuals are foul and poisonous er
e erywhere, and they keep their snaress
tef set for the feet of the weak in an
N endless variety Of fern close to al
y, of their pathways in life.
r And what is here said in relation
IN to dancing applies with equal force
m to the other anus ements that hava
ID been mentioned. They are all
ne them patronized by many, very many
al of the bravest and best men AM
IT. purest women Of the nation; an
All these good men and women wila e,
cry one admit that they know OF n
on form OF amusement that may not b
IN turned to some evil account by evi
us ~ disposed persons And every goo
ne man and woman would welcome wit
nd tidings of joy the Introduction 6
ID some new form of public amNsemeT
10 not vulnerable to such attacks.
US But why should these remarks b
ne confined to amusements? Do the
lie lot apply to everything? II ma
na .ould do nothing in this world unit
he it was impossible for him, or som
OF weaker brother, to err in so doini
What would there be for anyone
no do?
wv And these considerations bring i
to another question that goes dow
= deeper, and rises up higher than a
the rest. Does God desire that a
temptation should be removed b.
On yond the reach Of mankind? We al
q y inclined to think that he does not
ISIS Every link in Christian theoloe
to teens with proof that our lives
or this world are only short probatios
u.s. airy periods, We are here upo
trial, and temptations give us
chance to demonstrate our trlt
and our fidelity. II we have tn
moral courage to resist the tempt;
lions which are placed, or spring u
~ around us. have we not -demonstra
ed our fitness to our Creator for
.s position of the highest order? An
70 have not the temptations enabled u
10 to furnish our proof? There is n
Is escape from the conclusion tha
~ Temptations are necessary for tn
proper development Of Chrtstia
gil character If this were not SO, VIII
n- was that tree with its forhidde
,ff1 fruit placed in the Garden Of Eden?
tn The ministers of the church Shout
picture sin in all it's deformity an
enormity, but are they not attemp
in ing to be wiser than their Create
Le- when they attempt to Danish tempt'
MS ton from the world and commenc
by banishing the world'a ANUS
by ments? is not this kind of preacl
Ill ing barricading the church door
n against multitude OF men and W.
by men who are firm believers in tn
nd teachings of the Son Of God?
in AS great nation, as the creates
of people that ever existed on tn
he face of this earth, we are intereste
an in the growth Of true Christia
ne theology. Our future prosperity de