The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-07
CHRISTIAN ADJUSTMENTS

permission for the enjoyment OF those
wholesome amusements which are
required for the maintenance of a
just balance between mind and mus
cle-between body and soul? He can.
Passing the athletic amusements of
today, which are neither known to the
bible, nor condemned by the modern
orthodoxy, we find that, upon the safe
passage of the Red sea by the Israeli
ites, the Hebrew ladies, led by Miri-
am, daughter Of Aaron, followed the
triumphal song Of Moses with musiu
and dancing. We know how hard the
creed-ridden people of today, under
the leadership Of bigoted preachers,
have labored to show that this great
historic dance, given in the spirit of
praise and Thanksgiving, was accept
able to God, while a modern ball, CIV
en- on Christmas, New Years, or the
Fourth of July, would be obnoxious to
Him. But in this effort they have
utterly failed. BY no course of reas-
oning can it be shown that the real
spirit of thanksgiving was more pure
lily or more deeply aroused in the
lsraelites by their escape from the
Tyranny of Pharaoh than the same
spirit was aroused in our fathers by
their escape from the tyranny Of
King George. The Israelites were
happy and profoundly grateful to Je-
i hovah, for their deliverance. So were
our fathers for their deliverance, and
that is the end of the matter
| None of the preachers have ever, SO
far as we know, objected to the in
auguration dance quadrennially given
at the capitol of the nation. Yet ii
would puzzle them to show the moral
4 difference between that big dance and
one of the little ones that are decently
conducted at any time or in any quar-
ter of the land
i The story of the prodigal son has
& been read hundreds of times from al
the pulpits of the continent. Yet how
many of the clergymen who have read
it have ever noticed the significance q
the music and dancing" with which
the return of that boy was celebrat
. ed? In the manner and language Of
, the recital of that event there is not
syllable to show that there was any
thing divine or religious about it. The
. affair stirred up the jealousy Of thu
elder son who complained to his faith
/ err that he had never been rewarded
with even kid-to say nothing of
calf-for his lifelong fidelity, ant
had thus been always deprived of tn,
means to make merry" with hi
r friends. So il is perfectly plain tina
the ball given to the prodigal wa
8 nothing more than 'merry-making,
> just such as the good farmer Johl
. Smith may put on the home board
: when his runaway boy returns from
D the tar town of Kansas. Nevertheless
t Christ endorses the prodigal's ball b.
e putting it. uncondemned, into tn
0 story, and His endorsement Is stuff
cient, just as His making wine at tn
: marriage feast in Cana is sufficier
to prove that He was not bloodles!
unsociable cynic, who proposed to sc
up a school such as that of Diogene!
but healthy God-like person, VIII
could truly. say: Il came that We Nigh
have life, and have it more abundan
ly."
i 1t is perfectly safe to say that H
T. who gave a playful spirit to lambs
t and musical spirit to birds will nc
e regard it as being out Of harmon
+ with either the word Or the exampl
d OF His son that human being shout
t enjoy dancing or any kindred anus,
n ment that, with innocence and glas
!, ness, unites dignity. poetry of feelin;
l poetry OF action, and the uplifting IL
g spiration of pure and high social in
y pulses.
r No christian need be afraid of an,
e thing-of any custom, habit or mean
e Of which, known to tn
s Son of Man, was never condemne
e by Him. The christian religion Is tn
e religion of liberty.
e Granger, Mo-, Jan. 6.