The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-05-06
THE PULPIT AND THE NEW DANCES. .

Tho dance craze notes the Literary Digest has awal.
ened the Remuneration, of the pulpit and only week or
two ago the historic ro,rm of Henry Ward Beecher, as
well as Catholic pups in Brooklyn and MontcaiP heard
these dances condemned. We should not venture TO say
there was parallel in the case of giving dog bad name
and killing him; but anything named a turkey trot
ronld not emerge with credit The Montclar clergyman
the Rev Father William a. Brothers, declared that in
diligence in the turkey trot, the tango and other objec
tionable modern dances as much violation OF the sew
enth commandment adultery Father Brothers, to be
sre admitted he had not any OF these dances in
oueson but he knows from the descriptions of them that
they are indecent Both the Catholic clergymen backed
their arguments reading editorial the subject
printed in the New York Sun, Father Donnelly of.
BROOKLYN enforced the effect of his reading by saying
"Now that does not from church paper that is
not from The Catholic Times nor amy other organ Of
the church but from non-sectaran paper, might
call if a pagan paper If newspapers so stirred
up by the terrible conditions existing he asks whet
should we of the church think what must be the truth
what must be duty! The editorial in question was
named ''The Revolt OF Decency," and thus
'That the police authorities of New York should be
driven close inspection OF the many dance halls
open to those whose idle weak dispositions have drawn
them to the mscaled new dances inevitable. Great
as is the popularity of these graceless conorons and
numerous though their practitioners are there remain
saving intelligence and morality IN the community which
recognize their significance and oathe their indecency
''Let the seemingly incredible protestatons that in
nocence and virtme may indulge in these with
out realization of their origin and meaning be accepted
Poteness and optimism dictate this insult to intelligence
There remains those possessing knowledge and
science the neScapable duty of protecting the ignorant
and the weak much from their folly from the de-
signs OF the vicious The task to exert every influence
to prevent the loss of such ground has been gained
by society its hsoyong struggle for moral progress
a loss that is inevitable if such dances now under
consideration are tolerated.
Ear from being new these dances are reversion
to the groSses praces Of savage man They based
the primitive motive of the orgies enjoyed by the
aboriginal inhabitants of every uncivilzed land Their
movements and steps have been described with eNact
tude by explorers and missionaries to those peoples
accustomed to regard as inferior The eliminating
extravagances Identical with the ends sought by the
benghted heather only that the heather is redeemed
by frankness Of Technology and conduct that has not
yet been attained here H,e. y. oss
" Preserved through all the ages by the habtues of
low resorts by stpe and their patrons these dances
have lost their original reason for existence been
deprived OF their appeal to the prohigate and ting dhBset
Today whether pactised in the lowest brothel I'M
roundngs expensive they retain without change
their meaning and unmodifed in their leffetl That
for moment persons of respectable aHteeendents have
injudciously endured their introduction in places where
decorm guards chastity has not changed their nature
or obscured their menace bs'fa esaf ai21
'Oicia intervention the blow society nstnctively
strlhes vr selfpreseryaon do than crcllm
scribe the field of sordd exploitation of manknds basest
passions and weaknesses Yet restricted though the field
OF its usefulness is it indicates widespread recognition
of the necessity Of preserving those standards of conduct
that irk the reckless who in their folly for
get that EVIL communications corrupt good manners.