The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-09
EATON, CALLS MODERN
DANCING A DISEASE
BY Maraiierlte Moers Marshall.


BY Marguerite Moers Marshall.
"Christians are falling with nom
Christians into the abyss, and are
seeking the troughs Of the swine"
THE dances OF today are mental
disease and a moral degradation, yet
women church members form classes
To learn them
"Thetworst law breakers OF the land
ere to be found among the men who
are members OF the Christian church,
When the Judgment Day comes /
believe that the electrocuted murder.
er, who was born of drunken parents
and brought up in miserable slums.
will stand a better chance than the
womanSrearcd. in a home Of wealth by
gentle, Christian parents. who has
never done anything with her life but
make other people work for her."
"A fool Is very cordid spectacle,
no matter how expensive her clothes
or how much paint and powder she
puts on her face"
II is no savage iconoclast of the
Christian tradition who brings these
charges. Nor Is 1t Billy Sunday. The
author is the Rev. DR.. Charles A.
Eaton, one Of New York's best.
known clergymen and for several
years In charge OF one of our most
fourishing religious centers, Madison
Avenue Baptist Church. Before COM
Ing to New York, DR.. Eaton was pas
tor Of the church in Cleveland attend
ed by John ID. Rockefeller.
pepIored the Change.
II was in the warm, pleasant room
reserved for his Bible class in the
church, at the corner Of Madison ave-
nue. and Thirty.frst street. that
found Or. Eaton. He is tall, kindly
man, whose brown eyes, full OF youth.
full fire, contrast strangely with snow
white lbrows and a sweep Of gray hair.
.Isri It true" asked DR.. Eaton
eth There isa much closer resemb.
lance today between the life OF the
rpfessing Christian and of the non
,.ofessing Christian than was the
case 80 years ago.
at isSassuredly true" he assented
with obvious regret. Like the pro-
digal son, Christians and on.Chris-
Hons are seeking the troughs of the
swine, are falling together into the
abyss. The dressing, the dancing and
the rest are simply outward symbols
81 the inward degradation. Men and
women church members would have
neither time nor inclination for them
H they were actually living strong,
true Christian lives.
churehmen Wors. Offenders.
I'VE have Just been passing through
an era OF economical expansion.
Enormous possibilities for wealth and
power have presented themselves.
Men In the church, by reason OF their
mental qualities and their position,
have been enabled to take advantage
ofthese opportunities.
"Theys have done so. They have
used, to obtain business success. ev.
cry method. every opportunity, every
device employed by other men in no
way connected with the church. And
the result added the one.time pas
tor Of John D. Rockefeller, with more
than q little sternness coloring his
pleasant tones, as that men Of the
church have been the worst lawbreak.
ssof the land.
IF churchmen have acted in this
fashion, is It any wonder that Ntheir
wives and daughters, churchwomen
though they be, have donned costumes
that are sensational, vulgar, sensual
and copied from the women of the
half.world? And am grieved to the
heart when / think OF Christian wo'
men adopting the vices Of men, smok.
ing cigarettes and drinking cock.
tails.
Foolish Rather Than Bad.
eTsbelieve that the number Of these
women is small" DR.. Eaton added
quickly, "but l know it exists. though
there are still thousands of good wo-
men and good men, too. have a
great reverence for women, and I
think that those who invite criticism
are foolish, rather than bad.
"Yetta fool Is very sordid specta.
Gle, no matter how expensive her
clothes or how much paint and pow.
der she puts on her face. Sin strikes