Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-03-02
Rev. E. O. Coontz of the A. G.
Church Agrees With Rev. Moore
On Timely Subject
SOME PLEA FOR TOLERANCE
IS CLAIM OF MINISTER
Take Sex Out of Dance and You
Ruin the Business States the
Baraboo Man

Discussing the dance Sunday even
ing at the A. c. church Pastor e. 0.
Coontz said: ''In presenting subject
Of this kind there are always some
who plead for tolerance. This has
been true down through the history
of the church., Christ was thought
to be intolerant touching certain con-
ditions, which he condemned. Many
of the true reformers have been ac-
cused of intolerance. And God will
eventually graduate all sin. It is
easy to say, be tolerant. Slave own
ers and brewery men have said it.;
lilentious' men infesting dance halls
are saying it; and the devil will con-
tinue to plead for tolerance until he
meets his doom.
sS"GodPs servants are not judging
men although Jesus said by their
fruits yez shall know them (Matt.
7:20O. AS ministers we should not
trifle with sin for we are commission
ed to warn men of danger If you be-
lieTe in universal salvation you do
well to ponder the words of Jesus in
Matt. 7:13, IA. If i suggest an inn
provement for your car you do not
accuse ME OF trying to hurt the car
makers. IftIspoint out weakness of
the home life no one thinks am out
of sympathy with the home. If en-
deayor to bring the school to a high
.er plane of service surely no reason
able man will say / am striking at
our public school system.
"The bible is used by some as an
Endorsement of the modern dance,
We are told that David danced and if
it was right for him there can be
no harm in it for us, which sounds
plausible. On this point DR.. H. w.
Slough says: The dancing of the pres
ent day is no more like the dancing
referred to in the bible than the
twentieth century limited is like the
prairie schooner except that both are
dancing This statement is true be-
cause of the deterioration of the
y
religious act both in true and idol
worship and there is no instance
found where the sexes danced to-
gether in true worship. Today both
sexes are represented and those who
indulge do not think of it as an act
of worship or an endeavor to glorify
God This is so well known that or
dinarily in discussing the dance it is
not necessary to qualify it by the
word modern or make any distinc-
dancing. Read Psalms 149 and 150,
where the dance is mentioned, and
see if you can find anything to sug-
gest the modern ball room. They are
more suggestive of live holiness
praise service. To use the bible as an
endorsement of the modern dance is
about as untenable and illogical as to
use it to uphold the practice of poly
gamy
Again some justify themselves in
in the dance because of
the benefits derived from physical
exercise. We admit it is an exercise
but maintain there are other exer-
cises more beneficial and less OBJ.
jectionable. No great benefits can be
expected of an exercise so ill-timed,
and illregulated. 1t has
not been demonstrated that the dance
results in Improvement physically,
or morally.
Take sex out of the dance and you
ruin the business. If married r1en
were obliged to dance with their own
wives only, they would soon lose in
terest in the game. Announce a dance
for men only and they will not be
caught on that hook.
Parents assuming that there can
be no harm in the dance itself favor
it and allow their children to dance,
but it is not limited to childhood.
You might as reasonably expect to
teach boy to smoke and chew and
hope he will give it up when reaching
manhood as to teach girl to dance
she will renounce 1t when
reaching more mature years. Many
children. are being encouraged to,
dance in the grades and form love
for the attraction before realizing the
2erils in connection with it. This is
unfair to the child