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About Christian herald. (Portland ;) 1882-18?? | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1883)
OTTHTSTIAlSr HERALD. 8 California Department. CONDUCTED BY PROF. J. DURHAM. All matter intended for thia department should be addre««ed to Prof. J. Durham, Col-, lege City, California. Dancing. FORTY-TWO REASONS, WHY CHRIS TIANS SHOULD NOT ENGAGE IN IT. ’ BY PBOF. "J. PÜBHASÎ. —- 4 I • It leads to expense in dress, to 1 a tehou is,to^menegt^tmmoral^ and intellectual culture, and to var ious evil practices. 2. Dancing brings its votaries in contact with promiscuous company communications corrupt good man ners.” 3. It mars social intercourse and ■ unnt>s Joi real. sub stantial enjoyment. 4. Dancing unfits the mind for serious reflection and prayer., 5. The most wise, considerate, judicious and devoutly pious, in all ages, have looked upon dancing, as an amusement, not only as useless, but of decided evil tendency. “ Be not conformed tQ«fhh world.” 6. Those who delight in the ball room or dancing parties are gener ally fond of the wine-cup, novel reading, and the card-table. 7. Dancing is a favorite amuse ment of the savage nations, and us ually forms a very important part in the worship of heathens gods.— 8. Social home dances, are advo cated by some Christians, are but the 8tepping-stcne to the public ball-rooui -and theatre—the* top round of the ladder that leads down to the pit. “A prudent man fore seeth the evil, but the simple pass on and are punished.” 9. Dancing-masters and dancing mistresses are generally of low standing in society, not even wel come at the homes of their pupils as guests. They are classed as theatricals of loose habits, whose morals will not bear scrutiny, and "whose language is often very con taminating and corrupting. 10. The freedom between the sexes in certain kinds of dancing is exceedingly immodest, as admitted by those who engage in it, and often results in the most serious and per nicious consequences. 11. Dancing i»a most useless art. 12. The evils flowing from danc ing, and from inspiring children with the dancing mania, may be summed up in pride, folly, irreligion, and excessive love of pleasure, and finnally in a loss of the soul. 13. Dancing, as now practiced by the sexes as an amusement is con- trary to Scripture, and those' who introduce it into the Church are “ diseased members,” and should be healed or amputated, and thus save the body. 14. No instant of dancing is found upon record in the Bible, in which the two sexes are o etl i n the exercise, either as an act of wor ship, or amusement. Neither is * 1 cial dancing for amusement, except that of the vain fellows devoid of shame, or the irreligious families described by Job, which produced increased impiety and ended in de struction ; and of Herodias, which terminated in the rash vow of Herod, and the murder of John the Baptist. .'•■V Who came to Herod’s blood stained throne . To seek forbidden joys Who reveled there in crimes unknown, Bedecked with gaudy toys? A Dancer. Who came in haste to kingly court To do a monster deed, To lift the Roman ax in sport, And see the Baptist bleed? A Dancer. 21. Christians are commanded to « let their light so shine that others "sTeing^thgiTguod wo r ks, may gl o rify- our father in heaven.” Has the dancing of Christians ever con verted a soul to Christ ? Rather has their light been turned to dark ness, and no church has ever suc ceeded where it has not disciplined against it. 22. The Bible contains a revela tion of the wrath of God against all garded by the best authority, both prose writers and poets; in all ages Byron say a; “ There wm a sound of revelry by night And Belgium’s capital had gathered there her beauty and her chivalry. And bright the lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men, * * * * » : On with the dance ! let joy be uncon* fined." Paul has said that “ they who do such things cannot inherit the king dom oiGu d C.^ and the apostle says, “ They that do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Dancers do all these things. 23. True gentility and etiquette the ball-room. The most accom plished lady and gentleman in the world are those who have been ed- . . 1. in ITiu Cli Their manners spring from a pure heart. 24. If dancing is not as great an ¿vil as the evils that other Chris tians do, then it is bad ; and for the same reason stealing is in har mony with the principles of Chris tianity, because it is not as bad as tain them for policy (?) 29. Dancing is idolatry. And an idol to which dancing Chiis- tians (?) are closely bound, or they would not indulge in it. Read ^¿Knight1» tra'iSlalion 1 Uor. i: “ Neither be ye idolators as were some of them; as it is written, ‘ The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to dance. In King James’ translation the word “ play ” occurs, but if you will turn to Exodus xxxii, you will find that it was “ dance.” The apostle says nothing about the golden calf, but speaks of dancing and calls it idol atry. 30. Dancing is contrary to the T Like viands—on a plate, apostles license us to anything bad? and those who engage in it should Exulting that a saint was dead, To glut her mother’s hate? A Dancer. “ To be carnally minded is death remember that, ‘‘ whatsoever a man 1G. The preparation forTKe^ance is an outward adorning, not of good works, but of costly apparel; all this display is not of a meek and tumult- uous vanity. 17. No Christian can attend such places without receiving spots from the world, and the Apostle James says, “Keep yourself unspotted from the world.” 18. The Scripture gives us all things that pertain to life and god liness. If dancing pertains to life and godliness, something must be given that authorizes it. Where is it ? 29. “ Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto God and the Father by him.” (Col. 3:17). This demands the glory of God as the object, as well as the authority of Christ, for what we do. Does dancing do this ? 20. Those who practice dancing do not think^>f appealing to Scrip ture for authority. If they will dance, therefore, in the absence of authority, either direct or indirect, the sooner they are given over to the world, the sooner will the Church be rid of their pernicious example, and they cease to practice deception on the world. (spiritual-/, but fo be spiritually soweth that shall he also reap-phtj nUnded is life and peace.” that soweth to his flesh, shall of the 25. Dancing causes brethren of llesh reap corruption, but he that strong, as well as weak, consciences soweth to the spirit, shall of the Jo QUe^dj. it QUgbt BQt bfi . JUuriL-xcAg. GfiL indulged in. “But when ye sin so 6 : 7-8. against the brethren, and wound 31. It is a love for the world, their weak conscience,ye sin against “ If any man love the world, the Christ. (1. Cor. 8 : 12.) “Then said love of the Father is not in him.” he unto the disciples*, ‘It is impossi 1 Jno. 2 : 15. ble but that offences will come; but 32. A good brother, perhaps a woe unto him through whom they preacher, says the scripture does not come. It were better for him that prohibit dancing. It says “ Thoa a mill-stone were hanged about his shalt not dance,” just as much as it neck, and he were cast into the sea, says “ Thou shalt not play cards,” than that he should offend one of “ Thou shalt not run horses,” or these little ones.” (Luke 17 : 1-2.) “ Thou shalt not play billiards.” 2G. Dancing is not a healthful 33. Those who are not professors exercise. Much disease and many of Christianity do not consider the deaths follow the excitement, heated ball room a suitable place for a rooms, thin clothing, long-continued ChrUtian- professor. ----------- - exercise, drinks, untimely eating, 34. The morals of every commu and improper excitement, So nity decrease in the same ratio that physicians say. Where men and dancing increases. women are left free to act in accor 35. Many young men, who are dance with the true principles of fond of the dance, will not consent Christianity, they have heathy for their sisters to attend, because bodies and clear consciences. they say it is not a proper place for 27. We are to “ glorify God in them. Why ? our bodies and spirit, which are his.” 3G. There are many men, who, Has any Christian ever been known in their young days, were great to glorify God by dancing ? - lovers of the dance, but when they 28. Among the works of the flesh named by the apostle Paul (Gal. wished to select a companion for 5 : 19-20) is reveling. Reveling is life said they would not have a noisy mirth ; and has been so re- dancer. Why ?