A sermon : preached in the Newnan Presbyterian Church, May 26, 1889 / by the Pastor, Rev. James Stacy ; subject: "The dance"

-^^v. A SERMON, '^:.:"^:'

Preached in the Newnan Presbyterian Church, May 26* J889> by the Pastor, REV. JAMES TACY, D. D. Subject "THE DANCE."

TEXT "Wherefore, if thy bund or thy foot in which the soul is to be caught, like a

offend thee, cut them off and cast -them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt

bird, is, in Bible

nomenclature,

an </-

or maimed, rather .than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast

fense, and is to be avoided at any and every sacrifice, even if it be the excision

5t from thec; it is better for tuce to enter into life with one eye, rather than bavins; two eyes to he cast into hell-fire." Matt., xviii.: 8,0.

of a hand or foot, or th^pulling out of an eye. If your right Mnd becomes a

snare, a trigger to the trap by which

This is very strong language. I know your soul is to be ensnared, and taken

of but few such passages where the by the enemy of souls and dragged

truth is uttered with such fearful em down to perdition, cut it off. If it be a

phasis. In Mark (ix.: 43-48) the empha right eye or foot that thus offends that

sis is still further intensified by the ad thus becomes a gin, a snare, a trigger to

dition of the words, "where their worm the trap by which your immortal soul

dieth not and the fire is not quenched." is to be ensnared and taken do not

And then the argument is just as clear hesitate, says the Master, to pluck out

and conclusive as the language is em the one and cut off the other and cast

phatic. All must admit that where the them from thee, and for the reason

alternative is presented between the which carries with it all the cogency of

loss of an eye, or hand, or foot, and an irresistible argument, and which, as

having the whole man soul, body, and soon as enunciated, demands universal

spirit cast into everlasting fire, there assent, that it is infinitely better for a

can be but one response. The unani man to enter into life halt and maimed,

mous voice would be, that it is infinite having but one eye, or band, or foot,

ly better for a man to lose one member than having two eyes, two hands and

of his body than to endure the tor two feet to be cast into hell-fire, "where

ments of the damned forever. It be their worm dieth not and the fire is not

hooves us, therefore, to have-a correct quenched."

idea of the meaning of this text, for The obvious practical teaching, then,

this fearful alternative may some time of this text is simply this: That things

bo set before us for our choice.

indifferent can be sources of danger and

The word offend has somewhat destruction as well as things wicked

changed its signification since the time and sinful, and for that reason are to be

of the translation of the Scriptures. It avoided as much so as the other. TVhat

is now used in the sense to displease; is wrong in the use of the eye? "What

but at that tune it meant to cause to is wicked in the use of the hand ? "What

stumble. In the original, the word used is sinful in the use of the foot ? And

is the same that was applied to the yet that very eye, which God has made

trigger of a trap, against which the bird for noble purposes, can become a snare'

or animal impinged, and caused the to the soul, a trigger to the trap. So

trap to fall upon it. The meaning of the hand, so the foot. It was David's

the word is, "to cause to be ensnared eyes that led to his ensnarement, when

and taken." Anything, therefore, that from the royal chambers he looked upon

becomes a snare, a trigger to the trap, the fair form of Bath-Sheba engaged in

her ablutions. It was the hand of Aa culminating in a regular paid arrange

ron that became a soare to him and the ment whereby the rising generation are

people of Israel, when he took the ear to be taught how to dissipate ! Parents

rings and jewelry of the women and actually hiring a man to teach their

formed and set up that golden calf by children how to be godless and grace

which Israel was enticed away from the less!

worship of the true and living God. It It is not my purpose to discuss the

was the feet of Lot that ensnared him question whether it is a sin to dance,

and his family when they carried him for I have already done this since my

to sojourn in the midst of the Sodom residence among yon. Besides, my text

ites a people who had cast off all fear does not contemplate such a thing. The

of God from before their eyes and given Saviour is here speaking, you perceive,

themselves up to every abomination of things indifferent, not things sinful,

and sin. _-

and I am not going to be diverted from

Then it wowd he well to remember that issue. The question is not wheth

that there are two kinds of indifferent er it is a malum per se--an evil in itself.

things those that are useful and nec The test speaks of plucking out a right

essary, like the hand or eye, and those eye and cutting off a right hand, and

which are wholly useless, as some idle not the violation of any law, or com

habit or practice which is of service to mission of any great offense. It does

nobody. If, then, we are to maim the not matter, then, whether it be a s.n in

band or disable the eye when they be itseif. The only question is, whether

come a snare to us, being actually re it comes in the same category with the

quired to destroy that which is useful offending eye, or hand, or foot ? whe

when it performs the part of the trig ther it becomes a snare to us and gets

ger to the trap, how much more are we in the way of our salvation ? Sappose

to forsake that which is unnecessary, I admit it is not a sin in itself, any more

unprofitable and expensive ?

than romping, jumping, shooting mar

And, now, I doubt not but that you bles or playing chess what then?

have already seen the point of these re Why, simply this: According to the

marks and already made the applica rule laid down here, (and it is as much

tion. It is perfectly obvious, even to a command as any law that ever ema

the most casual observer, that the ten nated from the Master's lips,) that if

dency of the age and the tendency of dancing, or even romping, jumping, or

this community, partaking of the gen playing marbles, chess, or any other

eral degeneracy of the times, is to dis game, becomes a snare, a trap, a trig

sipation, and the tendency of dissipa ger, by which our soul is to be ensnared

tion, like the leak in the dam, is to cut and dragged down from heaven, it is

for itself the greater opening. Descen- clearly our duty to abandon it.

sus averno/adUs; descent to the infer There are those who seem to think

nal regions is easy. The tendency to there is danger in nothing but sin by

evil is without effort. To increase good sin meaning the commission of some

requires exertion. To increase evil is gross offense; but this is not the teach

dimply to let it alone.

ing of the Scriptures not the teaching

To every observant eye it is perfectly of the Master not the teaching of obser

obvious that dissipation has been on the vation and experience. In nature, death

increase, of late, in our community; lurks in many things beside the poison

parental discipline has been neglected ; ous drug, or fatal bullet, or even such

greater liberties granted the young; diseases as consumption, or yellow fe

the Sabbath more and more disregard ver,- or cholera. The slightest expos

ed and desecrated; a place has been ure, or imprudence in eating or sleep

provided for dissipation, the whole ing, may lead to a termination of life.

Many a man has lost his life in doing ger, where he might bestow his increa* something proper in itself. Several ed fruits. Now, where is the sin iu a

years ago a little child in this place was man simply looking after and taking

choked to death with a piece of bread. care of his goods? What law was bro

That which was necessary to life actu ken ? which of the ten commandments

ally became the means of death. And violated ? Many a moral man has suf

did it matter to the fond mother wheth fered his legitimate business to destroy

er bread or poison did the fatal work, his soul. And if business can drag a

since the life of her child w is gone ? A man down to perdition, why may not

man may be run over by the passing pleasure?

train and killed. Shall he stop and ask Neglect is presented to us in the

himself the question whether it is right Scriptures as another potential means

for him to be upon the track or not of destruction. "How shall we escape if

when he sees the engine coming? In we neglect so great salvation ?" A man

temporal matters men have but one may sit still in bis canoe^until he is

idea, and that is to get away from the swept over the fatal cataract. So a

place of danger when they see death man may sit still and do nothing till he

staring them in the face; and yet when loses his soul. And now, in that de

we point them to spiritual dangers and struction, what law is violated? which

things destructive to their spiritual life of the ten commandments broken?

they are continually raising the ques Then, again, unbelief is presented in

tion "Where is the sin ? What law is the Scriptures as the great destroyer of

violated ? What harm is in it ?"

souls. "He that believeth not shall be

The Scriptures give us plainly to un damned." Unbelief shut the vast mul

derstand that there are a great many titude of the Israelites out of the earth

things which can destroy the soul be ly Canaan, and the same unbelief is

sides overt acts of transgression. "De shutting out innumerable throngs from

stroy not- him with thy meat for whom the heavenly Canaan. Multitudes every

Christ died," said Paul to the Romans. day going to perdition through the

(Rom., xiv.: 15.) Thus, the early Chris great and heinous sin of unbelief, and

tians, by eating meat offered to idols, yet they are asking the question: Why,

could destroy the souls of others. Yet what have I done? What law have I.

where is the sin in eating meat ? What broken? Which of the ten command

law violated ? Where is the harm ? So ment have I violated?

the apostle declares that a man may eat We have a striking illustration of all

and drink damnation by partaking of this in the conduct of the people of Ga-

the communion unworthily. Yet where dara. The Saviour went over into the

is the sin? Which of the ten com land of the Gadarenes on a mission of

mandments is broken? What law vio mercy to heal their sick and teach

lated? .

them the way of salvation.. The first

The Scriptures declare that, to be car case he healed was a man with a legion

nally minded, is death; that all that is of devils. He cured the man, but as necessary for a man to do to shut him the cure was followed by the destrucself out of the kingdom of heaven is ti n of a herd of their swine the people simply to prefer this world to the favor from all around the country came and of God. As illustrated in the history of besought Him that He would depart oat

the young ruler who preferred his rich of their coast. In compliance with es to the heavenly inheritance, or of their wishes the Saviour left them, the rich man against whom no charge never to return again, and they thus
of immorality was preferred, and who, just as effectually cut themselves off
like any other prudent man, resolved to from salvation as if they had been
pull down his old barns and build lar thieves, cut-throats and highway mur-

UNIVE^

LIBRARIES OF

derers. They foolishly despised their that the great adversary of souls baits

privileges,they slighted their opportuni- his hook, with -which he catches the un

ty,and sealed their doom by turning their suspecting sons of men and drags them

back upon the Master. So now, many a down to perdition. Witness his strategy

community has, like the Gadarenes, in the Garden of Eden. When Eve saw,

virtually besought the Lord to leave from Satan's statement, that the fruit

them. By their intense worldliness was good and calculated to make one

and by their indifference they have vir wise

tually asked Him to depart out of their coasts. There are other methods of

"She plucked, she eat! Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her
seat,

destruction

besides persistent, daring,

Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe,

overt acts of transgression and sin. A That all was lost!"

man can grieve, insult and drive away Witness his argument for the saloon:

the spirit fy>m his heart and seal his "It is no sin to tafee a drink;*' but, alasl

* destruction by i.is wanton indifference in the end it "biteth like a serpent and

to spiritual things and his inordinate stingeth like an adder."

love for worldly pursuits and pleasures. I insist, therefore, the question is not

At the last day the Saviour will say to whether the dance is an evil in itself,

those upon his left hand, "Depart, ye but whether it be a snare, a trigger to

cursed, into everlasting fire" not for the trap the tempting bait which Sa

their numerous and aggregated trans tan puts upon his hook, with which he

gressions, but their utter disregard and draws the unsuspecting young away

neglect of his claims. "I was hunger from God and heaven, and ultimately

ed and ye gave me no meat,. thirsty down to everlasting ruin. The decoy

and ye gave me no drink." It was the with which he allures them away from

unprofitable and not intensely wicked heaven and spiritual influences into the

servant, simply, that was cast into open field of worldliness, where he in

outer darkness.

tends to bind them so securely with his

Let, then, the advocates of the dance cords that they will never return again,

bring with them a better plea than that but be compelled to serve him the bal

it is not malum per se, and they can ance of their days.

"see no barm in it." Indifferent things But it is just here that the advocates

can become a sin, a snare, a trigger to the of the dance join issue with me. "It is

trap just as well as sinful deeds, and not hurtful or injurious to our spiritual

even more so, by reason of the very de life," say they. Perhaps not, for the

lusive disguise that accompanies tham majority of them have no spiritual life

and that so effectually quiets all alarm. to be injured one way or the other.

"There is a way which seems right unto But let us look a little into this matter.

a mar>, but the end thereof are the There are certain incontrovertible facts

ways of death.

wholly inconsistent with the supposi

When the fisherman goes to the bank tion that the practice is not injurious to

of the stream he unwinds his line, he spiritual life.

baits his book and drops it into the 1. In the first place, such are confront

water. The unsuspecting fish soon ed with the united testimony of the

comes along and,seeing nothing but the whole Christian world. All the purest

worm, it suspects no danger. Is not the uud best, the meat devout, and those

worm goodior food ? He bites, his jaws most noted for their spirituality, have

are at once impaled upon the cruel unitedly set their face against the prac

hook, and he is unceremoniously drawn tice as hurtful to persona] piety, and

out of the water and soon finds himself injurious to the spread of religion in the

in the fisherman's basket. O, it is with community. The consensus of all the

many of these same indifferent things Christian churches is against it, with-

out a single exception. All the evan this nearness to God that is so strange

gelical denominations have condemned ly and strikingly absent from the life

. i it. They have all declared against it as and experience of the dancing Chris

] the insidious foe of the church, and the tian. People of the world see and know

; -\^ subtle and deadly enemy of religion ia this. -They have very little difficulty in

'-"! the soul. Now, it is to be presumed gauging such a religion. To say. the

N^ that they who know more about relig- least of it, they look upon it with ex

.^ ion and practice it most would certain- treme suspicion. Hence, the dancer is

x ly know more about its nature and the not the person to whom the men of the

condition of its life, and what would world would ever go for religious coun

hinder its growth, than the giddy, gay, sel and advice. Nor yet would the man

thoughtless worldling who has never upon the dying bed ever send for the

experienced Us power upon the heart, leader of the german to kneel beside

or the formal professor who spends far his bed and pray for him. , We venture

more time in preparation for the ball the assertion that the thing has never

room than in prayer or the study of yet happened in the history of the

God's word. Who would be the best world that a man was called out of the

witness, and whose testimony should ball-room to pray with and for a dying

go farthest, the man who studies and man. The sick and dying feel that the

practices religion, or he who studies man they need for such an emergency

and practices the world ?

is one who lives near to God, and is in

2. Then, in the second place, who the habit of talking to Him, and they

are the advocates and friends of the_ argue, and argue correctly, that the

dance? People of the world, of course. man.who is in the habit of frequenting

It just suits their ideas and feelings. the ball-room is not the man who is in

The dance i-: worldly and they are the habit of frequenting the Throve of

". worldly. The dance is at a distance Grace, and he who can breathe and live

s" from God, and they are at a distance in the atmosphere of the one would

^ from Him. They are precisely adapted certainly be stifled should he undertake"

v to each other. Now, when we turn to to draw near and breathe the atmos

\. the church members who go into it, we phere of the other.

see a striking resemblance between 3. Then, look around and see what is

them and the other class. As a class, the effect of this practice upon the state

dancing members look very much like of religion in a community, as shown by

dancing worldlings. They are never re experience. The universal voice of ex

markable for spirituality, for religious perience is, that these things never go

fervor. They are not r>uch given to se together. Like the see-saw, when one

cret prayer. They exhibit very few, if goes up the other goes down; when re

any, of those deep inner gifts and graces ligion flourishes the dance declines, and

of the spirit, showing that theirs is a life when the dance flourishes religion de

of .faith and prayer, and daily walk and clines, which shows that they are antag

communion with God. As a compensa onistic. Religion and arts and sciences

tion for the privileges of the ball-room, can flourish together religion and edu

they may affect an outward religious cation can go together religion and bus

zeal, and'show a willingness to vrorfc, iness can flourish side by side, upon the

as they say, for the church. But that same soD, but not so with religion and

is not spirituality of mind and heart. t:ie dance. Like the growing grain and

;J~~The man that is regenerated is taken the thrifty weed they cannot live

jv unto nearness with God. He walks and and thrive side by side. The

" talks with Him every day. This is the one can only flourish at the

^ very essence and life of religion. Now, expense of the other. Hence, yon

'v-i it is this essential element and feature will always find that in those commu-

AM

nities where this amusement prevails, same brain. Hence, I have no fear of

there is a dearth of revivals; and those contradiction when I affirm that of all

churches in which this practice is allow those who have of late been attending

ed, religion degenerates into mere out ;hese dances, or your dancing school,

ward formalism, the gospel loses much not a single one can be found who baa'

of its power, and the church, instead of any serious concern about hissouL Like

being the "city upon the hill whose soldiers in battle, they have lost all sight -

light cannot be hid," becomes but the of danger from the excitement of the

smoky lantern with its light flickering' iour. And what is true of this com

in the socket. Instead of sitting like a munity is likewise true of all others.

queen upon her lofty throne of beauty Show me a single impenitent person in

and grace, she becomes the bound cap this community who attends the dance,

tive crouching in the dust the jest of and who at the same times is anxiously

the wicked and the sport of the uncir- inquiring, "What shall I do to be

cumcised and unclean.

saved ?" and I will at once yield the

4. Then, what is the effect upon the point. Show me one anywhere in the

individual ? Let those who go to such State of Georgia; show me one any

places answer. If this "innocent past- where in the United States of America;

time," as you are pleased to term it, be yea, more, show me one anywhere

not destructive of all religious feeling, upon the habitable globe, Who is going

and a formidable barrier in the way of to the german and who is sincerely at

salvation, then how comes it to pass tending the inquiry meeting at the

that such are not yet saved V Why is it same time, and I yield tLe point at

they are so little interested about their once. Before a man can go to the one he

soul's salvation ? Yea, why is it that must forsake the other. Before a man

they seem to be so entirely removed out can attend the former, he must make a

of the reach of the gospel ? Can that compromise with his conscience and the

be innocent and harmless which so hard Holy Spirit. He must virtually say to

ens the heart sears the conscience and the spirit, "Go thy way for this time,

deadens all the religious sensibilities of and afterwards I will call for thee."

the soul ? It is a principle in philosophy O search the annals of the world and

that two bodies cannot occupy the same see if a single instance can be found-

place at the same time, unless they co where a soul was ever converted upon

alesce and mix and mingle, like sugar the floor of the ball-room, amid the

dissolved in water, or any substance whirling mazes of the giddy dance?

held in another by chemical solution. Very few places in this world, in my

Religion will mix and mingle with busi judgment, are farther removed from

ness, or any of the lawful pursuits of life; God and heaven and the Spirit's in

but it will not mix and mingle with the fluences than the ball-room. I know of

german. The religion of the meek and one or two. more, and only one or

lowly Jesus can never take up and two. Yet in the face of this damaging

hold in solution the carnal revelling* of array of facts, we are coolly met with

the voluptuous waltz. Just as soon ex the statement: "f don't see any harm

pect light and darkness to coalesce in in it;" and parents are actually sending

one, just as soon expect day and night, their>children to this Christless, grace

summer and winter, heat and cold, or less, spiritless place, that they may be

any other of the antipathic elements ol taught in this Christless, graceless,

nature to lay aside their distinctive spiritless school!

characteristics and come together un Enough has already been said to show

der the operation and control of the why church people have always oppos>-

same law. The germau and religious ed the dance in all of its forms. If it

interest cannot exist together in the antagonizes the gospel, interferes with

7

church work, weans the heart awiy church and the world, everywhere in

from God and heaven ;if it becomes a sin, sisted upon in the'Scriptures.

a snare, a trigger to the trap by which "Come out from among them and be thoughtless and unsuspecting souls are ye separable," (L Cor., vL: 17,) is the

ensnared and taken; if it becomes an positive. and explicit command. "Be

impediment and barrier in the way of not conformed to this world," (having

salvation, then it matters not whether the same form and behavior) "but be ye

a malumper se, an evil in itself or not, transformed;" in the original, "meta

no Christian man and minister of the morphosed," completely changed into

gospel who feels any concern for souls a different being, having a different

can hesitate for a single moment which form, with a different life and different

side of the question he will take. It habits. "Delivered from the kingdom

matters not whether an evil in itself or of darkness and translated," (trans, be

not, so long as I can see its effects are yond, and latum, carried.) Carried

so hurtful and damaging to the cause outside and beyond the limits of the

of religion, like the saloon, I cannot country and brought into another coun

help resisting it.

try owning fealty to a new sover

I am opposed to the dance iu every eign, speaking a new language and

shnpe and form, because it is opposed brought into obedience to new laws.

to my work. It is in the way of the Abraham, the father of the faithful,

gospel, it is in the way of salvation. was required to leave Ur of the Chal-

It is in the way, equally, of the dees to come out from his idolatrous

development of the Christian and kindred and people, and be separate

the conversion of the sinner. It paral from them. Israel, the type of the

yzes the efforts of the one, and puts the true Israel, were require-! to come out

other very nearly out of the reach of of Egypt and not to go back the Red

the gospel. What is the use of talking S a being put behind them and the path

about the preciousness of a Saviour's through its trackless waters closed up,

love, or the sweet peace and ecstatic so they could never return. One whole

joys of the Christian, to a man when in generation perished in the wilderness

the wildest delirium of wordly intoxi because they lusted after the flesh pots

cation and delight? There is such a of Egypt and desired to return; and af

thing as intoxication from pleasure as ter their establishment in Canaan they

well as from ardent spirits, and the one were required to be entirely separate

renders the man just as oblivious to the from the surrounding nations, to have

claims of God and the gospel as the no dealings with them in any shape or

other; and, with all candor, I make the form, and form no alliances with them,

statement that I have about as much either matrimonial or otherwise. They

hope of reaching the one with the gos spoke a different language from the na

pel as the other. I would just as soon tions around them their religion be

preach to a man who gets upon a drunk ing so different and many of their laws

every week, with a view of saving his and rites so repulsive to them, as to se

soul, as to a man who goes to a ball cure complete and total separation

every week. Revelling and drunken thus showing that God's people are to

ness are put in the same category, both be "a peculiar people, zealous of good

by the Apostles Paul and Peter, (Gal., works;" that they are to have "no fel

v.: 21; I. Peter, iv.: 3;) and the one will lowship with the unfruitful works of

shut out of the kingdom just as easi darkness" that is, to have nothing in

ly and as surely as the other.

common with them as the Word means.

I am opposed to the dance because So the doctrine of the new birth as

it is inconsistent with that complete serts the same thing. It is spoken of as

and unqualified separation between the a new creation, some of the leading

8

characteristics of which are that they every one. Those, then, who apply for

were once afar off, but are now brought membership, and are received, come in

nigh were once blind, but now can see with the understanding that it is under

once dead, but now made alive once the ban of the church, and if not in so

living in the world and serving divers many words, virtually agree to accept

lusts, but now denying all ungodliness this as part of the covenant. When

i-

and worldly lusts, and living soberly they stand up before the congregation

i. e., sedately or with Christian sobriety. and take the vows of the church upon

So the kingdom the Saviour came to them, they solemnly promise to for

set up was to be diverse from all others. sake the world, itsunhallowed'pursuits

He called His apostles out from the and pleasures; they promise '.o study

world. Moreover, He said that all who the purity and peace of the church, con

would be His diciples must deny them scientiously avoiding in speech and be

selves and take up the Cross and follow havior what is contrary to the holy

Him. "Crucified with Christ" is the principles of the gospel. They prom

formula that < xpresses their new state. ise to submit to the lawful exercise of

Now, turn to the ball-room and see the authority of the church as long as

if you can discover any of these leading they remain members of it. It is use

essential characteristics? Do you see less to say they do not promise to give

anything peculiar or separate.any line of up this amusement, for no church

demarcation between life and death? would receive them with any such

Any old and new? Any self-denial? mental reservation; and surely the

Any self-crucifixion? Any bearing of Lord Jesus would not receive them.

crosses? If so, in what does the self- No man is fit for the church, or can

denial and cross-bearing consist? Which hope to be received by the Master,

have on the old man, and which put on who is not willing to make a full and

Christ? Which making provision, and unconditional surrender of the world.

which making no provision to fulfill Unless he is willing to do this, to cut

the lusts of the flesh which Christ-like .- ntirely loose from the world and burn

and which like the world? Which cru the ships behind him, he is simply

cified with Christ and which not? A mocking God and heaven, sporting

dancing disciple of a crucified Saviour! with the church, and trifling with his

"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in own soul as well sis with sacred things,

the streets of Askolon, lest the daugh when he applies to be received into

ters of the Philistines rejoice lest the membership. And yet, in the face of

daughters of the uncircumcised tri all this, we find recalcitrant members

umph." (II. Sam., i.:20.)

in all the churches, who have lost sight

I am opposed to the dance because it of their covenant engagements and

levels all these distinctions and teach seem entirely to have disregarded these,

es that there is no difference between their solemn vows, and who persist in

the church and the world, whOe the their refusal to submit to the wishes

Scriptures everywhere declare that and authority of their brethren in the

there is a chasm between them as high Lord. Such is the fascination and such

as heaven, as deep as hell, and as broad the stronghold that this form of the

as immensity.

world has upon the hearts and lives of

Again, I am opposed because it caus many of the professedly devoted fol

es church members to violate their lowers of their crucified Lord, that be

consecration vows.

fore they would abandon it, they wouU

There is not one of the evangelical | suffer themselves thriist out from her

churches but what has condemned the ommunion and the church torn asun

dance and forbidden its members in der with internal dissension and strife!

dulging in the same. This is known to I am opposed to the dance because,

like Achan of old, it is a great disturber which we are to give account. Is this

of Israel. Witness the recent agitation the best use to which we could put our

in our church, which shook it from its Lord's money ?

center to its outmost circumference.

Then, what a useless waste of time-

I am opposed to the dance, because time, one of the talents for which we

it is an interference with parental vows are accountable; time, every moment

and obligations. Presbyterians need of which is more precious than gold-

not be told that parents are responsible dust; time, which we shall yet value as

to God for the training of their chil did the dying Elizabeth when she cried

dren. This idea is forcibly set forth in out, "Millions of money for an inch of

the ordinance of infant baptism. The time!" Could we not spend the time

Lord claims the children of His people more profitably ?

as His own. The theory and practice Again, and finally, I am opposed to

of the Presbyterian church is for pa the dance because it interferes with the

rents formally to dedicate their chil great duties of life, and compromises

dren to the Lord in early infancy, and the very object of existence. We are

to enter into covenant with God and put here for a purpose, and that pur

the church to train them to His glory. pose is to serve God, to glorify and en

What, then, becomes of these solemn joy Him forever. The great business

vows and obligations when they not of life is to secure the favor of God, to

only allow them to go, but actually obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to

send them to these schools of the world, lay up treasures in heaven. The first

to be trained for the world ? Is that great duty of the sinner is to secure the

training them for His glory and His salvation of his soul. The command is

church ? 'But do I hear you to-day, "I to seek first the kingdom of God and

have not had my children baptized ?" His righteousness, and whatever inter

So much the worse! The neglect is but feres with that is to be sacrificed,

an admission on your part that you are whether the right eye, or hand, or foot.

willing that they should remain in the The great duty of the Christian is to

world and be regarded as belonging to work for the spread of the Master's

the world. It is but ignoring the claims kingdom and the salvation of precious

of God altogether and surrendering souls, and whatever hinders in that

them entirely to the world. Whether work is to be unceremoniously discard

you have your children baptized or not ed. The life of the sinner is in jeopar

the obligation is the same.

dy and he has no time for dalliance;

I am opposed to the dance, because and the Christian, like Nehemiah, is

it is wholly useless and unprofitable a engaged in a great work, and has no

useless expenditure of money and time. time for a conference with Tobiah and

' Pour hundred dollars spent in this town the Arabians in the plain below. The

to maintain a dancing school, when sinner has no time to be dancing when

there are so many poor and needy in the flames of an endless hell are rolling

the land crying for bread, and so many beneath his feet; and the Christian has

children growing up in ignorance for no time to be fiddling and dancing, like

want of education!- Four hundred dol Nero at the burning of Rome, while

lars for a dancing school, and consid souls are perishing around him. "Life

erably less than that amount from is real, life is earnest." This is the sow

the whole community for the cause of ing time, the reaping time hereafter;

foreign missions, when there are over this the working time, the gathering

eight hundred millions of heathens time bye-and-bye. There is a work to

sinking down to perdition for the lack be performed; there are duties and ob

of the gospel. Our money belongs to ligations to be met; there are precious

the Lord, and constitutes a talent for opportunities to be improved, which, if

IO

we let them slip, are gone forever. cheating you out of your reward ? Ev

"And as we sow, so shall we reap. If erything that forms part of that daily

we sow sparingly we shall reap spar sacrifice will become a means of grace

ingly; if bountifully, we shall reap and a stepping stone to the kingdom of

11 '

bountifully. If we sow to the flesh, of heaven. And anything dissociated

| r,

the flesh shall we reap corruption; if from that service, no matter what its

we sow to the spirit, of the spirit we character, may become a gin and snare,

shall reap life everlasting."

a stumbling block, over which we may

One of the great doctrines of the fall into perdition. Which will the

Scriptures is, that we are not our own, dance become, a stepping stone to the

but have been bought with a price; that kingdom of heaven, or a stumbling

we are to glorify God with our bodies stone over which we fall into destruc

and spirits which are His; that there is tion ?

a service which is due Him; that we are My task is now done. As a watch

to make God our partner partner in man upon the walls of Zion, whose bus

our joys, partner in our sorrows, part iness it is to watch for souls, as one

ner in our business. Whether we eat who must Rive an accounf, and who

or drink, or whatsoever we do, we are should sound the alarm at the approach

to do all to the glory of His name. Our of every danger, I have felt it to be my

religion must be mixed up with all we duty to call attention to an evil with

do. It must hold the whole of life in which we are so seriously threatened.

solution; so that the life of tlie Chris It does not require the skilled eye of a

tian will become one stupendous offer prophet to see the direction in which

ing, one perpetual sacrifice. This is the current is drifting; nor yet to fore

the grand conception of Christian life cast what the end is to be. The world

presented in the Scriptures; this is the is coming in like a flood, and unless the

high plane upon which he is expected tide of dissipation which has been so

to move. How does the dance comport largely on the increase of late be arrest

with this view of a Christian life ?

ed, it will soon, like the opening crev

Then, there is another great truth asse, assume such proportions as to be

presented in the Scriptures concerning whqlly unmanageable. Let the danc

the final rewards. Those rewards will ing school become part of the regular

liepend entirely upon our conduct here. curriculum for the training of the

Every man is to be rewarded according young, and let the waltz and gerruan

to his works. If we build upon the be admitted as established institutions

true foundation with wood, hay, and of the community, and like the curculio

stubble, our works shall be burned and in the orchards or phylloxera upon the

we suffer loss. If we build with gold, vines, a blight will soon seize upon the

silver, and precious stones, which will religious life of your place, the Spirit's'

abide the tire, we shall receive a re influence will be withdrawn, the gospel

ward. Every life is to be put into the will have little power, the ranks of the

crucible, and everything not permeated church will become decimated, the

with the religious element is to be de young will stay away from her ordinan

stroyed. What is to become of the ces, and those precious seasi/ns of revi

dance i". the Bnal conflagration V "What val, for which our town lias been so no

has it to do with this daily sacrifice of ted in the past, will seldom if ever re

the Christian, and what rewards will it turn. The thing that has contributed

bring hereafter? Will it become the more than anything else to make yours

gold and silver and precious stone to a delightful residence, is the predomi

enrich your stores, or will it prove to be nance of the religious element; but

the worthless chaff and straw that is to when that element is eliminated, when

be consumed, and thus be the means of the church, like the dead body of Hoc-

11

tor chained to the chariot of Achilles, sistency would forbid their dancing, but

is dragged tbrough .^be dust of your who see nothing improper in attending

streets, and the halls of mirr.h and rev such places as lookers on? not dancers

elry be the principal places of attrac but indorsers? Made a sinner by in

tion, then your glory will be departed. dorsement is a principle of law, both in

But pillow your head upon the lap of human and divine government. When

that Philistean Delilah and suffer your a man stands by and approvingly wit

locks to be shorn, and, like Saroson nesses a homicide he is as guilty in the

awakening out of his sleep, you will eyes of the law, as the principal actors.

soon find your strength and comeliness When Saul of Tarsus stood by holding

alike gone. It is impossible to retain the garment of the martyred Stephen,

the pleasant social features ap-irt from and thereby consenting unto his death,

the religious element, for the latter is he became one of his murderers just as

the substratum upon which the former truly as those who were hurling the

rests'. As you value, therefore, your stones. It is upon this principle that

pleasant homes and firesides, but, the Saviour declared that all the inno

above all, as you value the favor of cent blood shed, from that of righteous

God, the gift and presence of the Spirit Abel down to that of Zadbarias, would

and the salvation of precious, immortal be required of that generation. And

souls, keep the church free from all why? Because they indorsed their fa

worldly alliances and entanglements. thers' acts. Sin transferred by indorse

Let church members come out from the ment, and indorsement secured by

world and be separate. Let them so presence and approving smiles. If such

live and so conduct themselves that would free themselves from such en

they may be living epistles, known and tanglements, let them keep awa>. It

read of all men, proving by their godly does seem to me that the same piety

walk and conversation the superior ex and consistency which forbid participa

cellency and power of the religion of tion, would likewise keep them away

their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ- from such places altogether.

There is a fearful responsibility resting To the lovers of this amusement I

upon professors of religion as witnesses have only to say, in the language of

for Christ. God forbid that, like the Solomon: "Rejoice, O young man, in

spies of old, they should bring back a thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee.

false report of the land.

in the days of thy youth, and walk in

And let me remind parents of the the ways of thine heart and in the sight

fearful responsibility resting upon of thine eyes; but know thou that for

them. God looks to you for the train all these things God will bring thee in

ing of your children.' He expects you to judgment."^ If, like Esau of old,

to use your every influence to turn them you sell your birthright for a mess of

to Dim and not to the world. If, there pottage, like Esau you, too, when too

fore, instead of training them for Him, late, may yet shed bitter, unavailing

you send them to the school of the tears.

world, to be trained for the world, and I desire to make but one other re

they grow up to be thoughtless, sod- mark. I would not have you think

less, giddy, and gay, lovers of pleasure from what I have said-that I am not in

more than lovers of God, and as the re sympathy with the young, that I-would

sult of such training they choose this strip them of every pleasure and have

* world as their portion and finally fall them look upon life with sadness and

away and perish, He will surely require moroseness. jSot so. I feel I am in

their blood at your band.

the fullest sympathy with the young.

And now what shall I say to those I have all the youth of this community

church members whose piety and con upon my heart, and bear towards them

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the tenderest affection and leve".'' I ontfie subject^ Jf I have said anything wouM not deprive them of a single to influence anxjpe to forsake a form pleasure 6Vrob th^m-of a single enjoy of worldliness -o tangerousto-the soul, ment. It is because I feel the deepest I give thanks to ofod. If I have failed . interest in them and desire their good to make any Impression for good 1 can that I thus speak. It is because I see but grieve over it. the dangers to which they are exposed, May God draw the 'hearts of the and the disastrous consequences to young of this community to Himself, which their course must inevitably lead, away from the vanities-of this'life, and.' that I would sound the note of warning sweetly influence them by His Spirit to and urge them to desist. If I have spo seek their happiness and enjoyment ih ken wnh seeming harshness, it is on ac Him, and to His name be the praise, count of the depth of my convictions forevennore.
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