USA > Indiana > Indiana Methodism: a series of sketches and incidents grave and humorous concerning preachers and people of the West with an appendix containing personal recollections, public addresses and other miscellany > Part 11
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2. The place-it was on the banks of the Red Sea, in the open air-not the ball room, or parlor, from which so many of the unfortunate youth of our own loved land have gone to premature graves. But-
3. The style was different. There, it is said that when Miriam went out, all the women followed her. If the men danced at all, on that occasion, it was alone. How does this agree with modern manners in dancing ?
II .- Another time to which the wise man may have referred, was the time of the annual feast, and is mentioned Judges 21, chap., 19, 21.
"Then they said there is a feast in Shiloh yearly, in a place which is on the north side of Bethel," etc. "And behold if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances," etc. This was probably the feast of the Passover, which God commanded should be observed in commemoration of that dark and fearful night, in which the first-born of Egypt were slain, but when the Angel of death was commanded to pass-over, or spare the children of Israel who obeyed God's commands. This was also an act of religious worship, and of the most solemn kind. As to manner, like the first mentioned case, it was per- formed by the "Daughters of Shiloh," and by them on- ly, the principal woman going before, leading the ex- ercises, and the rest following her example, imitated her steps, which were not conducted according to a set well-known form, but they praised God-they danced extemporaneously. Thus they expressed
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their gratitude, and paid their homage to God, in this modest, chaste manner ; not in the city ; not in a mixed crowd of both sexes ; but in the fields, in the open air, in a company of pious women only.
III .- Another appropriate time, doubtless with Solomon, was when David (his father, then a young man,) demolished Goliah, of Gath, the champion of the Philistines. In Ist. Samuel, 18th, 6, 7, it is thus written : "And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philis- tine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tab- rets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, "Sail has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."
Believing, as they did, that God had, through the instrumentality of Saul and David, delivered Israel from a powerful foe, especially in David, did they see the power of God displayed. "For while the two armies were encamped on opposite mountains, and meditating an engagement that might decide the destinies of the two nations, there went out a cham- pion from the camp of the Philistines, who proposed to settle the controversy by single combat. His
hight was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head and was armed with a coat of mail ; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass, and the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam," etc. Thus does the in- spired historian faithfully and minutely describe this giant of olden times, who was a warrior by trade. On the other hand, David was a "stripling" accus-
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tomed not to the field, but to the more quiet and gentle charge of "watching his father's flock"-not to the noise and din of battle, but to the bleating of the tender lambs-left by the direction of his father for a time, his pastoral labor to be performed by an- other, and went down to the armies, to see how his brethern fared, then under Saul's command upon duty. He heard there the gasconading uncircum- cised, Philistine, "defy the armies of the living God." His heart swelled with patriotic emotions; he remembered how signally he had been delivered from "the paws" of the lion and the bear ; nor would he in the fearful conflict about to be encountered, wear Saul's costly armour, but chose, rather the simple weapons with which he was familar, made so, along the streamlets of his father's pasture ground : with the sling then, "In the name of the Lord God of Hosts," did he smite the mighty man, and slew him. Upon seeing of which the Philistines fled the field in wild confusion, and were "slaughtered with .a great slaughter."
In the celebration of this victory there was music :and dancing, not as a passtime, not of men and women promiscuously, but of women, in honor to God and his servants for the great deliverance wrought out for his people.
IV .- Another proper time to dance, and for men to dance to, was when the Ark was removed from Kirjath-Jearim, to the Tabernacle which David had built for it in Jerusalem ; an account of which is given in 2d Samuel , 6, 14 ; "And David danced be- fore the Lord with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod."
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During the reign of Saul, religion was much neg- lected. After David, his successor, was firmly es- tablished on the throne, he determined to reinstate the nation in the practice of piety and spiritual worship ; to this end therefore, "he gathered all the chosen men of Israel, to the number of thirty thous- and, and with great demonstrations of joy, brought up the Ark of God to Jerusalem. Meanwhile, David, elated with joy, threw off the imperial purple, put on a linen ephod and danced with all his might be- fore the Lord." Nor did he rejoice alone, but many, if not all, of the thirty thousand men followed him, as the women followed Miriam on the banks of the Red Sea, and thus, with timbrel, harps, and dance, praised God, expressing their warmest gratitude to the KING OF KINGS, who had so graciously vouch- safed the Schekinah, the symbol of His presence, to, King David and his people.
And now I ask in all, or any of the cases above- cited, is there the least countenance given to mod- ern Fashionable Dancing ? Certainly not. Yet there are those who constantly wrest these passages as they do also the other Scriptures to their own distruction. But as these cases set forth in a suffi- ciently clear light, the manner, design, etc , of danc- ing anciently, that it was performed as an act of re- ligious worship-never by a promiscuous company, and therefore can never be brought forward with any pretense in favor of modern dancing, in a ball room, or elsewhere, I shall content myself to leave this part of the subject and proceed to call your at- tention to two other cases recorded in Scripture, of a very different character from those given, which,
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in some respects at least, answer more nearly to the practice on that subject, among modern dancing parties. But before proceeding further, let me state that it is my firm belief, that if an attempt were now made, to get up a popular amusement of any kind, in this community, by turning serious things into subjects of glee and fun, or solemn and sacred subjects into themes for jest and frivolity, with all the mania so prevalent, for scenes of mirth, that up- on the man who should be guilty of the sacrilegious act, your just frowns and indignation would come down like an avalanche. What an unaccountable inconsistency then, that men who would frown with disgust upon the profane person just supposed, will nevertheless, patronize the modern Fashionable Dancing Master, who is following in the footsteps of those who first changed this act of religious wor- ship into the ceremonies of heathen idolatry, and then in a no less heathen and criminal manner, make it a matter of mere amusement, or, if you please, of polite and fashionable breeding. The cel- ebrated Dr. Jortin has remarked that, idolatry fav- ored human passions ; it required no morality ; its religious ritual consisted of splendid ceremonies, reveling, DANCING, nocturnal assemblies, impure and scandalous mysteries, debauched priests, and gods who were both slaves and patrons to all sorts of vices. As early as the times of the historian Rol- lin, dancing had been made a part of the public amusements of the age. Speaking of the different athletic exercises he says, "the Greeks, by nature warlike, and equally intent upon forming the bodies and minds of their youth, introduced
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these exercises, and annexed honors, in order to prepare the youngest sort for the profession of arms, to confirm their health, to render them strong in close fight, (the use of fire-arms being then un- known,) the strength of body generally decided the victory. It is true, these exercises introduced pub- lic Masters, who taught them to young persons, and practicing them with success, made public show and ostentation of their skill. This sort of men ap- plied themselves solely to the practice of this art, and carried it to an excess. They formed it into a kind of science, by the addition of rules and refine- ments, often challenging each other out of vain em- ulation, till at length they degenerated into a pro- fession of people, who, without any other employ- ment or merit, exhibited themselves as a sight for public diversion." Our Dancing Masters, (he con- tinues,) are not unlike them, in this respect. He re- garded them in his day, (as he did the teachers of the athletic exercises in the latter times in Greece,) a set of degenerated mortals. And I know not that we have any reason for believing that that class of men have improved since the days of our historian. And I cannot see that it makes it better, that this class of men, or rather this same system of capering, jumping, and skipping, (called dancing,) should, in its journeyings, have gone to France, and in the great city of Paris, the beau-ideal of all that is polite, ar.d then finally make its ways to our shores, over its own sign manual, "FRENCH DANCING MASTER."
I repeat, that I cannot see that these circumstan- ces change it for the better. Let me then ask, if these are the men, these profane men-these, many
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of whom, are mere renegades, are these to be the instructors of America's sons and daughters ? And, will we, as parents, yea more, as christian parents, commit to such men as these, the instruction of our children ? Will we voluntarily transfer the training of the little IMMORTALS, with which kind Heaven has blest us, to such hands ? And, I ask again, will Christians do this? "O ! tell it not in Gath : pub- lish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the sons of Philistia rejoice ;" lest infidelity triumph ; lest "black lodge" French infidelity, should again uncover its brawny arm, and with gigantic step sweep over our happy land, and convulse this republic with a revo- lution, ten fold more fearful than that which brought down the curse of the righteous Jehovah upon the French as a nation.
Having shown how the practice of dancing has been changed from an act of devotion, and been made to subserve the cause of sin, I will now invite your attention to the two cases before spoken of.
The first is recorded Job 21, chap., 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, "wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power; their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children DANCE -they spend their days in mirth." "Therefore they say unto God, depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty that we should serve him ? And what profit should we have if we pray unto him ?" This is doubtless a clear case of dancing for amusement, nor can we
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mistake the character of those engaged in it. They are said to be wicked; according then, to Job, that man or woman is wicked, who, in their acts or in- fluence, exhibit any or all of the following character- istics:
Ist. What they say-they say unto God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. They say what is the Almighty that we should serve Him ? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him ?
2d. What they do-they spend their days in mirth. And last, though not least, their children Dance. Here contempt for God and religion are associated, in God's own book, and by his direction, (the spirit of inspiration,) with pride, luxury, and dancing for amusement. And are the persons here described by the patient and pious Job, examples for us ? or patterns in their moral character, accord- ing to which we shall endeavor to have our children trained for usefulness in the world ?- for polite society. Is it true, as we sometimes hear, that unless they are thus educated in this school of wickedness, they cannot shine in company ? cannot take rank among the elite ? But let me enquire gravely, are Christians to be duped by such arguments from such men ? Shall Christians become so contaminated by the foul breath of these itinerant masses of moral putrefacation, as to permit these tender "olive plants" to be blighted ? Will they permit their dear children to inhale the pestiferous effluvium until untold numbers of the fair youth of the land shall be infected with the moral poison-polluted- ruined -- destroyed !
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The second case to which you are referred, is recorded in the Gospel according to St. Matthew, chap. 14; 6, 7, 8 vs .; "But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias DANCED before them, and pleased Herod, whereupon he promised, with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she being before instructed of her mother, said give me here, John Baptist's head in a charger." This is also a clear case of dancing for amusement.
The fame of John, as the forerunner of Christ, his eccentric and abstemious habits, but above all, his universal popularity, probably induced Herod to desire an interview, supposing, perhaps, that John would flatter him as his vassals were accustomed to do. Instead of this, however, as a true and faithful minister, he reproved him for having married his brother Philip's wife, he being yet alive. This ex- asperated Herod, and he immediately threw John into prison, and had it not been that he feared the people, would have killed him at once. While John was in prison, Herod made a feast to celebrate his birthday. Present on that occasion were his lords, his high captains, and chief men of Galilee. It was before this company, vis ; in the presence of the prince and his guests, that Salome, Herodias' Daughter, danced. He was so delighted with the performance, that he rashly promised to give her whatever she would ask, even to the half of his kingdom. The damsel applied to her mother for instruction. The mother, from the time the Baptist rebuked her and her husband so severely, yet so justly, had been "nursing her wrath to keep it warm," and was only waiting an opportunity for revenge.
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She therefore directed her fair, delicate, dancing daughter, to ask for the bloody boon, the head of this holy man in a charger.
This Herodias, and mother of Miss Philip, was the daughter of Aeistobulus and Bernice, and grand- daughter of Herod the Great. Her first marriage was with Herod Philip, her uncle, who was the father of Salome, the celebrated dancer. Herodias, however, left her husband and lived publicly with Herod Antipas, her brother-in-law, who had before been married to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petrea. As soon as Aretas understand that Herod had determined to put away his daughter, he pre- pared to make war on him; the two armies met, and that of Herod was cut to pieces by the Arabians- and this, Josephus says, was supposed to be judge- ment of God on him, for the murder of John the Baptist. Dr. Adam Clark, in his commentary, thus remarks :
ON TIIE WHOLE WE MAY OBSERVE,
"that feasting and dancing are but too commonly the occasions of sin. After so fatal an example as this, can we doubt whether balls are not snares for souls, Behold here, ye professedly religious pa- rents, the fruits of what was doubtless called, in those times, elegant brecding and accomplised dancing ! Fix your eyes on that vicious mother, that ruined daughter, and especially on that murdered embas- sador of God, and then send your children to gen- teel boarding schools, to learn the accomplishments of Dancing ! where the fear of God makes no part of the education." But do you ask now if Solomon
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intended to say there is a " time to dance," as did the wicked family of which Job speaks ? and as danced the daughter of Herodias ? We answer, he also says, "there is a time to kill ;"will any one there- fore argue that it is right to kill ? or that it may be done as a harmless and innocent amusement ? But after all it will be said by some professed christians, and even some ministers : shame ! that a minister of Christ should say it ! but it will be said ; it has been said !- that these things are necessary, that noth- ing is so admirably calculated to develop the phys- ical powers, as the dance, nothing so good amuse -. ment for the mind, as the circus and play-house. I lately read a tract written by a MINISTER, upon the"Necessity of Amusements,"who, with the help of Phrenology and Swedenborgianism, was enabled to get out some twenty-four pages in defence of what the vicious, the profane, the idle, the profligate, and often the unsuspecting and comparatively innocent- in a word, the irreligious world are already intoxi- cated with, and almost running crazy after. How- beit, the author shows a talent worthy of a better cause, and I would kindly suggest that if that tract gives an expose of Baron Swedenborg's system of religion, which I learned the author of said tract is now teaching to the good people of Columbus, that he would do well at his earliest convenience to ex- change it for a good stock of common sense, which he will find, I doubt not, on trial, will enable him to be much more useful to his fellow-citizens in pro- moting scund morals, and which would be to him, were he in possession of it, of unspeakable advan- tage, if practically applied amid the stern realities
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of real life in this real world. For should an Angel from Heaven declare it to the contrary, still proof would be immutable, and a violation of the divine law would be sin. True, we may look for deluded men, and truckling, trimming, time-serving priests, to lend their influence to the powers of darkness, and who, catering to the spirit of the world, say, "Put me in the priest's office that I may have a mor- sel of bread ;" yet above all, these petty influences, we see hung out the banner of the cross, and on it inscribed, free grace ; then follows, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Then, if we would live with God in Heaven, we should have no fellowship with the un- fruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. I cannot better sum up what I have attempted to prove than in the following words :
Ist. That dancing was a religious act, both in the true and also in the idol worship ;
2d. That it was practiced exclusively on joyful occasions, such as national jubilees, or great victo- ries ;
3d. That it was performed on such great occa- sions only by one of the sexes ;
4th. That it was performed usually in day-time, in the open air, in highways, fields, and groves ;
5th. That men who perverted dancing from a sacred use, to purposes of amusement, were deem- ed infamous ;
6th. That no instances of dancing are found upon record in the Bible, in which the two sexes united in the exercise either as an act of worship or amusement ;
Lastly, That there are no instances upon record in
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the Bible of social dancing for amusement, except that of "vain fellows," void of shame, alluded to by Michal, of the irreligious families described by Job, which produced increased impiety, and ended in destruction ; and of Herodias, which terminated in the rash acts of Herod and the murder of John the Baptist. I now leave the subject with you, to de- termine what is the duty of christian parents ; in- deed, of all parents to their children, in this matter. Will you give countenance to vice, or will you "be valiant for the truth." It is your privilege as chris- tians and as christian parents, to "rejoice evermore" -to imitate Him who was the embodiment of per- fect moral excellence, who never attended a place of mere amusement, "often wept but never laughed."
But let me ask, who are they that are found sup- porting and patronizing the dance ? Is it the man punctual and faithful in all his religious duties ? or is it he who has become cold, or at least lukewarm, in his zeal for God and his cause ? consequently, in a great measure, if not wholly lost his spiritual enjoy- ment,now disposed to seek for pleasure where he has been so often disappointed before. Let his absence from the house of God-from the prudential means of grace-but especially from the Lord's table, answer these questions. Well might the prophet say of such, they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph- they are perfectly at "ease in Zion"-they love pomp and fashion-they, actuated by the spirit of the world, are fond of flattery and ease, and pleas- ure, and dancing, but they care not for the affliction of Joseph-the minister may weep and pray-Zion may be desolate, distracted, torn, but they have no
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tears to shed, no prayers to offer -- alas! for such christians-wo ! wo ! to them that are at ease in Zi- on, for God has not called us to ease, but to activity -not to sin, but to holiness. And you, my dear young friends, let me beseech you to avoid all friv- olities, which are always useless, and often most in- jurious. "Come out from among them, and be sep- arate, and I will receive you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." To His daughters, He says, "Let your adorning be that of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price." To both sons and daughters, He says, "Rejoice ever more, and let this be your re- joicing, the testimony of a good conscience, rejoice that your names are written in Heaven." To the whole world, He says, "look unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be saved. Be saved from sin, be saved from all desires to seek after sinful amuse- ments of every kind, that you may live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present evil world." Then shall you be fitted for usefulness in life, a glo- rious triumph in death, and a happy immortality in Heaven. That we may all live approved of God, and meet at last in the climes of unfading glory, is the prayer of your servant, for Christ's sake. Amen.
On returning to the city after the close of the camp meeting, the Terre Haute pastor called on a friend, Mr. Jacob D. Early, on which occasion, Mr. Early grasped the hand of the preacher, and with much emotion, said : "Mr. Smith, I heard your ser - mon at the camp-ground on Sunday afternoon,
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and I would give my check for a thousand dol- lars; yes, I would give ten thousand dollars cash, this morning, if I had religion." To which the preacher replied, "Mr. Early, although you are said to be the wealthiest man in Vigo county, yet, with God, there is no respector of persons. You cannot purchase the love of God with money, and, if you are ever converted, you must be saved precisely on the same terms as the hired man in your pork- house. You must enter in at the straight gate; for, while salvation is offered to the rich and the poor alike, precisely on the same terms, the Savior hath said : "He that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and robber." Mr. Early, who was much of a gentleman, and exceedingly kind and liberal in the support of the gospel, was not a mem- ber of the church, but, in his general conduct, was an upright, moral man, and stood high in the esti- mation of the people. He was an ardent whig in politics, and, as in 1848 political excitement was at white heat, the sermon, to which he alluded at the camp-ground, on the previous Sunday afternoon, was preached from the words, "We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set our banners." -- Psalms xx, 5. Mr. Early, being a little dull in hearing, sat in front of the stand, and, while the preacher alluded to the banners floating over political gatherings, he became much excited; and afterwards wept freely, especially when the preacher grew warm, and described as best he could the "banner of the cross," saying: "This banner is waving over all, not only over this entire camp- ground, but over a world of redeemed sinners."
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Among the leading families of our church in Terre Haute at the time, special mention should be made of Jabez Casto and wife, one of whose daughters is now the wife of Rev. Thomas Meredith; Brother and Sister Merry; Dr. George Clippenger T. C. Buntin, Brothers Copeland, the Hagers, the Evanses, the Hartsocks, the Sibleys, the Nailors, the Jacksons, the Gobins, the Sasseens, the Snyders, the Clivers, the Andersons, the Conns, the Dowlings, and the Silver-mouthed, the Honorable Richard W. Thompson, who with his Christian wife, were among the elite of the city.
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