,a ,,discourse ,,on ,,the ,,evils ,,of  
,,dancing                               
,,delivered ,,march #h1 #ahdf1          
,,before ,,the ,,congregation           
,,of                      ,,the ,,german
 ,,reformed ,,salem ,,church            
,,of                                    
,,harrisburg1 ,,pa41                    
,by the ,pastor1 the ,rev4 ,john ,f4    
,mesick1                                
,,published ,,by ,,the ,,vestry4        
,,harrisburg3                           
,,theo3 ,,fenn1 ,,printer4              
#ahdf4                                  
,,harrisburg1 ,march #aa1 ,a4 ,d4 #ahdf4
     ,,rev4 ,,john ,f4 ,,mesick--,dear  
,sir3 ,on last ,sabbath evening1 #hth   
inst41 you preached a sermon to our     
congregation on ,the ,evils     of      
,dancing4 ,as this is a custom which is 
in much practise even     by those who  
consider themselves patterns in society1
 and1 who     generally comprise the    
youth1 and say that it is an innocent   
amusement4 ,we would esteem it as a     

favor if you would furnish us     with a
 copy thereof for publication that it   
may be circulated in     our ,sabbath   
,schools1 among the votaries of dancing1
 the parents     and friends of those   
who have been assenting to it1 in the   
hope     that they may read it and learn
 its evil consequences1 and     abstain 
from its practice hereafter1 and be     
satisfied that its     use is not in    
character with the present age1 whatever
 may have     seemingly commended it in 
former days4                            
,,john ,c4 ,,bucher1                    
,,geo4 ,p4 ,,wiestling1                 
,,george ,,zinn1                        
,,daniel ,w4 ,,gross1                   
,,elias ,,zollinger1                    
,,jacob ,,shell1                        
,,luther ,,reiley1                      
,,george ,,beatty1                      
,,rudolph ,f4 ,,kelker1                 
,,samuel ,b4 ,,keyser1                  
,,valentine ,,egle1                     
,,george ,l4 ,,kunkel4         99       

99       99       99       99           
,,harrisburg1 ,march #aa1 #ahdf4     ,to
 the ,vestry of the ,german ,reformed   
,salem ,church3     ,,dear ,,brethren3  
,although the ,discourse preached on    
,sabbath     evening last1 was prepared 
during the preceding week as a          
regular duty1 without a thought in      
reference to a request of     this kind2
 yet as you have been pleased to express
 a wish to see     it in print1 in the  
hope of extending its usefulness1 the   
manuscript is at your service4          
,with sincere esteem and affection1     
yours1 c41                              
,,john ,f4 ,,mesick4     ,,the ,,evils  
,,of ,,dancing4  ,,romans1 ,,xii4       
#c4--;,,be ,,not ,,conformed ,,to ,,this
 ,,world4   ,the ,bible is the only rule
 for all who wish to be saved4 ,the     
professed ,christian1 not only1 but     
every unconverted man1 must bow to its  
precepts1 if he would gain the favor of 
,god4 ,there is but one way1 and but one
 gate of entrance into the ,kingdom of  

,heaven1 for saint and for sinner4      
,whatever1 therefore1 shall be          
acknowledged to be the duty of the      
covenanted follower of the ,lamb1 is    
equally the duty of every individual who
 stands disconnected with the visible   
,church4  ,it is a doctrine of          
revelation that1 both classes of persons
 will be judged by the same law1 and    
will be tried with equal impartiality   
and rigor4 ,we are taught that1 what    
,divine justice shall demand from the   
one1 it will demand from the other2 and 
that there is no respect of persons with
 ,god4 ,the human race1 as dependent and
 accountable agents1 are placed on the  
same moral level in his sight4 ,each    
commandment of his word is addressed to 
every hearer of the ,gospel4 ,and all   
are under obligation to obey its        
injunctions1 as they value the eternal  
welfare of their immortal spirits4  ,it 
is on this incontrovertible principle   
that ,i shall proceed to speak from the 
text3 ,be not conformed to this         

world1--assuming it as an undeniable    
truth that1 what ,god requires of his   
children1 he also exacts from the people
 of the world2 and that whatever is     
inconsistent with the reputation or     
character of a good church member1 is no
 less inconsistent with the eternal     
salvation of those persons who have not 
made a public profession of religion4   
,we take our ground boldly on this      
portion of scripture1 and assert that   
the fashionable amusement of ,dancing1  
is contrary to the spirit and aim of the
 ,gospel1 and1 therefore1 is opposed to 
the revealed will of ,god4 ,your        
attention is invited to two points3     
,,first--,to the necessity of           
non-conformity to the world2 and        
,,secondly--,to the facts proving that  
,dancing is an act of conformity to the 
world4  ,i4 ,we begin with the necessity
 of non-conformity to the world4  ,the  
,scripture sense of the term1 world1 is 
that collection of idolaters1           
unbelievers1 and wicked men who         

constitute the great bulk of the        
inhabitants of our globe2 in short all  
persons who do not belong to the        
,kingdom of ,god4  ,this definition     
corresponds with the declarations of    
,christ3 ,my kingdom is not of this     
world2 ,ye are not of the world1 even as
 ,i am not of the world2 ,if ye were of 
the world1 the world would love his own1
 but because ye are not of the world1   
but ,i have chosen you out of the world1
 therefore the world hateth you4  ,the  
sentiment of the text is not the voice  
of a solitary passage1 but is amply     
sustained by other portions of the word 
of ,god4 ,there are many similar        
precepts addressed to believers3 ,arise 
ye and depart1 for this is not your     
rest2 because it is polluted1 it shall  
destroy you1 even with a sore           
destruction2 ,wherefore come out from   
among them1 and be ye separate1 saith   
the ,lord1 and touch not the unclean    
thing4 ,love not the world1 neither the 
things that are in the world2 if any man

 love the world1 the love of the ,father
 is not in him4 ,know ye not that the   
friendship of the world is enmity with  
,god8 ,ye cannot serve ,god and ,mammon4
 ,choose ye this day whom ye will serve4
 ,if the ,lord be ,god1 follow him2 but 
if ,baal1 follow him4  ,these           
commandments of our ,heavenly ,father1  
are not hard sayings to the soul that   
has been delivered from this present    
evil world through faith in ,jesus2 for 
it has acquired through the work of the 
,spirit1 a holy resignation to every    
intimation of the ,divine will1 and     
supreme delight in ,god as infinitely   
lovely1 which causes every other source 
of pleasure or of happiness to become   
tasteless and insipid4 ,to carnal minds1
 we admit1 that they will sound like    
tyrannical edicts1 because they seem to 
them to take away their natural liberty2
 shutting them up from the pursuit of   
that kind of enjoyment for which they   
pant1 which they know not where to find1
 and in search of which they wander     

through earth1 its gay pleasures to     
trace4  ,but to souls renewed by ,divine
 ,grace1 the yoke of ,christ is easy and
 his burden light4 ,true ,christians1   
the heirs of glory1 are separated from  
the world1 not only by profession1 not  
only by external badges1 but what is of 
higher moment1 by their character and   
spirit4 ,they are essentially a peculiar
 people2 singular in their opinions and 
practices1 and created unto good works4 
,they are distinguished by a            
conversation in ,heaven4 ,they move     
through society as pilgrims and         
strangers on the earth4 ,they keep      
themselves unspotted from the world1 as 
temples of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,they seek 
in ,heaven an inheritance which is      
incorruptible1 undefiled1 and that      
fadeth not away1 as heirs of ,god and   
joint heirs with ,jesus ,christ4 ,and   
they reflect the love and holiness of   
,jesus1 as those who bear the ,saviour's
 image4  ,a wide and unalterable        
distinction exists1 therefore1 between  

the servants of ,god and the people of  
the world1 a distinction as perceptible 
as that which divides the night from the
 day1 and the darkness from the light4  
,the one are born from above1 the other 
from beneath4 ,the one are quickened by 
,divine grace2 the other are dead in    
trespasses and sins4 ,the one are       
governed by the ,spirit of ,god1 and the
 other are under the dominion of ,satan4
 ,the one consult the glory of ,god1 and
 cheerfully resign all for ,christ2 the 
other make self the centre around which 
they move4  ,such irreconcilable        
discordance in the primary elements of  
their character forbids the thought of  
their amalgamation4 ,we might as        
reasonably expect that oil and water    
would commingle and become one fluid1 as
 that true ,christians should blend     
their hopes and interests with those of 
the world4 ,the natural and ardent      
opposition1 growing out of their        
respective principles and aims1 renders 
a separation between them inevitable1   

absolutely necessary1 necessary at least
 for the safety1 comfort1 consistency1  
and usefulness of believers4  ,there is 
no need of further exposition1 to show  
that the injunction of the text is      
deep-laid in the very constitution of   
things--and is the natural result of the
 incompatible differences between       
submission to the will of ,god and      
rebellion against his moral government4 
,the followers of ,christ can never     
consent to a compromise involving these 
principles1 unless they are willing to  
sacrifice his cause4 ,allegiance to     
,heaven demands that true ,christians   
should never shrink in the hour of trial
 from the ignominy or suffering of the  
cross4 ,if they would be holy1 they must
 possess the courage to dare to be      
singular1 and to meet the world's       
derisive laugh on account of the        
tenderness of their consciences1 or     
their inexperience in the vanities and  
customs of fashionable life4 ,they      
should receive as an honor its scorn and

 ridicule1 when heaped upon them because
 they continue faithful to ,christ2     
because they implicitly follow the      
directions of his humbling doctrines    
before men2 and because they steadily   
maintain the line of separation between 
the church and the world4  ,no man      
deserves the name of ,christian1 no man 
can indulge a good hope of salvation1   
unless his faith in ,christ is          
productive of non-conformity to the     
world2 a stand which is indispensable to
 his separation from a perishing race   
and his incorporation into the ,kingdom 
of ,heaven4  ,,ii4 ,in the second place 
we proceed to adduce the facts proving  
that ,dancing is an act of conformity to
 the world4  #a4 ,even if could be shown
 that it is a healthful amusement1 the  
position assumed by the text1 would     
exclude it from the recreations of those
 who love and obey ,god1 imposing on    
them the obligation to refrain from it1 
and to resort to other means of         
exercise1 to which no valid objection   

could be made4  ,no apology1 we are     
sure1 can be offered for ,dancing1 as   
usually conducted1 more weak than the   
common one1 that it promotes the health 
of the body4 ,some thing doubtless might
 be accomplished by it for the          
attainment of this object1 if it were   
practised in the day-time and in the    
open air4 ,but usually1 in obedience to 
the arbitrary decree of fashion1 the    
most unseasonable hour1 and the most    
unfavorable circumstances are chosen4   
,many an untimely death has been the    
dreadful penalty incurred by exposure on
 such occasions2 and the fearful blow   
has generally fallen among the ranks of 
lovely woman4 ,follow the fragile1      
venturesome forms of our delicate1      
modernly dressed ladies to the ball     
room4 ,they pass from their habitations1
 arrayed in a garb whose style and      
materials would render it a fit garment 
to be worn only at mid-summer2 covered  
with a light wrapper1 lest the          
decorations of the toilet should be     

deranged1 and protected from the snow or
 frozen pavement only by thin soled     
shoes4 ,they spend several hours        
together under the excitement of lively 
strains of music1 and of the glittering 
array of beauty and fashion1 in a       
chamber brilliant with a multitude of   
dazzling lights1 and crowded with guests
 to the destruction of the vital        
properties of the atmosphere2 and in    
physical exertions to which they have   
been unaccustomed1 and which open all   
the pores of the skin4 ,the system is   
also deranged by loading the stomach    
with indigestible food1 and by          
encroaching on the ordinary and         
necessary hours of repose4 ,then with   
heated and wearied frames1 in that state
 peculiarly exposed to the injurious    
action of the cold1 they suddenly       
exchange the warm temperature of the    
assembly chamber for the chilliness of  
the damp night air--the tropic of the   
ball room for the ,siberia of the       
street4 ,alas6 what a perilous price to 

pay for the admiration of the           
fashionable throng1 or for the fleeting 
gratification of the hour4 ,in that     
wintry blast consumption smites his     
smiling victims1 and fills up the weekly
 calendar of his fearful ravages4 ,in   
our large cities1 where this insane     
contempt of health and life is          
sanctioned by the uniform practice of   
the ,god-forgetting multitude1 this fell
 destroyer snatches his prey from the   
ranks of fashion by scores1 and scourges
 them more fatally than the pestilence4 
,and yet individuals can be found in the
 midst of our community1 so devoid of   
wisdom and foresight as to advocate the 
introduction of this pernicious         
amusement into our social circles4 ,we  
trust that if they cannot be reached by 
any higher motives1 that a regard for   
the health and lives which will be      
sacrificed to this modern idol1 will    
induce them to pause1 and to consider   
well the way of their steps4  #b4 ,the  
position assumed by the text1 would     

exclude ,dancing from the list of       
,christian diversions1 even if it could 
be shown that it is innocent in itself4 
,this1 however1 is a point which the    
worldling labors in vain to prove by the
 most skilful use of religious          
sophistry4  ,persons on whose judgment  
we rely with great confidence in matters
 of this sort1 have abandoned the idea  
which they1 in common with others1 once 
entertained1 that ,dancing1 if properly 
regulated1 might be harmless4 ,it is    
their settled opinion1 founded on       
considerable personal experience and on 
observation1 that the nature of the     
amusement itself1 even in its least     
exceptionable forms and in limited      
exercise1 is such--that it has a        
tendency to inflame passion1 to poison  
virtue1 to endanger purity1 and to lead 
on to gross and deadly evils4  ,modern  
dancing1 as generally practised1 is a   
gay and guilty pleasure4 ,it receives no
 warrant from the ,bible4 ,the only kind
 of ,dances recorded in the ,sacred     

,scriptures1 are religious ,dances1     
forming part of the worship of ,god3    
with the exception of that of the vain  
fellows devoid of shame1 of the         
irreligious families described by ,job1 
and of ,herodias--which are no more an  
example for us because they are recorded
 in the sacred narrative1 than the      
treachery of ,judas ,iscariot1 in       
betraying his master with a kiss4  ,but 
then we must remember the fact that the 
,religious ,dance was practised only on 
joyful occasions2 that it was performed 
in the day time1 in the open air1 and   
only by one of the sexes at a time4     
,there is not a historical notice in the
 word of ,god1 of promiscuous dancing   
either as an act of worship or          
amusement4  ,and those persons were     
reckoned among the vilest of mankind who
 perverted ,dancing from a sacred use to
 mere purposes of amusement4  ,at the   
present time1 as we cast our eyes over  
the map of the world1 we discover that  
dancing is still practised as an        

important part of religious worship by  
the inhabitants of all heathen          
countries2 by the ,indians of our own   
,western forests2 by the superstitious  
natives of ,africa1 and by the          
effeminate and luxurious ,asiatics4 ,but
 as employed among the ceremonies of    
idolatry in ,southern ,asia1 it has been
 changed from the slow measured         
movements1 practised by the ancient     
,greeks and ,romans1 to a style1 which  
one ,missionary remarks1 would not be   
tolerated on the boards of the lowest   
theatre in ,europe1 or in ,america4     
,dancing girls1 arrayed in the most     
costly ornaments of dress1 and quite    
equal in skill to some of the modern    
exhibitors of that art in the theatres  
of civilized lands1 are invariably      
connected with heathen temples in the   
,east ,indies1 as their constant        
attendants4  ,let us turn our attention 
from these regions of idolatry1 and     
inquire among what nations of           
,christendom this amusement is most     

popular1 that we may trace it throughout
 its various existing associations4 ,at 
the head of what are usually denominated
 civilized countries1 we must place     
,france1 ,italy and ,spain1 where on the
 ,sabbath it is deemed entirely         
consistent with the claims of           
,christianity to go to the house of ,god
 in the morning1 and to a bull-fight and
 a dance in the public gardens in the   
afternoon4 ,and it might be an          
instructive commentary as to the evil   
effects of this amusement on the morals 
of those nations1 to go more into       
particulars1 were it not that the facts 
concerning the virtue1 purity and       
chastity of the fashionable circles of  
,france and ,italy1 disclosed by        
travellers1 are too appalling to be     
repeated4  ,in ,england the chief       
patrons of the dance are their          
card-playing1 theatre-going1 and        
horse-racing aristocracy2 who are       
indebted to their purse and to their    
title for their standing in society2 who

 are too indolent generally to cultivate
 their minds2 and who are seldom capable
 of gaining distinction1 except by      
extravagance and debauchery4 ,in these  
higher circles no man is deemed         
respectable who cannot trip it on the   
light fantastic toe4 ,and that person is
 scouted as a mawkish prude or a        
hypocritical fanatic1 who scruples to go
 the whole round of these elegant       
amusements4 ,says a writer of this      
class3 ,he must be a desperate          
gnat-strainer who gives and goes to     
dances and yet objects to cards4 ,the   
strictest ,pharisee in the land1 indeed1
 could find no argument against it4     
,this is a modest assumption which we   
have no time to notice4 ,in commenting  
on this quotation1 it is sufficient for 
our present purpose to remark that the  
opinions and practices of the           
fashionable world1 compel us to class   
these recreations in the same category4 
,let us now look at the introduction of 
this fashionable amusement into the     

,united ,states4 ,it comes from the gay 
saloons of ,paris and of ,london1 and it
 is an imitation of the corrupt and     
ruinous fashions of the old world4 ,it  
is the entering wedge of luxury and     
licentiousness1 the fatal antagonists to
 the purity and simplicity of our       
republican institutions and manners4    
,look again at the tutors of this art1  
to whom fond parents entrust their      
beloved children1 to enable them to     
acquire this agreeable indulgence1 and  
you will generally find that they are   
the very refuse of foreign cities2 men  
destitute of either stability or        
principle2 who1 on account of their     
profession1 are not esteemed worthy of  
an introduction into the social circle  
of the families by whom they are        
employed4 ,every judicious person must  
acknowledge that there is great danger  
that the tender and susceptible minds of
 youth will be contaminated by such     
associates4 ,there is not a family in   
our land1 so high or well governed1 but 

that its children are more or less      
exposed to temptation and destruction2  
and we cannot1 therefore1 with too great
 jealousy or care guard against the     
beginnings of evils4  ,look1 also1 at   
the style and character of those modern 
dances1 which are most admired and most 
fashionable2 and you will perceive at a 
glance that their movements1 attitudes  
and evolutions are repugnant to a       
natural sense of propriety1 and         
inconsistent with that unsullied purity 
of mind which we consider inseparable   
from the individual to whom we would    
yield the homage of our hearts4 ,the    
soul that commands the love of the      
virtuous1 must be spotless as the       
unfallen snow4 ,genuine attachment can  
be based only on esteem4 ,in all        
honesty1 therefore1 we must strike that 
from the list of innocent amusements1   
which1 from its very nature1 involves   
such a perilous trial of moral          
principles2 that contact with it almost 
inevitably inflicts a loss of mental    

refinement1 if not positive pollution1  
by opening the doors to a licentious    
imagination4  ,there are other evils of 
great magnitude1 which strip off the    
mask of innocency from this frivolous   
and sinful amusement4 ,it occasions a   
loss of precious time1 which ,god has   
given for nobler objects4 ,it produces  
dissipation of mind1 disqualifying it   
for the ordinary and serious duties of  
life4 ,it wastes money1 which some      
cannot well afford to give away1 or     
which might be much better employed in  
furnishing the means of intellectual    
improvement1 or in works of benevolence4
 ,it encourages extravagance in dress2  
inflating the mind with intolerable     
vanity and pride1 and training up our   
sons and daughters to become reckless   
spendthrifts1 despising honest industry 
and commendable economy4 ,it is         
ordinarily connected with the use of    
wine and of strong drinks1 casting down 
unwary youth from the path of sobriety1 
into the depth of poverty and           

drunkenness4 ,finally1 it indisposes the
 soul to religion1 exciting folly1      
levity1 and kindred corruptions of the  
human heart1 and begetting disgust for  
the worship and service of ,god4  ,miss 
,beecher1 who ranks with the most       
distinguished ladies of our country1 and
 who owes her reputation to those       
circumstances only1 which should command
 esteem under our democratic            
institutions1 to her intelligence1      
refinement1 and virtue1 speaks of this  
art in the strongest terms of           
disapprobation4 ,in the fifteen years   
during which she had the care of young  
ladies1 she affirms she has never known 
any case where learning this art1 and   
following the amusement1 did not have a 
bad effect1 either on the habits1 the   
intellect1 the feelings or the health4  
,a testimony so respectable1 ought      
certainly to satisfy every mind1 which  
is governed by truth and reason1 as to  
the evils of ,dancing4  #c4 ,but a      
higher consideration1 why dancing should

 be discountenanced1 and that indeed    
which decides the course of duty1 is1   
that it is an amusement by which the    
world is distinguished from the kingdom 
of ,jesus ,christ4  ,it is part and     
parcel of an education for the world4   
,its object is the acquisition of a     
graceful carriage1 an easy movement1 and
 elegant manners4 ,its aim is to prepare
 an individual for introduction into    
society with advantage4 ,and its design 
does not extend beyond the success of   
his worldly prospects4  ,no one has ever
 had the hardihood to maintain that     
fashionable dancing is a medium of      
,divine blessings to the soul2 that it  
secures the influences of the ,holy     
,spirit2 or that it prepares the mind   
for the hallowed exercises of the       
closet4 ,no one ever yet adopted the    
absurd idea that it was a substitute for
 ,faith and ,repentance2 that it was a  
means of recommendation to ,god2 or that
 it was an accomplishment for the       
employments of ,heaven4 ,no one ever yet

 expected that a revival of religion    
would commence in a ball room2 or that  
thoughtless sinners would be converted  
by going to a cotillion4 ,these         
significant facts plainly show on which 
side of the dividing line1 between the  
church and the world it is to be placed4
 ,they forbid mistake4  ,dancing1 so far
 from being a means of ,grace1 is a part
 of a counter system of means2 devised  
by the ,god-forgetting1 pleasure-seeking
 multitude1 to exclude their ,maker from
 their minds and from his own world4    
,their chief desire is to banish all    
serious thoughts of their sinfulness1   
guilt and danger2 of their obligations  
and duties to their ,creator2 and of    
death1 judgment and eternity4 ,to escape
 reflection they flee to the excitements
 of the dance and of the revel2 where   
art exhausts its skill and music        
lavishes its power to divert and engross
 the attention4 ,amid scenes of delusive
 splendor1 which1 to the youthful       
imagination1 appear as enchanting as the

 creations of poetic fancy1 they        
contrive for a brief season to lose the 
pang of remorse1 and to snatch a draught
 of feverish and unsatisfactory joy4    
,true happiness and solid peace are     
perpetual strangers in the artificial   
gayeties1 and gaudy splendors of        
fashionable circles2 where too often the
 honied words of flattery disguise a    
hollow heart2 and the studied smile1 and
 merry laugh1 are assumed to conceal the
 sting of envy1 jealousy and chagrin4   
,the bright illusions by which the young
 are spell-bound1 gradually fade away   
before the light of experience4 ,and it 
is no uncommon thing in these resorts of
 worldly pleasure1 to find the utmost   
gayety of manner in unnatural union with
 sadness of soul1 produced by the       
discovery of the selfish passions1      
covertly working beneath the surface in 
all minds present2 or by the sudden and 
irresistible conviction of its folly as 
an occupation for an immortal being4    
,especially on the return of the        

votaries of pleasure to the solitude of 
their chamber1 have they been           
overwhelmed with remorse and the keen   
upbraidings of conscience4  ,but in all 
this sadness there is no religion2 for  
it is only the sorrow of the world4 ,it 
has no higher claim to approbation than 
the regrets of the wilful and deliberate
 murderer4 ,it cannot atone for the     
wrong which it has committed2 and it    
does not terminate in the purpose to    
renounce the sin in which it originates4
 ,hence if any spiritual good grows out 
of these melancholy emotions it is by   
accident4  ,in vain1 therefore1 will the
 advocates of ,dancing attempt to escape
 the dilemma in which they are involved4
 ,the practice of this amusement is     
altogether a worldly matter4 ,its       
obvious tendency is to keep dying       
sinners from thinking of the salvation  
of their souls2 by pre-occupying their  
time and attention with earthly         
delights1 and by tempting them to cast  
off fear and to restrain prayer4 ,its   

natural result is to incite infatuated  
youth to ridicule serious ,christians   
and faithful ,ministers of the ,gospel1 
as fanatical1 gloomy and righteous over 
much4 ,it confirms them in a spirit of  
levity and thoughtlessness1 emboldening 
them to mock at sin1 to trifle with the 
most awful truths1 and to go down gaily 
to the gates of eternal death4  ,no     
other measure is needed on the part of  
the ,god of this world1 than to keep the
 votaries of pleasure engaged in such   
vain amusements1 to insure their        
destruction in ,hell4 ,the more alluring
 this tempting bait is to their carnal  
taste1 the more certainly will they     
become a prey to the great enemy of     
souls4 ,they are condemned already      
because they believe not2 and they need 
commit no other sin than to neglect the 
great salvation to perish under the     
withering curse of the ,almighty4 ,there
 is but a step between them and death4  
,the next hour spent by them in such    
frivolous enjoyments may be their last4 

,for aught that they know the very      
ground on which they revel1 may cleave  
beneath their feet1 and entomb their    
immortal spirits in eternal woe4 ,to run
 the giddy round of the amusements of   
the fashionable world1 under these      
hazardous circumstances1 is as great a  
madness as to sport with arrows1        
fire-brands and death4  ,to each        
individual1 therefore1 ,i must say by   
,divine authority1 in reference to this 
particular pleasure1 see to it1 that you
 ,be not conformed to this world4 ,in   
opposing this message1 you do not       
quarrel with the speaker1 but with ,god4
 ,your ,sovereign commands2 and at the  
judgment seat ,he will exact obedience  
at your hands4  ,to every professing    
,christian1 who has joined in the       
,dance1 ,i am in duty bound to say1     
without qualification or reserve1 that  
he has broken his covenant with ,god2 by
 which he pledged himself to withdraw   
his affections from the world and to    
renounce its pomp and vanities forever4 

,that act is a violation of the promise1
 as obligatory as an oath1 because      
uttered before high ,heaven2 to be      
governed by the example of ,christ1 to  
live for the salvation of souls1 and to 
labor for the ,glory of ,god4 ,it is an 
infraction of the vow of                
self-consecration1 voluntarily1         
deliberately1 and prayerfully assumed2  
under all the circumstances which could 
impart sacredness to the verbal         
declarations of dying men1 to forsake   
all for ,christ1 and to be crucified to 
sin and to the world4 ,it would be just1
 it would be no more than you might     
expect1 that ,god would do unto you as  
you have done unto ,him2 that as you    
have broken the contract between        
yourself and ,him by neglecting your    
engagements1 that ,he should decline to 
perform those stipulations which are    
dependent on its conditions1 leaving you
 to perish in the paths of transgression
 in which you have delighted to wander4 
,the ,dancing professor of religion1 not

 only destroys himself but does immense 
injury to the souls of unconverted men4 
,he encourages all who live without hope
 and without ,god in the world to       
persevere in their neglect of religion1 
and to go on securely in the entire     
round of fashionable amusements4 ,they  
will naturally suppose that if it is    
consistent with preparation for ,heaven1
 for him to venture so far within the   
enchanted circle of worldly             
gratifications1 that there can be no    
harm in their proceeding a few steps    
further4  ,it is true1 all of the       
unconverted may not reason in this      
manner1 because their own consciences   
will testify that the misconduct of     
others is not the rule of duty1 but     
there are many who will--the young1 the 
ignorant1 and the inexperienced1 the    
weak in moral principle1 the vacillating
 in purpose1 and the strongly tempted2  
all of whom1 will be led by the ignis   
fatuus light of your inconsistent and   
pernicious example1 away from the path  

of piety and peace1 into the slippery   
and downward course of sin1 remorse1 and
 eternal death4 ,and at the             
judgment-seat of ,christ1 you will      
appear with the blood of lost souls on  
the skirts of your garments4  ,the      
,dancing professor of religion gives    
offence to his brethren in the ,church4 
,the fact that among this number1 some  
of the weaker members may be found is no
 excuse for the deed4 ,at the same time 
we think it a point of great moment1    
that the most eminent and exemplary     
,christians1 and the most zealous and   
intelligent ministers of the ,gospel1 of
 all denominations1 have put on it their
 seal of condemnation4 ,they maintain   
that they cannot discover any sanction  
for this art1 in the example of the     
blessed ,saviour or of his holy         
,apostles4 ,they contend that it unfits 
them for prayer and for communion with  
,god2 and that they cannot pass from the
 dissipating excitement of the crowded  
and noisy ball-room to the throne of    

grace1 and do their duty there with     
comfort or profit4 ,they say that they  
cannot ask ,god's blessing on the       
employments of an evening so spent2 and 
that the next time they attempt to warn 
unconverted men of the dangers to which 
they are exposed in the world1 that they
 feel rebuked by the remembrance of     
their own conduct to that degree that   
they are afraid and ashamed to open     
their mouths on the subject4  ,for these
 obvious reasons the ,ecclesiastical    
bodies of several religious             
denominations in our country1 have      
expressed their deliberate opinion of   
its inconsistency2 and have recorded    
their protest against it by a formal    
vote4 ,and for the same reasons1 the    
most active1 self-denying and benevolent
 friends of the ,redeemer in every      
community1 never give their presence to 
the ball-room1 and are deeply grieved   
with those nominal ,church-members who  
do4  ,under these circumstances what is 
duty8 ,what would ,paul do8 ,such was   

his anxiety for the salvation of others1
 that on this account1 things lawful1   
and therefore much more unlawful he     
would resign4 ,the tenderness of his    
concern for the spiritual welfare of    
others exceeded so far all selfish      
considerations that he declared--,if    
meat make my brother to offend1 ,i will 
eat no meat while the world standeth2   
lest ,i make my brother to offend4 ,it  
is good neither to eat flesh nor to     
drink wine1 nor any thing whereby thy   
brother stumbleth1 or is offended1 or is
 made weak4 ,this is the ,bible rule4   
,and against those who disregard it1 a  
fearful malediction has been uttered by 
the ,great ,head of the ,church4 ,whoso 
shall offend one of these little ones   
that believe in me1 it were better for  
him that a mill-stone were hanged about 
his neck and that he were drowned in the
 depth of the sea4  ,the dancing        
professor of religion1 by his           
inconsistent example1 paralyzes the     
energies of the ,church4 ,he is a false 

witness against ,christ and his cause4  
,he does not recommend but disgraces the
 ,christian name4  ,the people of the   
world do not esteem him more highly on  
account of his conformity to their      
peculiar practices2 on the contrary they
 do not believe that he is any better   
than themselves4 ,they have no          
confidence in such members of the       
,church2 they look upon them as         
hypocrites or mere professors of        
religion2 they do not believe that they 
are converted and refer to their example
 only by way of excuse4 ,they may       
applaud their beauty1 they may admire   
their wit1 they may emulate their       
accomplishments1 they may envy their    
wealth1 they may copy their manners1 and
 they may imitate their style of        
dress--but they never speak respectfully
 of their religion4 ,not unfrequently   
they make their inconsistencies a       
subject of satirical remark4 ,see1 that 
,church member6 say they1 to-day he is  
the star of fashion1 and the leader of  

the midnight dance--to-morrow he        
occupies the chief seat in the          
sanctuary1 and is in appearance a most  
devout and humble worshipper4           
,experience and the word of ,god1 teach 
but one method by which the gay1        
frivolous1 wicked and proud world1 can  
be won over to the service of the       
,redeemer2 and that is to hold up to its
 view the truth1 through the medium of  
an irreproachable example2 on the one   
hand rebuking its follies and sins1 and 
on the other1 showing it a more         
excellent way4  ,it cannot be denied1   
that the people of the world are often  
strongly tempted to skepticism by the   
conduct of the ,dancing professor of    
religion4 ,they are led to inquire--is  
there any reality in the work of the    
,holy ,spirit8 ,here is a man that      
asserts that he has been born again1 but
 where is the evidence8 ,what does he do
 more than others8 ,with his lips he    
declares that ,god is his portion2 that 
religion is his chief concern1 and that 

,heaven is his home4 ,but by his actions
 he says more plainly than words can    
indicate1 that his supreme happiness    
lies in the world1 that ,christ is a    
hard task-master1 and that his          
anticipations of religious comfort have 
been disappointed4  ,it is no wonder1   
that unconverted men with such          
stumbling-blocks in their pathway1 turn 
a deaf ear to the ,gospel4 ,amid the    
perplexity of mind too often produced by
 the glaring inconsistencies apparent   
between ,gods truth1 and ,gods professed
 people2 nothing short of the ,almighty 
power of the ,holy ,spirit1 can persuade
 unconverted men to believe1 that       
godliness is profitable for all things4 
,on these carnal members of the ,church1
 must rest1 therefore1 the larger       
portion of the guilt incurred in a      
congregation by grieving the ,spirit of 
,god1 and by infecting the minds of     
sinners with an uncontrollable degree of
 levity4 ,to their worldliness must be  
attributed in a great measure1 the check

 which is given to the progress of the  
glorious ,gospel in converting perishing
 souls from ,satan unto ,god4 ,and it is
 a question which they must settle with 
their consciences1 how can they meet    
these charges at the bar of the ,final  
,judge8  ,the dancing professor of      
religion robs the ,church of the benefit
 of his services4 ,his moral influence  
in the community where he resides and is
 known1 is destroyed4 ,like ,samson     
shorn of his locks1 he is destitute of  
strength4 ,he has not only lost the     
spirit of prayer1 but he has no power at
 a throne of grace1 ,the prayer of the  
wicked is an abomination to the ,lord4  
,his approaches to the ,mercy ,seat     
become lifeless and heartless4 ,and it  
is no marvel1 that eventually he deserts
 the closet1 the social meeting for     
,prayer1 and the ,house of ,god4  ,such 
a professor of religion is a contrast to
 the prevailing spirit of the age1 which
 is characterized by efforts to enlarge 
the borders of the ,kingdom of ,god in  

the conversion of sinners4 ,he lives    
devoid of spiritual consolation himself1
 and by exciting prejudices against     
vital piety1 keeps others away from the 
fountain of life4 ,he leads thoughtless 
sinners down to ,hell1 whilst he tells  
them that he is conducting them to      
,heaven4 ,with one hand he pulls down   
the kingdom of ,christ1 and with the    
other he builds up the kingdom of       
,satan4 ,he betrays his ,master with a  
kiss4 ,he grieves the souls of all the  
well wishers of ,zion4 ,he brings down  
the displeasure of a righteous ,god on  
his holy heritage4 ,he is far worse than
 an open enemy1 for he strews the path  
that leads to perdition with tempting   
flowers1 and he whispers peace in the   
ears of sinners who are walking in the  
ways of death4 ,he is a traitor among   
the soldiers of the cross4 ,he is an    
,achan in the camp of ,israel4  ,and the
 same inconsistency and guilt which are 
chargeable on the dancing professor of  
religion1 rest in a great measure on    

those members of the ,church1 who1      
although they do not indulge in this gay
 pleasure themselves1 yet grant         
permission to their children to attend  
this kind of assemblies4 ,the danger1   
whatever it is1 certainly is as great   
for the members of the household1 as for
 its head4 ,and the word of ,god lays   
down the principle1 that it is the duty 
of ,parents1 to use their authority to  
prevent their offspring from following  
any amusement in which they think it    
would be wrong to engage themselves4    
,fathers and ,mothers1 therefore1 who   
consent that their children shall learn 
and practice this art1 are sadly        
neglecting their parental duties1 and   
are to no inconsiderable extent         
partakers of this sin of their sons and 
daughters4  ,it is an act of cold       
blooded cruelty to the souls of those   
whom they ought to love most tenderly4  
,and we would ask1 how can they approach
 the ,mercy ,seat for prayer in faith1  
with the petition on their lips1 lead us

 not into temptation1--whilst they have 
thrown the tender lambs of their little 
flock into the very jaws of the lion8   
,they certainly are not so destitute of 
sensibility or understanding1 that they 
would tempt their poor confiding little 
ones to dance1 amid the rocking of an   
earthquake1 or the roaring of a thunder 
storm1 or whilst standing on the edge of
 a slippery precipice4 ,how then can    
they with any claim to the feelings of  
common humanity1 cast their children    
into the vortex of worldly pleasures1   
where they are momentarily exposed to   
the infinitely greater evil of having   
body and soul dashed to pieces on the   
rocks of eternal damnation8  ,in view of
 such considerations1 every ,christian  
parent ought to come to the unalterable 
determination of bringing up his family 
with the understanding that they are    
neither to know nor practice this       
fashionable amusement4  ,the just       
application of the principles introduced
 into this discourse1 destroys this     

worldly pleasure root and branch4 ,their
 true interpretation is the language of 
total abstinence1--touch not1 taste not1
 handle not4 ,they allow no compromise  
with this social evil4 ,and in cases    
which admit of doubt1 and where it is   
hard to draw the line1 because the      
impropriety is not so manifest1 they    
utter their interdict4 ,it is wrong1    
therefore1 for ,christian families1     
among themselves or with a few friends1 
to practice dancing as an amusement4 ,it
 is their duty to refrain from it1 if   
for no other reason1 because it is one  
of the distinctive badges of the ungodly
 world2 and because they are bound to   
make the line of demarcation between the
 ,church and the world plain and        
visible4 ,in opposition1 to this sacred 
obligation1 it is a poor excuse to      
alledge that it is only a family affair4
 ,the family circle needs to be         
enlarged1 only by the addition of a few 
guests1 to impart to the parlor much of 
the appearance of a ball-room4 ,safety1 

consistency and usefulness1 demand that 
every follower of ,christ should        
renounce it altogether4  ,to see the    
true nature and character of this       
amusement we must view it in the light  
of ,eternity4 ,let us contrast the      
merriment and folly of one of these gay 
and trifling assemblages1 with the pure1
 earnest and solemn worship of the      
glorious intelligences gathered around  
the throne of the infinite ,god4 ,how   
evanescent are their joys in contrast   
with the eternal blessedness of that    
bright circle of seraphic intelligences6
 ,how different is their estimate of    
sin1 from that which is formed by the   
,holy ,sovereign of the universe6 ,they 
jest and laugh whilst trampling under   
foot his righteous laws2 but ,he frowns 
on each transgression with a look of    
awful displeasure1 and is angry with the
 wicked every day4  ,again1 what an     
extreme of condition under ,god's moral 
government1 does the gaiety and levity  
of that giddy company present to the    

weeping1 and wailing1 and gnashing of   
teeth1 of the damned in ,hell6--many of 
whom1 in their life time indulged in the
 same guilty pleasures2 and with whom1  
the principal actors of this scene might
 in one instant be associated forever1  
by a single word of an offended and     
neglected ,god4  ,or who would not be   
shocked in turning from the             
contemplation of the sad spectacle of   
the crucifixion2 the body of ,jesus     
mangled1 rent1 covered with a gore of   
blood1 his dying groans sounding in the 
ear6--to the levity and laughter of the 
ball-room1 crowded by those whose sins  
have nailed him to the accursed tree and
 opened all his wounds anew4  ,but look 
forward a few years1 or months only it  
may be2 and how diverse will be         
circumstances of thoughtless trifles6   
,they cannot live forever4 ,together    
with us1 they are treading the path to  
the tomb1 and there is one coming to    
meet them whose presence is a terror to 
all transgressors4 ,yet into its        

darkness they must descend1 and before  
that ,infinite ,being they must shortly 
stand4  ,from the noise1 splendor1 and  
mirth of the ball-room1 they must pass  
to the silence1 gloom and grief1 of the 
chamber of death4 ,the giddy1 vain1     
perhaps1 scoffing circle of revellers1  
must be exchanged for the anxious1      
sorrowful1 weeping company of relatives 
and friends4 ,the showy finery of the   
ball dress1 must be replaced by the     
winding sheet and the grave cloths4     
,that form which under the tutoring hand
 of art1 moved with such grace1 through 
all the evolutions of the dance1 must   
lie icy cold in the embrace of death4   
,then they will have done with earthly  
things4 ,no music with its dulcet notes 
will wake the echoes of the dreary      
caverns of the dead2 no jovial          
companions will relieve the dullness of 
the grave2 no dance will fill the void  
of slow revolving ages4 ,the worm will  
feed on them sweetly there1 and their   
souls will receive according to the     

deeds done in the body4  ,when this     
event arrives the votaries of pleasure  
will turn pale with terror4 ,they will  
beg for life4 ,the absorbing inquiry    
will be ,what must ,i do to be saved8   
,but then1 oh6 how horrible the         
thought--it may be too late4            
,unconverted sinner flee these scenes of
 guilty pleasures as the ,gates of      
,perdition4 ,prepare without delay to   
meet thy ,god4 ,let the golden moments  
of life's short day1 be consecrated to  
,prayer1 to ,repentance1 and to ,faith  
in ,jesus4 ,then1 too1 mayest thou      
ascend at death1 to that bright and     
better world1 where the ,saints forever 
reign1 and where from before the light  
of ,god's countenance1 sin1 darkness and
 sorrow1 flee away1 and where the soul  
is filled with a joy unspeakable and    
full of glory4