questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第9节

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The　modern　dance　is　as　different　from　the　dancing　of　ancient　times；

and　from　the　dancing　sanctioned　in　the　Bible；　as　daylight　is　from　dark；

as　good　is　from　bad。　　The　modern　dance　imperils　health；　it　poisons　the

social　nature；　it　destroys　intellectual　growth；　and　it　robs　men　and　women

of　their　virtue。　　Let　us　understand　one　another。　　To　attend　one　dance　may

not　accomplish　all　of　this　in　any　person。　　One　may　attend　many　dances；

and　he　himself　not　see　these　results　marked　in　his　character；　but　some

one　else　will　see　them。　　For　in　the　nature　of　the　institution　the　modern

dance　affects　in　all　these　particulars　those　whom　it　reaches。　　The

tendencies　in　a　single　dance　are　in　these　directions。　　In　a　way　peculiar

to　itself　the　modern　dance　imperils　health。　　Though　detestable　and　out

of　date；　as　are　the　modern　kissing　games；　yet　no　one　ever　heard　of　one

of　those　performances　continuing　until　three　and　five　o'clock　in　the

morning。　　Young　people　do　not　stay　up　all　night；　ride　five；　ten；　and

twenty　miles　to　play　authors；　or　to　snap　caroms；　or　to　play　charades；　as

interesting　in　a　social　way　as　these　innocent　amusements　may　be。　　The

fact　that　one　will　go　to　this　extreme　in　keeping　late　hours　to　attend　the

dance；　and　will　not　keep　such　late　hours　for　any　other　form　of　amusement；

proves　that　the　dance；　as　an　institution；　is　at　fault　in　producing　such

irregularities。　　And　then　who　ever　heard　of　one　having　to　dress　in　a

certain　way　to　attend　a　purely　social　gathering。　　But　let　a　young　lady

attend　a　fashionable　ball　or　a　regular　round　dance　of　any　note；　whatever；

and　if　she　wears　the　civil　gown　she　will　be　thought　tame　and　snubbed。

She　must　dress　for　this　occasion；　and　thus；　from　a　health　point　of　view；

so　expose　her　body　that　after　the　excitement　and　heat　of　a　prolonged

round　she　takes　her　place　in　a　slight　draught　of　air；　and　a　severe　cold　is

contracted。　　And　this　exposure　is　further　increased　by　the　sudden　change

from　a　close；　hot　room　to　the　damp；　chilly　air　of　the　early　morning；　on　her

journey　home。　　It　is　possible　to　guard　against　all　of　this；　but　are　those

persons　who　attend　such　exercises　likely　to　be　cautious　in　such　practical

matters。　　At　least；　this　risk　of　exposure　for　men　and　women　is　peculiar

to　the　dance；　and　it　is　certain　that　many　are　physically　injured　in　this

way。　　The　modern　dance　poisons　the　social　nature。　　The　chief　exercise

at　the　modern　dance　is　dancing。　　Those　who　have　attended　dances；　as　a

social　recreation；　have　complained　that　they　never　have　an　opportunity

to　get　acquainted　with　one　another。　　Such　a　luxury　as　a　complete

conversation　on　any　theme　is　out　of　the　question。　　It　is　a　form　of

amusement　that　stultifies　the　communicative　faculties；　and　fosters

social　seclusion。　　Some　one　might　say　this　may　be　a　good　thing；　since

every　grade　in　moral　and　social　standing　are　represented。　　Yes；　but　this

only　acknowledges　the　lack　of　opportunity　for　social　fellowship。　　It　is

not　true　that　the　dance；　as　an　institution；　is　not　patronized　by　the　most

capable　in　conversation　and　companionship？　　Certainly　this　is　true　in

the　so…called　higher　society；　among　those　whose　sole　ambition　is　to

excel　in　formal　manners　and　in　personal　appearance　at　the　gay　function；

and　at　the　social　ball。　　To　be　communicative　one　must　have　something

to　communicate；　and　this　means　a　cultivation　of　the　mind　and　heart。

True　social　fellowship　is　one　of　the　sweetest　pleasures　of　life　and　always

has　its　source　in　the　culture　of　the　soul。　　Whatever　may　be　said　for　or

against　the　modern　dance；　it　is　true　that　because　of　the　mixed　characters

of　its　attendants；　and　for　want　of　opportunity　to　communicate；　the　social

nature　becomes　neglected　and　abused；　and　may　be　fatally　poisoned。



The　modern　dance　destroys　intellectual　growth。　　The　person　who　has

the　dance…craze　cares　no　more　for　mental　improvement　and　growth　than

a　starving　man　cares　for　splendid　recipes　for　fine　cooking。　　The　thought

of　a　problem　to　be　solved；　of　a　book　to　be　read；　of　an　organ　exercise　to

be　practiced；　of　all　things；　are　most　tame　to　the　one　who　is　filled　with

dreams　of　the　last　dance；　and　with　visions　of　the　one　that　is　to　come。　　To

grow；　the　mind　must　be　free　from　excitement。　　The　fault　with　the　dance

in　this　respect　is　that　it　has　in　it　a　fascination　that　does　not　exist　in　the

ordinary　social　amusement。　　Some　persons　complain　that　they　can　not

get　an　evening　to　go　off　well　without　dancing。　　But　this　is　only　an　open

confession　to　mental　vacuity；　to　intellectual　poverty。　　For　one　need　know

but　little　to　flourish　at　the　dance。　　And　always；　where　little　is　required；

intellectually；　little　is　given。　　It　is　the　rule　that　those　who　are　in　the

greatest　need　of　mental　cultivation　and　growth　are　those　who　make　up

the　dancing　crowd。　　And　the　fact　that　the　dance；　as　an　institution；　in　no

way　stimulates　intellectual　thought；　destines　those　who　dance　to　remain

on　the　lower　intellectual　plane。



Last；　and　worst　of　all；　the　dance　robs　men　and　women　of　their　virtue；

and　this　often　at　the　first　unconsciously。　　If　it　is　not　for　health　and

physical　vigor　that　one　follows　up　dancing；　if　it　is　not　the　peculiar

social　tie　that　binds　dancers　together；　if　it　is　not　the　incentive　to

intellectual　growth　and　equipment；　what　is　it？　　A　secret　lies　hid　away

somewhere　in　the　institution　of　the　modern　dance；　that　makes　it　the

chiefest　attraction　of　worldly…minded　and　often　of　base…hearted　people。

What　is　that　secret？　　Ah；　my　friend；　it　is　the　appeal　to　the　most　sacred

instincts　and　passions　of　a　man　and　of　a　woman！　　This　appeal　is　peculiar

to　the　modern　dance　by　the　accident　of　physical　contact　that　men　and

women　assume　in　dancing；　and　also　by　the　circumstances　that　attend　it；

namely；　mixed　society；　late　hours；　and　the　customary　use　of　strong

drink。　　No　honest；　normally　passionate　person；　who　has　made　it　a

practice　of　attending　dances；　will　deny　the　truth　of　this　charge。　　One

may　never　have　thought　of　it　in　this　way；　but　when　he　stops　to　think　he

knows　that　it　is　true。　　It　is　through　ignorance　of　these　circumstances；　and

of　their　bad　effects；　that　many　a　well…meaning　person；　presumably　to

have　a　good　time；　or　to　acquire　heel…grace；　goes　into　the　dance；　secures

a　passion　for　dancing；　and　through　its　seductive　influences　are　led　into

sin　and　shame。　　The　following　is　an　incident　out　of　his　own　experience

related　by　Professor　T。　A。　Faulkner；　an　ex…dancing　master。　　Professor

Faulkner　is　the　author　of　the　little　book　entitled　〃From　the　Ball　Room　to

Hell。〃　　A　book　which　every　person　who　sees　no　harm　in　dancing　should

read。



〃Here　is　a　girl。The　one　remaining　child　of　wealthy　parents；　their　idol

and　joy。　　A　dancing…school　having　opened　near　their　home；　the　daughter；

for　accomplishment；　was　sent　to　it。　　She　came　from　her　home；　modest；

and　her　innate　spirit　of　purity　rebelled　against　the　liberties　taken　by　the

dancing…master；　and　the　men　he　introduced　to　her。　　She　became　indignant

at　the　indecent　attitudes　she　was　called　upon　to　assume；　but　noticing　a

score　of　young　women；　many　of　them　from　the　best　homes　in　the　town；

all　yielding　to　the　vulgar　embrace；　she　cast　aside　that　spirit　of　modesty

which　had　been　the　development　of　years　of　home…training；　and　setting

her　face　against　nature's　protective　warnings；　gave　herself；　as　did　the

others；　to　this　prolonged　embrace　set　to　music。　　Having　learned　to　dance；

its　fascinations　led　her　an　enthusiastic　captive。　　Modesty　was　crucified；

decency　outraged；　virtue　lost　its　power　over　her　soul；　and　she　spent　her

days　dreaming　of　the　delights　of　the　sensual　whirl　of　the　evening。　　Hardly

conscious　of　the　change　she　had　now　become　as　bold　as　any　of　the　women；

and　loved　the　embrace　of　the　charmer。　　The　graduation　of　the　class　was；

of　course；　the　occasion　of　a　waltzing　reception。　　To　that　reception　she　went；

attended　by　her　father；　who　looked　with　a　proud　heart　on　the　fulsome

greeting　his　dear　one　received。　　After　a　little　the　father　retired；　leaving　his

daughter　to　the　care　of　the　many　handsome　gallants　who　danced　attendance

upon　her。　　The　reception　did　not　close　until　the　small　hours　of　the　morning。

Each　waltz　became　more　voluptuous；　intoxicated　by　sensuality；　the

dancers　became　more　bold；　and　lust　was　aroused　in　every　breast。　　How

many　sins　that　reception　occasioned；　I　do　not　know；　this；　at　least；　is　sure；

that　this　girl　who　entered　that　dancing…hall　three　months　before；　as　pure　as

an　angel；　was　that　night。robbed　of　her　honor　and　returned　to　her　home

deprived　forever　of　that　most　precious　jewel　of　womanhoodvirtue。　　Her

first　impulse　the　next　morning　was　self…destruction；　then　she　deluded

herself　with　the　thought　of　marriage　with　her　dancing　companion；　but

he　still　further　insulted　her　by　declaring　that　he　wanted　a　pure　woman

for　his　wife。　　What　was　her　end？　　Shunned　by　the　very　society　which

egged　her　on　to　ruin；　her　self…respect　was　gone　with　her　lost　purity；　she

went　to　her　own　kind；　and　in　shame　is　closing　her　days。〃　　〃Of　two

hundred　b