dancing. The Jewish records make frequent mention of dancing, but
always "as a religious ceremony, or as an expression of gratitude and
praise." As a means of entertainment in private society, dancing was
practiced in ancient times, but by professional dancers, and not by the
company themselves. It is true that the Bible has sanctioned dancing,
but let us remember, first, that it was always a religious rite; second,
that it was practiced only on joyful occasions, at national feasts, and
after great victories; third, that usually it was "performed by maidens
in the daytime, in open air, in highways, fields, or groves;" fourth,
that "there are no instances of dancing sanctioned in the Bible, in
which both sexes united in the exercise, either as an act of worship
or as an amusement;" fifth, that any who perverted the dance from a
sacred use to purposes of amusement were called infamous. The only
records in Scripture of dancing as a social amusement were those of
the ungodly families described by Job xxi, 11-13, who spent their
time in luxury and gayety, and who came to a sudden destruction;
and the dancing of Herodias, Matt. Xiv, 6, which led to the rash vow
of King Herod and to the murder of John the Baptist. So much for
the history of dancing.

The modern dance in which both sexes freely mingle, irrespective
of character, purely for amusement, at late hours, at which intoxicants,
in some form, are generally used, is, essentially, an institution of vice.
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