For the Arkansas Intclligcnccr.
REMARKS ON DANCING.
{"character_count": 3065, "word_count": 524, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9635999798774719], "ccnet_perplexity": [2276.10009765625], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
MEssss. EDlToRs AS much has been snid in
this community, and some little written on the
moral tendencies of such places of public amuse-
mcDt, as have been uniformly inlerdicteJ by that
portion of the christian world. most remarkable
for the evangelical purity Of their doctrines-,heir
enlightened christian enterprlsc-and their regard
for the best present, as well as eternal happiness
of man would take the liberty Of o5truding a
few thoughts upon you, which, if you deem Of
sufficient value 10 occupy place in your columns,
you may crafty a few Of your subscribers by
their carly insertion.


Amidst tho many apologize arguments used by
the liberal, (as they are pleased to term them
selves, for by patent Of their own creation they
would monopolise every thing in that way) It is
said dancing was practised by Tho Jows in their
religious rites. A striking evidence this, show
ing to what eXtremites men will resort to estab-
Ilsh principles, which threaten all moral and So
cial order in the christian church--lo ohscuIe the
line of demarcation which the ilustrous founder
Of the christian faith has drawn so distinctly
" SO plain that the wayfaring man, though fool,
my not err therein" And reminds me very
furcibIy Of the course Of dsputant in a celebrat
cd theological discussion, in whom it was difficult
to determine for which he evnced more zeal and
sophislry, in distorting certain passages Of au-
thors in support Of his argument, or his dognati-
cal style Of evelIing, with one fell swoop, all au-
thority whether sacred or proiane. which evident


y appeared to initiate against his favorlte theory.


The question hero arises. is the dancing t at
now obtains in our time, the kind Of dan ncing prac-
tised bv tho Jews! think can convince any
candid man, that there is no kind of analogy be-
tween them. In the first place it may be neces.
sary to premise, that words often charge in the
laps of few centuries in their specific meaning,
nay in much shorter period. Onet in point
will suffice. Originally the terms Astrology and
Astronomy were used indherenily in the same
sense, but for a long time the former has been
employed to denote tho vain aud supersti,ious stu
DIV of predictions and horoscopes, while the latter
has been reserved 10 denote tho true science of
the celestial motions. Dancing at first consisted
of nothing more than ges,culalion and attitudes.
indicative of certain mental emotions, and mov-
inp ii, procession, in which sense it formed part
of the celebration of the religious rites of the an
-cient Hebrews and Egyptians. Farther, as ad.
di,ional proof that the dancing Of tho Jews re-
corded in scripture, differed as widely from our
modern dancing assembIages, as light from dark
ness. is that in the performance Of those religious
rites, in which dancing is mentioned, that portion
of the exercises were mostly performed or led, by
those venerable for their age, dignity Of charac-
ter, or pety. Il would givo my opponents ali


the advantage they could desire in Hcrod's Lac.
chanalian, bloody revel, at which some OF our