THE DEVIL'S DANCE.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2939, 17 July 1878, Page 2

THE DEVIL'S DANCE.

The Bishop of Viboinia Denounces Waltzing asA Sin and Scandal. ;

On May 18th, in the Episcopal convention in •■ session in Ljnchburg, Virginia, Bishbp^Wiite delivered.an felaborate annual address, in which he earnestly deprecated the evils of round dancing. Referring to the address of his venerated prcdecessoy Bishop Johns, in 1872, he said that distinguished diVne warned communicants 'against '.the inconsistency of indulging in " a demoralizidg dissipation," which he , denounced as "that lascivious mode of promiscuous dancing styled the round dance." "This scandal," he L9::d, ?. is not to bo tolerated in the church of Christ. Let evjery appeal be made in,the way of affectipnafe rcmonst/ance, judicious teaching and earcest nra)er for the reformation of those'led astray, if God peradvenlure will give them repentance. If all such efforts prove unava;ling to remove the scandal and awaken the offender to a sense of his-sinand danger, and it be* comss necessary to resor'. to the exercise of a decided discipline, it must be done." I adopt this laoguageas my own, that he, being dead, may yet apeak.on this important matter, hi? words struclc some as being too Btrong'snd harsh when they were first uttered, who think very differently now.ailer sixyears' obsei vatiori and-er:petien<»« Certain ;it As that many of our wisest and best people, ministers and laymen, judging the tree by the fruit, have become ajarmwd; lepfc the effect of this dreadful evil of round dancing shall be not only to injure pur* and undefined religion, but even to sap the very foundations of all social virtue and morality. I will not discuss its character and consequences, for wbib St. Paul wrote to the Church-in Ephesus that it was a shame even to speak of thoge things j which w t re done by some id secret, 1 should feel ashamed.to speak as the truth would require of ibis thing, which is done openly before all. I will ouly say that I trust no man or woman will be presented for confirmation'who means to continue to participate in this abomination, and if the of the" church hate no authority to discipline communicants as notorious evildoers who practice it, surely this council should not fail to clothe them "with Buch authoriiy by canon: _ This portion of the address was referred to a committee, -which reported a canon forbidding the holy communion • and confirmat;o.n to persons who habitually indulge in round dancing. Under the rules it required a two> thirds vote to pkss it at this session* and the canon was defeated. Resolutions were, however, adopted deploring the sinful practice, and urging that it bt) discontinued by all good, members of the Episcopal Church.—S. F. Post. ' ':i •■-■•■