A SOLEMN WARNING TO DANCERS. 

We unto them who chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music.
like David, Amos vi, 5. 

You believe you have an immortal soul-that you are accountable to God for your time-that there
is a day of judgment approaching-that happiness or misery awaits you in the world to come-and
that this depends under the blessing of God, on the manner in which you improve your time in this
world:-All this you solemnly believe. By what rule then do you profess to regulate your conduct?
In professing your faith in the above truths, you have professed your faith in the Holy Scriptures.
If, therefore, the Scriptures condemn the practice of dancing , you must either abandon it,
or acknowledge yourself guilty in the sight of God and of course no Christian. 

The apostle Paul saith, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed, by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good. and acceptable, and perfect will of God," Rom.
xii, 2. And is it not conforming to the world, in the most important sense of the word to frequent
dancing assemblies? The same inspire apostle commands us, " To pray without ceasing ." And
will any pretend that their minds can be in a devotional frame while stepping at the sound of
the violin in the ball room? Stop! and think a little. Would you be willing to go from the ball
chamber to the judgment seat of Christ? But you are commanded to be always ready . 

Do you, who are parents, notwithstanding these serious considerations, say there can be no
harm in teaching your children to dance, by bringing dancing masters into your house, or by
sending them to dancing schools? But do you not know that the whole spirit of the religion of
Christ is opposed to the maxims and fashions of the world? If you have ever examined its nature
and tendency, you must certainly know, that its object, and native tendency, is to lead the
mind away from the world, and to set the affections on things above, where Christ sitteth at
the eight hand of God : but dancing is not only a notorious conformity to the world, but is directly
calculated to divert the mind from every thing of a serious nature, and, by the manner in which
it is conducted, tends to awaken in the breast of youth every unhallowed passion, and to set
on fire of hell the whole course of nature . 

Moreover, St. Paul says, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by him," Col. iii, 17. Can any person, can any Christian ,
dance in the name of the Lord Jesus? Or, through him, give thanks to God the Father for such an
employment? No one, it is presumed, is sufficiently hardy to say he can. And if they cannot say
they can dance in the name of the Lord Jesus, and with a special eye to God's glory, they cannot
set up any legal plea in its favour. 

What a pity that youth, who possess immortal souls, capable of such noble attainments in sound
wisdom, and useful knowledge, even that knowledge of God which is eternal life, should spend
the flower of their age in being taught such petty trifles! Of what use can it be to them in future
life? Will females who have been thus educated, be likely to be better wives, mothers, or more
useful members of either civil or religious society? We are commanded to train up a child in
the way he should go , when arrived to mature age-Would you have your child, when grown to manhood,
go in the way of dancing? And suppose he was to step from the dancing room into eternity? Would
you have the consolation of reflecting that he had gone to heaven! What would he do there? He
has not learned the employment of that society. 

You who diligently read your Bible, cannot, surely, be ignorant of the important matters it
teaches you, respecting your present and future happiness; and also respecting 28 your awful
responsibility to God for the manner in which you have educated your children. Your calling
is a holy calling, worthy of its divine author, the pure and holy Jesus, and suited to the nature
of the place to which you are invited,-the undefiled kingdom of God. That you may be fully prepared
for that state of blessedness, you are exhorted to walk as Christ himself walked: to let your
conversation, the whole of your deportment, your continual walk through life, be as becometh
the gospel of Christ; and certainly nothing is worthy that gospel, which is not serious, sober,
and holy; and you will not say that dancing is a holy exercise. 

Among the works of the flesh , enumerated by the apostle, in his epistle to the Galatians, chap.
v, 21, he mentions revellings , which was evidently a heathenish practice of disorderly feasting,
in which they indulged themselves in mirth, wine , and in dancing : and if our modern dancers
do not indulge themselves in all the disorderly practices of the heathens, they take care to
retain so much of them as relates to drinking wine , or its miserable substitute, rum and gin
, and probably they are not a whir behind them in their immoderate dancing. "Oh! but we do it from
a different motive." Pray what motive have you for drinking wine and for dancing ? Do you design
thereby to become more like God? More holy, meek, and humble? Or is it not rather for the gratification
of the flesh? Alas! they that are in the flesh cannot please God . I fear you do not so much as intend
to please God. He is not in all your thoughts . If a serious thought intrude itself now and then
into your mind, do you not dismiss it as soon as possible? 

Make an effort, for a moment, to associate one of the primitive Christians, with one of our dancing
Christians. What a contrast! As different as heaven and hell. Did you ever imagine one of the
old apostles, or primitive saints, who were ready to suffer martyrdom for Christ, in a ball
chamber? Never! Well, but you are called to imitate them in their faith, love, and zeal for God.
Fly, then, from the dancing room, as you would from devouring fire. FRAGMENT. 

How admirable and advantageous is female piety. I have often contemplated the many beauties
and advantages 28 arising from it. with delight and satisfaction. In the midst of surrounding
trials, the woman who trusts in God has a strong place of refuge in the day of trouble, that an
impious woman knows not of. Is the woman that knows not God compassed with sorrows and loaded
with difficulties, she may relate them to some of her fellow mortals, but alas! they can impart
to her little or comfort. She has never known the comforts that flow from communion with God,
and therefore she does not apply to him. She looks back on her past life; and it appears like a
dream almost forgotten. With reluctance she looks forward to the time when her soul must launch
into the invisible world: no heavenly ray of hope illuminates her gloomy passage to the tomb;
all, all is dark and cheerless: while the woman who knows by blessed experience that her Redeemer
liveth, can with boldness and confidence through his merits approach a throne mercy, and find
grace to help in every time of need. Her consolations flow not from earthly enjoyments, but
from the fount of endless life. How securely she leans her weary soul on the arm of her Beloved;
and he sweetly bears her above the boisterous ocean of life. The cares and anxieties of earth
do not sink deep in her heart, for her treasure is in heaven, and from thence flows her choicest
comforts. She looks back upon a well spent life with pleasure and satisfaction, and ascribes
all the glory to God. She looks forward, with a hope full of immortality, to the period when bet
disembodied soul shall he conveyed by angels to the paradise of God. to behold the full blaze
of his glory for ever. What sight beneath the sun more amiable or respectful than to see her bending
before her heavenly Father's throne, bearing in the arms of faith and prayer her husband and
children (if she have any) to that God who forgiveth iniquity, transgression and sin. In her
family circle she is pleasant and cheerful; no words of bitterness or envy flow from her tongue;
but there is the law of kindness. 

PUBLISHED BY N. BANGS AND J. EMORY, 

For the Tract Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Conference Office, 14 Crosby-street,
New-York. 

Azor Hoyt, Printer. 28