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"THEIR CHILDREN DANCE"

 Written by H.Frank Fort 

"Wherefore do the wicked live...they send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance...They say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways"(Job 21:7, II, 14).

This passage reveals the reaction of "the wicked" to the rebuke of God for their conduct and though "they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways...They shall be brought to the day of wrath" (Job 21:14,30). Or as Solomon said to such as had adopted the philosophy that youth should be spent to the lust of the flesh, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth. And let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore, remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth (thus spent) are vanity" (Eccl. 11:9-10). "Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap"(Gal. 6:7). It is the consciousness of this that has always been the "goad" in the flesh of such as walk "according to the course of this world...in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind"(Eph. 2:2-3). Never does the "goad" seem sharper than when some narrow-minded preacher takes the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17). And "pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow" and exposes the true nature of "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). But let us not be influenced by "narrow-minded concepts" or by broad-minded "license", but face the facts according to "the mind of Christ" as revealed in His Word. John lays down the Bible principle by which human reaction is determined when the lust of the flesh is brought face to face with the Word of God: "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us" (I Jn. 4:5-6). John had said in First John 2:16, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world." Christ said to the unsaved, "Ye are of this world" (John 8:23). He said concerning the saved, "They are not of the world" (John 17:16). Paul wrote to Christians, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above...set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1-2). He wrote concerning the unsaved, "The enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Phil. 3:18-19).

The question we shall seek to answer from the word of God is: "To which of the two above mentioned categories does dancing belong?" Is it true that, as I read in a booklet called, "On or off with the Dance," written by a priest with Ecclesiastical approbation and the permission of the author's Religious Superior. "It can be predicated of some of the modern dances in our country, that they are good, a healthful recreation for body and mind, and a wholesome stimulation, animation, and exhilaration of the nervous system and consequently of the emotional and psychic nature of man. They are therefore, or at least may be, and doubtless often are virtuous, pleasing to God, and deserving of heavenly merit." P.5? The author placed "dancing" in the same class with "eating, walking and the like" as "being of indifferent moral value". Coming under the exhortation that "all whatsoever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Col. 3:17). This text, however, says, "in word", that is what you speak; and "in deed", that is what you do. As to the former it is written, "If they speak not according to this word it is because they have no light in them" (Isa. 8:20), as to the latter, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). And while the priest said, "modern dances...are often virtuous and pleasing to God, and deserving of heavenly merit", he wrote 16 pages describing the things necessary to make it such. While God's Word reveals not a single statement descriptive of modern DANCING that would constitute it "virtuous, pleasing to God and deserving of heavenly merit."

All dancing in God's word that even remotely resembles "modern dances” was condemned as characteristic of "the wicked." We shall prove this from the Word of God, not that I expect multitudes of so-called church members to pay any attention to it. But the same would be true of anything else in which the "lusts of the flesh delight." The children and young people are not to blame. I passed by a school last week and little boys and girls were going through the gyrations of the square dance, the cute little fellows, surely no sane person could object to that. But I was thinking about the signs we were reading a few months ago all over the city telling us that 17,000,000 children never attended Bible School or Church and to what extent that number would be increased by just such training before my eyes.

You remember reading in the papers about the "square dance fiddling" for the benefit of some of the schools, but did you notice whose feet kept going after the music stopped? You guessed it—the old P.T.A.'ers, just had a "hankering" to rattle their "hock". I am sure that was "pleasing to God, and deserving of heavenly merit." Yea! Doubtless God is profoundly impressed by such displays of "holy zeal" You compromising Church members, sit at home and say nothing even when you privately profess that you are against it. Some of you will say "Amen" to what I am saying now, while I am talking, but what will you do when you go to Church and learn among other equally impressive things, that sometime during the week, the dear brothers and sisters will have a "hock rattling" time. Doubtless you will be invited to bring your lost friends to behold the spectacle which is "often...virtuous, pleasing to God, and deserving of heavenly merit". That they may as Paul said, "fall down on their faces and worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth" (I Corinthians 14:25). May God have mercy on your miserable souls. You will sit up till 12 o'clock at night, wide-awake, ready to go to some "modern dance". Because as the "reverend" said, it creates  "a wholesome stimulation, animation, and exhilaration of the nervous system", but providing you drag yourself to church and the preacher preaches five minutes over the time you have allotted him, you fall to staves like a dry barrel. It would take you six months to get over the long-winded preacher who dared to infringe on your valuable time. If this is your attitude toward the truth, you will be much happier in the gentleman's church. Which as the priest said, "is rendered infallible in matters of faith and morals...(and)...has never officially condemned dancing...just as little as she has never forbidden the use of intoxicating drinks" P. 7 of "On or off with the Dance". In keeping with the practice one could expect from this theory, one can understand why the members of such an institution would have to be asked to "abstain from liquor and beer", during lent, whatever that is.

From the "Christian Victory" copied from "The Dawn", London Dec. 15, 1939, came the following extract: "The round dance was started in a house of prostitution in Paris by a mistress of the King of France and was never danced outside of a house of prostitution. Nor by anyone but prostitutes and rakes, for the first hundred years after it started." A French dancing master by the name of Goult originated the Waltz. He was guillotined in 1632 for strangling to death his own sister in an attempt to ruin her. The most popular step used in ballrooms today originated with Negro prostitutes of the Barbary Coast, San Francisco. The next popular step originated with prostitutes in the Bowery, New York. T. A. Faulkner, a converted dance master, took careful census of two hundred prostitutes in Los Angeles, and found that one hundred and sixty-three attributed their fall to the dance and the ballroom; twenty to drink given by their parents, ten to willful choice; and seven to poverty and want. Bishop Spaiding of New York said that 19 out of 20 fallen women stated that their fall came through dancing. A great educator has said, "the dance hall is the nursery of the divorce court, the training shop of prostitutes, and the grade school of infamy" ("Word and Work" P. 67—March 1949). And the same source quotes the "Reader's Digest" Oct. 1937, wherein Galit Burgess stated; "To my satirical eye dancing is the most ludicrous and soul exposing activity in life. The poses, the movements, and expressions reveal as nothing else a person’s vanity and passion, just as plainly in the Waltz as in the ceremonial cavorting of savages. It's a sort of X-ray movie of the subconscious self. Everything that is primitive and innate comes to the surface for all to see”.

" While the book, "On or off with the Dance", from which I have quoted is characterized by inconsistency, its apparent anemia is due not so much to the weakness of the defense, as to the obvious guilt of the defendant. That which on page 6 was declared to be "virtuous, pleasing to God, and deserving of heavenly merit", is found on page 10 to be harmful to "young boys and girls". "It will not benefit but may harm their unripe and impressionable minds to gaze upon the gyrations of the dances and other manipulations and accompaniments of their frolic."  I saw some of these "other manipulations and accompaniments of their frolic", one Sunday night as sponsored by a church here in the Heights a few years ago. Drunkenness was one of the "other manipulations" besides the  "other manifestations". Dancing like drinking is without a redeeming feature. It is a detriment to the interest of truth. The most spiritual men and women, the soul winners of the churches, do not dance. I could baptize in 3 minutes all the disciples that could be made by the dancing element in the churches in 40 years. I know they do not like what I am saying. That is why I am preaching, and they are shelling peanuts or something else equally important. They will like it less before I am through. However, there are people who believe what God's Word teaches on the subject, regardless of what some broad-minded preacher says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil...woe unto them that justify the wicked for reward" (Isa. 50:20,23). The same is true of such as "walk in lies, they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness" (Jer. 23:14). Ezekiel said, "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked ways by promising him life" (Ezekiel 13:22).

Let us look to the Word of God to determine the mind of God on the subject of dancing. The world, even that portion of it, inscribed on the church rolls is not influenced by the Words of Christ: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33). Rather its attitude toward any departure from its ways is best expressed in the words of inspiration. "They think it strange that ye" (Christians) "run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you" (I Pet. 4:4), but of what did the "same excess of riot" consist? "When we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, reveling, banqueting, and abominable idolatries" (I Pet. 4:3). May I say that it is none of my business how the unconverted rear their children. If they want them to dance, thinking more of the grace of limb, than the grace of life, that is their business. Let them get their instructions at home or one of the professional institutions for that purpose, and not in the schools, which were founded for an entirely different purpose. I am for the original purpose, and I am going to use all the means at my command, as a father and a Christian, to see that dancing of every brand is kicked out of our public schools and then kept out. And would ask for every Christian in Houston, who has more regard for the spiritual welfare of their children, than they have for their carnal pleasure will do the same.

Many try to justify themselves in dancing by the fact that some danced in the Bible, apparently with divine approval, but that is not the issue at all. The issue is, does the dancing mentioned in the Bible, apparently approved of God, even remotely resemble anything that is being done today called dancing, either in motive or manner? Are you willing to abide by the facts? You who claim to be Christians? Are you willing to limit your dancing to that which was the expression of the motive recorded in the Bible as related to the cases in question? If your answer is no, why not be as honest as the self confessed sinner? And say with him, that it isn't anyone's business what, when, nor how you dance. You would at least be honest. If, however, your answer is yes, that is, you shall henceforth limit your dancing to that only which is the expression of the Bible motive: then hear and heed the following facts:

Well, let us consider Case No. 1: "The women came out of all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tabrets, with joy and with instruments of music"  (I Sam.  18:6).  "Singing and Dancing... with joy" Why? "When David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine." Thus the occasion was "Victory" over "Goliath", by which David said, "all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (I Sam. 17:46). Notice the "women came out...dancing." The occasion—the celebration of a God given victory. The motive—joy by reason thereof. I am sure there are occasions in our day when "the women came out...dancing", in the nightclubs and other similar places. But I doubt if anyone would have the hardihood to say that it was being done in celebration of a God given victory, or was motivated by "joy" in the same.

Now Case No. 2: "Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord" (II Sam. 6:16). Certainly here was a clean-cut picture of dancing with heaven's approbation.  But who could claim this, without blushing, as justifying modern dancing? The King was "dancing", true, but why? What was the occasion? When? "As the Ark of the Lord came into the city...King David...danced."  He danced alone, he danced for joy that "the Ark of the Lord", which a hundred years before had been taken by the Philistines "out of Shiloh" (I Sam. 4:17) and "the glory departed from Israel  (I Sam. 4:21). The "joy" at its return, motivated the King's dancing. Is this the motive that prompts your dancing?

Well, let us look at Case No. 3: "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing, and girded me with gladness" (Ps. 30:11).  Here the word  "dancing” is metaphorical as is the word "girded", for both are physical acts unless prohibited by the text. One cannot be physically girded with "gladness", anymore than "mourning" as an abstract spirit can be turned into dancing as a physical act.

Therefore we pass from this to consider Case No. 4: "Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance...Praise ye the Lord" (Ps. 149:2-3,9). Notice the motive of “the dance"—"joy". But what is meant by "the dance"? Why, "the dance" which was motivated by "joy" for the blessings of God, done "before the Lord" in "praise to him"', on which occasions, in not a single instance men and women danced together. Well, does this fit your case?

Then let us notice Case No. 5: "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances and Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously"  (Ex.  15:20). What is the difference between this Bible example of dancing and modern dancing? Well, today all the "men and women", and that under circumstances which if someone should suddenly shout, "Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously", they would tear down the walls, providing they were sober enough to make it that far.

Well, let us take Case No. 6: "Behold, Jephthan’s daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances" (Judges 11:34). Thus did Jephthahs daughter meet him, but when? Why? "Because God had delivered the Ammorites into her father's hand" (V.32). In every instance, therefore, where the dancing was approved of God, the motive was "joy" or "praise" to God for the victories he gave his people.

Notice Case No. 7: "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance both young men and old together" (Jer. 31:13). Suppose the multitudinous charity drives, although ever so beneficial to some, materially, should be launched with the blood-quickening promise that all those having part in it would be privileged to gather in the Coliseum where they would "rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together." Can't you just imagine the great throngs that would rush to such an event? Notice the context of our present passage:  "For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he"(Jer. 31:11), and it was Jacob "redeemed" that constituted "the virgin" of our text, and the dancing was out of "joy" of that fact.

Well, let us turn to the New Testament for Case No. 8: We refer to a parable, "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing" (Luke 15:25). Why? "For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found and they began to be merry" (V. 24). Remember, these are the words of a parable which follow this statement: "This man" (Christ) "receiveth sinners and eateth with them. And he" (Christ) "spake this parable unto them" (Luke 15:2-3). Where then is the joy represented by "the music and dancing?" "I say unto you joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:7,10). Well, you broad-minded church members, just how many dances have you attended in commemoration of the salvation of someone's son or daughter? How many have you given for that reason? But Mother wants her little darlings to be graceful. Why Mother? You church Mothers? The chances are by the time they become graceful they will also be fortifying themselves with enough liquor so they won't be bashful, that in spite of the acquired grace, they couldn't go through a barn door without knocking the hinges off. You wouldn't really try to justify yourself as a Christian by any of the examples of dancing to which we have thus far referred, would you? Well, let us take some that are more to the point as far as resembling "the modern dance", to which the "reverend" referred to as being "virturous, pleasing to God, and deserving of Heavenly merit."

We turn to the record following Israel's deliverance from bondage: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play" (Ex. 32:6). When Moses came down from the Mount he "saw the calf and the dancing...and that the people were naked" (Ex. 32:19, 25). Then Moses said, "You have sinned a great sin" (V. 30). What was the result? "And there fell of the people that day about 3,000" (V. 28). "Drink...nakedness...dance...sin...and death." (Ex. 32:6, 25, 29, 30, 28).

We go next to another scene: "Belshazzer the King made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousands...They drank wine and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone... In that night was Belshazzer slain" (Dan. 5:1,4,30). Of course you church members wouldn't do that, no sir. You just go dance with "Aunt Judy" or perhaps with Grandma, and at the drinking well, you doubtless just close your eyes and count your beads, because after all you just dance for the exercise.

My friends, the dancing by which you have tried to justify your own, to which we have referred, was done, never by men and women together, but separately out of joy of their heart, for the victories God had granted. Just look at the case of Belshazzer in contrast; that was done under the influence of wine and in praise of “the gods of gold", and resembles many of our present day dances.

Notice this important fact: The Amalekites were a type of the flesh against which God had declared perpetual warfare. Amalek was the grandson of Esau, who despised his birthright from which are possessed all spiritual blessings. Amalek was the first enemy of Israel after deliverance from Egypt  (Num.  24:20:  Ex.  17:8). Therefore Amalek being a type of the flesh and as such "lusting against the Spirit" (Gal. 5:17). We can understand the significance of the following words: "The Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Ex. 17:16). For thus is the "flesh" perpetuated, but of the Christian it is written, "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature" (II Cor. 5:17). Now notice the following words with these truths in mind: "They (the Amalekites) were spread abroad upon all the earth eating, drinking and dancing...and David smote them...and David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away" (I Sam. 30:16-18), but what have you done Christian? How much have you recovered of what you have lost by your compromising attitude?

The apostle Peter wrote to Christians: "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you" (I Pet. 4:3-4). Of such instructions Paul wrote, "Let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering, and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof" (Rom. 13:13-14). You see we poor, ignorant preachers must stand back and keep our mouths shut while you compromising, cowardly church members "profess that you know God, but in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16). Because we must be "good mixers", and not offend anyone or make some unconverted, good paying member mad.

The Church of the Lord doesn't need these liquor-soaked, night-clubbing, habituas, professing to be Christians, standing in the way of multitudes of lost sinners, honest enough to admit their condition. Who could be reached for Christ by God-fearing, honorable, upright, Christians if they didn't have to climb over mountains of these stumbling blocks. I don't suppose there is a preacher in the city that hasn't had scores of men and women come crying to them to get help in winning back a mate, strayed or stolen. In most of those cases the "new understanding discovery" was made in one of these divorce mills. Yes sir, Papa just didn't realize what a killer he was until some old hag roped him in, after that, of course, home is too tame, he wasn't understood there anyway. Some day God is going to raise the roof off this God dishonoring justification of evil, then in the words of Solomon: "Know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment" (Eccl.  11:9).  You church members, "Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate" (II Cor. 13:5)?

 "It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"