The Dance at Moscow by H. A. ST. JOHN

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1866

The Dance at Moscow.

By H. A. ST. JOHN

DURING the occupancy of the city of Moscow by the French army, an incident occurred, which will serve as a good illustration of the blind infatuation of the present generation. A party of French officers and soldiers determined to have a grand military levee, and for this purpose selected the deserted mansion of a nobleman, in the vault of which a large quantity of powder had been stored. That night the city was set on fire. About sundown the crowd began to assemble. The females with the army, were decorated for the occasion. The gayest and noblest of Napoleon's army were there, and merriment beamed in every eye. As the dance progressed so did the fire, until the building next the one they occupied was in flames. At times they would come to the windows and look upon the billows of fire that swept around them, but would return again to their amusement. At length, the fire taking hold of their own building, caused them to prepare for flight. At this moment a young officer named Carnot, waved his jeweled glove above his head, exclaiming, "One dance more, and defiance to the flames." Every heart caught the enthusiasm of the moment, and "One dance more, and defiance to the flames," was the spontaneous expression of all. The dance commenced; the music grew louder and louder, the pattering feet of dancers grew faster and faster, when suddenly they heard a cry, "The fire has reached the magazine! fly! fly for life!" They were astonished, they did not know it was there, and ere they could escape, the magazine exploded, shivering the palace to atoms, and hurrying the dancers into a fearful eternity.

Thus it will be in that terrible day just before us. Men will revel on till engulfed in ruin. Though warned, and told that the Son of man cometh, yet with a jeering laugh they will ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" When entreated to prepare to meet their God, they reply, "Pleasure is our god." When told of the awful judgments awaiting the ungodly, and soon to be visited upon them, they will cry, "fanaticism, Millerism, priestcraft," and the like, and again join in the noisy revel. And methinks, when earth and heaven shall be shaken by the voice of God, and Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire with all the holy angels, I can see some Carnot, horror-struck, and with blood-shot eyes, waving his jeweled hand above his head, and exclaiming, "One dance more, and defiance to that voice, and that Jesus, and those angels!" But ere the dance is closed, the awful retributions of Jehovah overtake them, and of them it is said, they are lost, lost forever, and forever.

H. A. ST. JOHN.

Ayersville, Ohio.