Dancing, Raffling and Other Amusements.
THE New York Observer, under the head of "Letter from a Frightened Pastor," publishes the following racy epistle: MESSRS. EDITORS:—We are making great progress here in our quiet country village in New Jersey. We have known for a long time that your Christian people in New York had become so far emancipated from the old-fashioned, straight-laced notions of the Puritans, that you could have cards, and dancing parties, and private theatres, and all that sort of thing, but we never could see our way clear to go into them till this winter. The fact is, we have had no revival, and very little interest in religious matters for some time, and I suppose our people want some excitement, and, when the sanitary fair was proposed, they resolved to raise some money by getting up plays at private houses and charging half a dollar for admission. They have done it, and made a hundred dollars in three or four nights. They want the use of the church or lecture room for another, but I have set my foot down that this is carrying the thing too far. Indeed, I am not convinced that any part of the performance is right. Perhaps, it is early prejudice. Am I so old fashioned as to be absolutely wrong? Is the march of christian nature such that private play-acting, dancing and card-playing are to be numbered among the christian graces? If the father and mother who go about playing petty farces in christian drawing rooms should chance to find their sons and daughters doing the same in unchristian theatres could they utter a single remonstrance? Suppose that I, as the pastor, should be invited to come and introduce the play of Poor Pillicoody with a suitable prayer, would it or not be considered an appropriate thing, or a huge joke? And suppose, between the acts, some one should propose that all should join in the good old hymn, "Life is the time to serve the Lord," what would he thought of it? Perhaps, it may not be long before we shall have as an appendage to our prayer meetings or evening lectures a theatrical performance to draw the unconverted to the house of God! And possibly, at present rates, it may at no distant day, be considered quite the style to announce: "There will be an evening lecture on Wednesday evening, next, in the lecture room, by the parson, upon the first question and answer of the Assembly's Catechism, after which will be performed by the members of the Bible class, 'The Devil is not so bad as he is painted,' in which the last new convert will appear for the first time, to conclude with whist parties in the pastor's study, and waltzing in the Sunday school room." Whither are we drifting? [Coldwater Union Sentinel.]