DANCING BANNED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 November 1924, Page 6

DANCING BANNED.

PRESBYTERIANS’ ATTITUDE

(ny TELEGRAPH —PEESS ASSOCIATION. PALMERSTON N., Nov. 18. The Presbyterian General Assemblv was rather startled on Friday moraine by a suggestion by Mr F. "Jones, an elder of the Matamnta Church, that dancing was taught in Presbyterian girls’ colleges to-day in the ghisc of lessons in deportment. To-dav the assembly 'discussed a motion" by Mr -Topes: “That this assembly discourages dancing and the raising of funds by such means for schemes in connection with the Presbyterian Church.” Mr A. D- Nicholson (Auckland), in seconding the said dancing was one of the chief deterrers to spiritual life. A Presbyterian minister had actually led a grand march'at a dance. (Loud cries of “shame.”) The Rev. John Paterson (Wanganui) moved as an amendment: “That this General Assembly, while recognising the liberty of all Christian men in matters not forbidden in the word of God, enjoins, upon all ministers, officebearers and people to discourage all forms of amusement tending to weaken the. spiritual life, and especially to avoid such amusements, particularly dancing, in connection with church functions as a means of raising money for church purposes, and that the matter be remitted to the life and work committee for a full statement for the guidance' of the church oii- the subject. ” The Rev. Dr. Gibb supported the amendment. It would be' wiser, he 'thought, for the question to be considered in the quieter atmosphere of a committee than settled in the assembly. He said the whole development of dancing and the dancing spirit in recent years was most serious, and to think that the Presbyterian Church had advertised a fancy dross ball was shameful. They must, however, not lose their balance of judgment. They all knew that there was dancing end dancing, added Dr Gibb, and in his own church there were some of the most worthy members of the congregation whose daughters had been taught dancing, and who- attended Government House functions. Again, Avere they going to ban some games that Avere being played at their Bible Class socials? Sonic of those games entailed Avhat he might call more “body handling” than some dancing did. It Avould be better for the question to be dealt AAdth by the life and Avork committee. The Rev. Paterson’s amendment Avas then made the substantive motion, and carried unanimouslv.