DANCING V. GAMBLING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1182, 23 September 1885, Page 5

DANCING V. GAMBLING.

(To the Editor.) Sib, — Your correspondent " Presbjterian," in retaliation for my charge of Pharisaism, calls me a Sadducee. Well, if the Sadducees did not believe that their corrupt bodies rose again from the dead (and who that knows i anything of modern science does) in other respects they were worthy men. He asks me " if the compilers of the Sensed Version do not admit there is a place of torment whero the ungodly reap iheir due reward?" if Phari — I beg pardon, "Presbyterian" — can proTe to me that they do, I will beliere it. In the .Revised Version, " Sheol " is simply the abode of departed spirits, whether good or evil, similar to the Greek Hades ; and of Christ it is said He descended into Sheol— in the Creeds rendered Hell. lam glad to know that " Presbyterian " does not take his cue from the ministers. He takes the Word of God, be says, which is the only infallible rule. But, like all other bigots, he takes th« Word of God as filtered through the gloom of his own morbid egotism, and judges mo and his follow men accordingly. He can find enough | of "enjoyment in those amusements which God will approve and bless." How does he know what amusements God will approve and bless, pray? He could quite safely indulge in blind man's buff 5 God would surely approve and bless that. He speaks of the vices calling for the judgment of Heaven. Am I to understand that danc.ng is one of those ? " Presbyterian," you were horn und<sr a dark sfcur-; £0 and sesk the light. Then another correspondent calling himself "No Humbug"— l would suggest "Old" instead of "No " — wants to know what I am trying to write about. Well, I have read and re-read his letter, but hang it, for the life of me I cannot make out what he is driving at. He says what seems to trouble me is the 5s the Presbyterians have got out of me, and he is not far wrong ; for I never 1 expect to get anything for it in return, and as I gave it to a gambling concern, St. Peter >wont give me credit for giving anything to the Church. He compares me to a " blind man, bearing a blind black lantern, seeking a blind black pig, all in the darkness." A. hoggish sentenco truly ; but if your correspondent is a pig-drover you could expect nothing from a pig buy a grunt. He wants me to give £5 to the Presbyterian Church. I will see him and his Chuich and the whole boiling— well, anywhere first. I would rather give £5 to the Salvation Army, for it does not allow either dancing, gambling, smoking, or drinking among its members ; but the Presbyterian Churoh allows the latter three under certain conditions. Ido donounco religious gambling, and aak gloomy Presbyterians to take a lesson from their Catholic brethren, who not only pay for their rpligion, but education into the bargain ; and they are never found gambling to raise the wind for their Ckarch. — I am, &c., AuTi-HuMßua.

(To tlie Editor.) Sib,— "Presbyterian," in your last iisue, eridently thinks tboie who dance are on the slippery road to hell. He ilio aays that he takes the Word of God alone %% the infallible guide to hii rule of faith and practice. Quits bo. Let is takt the Bible and turn to Exodus XT. In that chapter we hare the magnificent eong of Motes, and at reree 15 we read : " And Miriam, the prophetess, the titter of I Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all ' the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances," Again, let us turn over a few pages, and we come to Judges xi., and after the account of Jeptboh's triumph over the Ammonites al verse 34 we read : " And Jepthah came tv Mizpeh into his house, and behold his daughter came out to meet him : with timbrels and with dances." Once more, | turn orer a few more pages, and in a. Samuel, | chapter vi., we have an account of David's , bringing back the ark to Zion ; and at verse I 14 we read : " And David danced before the , I Lord with all his might." [These net* of dancing were nil for the purpose of showing how thankful and delight <d the respective j persons were for U-od's goodness and mercy. " Presbyterian," therefore, by his own infallible rule, contradiots himself in his | wholesale condemnation of dancing;. Indeed, so far as dancing it concerned, the matter [ stands thus : that is to say, if " Prtsbyterian " is rigkt — viz., would it be preferable to go to heaven with " Presbyterian," or to fro to the other place with Miriam, with the daughter of Jepthah, and with David ? Most people would prefer the company of the trio. | " Presbyterian " should make allowances for other men's temperaments. What is one man's moat is another man's poison. What "Presbyterian" might consider heaven his opponent " Anti-Hnmbug " would probably consider the opposite. To rot'er again to " Presbyterian's " infallible rule thero is a certain Terse in John, chapter xiv., uttered by one who, fortunately for most of us, was of infinite nwey and pity and no narrow-minded bigofywhioh is as follows.: — "In my father's house are many mansions." There oan | be no doubt that hereafter "Presbyterian" will not be located in the same mansion as " Anti-Humbug." — I am, &c, Anti-Bioot.