Let every lover of the dance, every friend of morals and of religion, and each professing Christian, read and circulate this production among all classes of men and women.

And may the blessings of God attend it’s circulation, as it may be scattered into thousands of homes, and an increasing blessing attend its author and his labors.

J. H. Stribling,

     Rockdale, Texas.  October 14, 1884.

“There is No Harm in Dancing.”

     “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree
     bringeth forth evil fruit.”—­Matt. 7, 17.

If “There is no harm in dancing,” it must be a good tree, and if it is a good tree, we shall be certain to find that it bears good fruit, and if we find the fruit hanging on its boughs to be sound and wholesome food for the physical, mental and spiritual man, we should strive to have these trees planted in all our homes, our churches, Sabbath-schools, school-houses, colleges, seminaries, or other institutions of learning.  But if we find the fruit injurious, to either the physical, mental or spiritual, to such a degree that its injurious effects are not overcome and destroyed by the benefits conferred upon us by the other two, it should be condemned by every friend of humanity.

Every tree should be cut down, and every dealer regarded as an enemy to his race.  Some trees are very tall and graceful, and dressed in beautiful foliage, but the fruit is deadly poison.  Some trees are not comely to look upon, but the fruit very good and wholesome.  So it is not the tree, but the fruit, to which we must look.  Some fruit may be very bad but not dangerous to society, because of the very small quantity on the market, and because it is not good to the taste, but little, if any, of it is used.  But this is not the case with dancing, for there is a large quantity of it on hand all the time, and a great deal of it is used, because it is palatable to the natural taste of men and women.  The demand is always far greater than the supply.

This fruit being so very popular, of such great demand, we must conclude that, as it is bound to be either good or bad, it must be very good, or very bad.  Now, reader, before we proceed to examine this fruit, please do the author and yourself the justice to sign your name to the following vow: 

“I do solemnly vow that I will carefully read the following pages as nearly as possible free from all prejudice and partiality, with a desire to know the truth, and that I will a true verdict render, according to the honest conviction of my own mind and heart.

“(Here sign name.)________________”

When and where are the trees of dancing to be found?  They grow in the night and generally perish with the darkness when the morning light appears.