Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/377

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well if you refrain from attending any save those which are conducted under the auspices of Catholic organizations or Church societies and with the sanction of your pastors.

Father Slater, S.J., in his "Manual of Moral Theology " makes the following observations on the subject under consideration

"Dancing may be a perfectly innocent amusement and it may be a dangerous occasion of sin. No general rule, therefore, can be given as to when dancing must be avoided. Much depends upon the company who join in the dance, upon the way of dancing, and upon the subjective disposition of ' the dancers. If there be nothing objectionable in any of these respects, there is no reason why a young man or a young woman should not be allowed to dance with due caution. If there be ground for objection, and especially if sin has already been frequently committed in similar circumstances, there is an obligation to abstain, unless the occasion of sin is necessary and can be made remote by taking proper precautions. If sin only follows occasionally, there will be no strict obligation to abstain from dancing, provided due precautions be taken in future."

5. The fact is, the enemy of innocence generally meets and allures the young man amid scenes of noisy worldly festivity - at amusement resorts, concert halls, parks, gardens,