Mr Symes does not like dancing parties and last Sunday evening he preached from the text "Let him that cometh after me deny himself and let him take up his cross and follow me." I know he felt very much hurt that Mr Hay went to the Ball and also to the Milnes' partyâ?¦I could see Mrs Hay leaning forward and snickering - I felt quite annoyed. She says she wishes Mr Symes would not preach such long sermons and she hopes that he sees her looking so constantly at the clockâ?¦she has had four or five dancing parties

For many churches dancing was seen as morally questionable and was often completely banned for members. This belief persisted until relatively recent times in some churches. In 1872 Alice Todd was writing regularly with home news to her husband Charles Todd - the Postmaster General - while he was away working on the Overland Telegraph Line. The Todds were members of Stow Congregational (now Pilgrim) Church at a time when the issue of dancing was under debate, and the minister, the Rev. Colmer Symes, preached against it. Alice Todd  sternly disapproved of fellow church member Agnes Hay and her dancing parties.

Todd, Alice, 1836-1898

Hay, Agnes Grant, 1837-1909

Stow Memorial Church (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Symes, Colmer B.

Todd, Charles, Sir, 1826-1910

Overland Telegraph Line (N.T. and S. Aust.)