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26 Most of the religious feasts or festivals are called dances, as they are accompanied with dancing. This is always circular, i.e. the dancers always move round in a circle, having the centre of the circle at the left hand. Here strikeout it may be pleasing to consider the resemblance between Indian & Jewish festivals - The word itself which is usually employed to designate festivals, viz blot, Hebrew: Gimmel Chet Exod. 23:17. Lev. 23:38. Num. 29:39. Deut. 14:18 14:26 16:11-17 26:11. if its original signification be consulted, is an intimation that dancing was practiced on such occasions. John's Archeology. P. 447 Hebrew: Gimmel Chet Denotes circularity of motion or form. -- The word is applied to the celebration of religious feasts, whether in honor of the true God; or of idols, as, 1 Kings 12:32. and in the reduplicate form it plainly denotes dancing round in circles. 1Sam. 30:16. - It is moreover certain that religious dances were used in the worship of the true God; (Judg. 21:19, 21, 2 Sam. 6:14, 16. 1 Chron. 15:29.) and it is well known how eminent a part they made in the religious rites of the ancient heathen. The ancient idolaters (probably) by these dances intended to attribute the progressive rotations of the earth & planets in their circular orbits to the independent power of their God the heavens; and the performance of this service by believers was disregarded to reclaim those motions to Jehovah, as the original author of them. Parkhurst under the word Hebrew: Gimmel Chet As the religious dances of the Jews were circular, so especially are those of the Indians. strikeout: All Their dances, at religious festivals, all their ball play dances, and war dances are all performed in the same manner. The dance consists sometimes of merely a slow step, sometimes quick, and sometimes accompanied with fierce & wild gestures as in the ball play & war dances.