RELIGION AND SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 82, 6 April 1914, Page 6

RELIGION AND SPORT.

ETHICS OF THE RACECOURSE. MORE CLERICAL OPINIONS. A crowded congregation filled St. Colmnba's Church Hali, Grey Lynn, last evening, attracted, no doubt, by the announcement that the service would be one specialty for sporting men, and that two addresses would be given, one by the Rev. W. G. 'MoDckton and the other by the Rev. Jaeper Calder, priest in I charge of the Grey Lynn parochial district. Some weeke ago Mr. Calder delivered a sermon to sporting men, in which he discussed the ethics of the racecourse and of clean sport, illustrating his remarks with anecdotes of his own experiences ac a keen follower of Taring. Subsequently the Diocesan Social Questions Commission (of whirfi the Rev. W. G. ilonckton is a member) issued a public statement to the effect that it entirely di.«ociated itself from the views expressed by Mr. Colder, who had not given hi 6 address under ite auspices. To this Mr. CaWer replied that he coneidereti that the commission had taken a very one-sided view, and hinted that, with more firet-iiand knowledge of fcbe subject in question, the members might bo better quali6ed to malce criticisms. PRINCIPLE AND APPLICATION. Rev. \V. G. Monckton, in hie opening remarks last evening said that foe wished to correct a current impression that the present service was to take the form of a debate. "The vicar," be said, "has kindly asked mc to come and speak, and I specially appreciate his kindness in asking mc, because while we are agreed in principle we may differ over the application. Speaking in lighter rein, I may say that I am pleased to come on this occasion. You have read of 'having greatness thruet upon one. The other day 1 had greatness thrust upon mc. Like a good many other people, I went to see the lady champion billiardist. and the manager of the match, evidently supposing that I waa the only Auckland clergyman interested in games and sport, said that he presumed I was what 'he was pleased to term 'r*e Rev. Calder.' Naturally 1 had to explain that I wasn't anyone co distinguished." Paesing on to his text. "Provide things honest in the eight of all men " (Romans -\ii 17), the preacher said that St. Paul did not condemn any special thing, but instead he laid down a principle. He did not say what was dishonest, but Mβ command waa to " provide things honest."

Elsewhere he said that all things were lawful, but all things were not expedient, and he left the expediency to tne judgment of the individual. Jesus, enni•larly, did not say that this or that little thing was ■wrong, trut laiid down broad principles of conduct. This was important because in these day« most people ■believed that if they abolished only the ant ward semblance of an evil they abolished the evil itself. The talking of a risk might be good or bad—al] depended on the object -with wMch it -was taken. IIAXGERS OF PROFESSIONALISM. There "were many legitimate and even noble risks, but it was otherwise in the sweepstake, where many put in money, and only one drew the prize. There wae the root of the evil—-the individual benefiting at the expense of tire community. The question of money, when it entered in a eport, genemily meant its ruin. In New Zealand this had been demonstrated in professional running, and to a large extent in professional cycling and billiards. The age of individualism, said the speaker, was ending, and the new age of corporate effort; ■woold undoubtedly have ite downfall unices the individual worked for the honour of serving his fellow-men. This spirit would be best fostered if in gamee and sports the honour of winning, as among the Greeks of old, wae the only prize to be won.

FROM RACING TO RELIGION. Rev. Jasper Calder prefaced his remarks by stating that, a* the earlier of bU " eporbing eervroes," as they had been called, he had said that he saw no reason why men who were keen on horseracdng should stay away from church. He felt rather that they to come ac a " steadier " for their sporting propensities. Thie point he had illustrated by stories which were, perhaps, rather unconventional, but he felt a greater amount of freedom in this respect ac he was preaching in an unconsecxated building. He had intended, by his own rather eporting propensities, to wean the members of has congregation from "sporting" services to religious ones, and so he had invited many of his acquaintances on the racecourse (as he always did) to con\e and h«ar him preach. " This evening," he added, " I want to leave the subject of racing—though I may find it difficult—and try religion."

GIVE GOD A CHANCE. Ilr. Calder proceeded to give a ratheT unconventional bat most earnest address .on manliness, which he defined ac a combination of friendship, courage, discipline and religion. " I haven't 'worried you sporting boys with much religion," he said. " I've mode it gradual. Btrt I -want you to ask yourselves, ' What sort of religion have I allowed to come into my irfe for i&e past ten, twenty—it may be forty—years,' People will tell you that moral principle is enough. There are lota of men leading perfectly moral lives —became they're shut yip in gaoL (laughter.) "What we want « morale, ■which will make Oβ do right because we want to. If you trust mc this once," continued the preacher, "accept religion, and give God a chance. TMs is the beginning of what we call Holy Week, and nest Friday—Good Friday—you may be tempted to make the day one of pleasure—the very day on which Christ gave op Has life for vs. I tell you, I'd much rather ccc a man go for a picnic on a Sunday ttem on Good Friday. I ; know you wiU find people who wifl turn irp their noses, and cay, 'I'm just ac good as you, and I don't go to church." I know there are lota of hypocrite inside the church—God forgive them for it. I 'Jtave tried gathering you together. It'a my way of abuwiu" the brotherhood of man. Please see mc through." WHO IS ST. PAUL? Mr. Calder then 'proceeded to-make a plea for religious instruction in State schools. " Don't think I've got you here for your vote," he explained. " If, I did you would be Tight in thinking mc a rotten poor eport." (Laughter. X Aβ an example for the need of Bible teaching, he told a story of a small hoy who was ticked to write an essay on St. Paul. It began thoe : —"6t. Paul » a brown horse, 16.3 high, now at HukerenuL'* (Laughter.) "I know it's funny," eaid the preacher, but a small i>o7 knows absolutely nothing about St. Baul, probably knows nothing of hie Btbte and nothing of the love of Christ."

Having explained ttoatrthis would probably be his last addresa of the kind at St. Columba's, ■Mγ. Valiesr made a special appeal to his epo/ting ftiende b th« congregatioTi to t«ke up religion. "It'e too much to ask you to go through the temptations of tjte pnrbljchouse, the racecourse and the "hrothel," he said, "wrth*ut the love fOf, Christ. Do yon know

that the really religious people—l don't mean the miserable, eneaking hypocrites — Jiave got a quarter of the battle won before we've even started?" He appealed to them to take up prayers again, the prayers they had learned in childhood. " I aek those who are pals of mine," he concluded, "to do it for my sake. Some day you will do it for God's e£ke. Good-toye, and God bless you!"

After the service a number of the sporting men present accepted IXfr. Calder's invitation to come to the vicarage for a talk and a smoke.