SUNDAY PASTIMES.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 14

SUNDAY PASTIMES.

The letter of the Archbishop of Canterbury, published on 10th April, on tho aubjeot of the playing of golf on Sundays, lws caused (wiy.s tho Daily Mail on tho following day) no littlo searching of bear to in religious circles. His Grace laid down tho principle of leaving the matter to tho conscienco of Uuj individual, pointing out that each i.s responsible for so using the Lord's Day as to 111, him beat for the working days that follow. On tho subject of n report th.it Mr. Balfour played golf on Sunday, the Primate therefuro expressed no opinion. Kot every churchman, not every lum-couform-Jht, takfw so catholic a view of the matter fIS tho Archbishop. Uotli are generally inclined to regard the play as a dangorous innovation that would iead to further encroachments on .Sunday observance-. A3 for golfers themselves* their attitude may bo measured by their enthusiasm for tho game; the keener the golfer thekcencr his desire- for increased opportunities. Old Tom Morris, however, once said to an Englishman who ■ni.shcd to .see golf played at St., Andrew's on Sundays: "If ye dinna need a rest upo' tho Sabbath, the links do," and this argument is unanswerable in tho ca.se of counsos much played over during t)i,> other di\y« of tho wwk. 'IV view of the .Sunday golfer is hummed up a*, follow*: "We work hard at a jwdeutary occupation throughout tho wvek, exercise' j« us^ntial, nnd the farm ii takws doos not matter." "A wiilk would piovido tin- i.ceded exeaci.v," was tho u-ply of Mr. «i. Kdward I lower, the well-known Congu^iitionaliM, U> this nlf.-i when interviewed. Ite c «mMtlcr« that the giuno eiitfliis labour on othois— Kiicli n« "c-iddios," link attendnnl#>, flnd jjfrji[w railway servants — whereat 11 w«li; would iiftVc't no one but the individual himself. The Rev. .Silvester Horn' 1 , }iiii) St «|f a goiter, muld not ncrcpt (he "o.xorcise- art?uinont." "As a c!a.9s," he. .said, "golfors are usually men who can obtain 'eunicient lei.Miro in the week for tho game, but, hid it been a working man's *port, 1 emild to an extent accept the oxoustv" Mr. I lonic declared Hurt: th^ sight of piny on Sundayn miust be offensive to lvligiotis fontiment, besidoN entailing a S.ibbathlet.s week for railway emploreoa-a point on which l:c feft strongly. A strong argument in favour of outdoor ■sports, including golf, was advanced by Major-Oeneral Sir Reginald I-Jart, V r .C, wlien pretilding at «, meeting at Chatham 111 support of a movement for flio closing of publichou*e» on Sunday. Ho was convinced thut there- was m'oro sin and debauchery in tho country on Sundays than upon any other day of tho week, simply bt-ctiufcc it was iwi idle- day. Young people should not bo discouraged from engaging in healthy outdoor games and from gottmg healthy exercise on Sunday. ,ln iho interests of religion and temiwutct', ho pleaded for cricket, football, tennis, and other recreation* after church hours on Sunday. Tho truth was, said General Unit, that many people were bnrod to death 1 wen use- they did not know what to cio with themselves on Sundays'. With tho except ion of ono or two private clubs, there- is no Sund.ty golf in Scotland, tho home of the game, but it is interesting to note that, while the Scotwsli Church in Covenanting times M>vere•y punished thow who played on Sunday during "tho times of tho »ernionnwt," to ])iay golf or other games after chinch was held to bo quite allowable, and -it is recorded tliat John Knox himself plnyed golf and bowls on the Sunday. Th© English Puritans wore, even 'more severe against Sunday .sports than tho Scotch, M> much so that James I. issued an edict expressly sanctioning them. "When jshall the common people enjoy recreation and exercise except upon the- Sundayos and liolidayes, seeing they mu*,t amilv their labour and w inne their living in all working dnyes*"