A CLERIC ON RACING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 232, 13 September 1934, Page 2

A CLERIC ON RACING

Upholds the Sport

“They that run in the race run all, but one roceiveth the prize.’’ This saying of St. Paul was quoted by the Rev. Henry B. Young, rector of Newmarket, in a sermon upholding his attitude towards racing, says an English paper apropos of the comment on the Gam ing Act. In the time of St. Paul (he said) racing was in full swing. Every town of any considerable size had its racecourse. Rome had eight racecourses or circuses, as they were called —and chariot races, horse races, and foot races were important features in social life. Nowhere did they find our Lord or His Apostles saying “Down with racing.’’ The old Commandment touching this racing question told us: “There is nothing from without a man that, going with him, can defile him.’’ If a man went racing and was dishonest, and spent in betting the money that belonged to his wife and children, they said to him in Newmarket: “Off the course.’’ But these were the faults of the man himself, not of the place. The racecourse and the “pub” were not the only places where men could go and do wrong instead! of right. “To the pure all things are pure, but to the defiled and the unbeliever is nothing pure.” The people he was out to fight were on just the opposite tack to this. “Close the pubs,” they say, “stop racing, shut up the theatres, and the golden age shall come, and we shall all be good.” They tried it onee, in the days of Cromwell. What happened? Half the nation turned! into sneaking hypocrites, and the other half waited sullenly, wrathfully, for the day of vengeance. It came. What was it like? The filthiest, wickedest chapter in England’s history had to be written. The story of the years that followed Cromwell’s regime was a story of infamy and shameless crime. “Back to the old religion,” he said. “Hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints.”