MIND AND BODY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 161, 24 June 1935, Page 8

MIND AND BODY

Address to Sports Bodies HIGHEST IDEALS FOR MEN Fitness and Faith in God Tho need of a sound mind in a sound body was the subject of an intel esting address given by the Rev. I‘. L. Frost, at All Saints’ Church, Taradale, last night, to a large congregation, which included many representatives of the various sports bodies in the distiict, several coming from Napier. The speaker took as his text 1 Corinthians, VI., 20: “Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” “The human body is the most wonderful piece of mechanism in the world,” commenced the speaker. “Its wonder is increased by the fact that it is not a mere robot, which can do things mechanically, but is inhabited by a mind, or spirit, which can adapt or direct the machine to unlimited manifold uses. “The aim of the old Romans in the heydey of the Empire's glory was expressed in the phrase ‘.Mens sana in corpote sane,’ meaning a sound mind in a sound body. It was a noble ideal and was taken a step further by Paul when he lifted the relation of man’s body and mind to fellowship with God. His ideal was not merely a race of supermen, but of supermen who devoted their amazing gifts and qualities to the glory of God.

“If that seems somewhat old-fashioned and out-of-date, it will bo as well to remember that physical and mental perfection are not the highest ideals tor men. We may be strong and we may be clever, but if we are not good our strength and cleverness may be a curse instead of a blessing. So while I wish to stress the need of a well-developed physique and a wellordered mind, 1 wish also to emphasise more urgently the necessity of devoting all these powers to the ends of our God and Alaker.

“ ‘Alan’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever.’ 1 have never yet conic across a finer or more complete statement of man’s destiny than is contained in these words.

“Examples of physical endurance that shine because the deeds were beautiful by a simple faith in God and a desire to serve Him are many," said the preacher. “Paul is a notable instance. For 30 years lie was a missionary. His was a trail body, which reacted magnificently to his tremendous spirit. He was unaffected by his many persecutions and iu both mind and body lie glorified God bec-ause they were His. Marsden, who was a martyr to seasickness, established Christianity in New Zealand. In his many trips to this Dominion he braved the sea reckless ot that consequence. Captain Scott’s diary is a record of human endurance at its best and it is also a record of a man who loved and sought to glorify God. “J. 11. Hobbs, until recently the world’s outstanding cricketer, would not lend his influence to Sunday sport because it dishonoured the God he wished to glorify, Eric- Riddell, one of the fleetest men afoot, refused to take part in Olympic- Games at Paris because they were run on Sunday. Arthur Bridgett, one of England's greatest footballers, was a humble Christian and taught at Sunday school. I could mention many others who are similarly outstanding in sport who delight in taking a part in God’s woijk. “The intellectual giants of the race have usually been men of deep and earnest piety. Such men as Lister, Kelvin, Simpson and Rutherford, who have distinguished themselves in art or science, have been devoted to God.

“Therefore no matter if you can do the hundred yards in lOsecs. or if you are an athlete who can always gain the plaudits of the crowd, or if you are a very clever fellow, remember you are in excellent company when you stand before your fellowmcn as a man of God,” said Air. Frost. “Ways of attaining fitness of mind and body are of very special interest to us nowadays. The Al work demanded by modern progress cannot be done by a C 3 population. Speed is the craze of the age, and if you are physically or menetally short-winded you cannot expect to keep n)i with the pace. Continuing, the speaker gave it as his strong conviction, which is reported elsewhere in this issue, that fitness, both physically and mentally, could be obtained on the playing fields to a much greater and more beneficial extent than by military training.