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Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 5 March 1914, Page 7

The funeral of the late Mr J. M. Scott this afternoon was largely attended. The Veterans formed a guard. In addition to the particulars given the other day, it may be added that, a native of Dundee, he came to New Zealand in 1864, taking up his residence in Wanganui. He witnessed troublesome times with the Maoris in Taranaki, and with his brother served in the Wanganui First Class Militia, under Colonel Whitmore. He also participated in the famous siege at Weraroa in 18G3. In reference to the "sporting parson" case, it seems there were two sermons to which exception was taken. The latest was delivered last Sunday evening at St. Columba's Church of England, at Grey Lynn, which was crowded to the doors, the congregation consisting almost entirely of men, and including many well-known racing men, trainers, and jockeys. Notices of it had been- conspicuously posted on the training and trotting" tracks during the week. The rev. gentleman did not take any text for his remarks, simply being in the form of an address. To begin with, he wished to repeat an opinion, previously expressed, that the sportsman of to-day looked at things with the eyes of a man of the twentieth century, while the church, which historically dated from the first century, was inclined to look at things from a fifteenth century perspective. There was an utter lack of understanding. The sportsman called the clergyman a "wowser" j the clergyman called the sportsman a rascal. Both were 'to a certain extent right; both to a" very large extent were wrong. Everybody, he knew, would not agree with the particular attitude which he was taking up, but he was nevertheless convinced that these talks did good. He called on them as sportsmen in their own pleasure grounds, and he was glad to welcome them in return in devotional grounds. It was his great desire to assist in building up good clean sport. He was convinced that to denounce sport in churches which sportsmen did not attend was of no avail. Sport had come to stay in New Zealand. Year by year its ramifications extended. It was the obvious duty of the church to keep in touch with those who followed the racing pastime, and to instil a desire in their hearts for that only which was clean, wholesome, and honest. After the service a large number of men assembled at the vicarage for "a talk and a smoke," as the vicar put it, and also for the purpose of inspecting Mr Calder's pictures. These were made up of a very unusual collection, the walls of the study being indiscriminate- j ly lined with pictures of cathedrals, bishops, and trotting and racing sires.