THE "SPORTING ” PARSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16491, 5 March 1914, Page 2

THE "SPORTING ” PARSON.

CRITICISED BY A CHURCH BODY. [Pbb Pbess Association.! AUCKLAND, March 4. '■ On Sunday the Rev Jasper Calder. a young Anglican clergyman who ii well-known here as “ the sporting par- \ son,” delivered a special address to sporting men, the gist of which w that there should be a stronger sympathy between active church workers and sporting men. Horse racing had come to stay, and the preacher thought it would be better for the Church to accept that fact and endeavour to make the sport a good clean one'than to, display antagonism towards horss, racing which would only alienate the • sympathy of a large body of perfectly reputable men connected with the sport. .... This address was considered at a meeting of the Diocesan Social Questions Commission last. evening,. when the following resolution was.passed unanimously:—“ That this Commission ; regrets and strongly disapproves of Jhe pulpit utterances of the Rev "Jasper ! Calder (as reported in the Press) on the betting evil.’’ \ Interviewed to-day Mr Calder was , reluctant to make any reply to the Commission, which, he said, was doing much excellent and very useful worx. “ But as regards the gambling evil and racing generally,”, lie said, ‘‘the voice of the Commission seems •;to show that they have taken an- entirely- one-sided view. I believe I have had -enough experience of racing myself to give both sides of the question. Until one can do this one is bound to find a difficulty in gaining the sympathy of the sporting man in one’s efforts.