RACING AND THE CHURCH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9740, 5 March 1914, Page 3

RACING AND THE CHURCH.

'SPORTING PARSON'S" SERMON CRITICISED. (Per Press association.) AUCKLAND, March 4. On Sunday the Rev. Jasper Calder, the young Anglican clergyman who is well-known here as the "Sporting Parson," delivered a special address to sporting men, the gist of which was that there should be a stronger sym* pathy between active church workers and sporting men. Horse .racing had come to stay and it-would bo better for the Church to accept that fac.t and endeavour to make the sport u good, clean one than to display antagonism towards horse-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 Diocesan Social Questions Commission last evening when the following resolution was passed unanimously: "That this Commission regrets and strongly disapproves of the 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, whom lie said was doing much excellent and very useful work. "But as regards the gambling evil and racing generally," said Mr Calder, "the voice of the Commission seems to show ihat they have taken an entirely onesided view. I believe 1 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 diffculty in gaining the sympathy of the sporting man in one's efforts."