SUNDAY GAMES

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19598, 10 June 1935, Page 2

SUNDAY GAMES

CAMBRIDGE VICAR’S VIEWS

SPORT AND THE CHURCH.

SPORTSMEN’S SERVICE

(Special to Times.) CAMBRIDGE, MondayReminding - his congregation that right back to the period of 7-10 B.C. sport and religion were closely ailied, and later on in the course of his address stating that lie was not opposed to the individual indulging in healthy games on the Sabbath, provided the Sunday sportsman or sportswoman was prepared to reserve some part of the Sabbath for religious devotion, the Vicar of Cambridge, the Rev. C. \V. Chandler, delivered a most practical address on sport and the Church in the course of a special sportsmen's service at St. Andrew's last evening. The various district sports bodies were represented, there being a good representation of the Cambridge Rugby Sub-Union executive. The Vicar took his text from the Gospel of St. Paul, and the opening passages of his address dealt with the alliance of sport and religion in the days of the Olympic games. Mr Chandler pointed out that the earliest Olympic games were sponsored by tile Church. He traced the progress of sport down the ages and said that it was to be regretted to-day the ideal balance of the triangle of essentials —• physical, intellectual and spiritual—• had been lost. Too often one saw a perfect specimen of manhood or womanhood physically but sadly deficient intellectually or spiritually, and vice-versa-

The Church of to-day had, as in the day of the earliest Olympic games, a definite part to play. It was making a big effort to play the game—to encourage team play—and in return it had. the right to expect reciprocation from the people who claimed they were true sportsmen. He agreed that they were now only overcoming the results of the mid-Victorian era with its narrow outlook, its false modesty and puritanical ideals. Sport on Sunday. Referring directly to the changed conditions of life to-day as compared with those of a century ago, or less, and the trend of Sunday sport, Mr Chandler said he was not opposed to indulgence by the individual in healthy outdoor games. He would not like to see the Sabbath turned into a day for universal organised sports, but lie could sec no more harm in a person taking exercise in some healthy game than in sitting at home reading a doubtful novel or in cranking up the car to go for a joy-ride. “ But there has got to he fair play on both sides,” the preacher added. “ If the Church is to continue to fulfil its mission of caring for the intellectual and spiritual parts of the triangle of essentials for men and women—and it has long been established that the Church is the only organised institution that can administer efficiently In these directions — then the sportsman or sportswoman must also play the game by giving up some partion of the Sabbath for religious devotion. Is there anything fairer than that,” said Mr Chandler. In the concluding portion of his address Mr Chandler said: “ I have recently come from a country (Australia), whose people I claim arc the greatest lovers of sport in the world. New Zealanders arc little behind them, if at all. But there is the tendency to overdo the physical side of life at the expense of the intellectual and spiritual aspects."