CHURCH NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 2 October 1901, Page 4

CHURCH NOTES.

(By Amicus.)

The inauguration of the King’s Birthday Sports is a departure that is likely to cultivate among our young men a healthy taste for athletics. Already we notice that several aspirants are under training for the coming events and the self-denial of early rising and abstinence from intoxicants, etc., will have an excellent result to the physique. The sports will prove a great inducement to those who seek a hearty interest in the development of a sound body. Quite recently in America, Professor

Arto Bates has been courageous enough to attack single-handedly the prevailing sentiment in favor of collage athletics. He isjabsolutely indifferent to the opposs ing forces and the weight of public opinion against him that he expresses the conviction that in present day education, athletics are the most serious obstacle to intellectual growth. The Professor is a man of high standing and wo must not .dismiss his too carefully reasoned indictment as if unworthy of attention, He urges count after count in his arraignment of what he considers the prevalent excessive devotion to athletics. It impairs the quality of the intellectual work done ; it destroys the taste for higher interests than the physical; it developcs a vulgar appetite for cheap sensationalism; it distorts the sense of proportion ; and it has an insidious and injurious effect upon character. To deal with the subject fully would demand too much of out' space, and as far as we are concerned it is questionable if the old quotatum “ mens sanain corpore sana," his been advocate 1 sufficiently among us. With regard to colleges and some ultra-sporting districts in the colony the case may be different but the comparison does not admit of local application. There are instances where men of weak bodies and strayers to athleticism have accomplished intellectual results that will easily endure comparison with the work of most athletes. However, any society that provokes an interest in athletics among young men is doing good work and it is to bo hoped that the sports next month will ' be well patronised and that the preparation required for the various items will'gire further help iu the establishment of healthy, outdoor exercise,

It is pleasing to notice in these days editors taking a firm stand against Sabbath desecration. It is evident the editor of the West Coast Times is among those who believe the adherronqs to principles in relation to tho Sabbath is more worthy than seeking popularity among a class of people absolutely devoted to sport. The following testimony speaks for itself and reveals the stamma of the editor: “ Several of our subscribers- having enquired why wo did not publish an extra as to tho result of the American Championship Yacht Race last Sunday, we may be permitted to state that unless absolutely necessary, wo wish to observe Sunday as closely as possible. Wo do not ihink tho result of a yacht race, even though it is an international one, sufficient cause to break Sunday observation, nor should we bo justified in bringing any member of our staff to work on Sunday merely to givo the public sporting information. In the case of a great national cris's, such as a declaration of war, or tho death of any great potentate, we might consider ourselves justified in publishing an extra on Sunday, but not otherwise.”