The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-16
Football.

The entire army OF football giants must
have passed thunderingly over the moral
| corpus Of our esteemed contemporary, the
Presbyterian. which puts aside DR.. BRIGGS
and his problems that it may execute a
grand counter rush in mass against the
game. Besides the immense number OF
young miserabes engulfed in its actual
struggle. countless thousands OF non-play-
ers are carried down by it's fascination into
n veritable vortex OF evil. The Presbyterian
directs It's dlsplcasure primarily at its asso-
ciates in religion. the majority of whom.
as it happens. are indirectly deep in foot
ball activity.
There is hardlya Presbyterian college"
says our contemporary, (which has not
its team going over the country. carrying
their methods Of play into every commune
ty. to be initiated in every country village.
raising up idlers who have no higher
ambition than to he swinging bats
or kicking distendcd bladdcrs. BY means
OF them employers are often defrauded.
and employees are taught to DO eyc-scrv-
ers." In Philadelphia. for instance. on field
where these missionaries from literary
institutions" as the elcvens are termed,
gather for play. we are told that the popu-
lace also assemble in immense numbers.
The Reading Railroad bridge. tho trucks.
the housetops. and the lumber piles in the
ncighborhood are black with idlers looking
on. business wagons stand for hours, in
business hours. delivering their loads to
their owners after business hours. just rs
"diSastrouS" as these improprieties Is the
consequent truancy OF boys from school
nd io tI,n,, 4
Of idlers inside of the grounds "spend-
ing money needed for families" young
fathers who neglect To provide for
their children" and young men who are
tempted to saloons and sin in general.
These missionary combinations" OF play
ers. the footballists. it means. are " impcled
by zeal never known in any Christian
organization ever sent forth from these
great institutions OF learning to save a
dying world" Still further, their public
gpmes must be placed at the head of the
'most revolutionary agencies ever en-
countered in behalf Of moral. religious,
and educational centres" The football
player has ousted the scholar in the uni
Versitles. Football has forced its way
into the church. and it is time to inquire
about Its ethics. Young men neglect their
studies to 20 and play: others their business
occupations TO stop and look. Others bet /:
and gate money is paid. How is this re-
lated to Christian ethics asks this intense
critic with the uncompromising severity of
true Calvinistic conviction. The gentle past
is invoked by way OF condemning the bru-
tally Of tho day. There was not so much
skill long ago perhaps. but there was more
humanity. eff n man had his shins peeled,
half n dozen boys would stop in the game
to battle the hurt or tie it up with their
handkerchiefs." II man was seriously
hurt, the game would stop lin sympathy
with Il suffering fellow"
Before this Jcrcmiacnl dcnunciation of
the noble sport Of football We must re-
ject any discussion OF extravaganza and
enthusiasm with which the game may
now be cultivated, and ask simply. in the
name Of all players, Presbyterian and other
wise: What is the matter with football any
way? Students alive. in Presbyterian col
lrg"s aud ia other colleges. would send
the students of other times TO the foot
Of almost any class in learning. TAoy
know great deal moro nowadays in
the colleges. just as they know more out
OF them. than our ancestors did before US.